Northern California's Favorite Event Rentals
Bring the Magic of the “Hogwarts Express” to Your Event
Butterfly-Express brings a “Hogwarts Express”-inspired trackless train to school events, sporting events, festivals, churches, birthdays, and private celebrations, creating magical fun for guests of all ages.
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Bring the Fun to Your Next Event with Our Trackless Trains
Butterfly-Express brings a “Hogwarts Express”-inspired train experience to events across Northern California, offering themed rides, entertainment, and fan appreciation for guests of all ages.
Where Our “Hogwarts Express” Experience Fits Best
Butterfly-Express brings a “Hogwarts Express”-inspired train experience to school events, festivals, sporting events, church gatherings, birthdays, and private parties, creating magical fun for guests of all ages.
A Charming Addition to Your Celebration
Wedding and Reception Entertainment
Bring extra charm and memorable fun to your wedding celebration with our themed trackless train experience. Butterfly-Express offers guest rides and entertainment that add a whimsical touch to weddings, receptions, and special celebrations.
Game Day Entertainment for Fans
Sporting Events and Fan Appreciation
Bring added excitement to sporting events with our “Hogwarts Express”-inspired trackless train. Butterfly-Express provides a fun, family-friendly ride attraction that enhances the guest experience and gives fans a memorable way to enjoy the event atmosphere.
Entertainment for Vineyard Events
Vineyard Celebrations and Gatherings
We can provide a unique train ride attraction for private events hosted at vineyards and winery venues. Butterfly-Express offers themed entertainment for special occasions and guest enjoyment, rather than standing tour service.
Premier Event Entertainment
Trackless Train Rentals
Butterfly-Express offers a “Hogwarts Express”-inspired trackless train experience for fairs, festivals, corporate events, schools, churches, and community celebrations throughout Northern California. Our train provides safe, memorable rides and themed entertainment for guests of all ages.
Trackless Train Fun for Special Celebrations
Memorable Birthday Parties
Add a magical highlight to your child’s birthday with our trackless train. Butterfly-Express delivers a safe, fun, and engaging ride experience that delights guests and creates lasting memories for children and families.
Fun for Young Guests
Preschools and School Events
Our “Hogwarts Express”-inspired train is a favorite for preschools, elementary schools, and family-friendly school events. It brings playful energy, safe rides, and unforgettable excitement to students, staff, and families.
A Memorable Attraction for Gatherings
Church and Community Events
Butterfly-Express brings a unique train ride experience to church functions, faith-based gatherings, festivals, and community celebrations. Our themed train adds family-friendly entertainment that guests of all ages can enjoy.
A Fun Addition to Corporate Events
Team Appreciation and Employee Celebrations
Butterfly-Express adds a playful, nostalgic experience to company parties, staff appreciation events, and workplace celebrations. Our trackless train creates a memorable attraction for employees and their families to enjoy.
The Heart and Passion Behind Every Ride
Born from a lifelong love for trains
A Story of Real Passion
Eric started Butterfly-Express because he never outgrew his childhood fascination with locomotives. After years of learning the trade from experienced mentors, he launched this company with a simple idea: nothing keeps you young like the sound of a child laughing. We bring that same excitement to every event we host, making sure the experience is just as fun for our team as it is for the families we serve.
High-quality rides you can trust
Built for Fun, Engineered for Safety
We believe a great party should be both magical and worry-free. Our custom-built 'Hogwarts Express' is a serious piece of equipment—powered by a diesel engine and crafted from solid steel and fiberglass. To keep things running smoothly, every rental comes with a professional, uniformed engineer to handle the driving. We are fully insured and follow strict safety rules, so you can focus on enjoying the day while we take care of the details.
Serving communities across Northern California
We Bring the Party to You
Based in Merced, we travel all over the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento, and the Bay Area. We make the logistics easy by handling everything from delivery and setup to the final pack-up. Whether you are hosting a massive community festival or a private birthday party, our team is ready to set up on any flat surface and get the wheels turning for your guests.
Professional Service with No Hidden Fees
Clear & Upfront Pricing
No hidden fees, no surprises. Whether you’re hosting a small neighborhood birthday or a massive regional festival, we provide a professional engineer, custom music, and full setup to ensure your event stays on the right track."
Standard Hourly Rate
$375 for the 1st hour, which includes your engineer, set-up, music, and operation. Only $250 for each subsequent hour.
Community Discounts
We are proud to offer special discounted rates for Schools, Churches, and Regional Organizations.
Custom Event Quotes
Planning a large-scale wedding, corporate tour, or multi-day festival? Contact us for a tailored package built for your needs.
Hear From Our Happy Passengers
Diana M.
Engineer Eric arrived on time to my husband's company event! It was a family day to launch the opening of the new Stockton terminal for Saia LTL (freight). Everyone - adults and kids - enjoyed the train rides around the entire yard and all we saw were smiles galore! Engineer Eric is kind, professional and a joy to work with. Hire his train for your next event! You will not be disappointed!!!! Thank you Eric!!!!!! You made our event a huge success!
Stockton, CA
Alex F.
Happy to add our son to the list of three year olds who had amazing birthday parties thanks to Eric and his train!
He was a great engineer, enjoys taking the kids out for rides.
The happiness in all the kids (and teens and adults) is worth every penny.
PS: the train is a lot more nimble than I expected, able to do a U turn on a two lane street. Better than my Honda Accord.
Oakland, CA
Cassie B.
Eric was very professional through out the booking experience. Accommodating to the very last minute! We had a great experience and looking forward to keeping this a tradition for the kiddies next yr!
Hayward, CA
Katie H.
We so enjoyed the trackless train at my son's third birthday party! The kids (and adults) absolutely loved it! Plus the entire process was seamless from start to finish. Eric was always so prompt and friendly with communication during our planning process, he showed up early and had the train ready to go, took us all on a nice loop around the neighborhood several times (I didn't have to tell him where to go, he had it all covered), and the engineer outfit was a great touch. Everyone (including our neighbors) was delighted. Such a fun time. Thank you, Eric!
San Jose, CA
G K.
I hired Butterfly-Express for our boys' first and third birthday party, and the train was a hit! It was loved by both adults and kids alike and every dollar spent was worth it. My 3 year old is really into trains and I wanted to get a train that he could actually ride for his birthday party. There aren't too many choices out there. I was scared off of the first one I found based on the bad reviews on Yelp. Second one I found had great reviews but had lots of restrictions about the conditions to which he would bring his train. He ended up declining to be hired due to narrow streets, lack of side walks, etc. Well, Engineer Eric had no problems bringing his train to our neighborhood and he was very adept at maneuvering his long train around our streets, narrow with no sidewalks and all. In addition, he was really amiable and was patient through all of our picture taking. He gave us as many rides as we wanted- I think my 3 year old rode on it 5 times!
I highly recommend Engineer Eric and his train for your next party!
Mountain View, CA
Dan Merme
We had their train for my sons 3rd birthday and it was fantastic. Eric was on time, responsive, and the kids loved it. Couldnt have asked for a better experience.
Booking Your Butterfly-Express Experience
Renting a train should be as fun as riding one. At Butterfly-Express, we handle the logistics so you can focus on your guests. We combine reliable service with a classic train ride that people of all ages love, making sure your event is safe, organized, and memorable.
Full Service from Start to Finish
We take care of the details
When you book with us, we handle all the heavy lifting. Every rental includes delivery, full setup, and a professional, uniformed engineer to run the train throughout your event. Our 40-foot Hogwarts Express arrives ready to roll. All we need is a flat surface, like pavement, asphalt, or packed gravel, and we are good to go.
Our drivers love what they do and truly believe a child's laughter is the best reward for a hard day's work.
Safety and Comfort for Everyone
Built to keep your guests secure
Our train is custom-built from steel and fiberglass, making it sturdy enough to carry 16 to 24 passengers comfortably. We have added canopies for shade, padded seats for a smooth ride, and seat belts for every passenger so parents can relax. We are fully insured and perform regular inspections to keep everything running perfectly.
We treat safety as our top priority, with regular inspections and experienced operators following strict protocols for every ride.
The Perfect Fit for Any Event
Not just for birthday parties
The Butterfly-Express does more than entertain; it helps your event run smoothly. We provide shuttles for weddings, scenic tours through vineyards, and transportation for fans at sporting events. If you are hosting a corporate event, we can even add custom signage to the train to promote your brand while moving guests through the venue.
Our trains add a fun, high-visibility attraction that helps create memorable experiences at large events.
We provide high-quality trackless train rides for birthday parties and corporate events throughout Northern California.
Ready to Bring the “Hogwarts Express” to Your Event?
Whether you are planning a community festival in Merced or a grand opening in the Bay Area, our Hogwarts Express is ready to hit the road. We provide a professional, uniformed engineer to manage every detail of the ride so you can focus on your guests. Our coaches are safety-certified and feature canopies to keep people of all ages comfortable and out of the sun. We are here to make sure your celebration runs smoothly and provides a unique experience that everyone will remember.
Contact & Mailing Information
Disclaimer: This address is for mailing purposes only and is not a public visitor location.
(209)-612-3865
Start Planning Your “Hogwarts Express” Experience
Send us your event details and we’ll get back to you with availability and pricing.