Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Polar Express has, for many, become a Christmas staple on the must-watch list every single year. As we’re once again approaching Christmas 2024, let’s explore where you can stream The Polar Express on Netflix this year, where you can watch it if it’s not streaming where you live and some alternatives to watch instead.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Robert Zemeckis’s holiday classic has grown a huge new following in recent years thanks to viral clips on TikTok and the like. It’s so influential that a train station down the road from me even hosts special Christmas events inspired by the film.
Set on Christmas Eve, The Polar Express follows a young boy losing faith in Christmas. He boards The Polar Express and travels to the North Pole to visit Santa Clause. The young boy is voiced by Tom Hanks who also voiced and provided the motion capture for several of the characters featured throughout. Also voicing in the film are Leslie Zemeckis, Eddie Deezen, Josh Hutcherson, Michael Jeter, and Nona Gaye.
Where will The Polar Express be streaming on Netflix in 2024?
Five regions of Netflix have access to the movie for 2024, with most of them getting the title over the past few months. According to Unogs, a site that tracks the availability of content across the world, the countries streaming the movie in 2024 include:
- Australia – Added on October 12th
- Portugal – Added on August 20th
- Romania – Added on December 6th
- South Korea – Added on July 12th
- Spain – Added on September 5th
Why isn’t The Polar Express on Netflix in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom?
While the movie does come and go from Netflix in the US, for the most part, it never streams during the holiday period. That’s because Warner Bros. Pictures, the company that owns the rights to the film, always opts to put it elsewhere. Its last stint on Netflix was between January and May 2022.
For 2024, you do have two options on where to stream this year if you’re in the States. Hulu and Max (the latter owned by Warner Bros. Pictures) are streaming it for the festive period.
If you’re in the United Kingdom, the movie is locked away with Sky this year, meaning you can view it on Sky Cinema or stream it with Now Cinema. In Canada, according to JustWatch, your only option this year is Prime Video.
Movies Similar to The Polar Express on Netflix
In terms of animated Christmas movies, Netflix really has two that stand out, with one being new for 2024. The first film is Klaus, the beloved 2019 animated feature from director Sergio Pablos. The second is That Christmas, which just dropped on Netflix globally and has been getting rave reviews, including from our own critic, who said, “A Christmas movie done right. The magic, the loneliness, the togetherness, & the promise of a wonderful day – all packed into one animated holiday family film that doesn’t shy away from real life & raw emotions.” Netflix also recommends The Christmas Chronicles, Kung Fu Panda 3, A Boy Called Christmas, and Matilda.
If you want to search Netflix’s collection of Christmas animated titles, you can use one of the many holiday category codes it offers. You can refer to our guide, use this link, or type in the code 1393371.
