Railway City Tourism

We are your go-to resource for discovering everything there is to see and do in St. Thomas, Ontario.

Railway City Tourism is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for St. Thomas. That means we're here to promote local attractions, events, businesses, history, and culture. Whether you're a visitor planning your trip or a local looking for hidden gems, we're here to help you explore all the amazing things our city has to offer.

We’re a small but passionate team of locals with deep community roots. We've done the research, made the connections, and created tons of helpful resources—now we want to make sure you find them.

📍 Visit us at the replica L&PS Station at 605 Talbot Street. Our tourism information centre is open year-round and offers current details on St. Thomas events, attractions, trails, public art, and more. You’ll also find maps, brochures, and friendly staff ready to point you in the right direction.
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🔍 Want to know more about the history of the Railway City, our unique location in the L&PS Station, and how St. Thomas became a hub for rail travel? Scroll down and look for the INFO icons to dive into our city’s fascinating past.​

Our Home Today

L&PS Station - A Tribute to Railway Heritage
Home of Railway City Tourism

The new L&PS Station is a faithful replica of the original London & Port Stanley (L&PS) Railway station that once stood proudly in downtown St. Thomas before its demolition in the 1960s. Originally built by the St. Thomas-Elgin Home Builders Association for the International Plowing Match, the station found its permanent home thanks to a generous donation from the Dorothy Palmer estate.

Now located near its historic site, the station anchors a revitalized stretch of railway history. Reconstructed tracks connect downtown St. Thomas to Port Stanley, with newly developed park space along the line offering a scenic and accessible public corridor.

Today, the L&PS Station serves as the headquarters of Railway City Tourism, operating year-round to celebrate and share the city's rich rail legacy — proudly living up to the title “Railway City.”

The Four Major Railway Lines Of St. Thomas

L&PS Railway

One of Ontario’s oldest railways, The London and Port Stanley Railway, was designed to alleviate congestion on a road that had been built to connect Port Stanley and London. Entirely constructed by hand labour, the railway project was begun in 1853 and the first train to reach Port Stanley was on July 5th 1856.

During the next 59 years, thousands of steam trains traveled the route, carrying passengers and freight to and from London and Port Stanley. 

In 1913 the City of London assumed operations and rebuilt the line into a modern high-speed electric operation. These trains enticed excursionists to travel to Port Stanley, where passengers could enjoy the amusement park, dine in the cafeteria, or dance under the stars at the L&PS Pavilion (later knows as the Stork Club). 

From the Port Stanley Terminal Rail ​

The Railway Capital of Canada

Why do we call St. Thomas Canada’s railway capital?

St. Thomas was an important railway town. At its peak, it was a hub for a multitude of prominent railways, and served as the primary stop on the Canadian shortcut between Detroit and Buffalo. By 1914, a total of eight different railways brought in more than 100 trains per day.

A more profound reason is the importance of the railways to St. Thomas. To be sure, there were major cities in Canada that also served as booming railways centres. But the railways transformed St. Thomas from a town of just 1700 people in 1860 to a city of more than 35,000 people today. The railways brought St. Thomas jobs and prosperity.

St. Thomas became known internationally, though the incident that made St. Thomas a household name was an unfortunate one. On September 15, 1885, Jumbo the elephant, star of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, was struck and killed in St. Thomas by a Grand Trunk locomotive. On the one hundredth anniversary of Jumbo’s death, the city dedicated a monument to Jumbo.

Magnificent in its heyday, the Canada Southern Railway Station is still one of the largest buildings in the city of St. Thomas. Other local attractions include the Elgin County Railway Museum and the CASO Station. 

Every August people from St. Thomas and visitors from far and wide come to celebrate the railway influence in the Iron Horse Festival. The current community focus is a fundraising effort to save the old railway station, originally built in 1872. In addition to preserving an important historical landmark, the project also promises to rejuvenate the downtown core and serve as a testament to the enduring legacy the railways have left on St. Thomas, Canada’s railway capital.

From the St. Thomas Downtown Development Board

Trains Today

​The train occasionally runs from the L&PS Station for Special Events. Stay tuned to our social media channels and events page for details. See our TRAIN FAQs for more info on the train in St. Thomas.