Seasonal

Winter Holiday Train

A free holiday gift that actually earns its shelf space.

Brick Rated Score

3.9/5

Set 40700 · 2024

Pieces294

Minifigsn/a

Year2024

Set number40700

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The verdict

I built this one in a single sitting with a mug of something warm nearby, and it felt exactly like a set built for that mood, cozy, a little silly, over almost too soon.

It is a gift with purchase, so nobody paid actual money for it, and that changes how I judge it. Against a real retail price it would be fine but forgettable. Against free, it is a genuinely lovely little scene that punches well above its cost of admission. If you love LEGO's winter village vibe, grab one while you still can, because gift sets like this vanish the moment the promotion ends and never come back.

Best for: Winter village collectors and anyone who scored it free and wants a quick, satisfying build

The full review

What it is

This is one of those small seasonal builds that LEGO tucks into carts around the holidays, and I have a soft spot for them precisely because nobody expects much going in. What you get is a compact steam locomotive done up in the reds and greens of a candy cane, pulling a little car of presents and holiday trimmings behind it. It is not trying to be an engineering showcase. It is trying to make you smile while you build it, and it does.

The catch

I will be honest about the size. At under 300 pieces this is not a display centerpiece on its own, it is a supporting player. If you were hoping for a full train set with track and a motorized base, this is not that, it is a static model meant to sit on a mantel or a shelf next to your other winter pieces. There are also no minifigures riding along, which is a bit of a missed opportunity given how much personality LEGO usually packs into a holiday scene.

Who it's for

Because this came as a gift rather than a purchase, my honest advice is simple, if you got one, build it and enjoy it, it is a sweet little bonus. If you did not get one and are now hunting it down on the secondary market, think hard before paying much for it. It is charming, but it was designed to be a free thank you, not a set that needs to anchor your winter collection.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

The build itself is short and calm, which is honestly the appeal. You start with the chassis and wheels, work up through the boiler and cab, then finish with the little trailing car loaded with presents and greenery. Nothing here will challenge an experienced builder, and that is fine, this is a set meant to be finished in one relaxed sitting rather than studied for clever technique.

The standout for me is the color story more than any single rare piece, the candy cane red and white striping on the boiler and the sprigs of holly worked into the trim give the whole thing a warmth that a lot of bigger, pricier seasonal sets do not manage. There is nothing here that will excite a hardcore parts collector looking for new molds or printed rarities, this is a set that spends its small piece count on mood and color rather than on flashy elements.

Fun facts

01This train continues a long-running LEGO holiday tradition of small gift with purchase train models released in past winter seasons.
02It was distributed as a free gift with qualifying purchases during the 2024 holiday shopping window rather than sold as a standalone retail set.
03Its candy cane inspired paint scheme ties it visually to LEGO's broader winter village and holiday seasonal lineup, making it a popular add on for collectors who already display those sets.