In the 2004 film The Polar Express, the train takes the children to the North Pole. On Christmas Eve, a magical train arrives outside the home of a boy who is beginning to doubt Santa Claus, and it carries him and other children on a nighttime journey.
The North Pole is presented as Santa Claus's bustling home city, filled with elves and centered on a large public square. The boy reaches the destination before Christmas morning and is chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas. He asks for a silver bell from Santa's sleigh, making the bell a symbol of belief and the film's central emotional idea.
Robert Zemeckis directed the film and co-wrote its screenplay with William Broyles Jr. It was based on Chris Van Allsburg's 1985 picture book, which uses spare illustrations and a dreamlike journey. The movie was produced with performance-capture animation and features Tom Hanks in multiple roles, including the conductor, Santa Claus, and the young hero's father. It is distinct from stories that place Santa's workshop in Lapland or another named region.