On Christmas Eve, during a snowstorm, a group of strangers are on a train to Boston from Bangor, Maine, where the airport has been shut down due to the weather.

Once they reach Boston, many of the passengers hope to make connections to various destinations across the United States. A sailor is trying to get to Texas to place an engagement ring on his girlfriend's finger. A software salesman, returning from a business trip, wants to return to Los Angeles and patch things up with his wife. A recently widowed woman wishes to spend the holidays with her daughter's family in Boston. A man and his wife are attempting to reach Maryland in time for the birth of their first grandchild. And other travels have similar desires to reach their destinations in time for Christmas.

However, the train develops engine trouble, and there are track problems ahead. The passengers are suddenly forced to disembark and take shelter in a small depot in New Hampshire. Understandably disappointed and dispirited, they try to make the best of things with little success at first. Eventually, however, they begin to bond, despite their circumstances. They even find themselves beginning to accept their fate by finding ways to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas. As the former strangers become collective friends, through patience, understanding and humor, they realize the memory of this night will be a gift to remember.