Why go by train
The train takes you from central London to the middle of a European city, with no airport security, no liquids rules and no luggage fees. You can carry as many Christmas presents home as you can lift. For a short break, door-to-door times are often about the same as flying.
All the journeys below start with the Eurostar from London St Pancras. Times are typical fastest journeys and can be longer depending on your connection. Check eurostar.com for this year's timetables and prices, and book early: December weekends sell out.
Under 2½ hours: Brussels and Paris
- Brussels: about 2 hours non-stop. The Winter Wonders market spreads from the Grand-Place, with its light show and huge Christmas tree, through the streets to an ice rink and Ferris wheel.
- [Paris](/destinations/paris): about 2 hours 15 minutes. Paris doesn't have one big market, but it has the lights on the Champs-Élysées, the window displays at the big department stores and small markets dotted around the city, plus Disneyland Paris for a festive day out.
Lille, about an hour and a half away, also has a small Christmas market and a big wheel, if you want the shortest possible trip.
Under 3 hours: Bruges and Ghent
Bruges is about an hour on from Brussels by train, so around three hours from London with the change. Its markets fill the Markt and Simon Stevinplein, with an ice rink in the main square and the Winter Glow light trail. The market usually stays open until early January.
Ghent, half an hour from Bruges, has a bigger, livelier market and is a little less touristy. You can easily do both in a long weekend.
About 4 hours: Amsterdam
Amsterdam is just under four hours direct on the Eurostar. Its Christmas markets are small, but the Amsterdam Light Festival, with light art along the canals, runs from late November into January, and you can see it from a canal boat. It's more of a festive city break than a market trip.
About 5 hours: Cologne
Cologne is the closest big German Christmas market city. There's no direct train yet, so you change in Brussels onto a German ICE or a Eurostar, and the fastest connections take around five hours in all.
Cologne has seven markets, the most famous right beside the cathedral as you leave the station, plus the Chocolate Museum by the river. Most of the markets close on 23 December. If you're going, Bruges or Brussels make a good stop on the way.
About 5½ hours: Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the grandest market you can reach by train. Take the Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, walk about ten minutes to Gare de l'Est, and catch a TGV. The fastest journeys are just under five hours, but allow five and a half to six with the change.
It's worth it: the market has run since 1570 and spreads across a dozen squares, with a huge tree in Place Kléber. Colmar, the prettiest market town in Alsace, is about half an hour further on by train.
Tips for a Christmas market trip by train
- Book early. Eurostar fares go up as trains fill, and December weekends are the busiest of the year.
- Travel midweek. Markets are calmer and hotels cheaper from Sunday to Thursday.
- Leave time for the change. For Strasbourg, allow at least an hour in Paris to walk between stations. For Cologne, allow time in Brussels in case the first train is late.
- Stay near the station. In Cologne, Strasbourg and Bruges, the old town and markets are a short walk from the main station.
For more market ideas, see the best Christmas markets in Europe and our Christmas holidays page.