Europe's most beautiful Christmas markets by train
Five 8-day rail trips through Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary. Start any day between 14 November and 19 December 2026 – guaranteed from 2 guests, from €1,890 per person.
8 days · 7 nightsArrive any dayGuaranteed from 2 guestsHotels with breakfastTours & entrances included
4.6 Google · 2,615 reviews4.4 Tripadvisor · 1,617 reviewsSince 2016 · Vienna team
Xmas deal
Prices guaranteed for bookings until 30 November 2026
Book by 30 November and your price is locked in – no surcharges later.
Early bird 2027
Advent 2027 at 2026 prices
Book by 24 December 2026 and travel any time between 15 November and 24 December 2027 at today's price.
Advent 2026
Five trips, one week each
Every trip: 8 days, 7 nights, central hotels, trains, airport transfers, city walks, market tours and the main sight of every city – book online, pay by payment link.
Per person in a double room with breakfast. One price for everyone: guaranteed from 2 guests; from 20 guests your own tour leader in your language joins you for all 8 days at the same price. Single room supplement for the whole trip.
Christmas markets open in 2026
City
Dates
Budapest
from 13 November
Munich
20 November – 24 December
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
20 November – 23 December
Dresden
25 November – 24 December
Bratislava
from 26 November
Nuremberg
27 November – 24 December
Prague
from late November
Lucerne, Christmas Train
22 November – 27 December
Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck
traditionally from mid-November
On days without a market your guide shows you the city's most beautiful Advent lights instead.
Europe's most beautiful Advent
Christmas markets you know from picture books
Wiener Christkindlmarkt at City HallMulled wine and wooden huts on the old squaresDresden's Striezelmarkt, held since 1434Munich's Christkindlmarkt on MarienplatzBudapest's Parliament glowing on the Danube
Why Advent by train
Eight reasons to travel into Advent with us
When the old squares fill with wooden huts, children's choirs sing in front of the cathedrals and you warm your hands on a cup of mulled wine, it's Advent. Our trips take you right there – relaxed, by train.
1 Start any day
Choose your arrival day freely between 14 November and 19 December – no fixed departure dates like a classic tour.
2 Guaranteed from 2 guests
No minimum group size, no risk of cancellation. Your trip takes place even if there are only two of you.
3 Tour leader from 20 guests, free
Travelling as a family, club or company of 20 or more? Your own tour leader in your language joins you all week, at the same price.
4 Train, not coach
No traffic jams, no early suitcase rounds, no sitting in row 14. You glide from old town to old town and watch the winter landscape pass by.
5 Stay right in the centre
Our hotels are central, the markets usually a few minutes' walk away. One more punch in the evening? No problem.
6 Everything important already paid
Main entrance, market tour, city walk including the tip, transfers and transport day tickets are included. You only open your wallet for mulled wine and presents.
7 Advent in five countries
Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Salzburg, Dresden, Nuremberg, Lucerne: Europe's most famous Christmas markets, linked in a clever order.
8 Planned by Viennese locals
Prime Tours knows Central Europe first-hand. Our team in Vienna organises every trip and is there for you throughout your stay.
Our rail trips compared with a classic coach tour
Our rail trips
Classic coach tour
Departure
✓ any day you choose
fixed dates
Guaranteed
✓ from 2 guests
often only from 15–20 guests
On the move
✓ by train, centre to centre
by coach, often long driving days
Hotels
✓ central, walk to the markets
often on the outskirts
Entrances and tours
✓ included in every city
partly as paid extras
Tour leader
✓ from 20 guests at no extra cost
included in the price, even if you don't need it
Included in every city
The one sight you must see is already paid
Palaces, castles and residences: the main entrance in every city is part of your trip, together with a local guide.
Schönbrunn Palace and the Gloriette, ViennaCharles Bridge and Prague CastleAn Advent concert in ViennaSalzburg and Hohensalzburg Fortress
Simple & safe
How booking works
1
Choose trip & date
Pick your route, arrival day, hotel category and travellers on the trip page and send the booking form.
2
Confirmation & payment link
Within 24 hours you receive your confirmation and invoice by email: 20% deposit, the balance 60 days before arrival.
3
Pack your scarf
Digital travel documents before departure, our Vienna team on call during the trip. Tip: protect your trip with travel insurance from our partner Faye.
Not the right trip?
Tailor-make your own trip
Different cities, more nights, a family or a group, a different season? Tell us your wishes – our Vienna team plans your own route by train, with hotels, guides and Christmas markets, and sends you a proposal by email.
Your first trip idea instantly on screen and in your inbox
Any route through Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia and Italy
Your dates, your pace, your hotel category
Planned by the same Vienna team since 2016
Thank you – we're on it! 🎉
Your request has reached our Vienna team. We'll get back to you by email shortly.
For travel agents & tour operators
Sell our Advent rail trips – with commission
Every trip runs daily and is guaranteed from 2 guests, so you can sell it without risk. Download the brochure for all five trips in your clients' language, send it on and earn commission on every booking.
Commission on every booking – ask for your partner rates
Brochures in English, German, Spanish and Italian, ready to forward
Your client books online or we send them a payment link – you choose
Groups from 20: own tour leader in your language at no extra cost
One contact in Vienna, replies within 24 business hours
Brochures to download
Prices, day-by-day programme and conditions – ready to send to your clients.
Your request has reached our Vienna team. We'll get back to you by email shortly.
FAQ
Christmas markets by train – questions & answers
How do the Christmas market trips by train work?
You pick one of five 8-day routes and your own arrival day. Prime Tours books central hotels with breakfast, all trains, airport transfers, a tip-based city tour, the main entrance and a guided Christmas market tour in every city, plus day tickets for public transport. You travel independently by train, with our Vienna team on call throughout.
When can I start my trip in 2026?
Any day between 14 November 2026 and 19 December 2026. The best time is arriving between 27 November and 16 December 2026, when every market on every route is open.
Is the trip guaranteed, even for two people?
Yes. Every trip is guaranteed from 2 guests – there is no minimum group size. From 20 guests your own tour leader in your language accompanies you for all 8 days at the same price.
How much does a Christmas market trip by train cost?
From €1,890 per person in a double room (Royal Europe, 3★ hotels). Best of Austria costs from €2,290, Best of the Alps and Christmas Capitals from €2,190, Best of Germany from €2,490. 4★ hotels and single rooms are available for a supplement.
What is included and what is not?
Included: 7 nights with breakfast, all trains in 2nd class with reserved seats, airport transfers, tip-based tours with the tip already paid, the main entrance in every city, a Christmas market tour in every city, public transport day tickets and city taxes. Not included: flights, lunch and dinner, drinks and personal expenses.
How do I book and pay?
Fill in the booking form on the trip page. We check availability and send your confirmation and invoice with a payment link by email: 20% deposit on booking and the balance 60 days before arrival (if you arrive sooner, the full amount). Bookings are non-refundable, so we recommend travel insurance – for example with our partner Faye.
What are the Xmas deal and the early bird offer?
Xmas deal: today's prices are guaranteed for all bookings made by 30 November 2026. Early bird: book by 24 December 2026 and travel in Advent 2027 (15 November – 24 December 2027) at the same price.
Which trip is right for me?
First time in Austria: Best of Austria. Snow and mountains: Best of the Alps. Germany's famous markets (Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Dresden): Best of Germany. Best value and four capitals: Royal Europe. As many markets as possible in five countries: Christmas Capitals.
In which language are the tours?
City walks and market tours are in English; other languages on request. From 20 guests the language of your own tour leader is guaranteed.
Can travel agents and tour operators sell these trips?
Yes. Partners earn commission on every booking and can download the brochures in English, German, Spanish and Italian to send to their clients. Clients book online or receive a payment link. Contact bookings@primetours.at.
How much luggage can I bring?
One medium-sized suitcase per person fits comfortably in the train's luggage racks. Luggage transport between the hotels is available on request.
Can you change the route or plan a trip just for us?
Yes. Use the tailor-made form: our Vienna team plans your own route by train with the cities, nights and hotels you want, and replies by email.
