🎄10-Day European Christmas Market Itinerary by Train

5 Countries, 8 Cities, 24+ Markets, and Endless Holiday Magic

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If you’ve ever dreamed of hopping on a train and stepping into European towns lit up with Christmas lights, this itinerary is for you. Over 10 days, we traveled through five countries and eight cities, visiting more than 24 Christmas markets. It was just as magical and festive as it sounds. 🎄

With only three hotel stays, a few cultural detours, and a scenic hike in Switzerland, this Christmas market itinerary proved that you can experience Europe’s best winter traditions without feeling rushed.

We used trains for everything, with the exception of our overnight layover in London. It made the travel easy, relaxing, and scenic. Staying in Zurich and Munich gave us strong home bases. Day trips let us explore Austria, France, and more of Switzerland without changing hotels every night.

Christmas markets spilled through city centers and into old town squares and cobblestone alleys. In many places, they were so close together that you could finish a mug of mulled wine at one and wander straight into the next without even trying.

This route included both iconic Christmas market cities and a few surprises, like the small-town charm of Kingston during a layover.

If you’re looking for a must see Christmas market itinerary in Europe that combines charm, convenience, and a little adventure, this route delivers.

For more ideas and tips read my European Christmas market trip planning guide.

🧳 Trip Logistics and Travel Tips

Planning ahead makes a multi country Christmas market trip feel smooth instead of overwhelming. These travel logistics and packing tips are based on what worked well for us while moving frequently between cities, helping us stay warm and make the most of our time at each stop.

Why Trains Are the Best Way to Explore Europe’s Christmas Markets

Train travel is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to explore Europe during the Christmas season. You skip airport security lines, enjoy scenic views along the way, and arrive directly in city centers where most Christmas markets are located.

For this itinerary, we relied on three types of tickets:

• Swiss Travel Pass: Covered all travel within Switzerland and local city trams. We were also able to use this pass for discounts or free entry to museums and other attractions throughout Switzerland.
  
• Alsa+ Pass: Purchased in Basel and used for our day trip to Colmar and Strasbourg. It was good for 24 hours.
  
• Point to point tickets: Used for travel between Munich and Salzburg and again between Munich and Zurich.

💡Pro Tip: Book point to point tickets early. We waited too long to purchase our Munich to Zurich tickets and ended up paying twice the price.

What to Pack for Christmas Market Travel

Packing smart makes a huge difference when you are walking for hours between markets in cold weather. Comfortable layers and the right shoes will keep you warm without slowing you down.

Here are a few essentials that worked well for us.

• Waterproof boots with good traction and wool socks
• A warm but packable winter coat
• Thermal base layers and sweaters. I loved these fleece lined pants.
• Gloves, a hat, and a scarf
• Hand Warmers
• A small lightweight backpack for shopping and snacks
• Portable phone charger since phones tend to drain battery faster in cold weather.

If you want a full breakdown of exactly what I bring on trips like this, I shared everything in my Christmas market packing list.

🎒 Our Itinerary Begins

Travel passes in hand and bags packed for winter weather, we were ready to begin. Here’s how our 10 day Christmas market adventure unfolded, one stop at a time.

📍 Day 1: Kingston, England

A Cozy First Stop Near Heathrow

Our European Christmas market itinerary began with a one night layover near Heathrow. Instead of staying at the airport, we took a short ride to Kingston. This turned out to be one of the most charming surprises of the trip.

Kingston’s Christmas market is small and local, tucked into a walkable town center with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. There were not rows of elaborate stalls like in larger cities, but the cozy vibe and great prices made it memorable. It was a perfect way to ease into the holiday mood after a long travel day.

If you ever find yourself with a Heathrow layover or want a quieter spot outside London, this market is worth a visit. I would absolutely return if I were in the area again.

💡Yummy Tip: Do not miss the mini pancakes. They are warm, freshly made, and a perfect Christmas market treat.

More details and highlights from Kingston are included in my post on the best Europe Christmas markets.

📍 Days 2 to 4: Munich, Germany

Classic Markets, Medieval Charm, and a Day Trip to Austria

Munich was our home base for the next four nights. The city gave us a rich mix of tradition, history, and Christmas cheer. We visited four Christmas markets in the city, each with its own atmosphere and style.

The main market in Marienplatz is a must visit. Take the elevator to the top of the Town Hall tower for a stunning view over the square. Around Old Town, we kept finding surprise stalls tucked into corners or alleys. Sometimes it was just one or two vendors that felt like hidden gems.

One of my favorite markets in Munich was the Medieval Market, which added a completely different vibe with old world crafts and costumes. It was like stepping into a scene from centuries ago.

We balanced market time with some of Munich’s cultural sites, including the famous beer hall and a day trip to Dachau. I’ve written a full guide to spending one day in Munich if you want to see more than just the markets.

We used one of our days in Munich to take a day trip to Salzburg, just about one and a half hours away. It makes an ideal Christmas market addition, which I’ll cover fully in the next section.

If you’re planning a similar route, check out my guide to all of the Munich Christmas markets and day trips from Munich that pair easily with the holiday season.

📍 Day Trip: Salzburg, Austria

A Day Trip into the Alps with Markets, Music, and Historic Charm

With just one day in Salzburg, we packed in as much as possible and still found time to enjoy the Christmas markets. The town is incredibly walkable, and we were able to visit three markets easily.

We originally went to Salzburg for the Sound of Music Tour, which took us to key filming locations and offered beautiful views of the Alps along the way.

Salzburg is also the birthplace of Mozart, one of the most famous composers in history. His family home still stands along the main pedestrian street in the old town. For lunch, we ate at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, known as the oldest restaurant in Europe.

This city had everything I enjoy about larger cities but in a smaller, much more walkable layout. It was one of my favorite stops of the trip, and I already plan to go back to explore it further.

If you only have one day, Salzburg still delivers. It is festive, full of history, and easy to navigate. You can see more about how we planned our visit in my posts on the Salzburg Christmas market and the Sound of Music Tour.

📍 Days 5 to 10: Zurich, Switzerland

A Central Base for Markets, Mountains, Day Trips, and Swiss Chocolate

Zurich was our final and longest home base of the trip, with seven nights that gave us flexibility and breathing room. Thanks to Switzerland’s efficient train network and the Swiss Travel Pass, we were able to visit several cities while still enjoying Zurich’s own Christmas charm.

Zurich has several Christmas markets, each with its own style and setting. We were able to visit six of them during our stay, returning to a few more than once. Our favorites included the indoor market at the train station, known for its towering Lindt Christmas tree, and Christmas Alley just outside the station, which stood out for its excellent food options and made for several easy meals.

The Christmas market at Werdmühleplatz hosts the Singing Christmas Tree, where live choirs perform from a tiered, tree shaped stage. Singing carols with locals and visitors was one of the most memorable experiences of our trip, especially when the crowd went wild for Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You. It is a must see and uniquely Zurich experience.

Zurich itself was easy to navigate thanks to its compact and walkable old town. We stayed close to the main train station, which made exploring the Zurich Christmas markets and taking day trips especially convenient.

On our final day, we visited the Lindt Home of Chocolate, which was fun and worth the trip if you love chocolate or want an indoor activity.

Not every day was spent at the markets. We also built in one day to visit Lauterbrunnen, which offered a peaceful break from the markets and some of the most stunning mountain views of the entire trip.

I will share more about all our day trips from Zurich in the next sections.

You can find all my tips and photos in the full post on the Zurich Christmas market.

📍 Day Trip: Colmar and Strasbourg, France

Fairytale Markets and the Capital of Christmas

We used our Alsa+ Pass, which we purchased at a kiosk in the Basel train station, to visit Colmar and Strasbourg. The pass covers train travel throughout the Alsace region of France for 24 hours. Since the two cities are only about 30 minutes apart by train, it was easy to visit both in one day from our base in Zurich.

🚆 Although Colmar and Strasbourg are close to each other, the total travel time from Zurich is longer. The journey takes about one hour from Zurich to Basel, followed by another hour to Colmar, making the full trip roughly two and a half hours one way.

Colmar, France

Colmar has five Christmas markets spread throughout its old town, each centered around a different square. The half timbered buildings and canals made it feel like stepping straight into a fairytale, and I could not stop taking photos. It is easy to see why Colmar is often said to have inspired Beauty and the Beast.

The markets were festive and easy to reach, and the entire town was decorated with lights, ornaments, and garlands that made nearly every corner feel like a postcard.

Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg is known as the Capital of Christmas, and it truly lives up to the name. One of my favorite sights was the teddy bear house, but the scale of the decorations is what really stood out.

The city has eight official Christmas markets, though when walking through the historic center it feels more like a dozen or more thanks to smaller clusters of stalls throughout the city.

Festive lights, elaborate decorations, and beautifully adorned historic buildings make Strasbourg one of the most impressive Christmas market destinations in Europe.

If I were to do this route again, I would plan to stay overnight in Strasbourg to see the lights after dark and spend more time exploring the different market areas.

If you are using Zurich, Switzerland as a home base, this France Christmas market day trip is a wonderful add on. For photos, tips, and detailed guides to each stop, see my full posts on the Colmar Christmas Market and Christmas in Strasbourg, France.

📍 Day Trip: Montreux, Switzerland

Lakeside Market and the Flying Santa

Back in Switzerland, we continued exploring by train. One of our standout day trips from Zurich was Montreux, about two and a half hours each way and well worth the time. The main Christmas market stretches along Lake Geneva and offers a wide range of well curated stalls and local foods.

What brought us here is the Flying Santa, where Santa literally glides across the sky on a zip line above the market. It adds a fun and unexpected touch, especially for families or first-time visitors.

The setting along the water, paired with mountains in the background, made Montreux feel different from every other stop on our itinerary. It offered a peaceful change of scenery while still delivering all the market atmosphere we were looking for.

More details and highlights from Montreux are included in my post on the best Europe Christmas markets.

📍 Day Trip: Basel, Switzerland

Historic Architecture and the Town Hall Wish Book

Basel was just one hour from Zurich by train and made for an easy and enjoyable day trip. We visited two main Christmas markets, both located in the historic old town with beautifully preserved architecture all around.

The highlight here was the Town Hall, with its red façade, intricate paintings, and festive decorations. Inside, we found the Wish Book, where visitors are invited to write down a Christmas wish. It is a simple but thoughtful tradition that made this stop feel especially meaningful.

Basel’s Christmas markets often appear on lists of the best Christmas markets in Europe. While it was not my favorite stop on this itinerary, I still found it worth the visit. It is a great option if you want to experience a different style of Swiss Christmas market without a long travel day.

You can find photos and more of what stood out to me in my post on the best Europe Christmas markets.

🧭 Itinerary Customization Ideas

How to Adjust This Christmas Market Trip to Fit Your Time and Style

This itinerary worked well for our pace and priorities, but it can be customized in a few key ways depending on your travel goals. Here are some ways to adjust the route without losing the magic.

Short on time?
Stick to main cities in Switzerland like Zurich, Lucerne, or Basel for a five to seven day trip. If you want to include France, you can still visit Colmar and Strasbourg in one day.

Prefer fewer hotel changes?
Use Zurich as a base and explore Switzerland, Alsace, France, and parts of Germany. In addition to Colmar and Strasbourg, consider adding Freiburg in southern Germany. All are easily accessible by train as day trips from Zurich and offer a variety of Christmas market styles without the need to unpack more than once.

Interested in a Germany and Austria combo?
A route combining Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna would create a classic and efficient Christmas market loop. Each city has major markets, rich history, and quick train connections.

Looking for itinerary help?
If you would like help planning a Christmas market route like this one, I am happy to offer personalized support. While I do not have a formal planning service listed on the blog yet, I am currently helping readers plan trips at a reduced rate in exchange for feedback.

If that sounds helpful, feel free to email me at TravelandTinsel@gmail.com and we can chat about your travel style, timing, and goals.

❄️ FAQ

Here are answers to a few questions I get asked most often.

How many Christmas markets can you visit in 10 days?

It depends on your route, but we visited 24 markets in 10 days across eight cities. Many cities have several markets within walking distance of each other, especially in Old Town centers.

Is it realistic to visit Christmas markets in multiple countries by train?

Yes. With Europe’s efficient rail system, visiting Christmas markets in multiple countries is easier than you might expect. We used a mix of train passes and direct routes to explore five countries.

What is the best base city for Christmas markets?

Zurich worked well for us because of its central location and access to Switzerland, France, and Germany. Munich is also a strong option, especially if you want to explore Austria and southern Germany.

Where did you stay?

In Kingston, we stayed at the Leonardo Hotel Heathrow location. In Munich, we stayed at King’s Hotel Center, near the main train station and walkable to old town. In Zurich, we stayed at The Bristol, located close to the old town and public transit.

All three hotels were clean, convenient, and offered exactly what we needed. I would happily stay at each of them again.

When should I book train tickets for a Christmas market trip?

Book your long-distance routes early to avoid price increases. We paid double for a Munich to Zurich train because we waited too long.

What do I need to pack for Christmas markets in Europe?

Warm layers, waterproof boots, and a portable phone charger are essentials. I’ve shared everything I bring in my Christmas market packing list, including tips that help on long market days.

✨ Final Thoughts

This itinerary gave us the chance to see five countries, visit eight cities, and explore more than two dozen Christmas markets, all without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Train travel made the entire trip smooth and enjoyable, and the mix of history, food, lights, and local traditions made each stop feel unique.

If you are looking for a must see Christmas market route that combines convenience with variety, this trip checks every box. From the medieval stalls in Munich to the lakeside setting in Montreux and the bold decorations in Strasbourg, every city brought something different.

I hope you found this Christmas Market Itinerary by Train helpful for planning your trip! Drop me an email if you have any questions. TravelandTinsel@gmail.com I love to hear from readers.

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