The clocks have changed, the nights are drawing in and the leaves are turning gold.

For lovers of the holiday season, that means the countdown to Christmas is on.

Most of Europe’s Christmas markets will twinkle to life by the end of November, unleashing indulgent bites, handmade gifts and festive cheer on cities from Bruges to Cologne.

While it’s a magical time of year, it’s not a particularly sustainable one with brands driving over consumption and the resulting waste. But that’s something you can counteract by taking a greener mode of transport this winter.

With that in mind, overland travel company Byway has put together these festive, flight-free mini-breaks that allow you to visit some of Europe’s best Christmas markets by train. 

You can easily take inspiration from these itineraries and organise a train trip independently. Websites like Omio and Rail Europe are good for finding the cheapest and fastest train routes.

Take the train to Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik: France’s oldest Christmas market

Hop on the train to the ‘Capital of Christmas’ where you’ll find 300 festive stalls strung together by sparkling lights.

Starting in London, this four-day trip to Strasbourg via Paris brings you to the heart of Alsace in around six hours. Here, French and German culture collide, blending ‘fachwerk’ timber-framed houses and rolling Champagne vineyards.

At the bustling Christkindelsmärik – the oldest Christmas market in France – you can munch on sizzling chestnuts washed down with steaming vin chaud as you shop for artisan gifts to place under the tree.

Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik is open from 27 November to 27 December, with Byway running trips from £657 (€790) per person, including trains and hotels.

Get lost in Europe’s biggest Christmas market in Cologne

Cologne in west Germany hosts the biggest Christmas market in Europe each year. 

Stalls span the city, from the traditional Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom overlooked by the Gothic spired cathedral to the maritime-themed Harbour Christmas market. 

Dotted with illuminated mythical creatures, the Market of Angels in Neumarkt is also not to be missed, while the whimsical Heinzels Wintermärchen in the old town boasts an ice rink.

Admire it all from above on the Rhein-Seilbahn cable car, which runs across the river.

Once you’ve had your fill of bratwurst and glühwein, satisfy your sweet tooth with hands-on demonstrations and tastings at Cologne’s Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum (chocolate museum).

ADVERTISEMENT

This year, Byway is running a three-day trip to Cologne’s Christmas markets, the first of which open on 18 November. Prices start at £547 (€658) per person and the train journey from London via Brussels takes around five hours.

Be dazzled by light shows at Brussels Christmas Market

It’s hard to beat Brussels’ majestic Grand-Place as a backdrop for a Christmas Market. 

As a sound and light show illuminates the square’s opulent Baroque guildhalls, more than 200 stalls peddle festive goodies around a giant tree.

Cultural activities and events fill the schedule from the market’s opening on 29 November until it closes on 5 January. Fairground rides and an ice rink complete the jolly scene.

ADVERTISEMENT

Check it out on a three-day trip with Byway from £327 (€394) per person, with a train journey time of just two hours from London.

Equally close is Bruges’ medieval Christmas market, which encircles a light-strung ice rink in the quaint, cobbled city. It opens slightly earlier on 22 November, with Byway running three-day trips from £417 (€502).