What if, this year, the trip to the Christmas markets were part of the festivities?
As Christmas approaches, Europe’s major cities are decked out with lights, wooden chalets, ice rinks, and giant Christmas trees. And here’s some good news: several of Europe’s most beautiful Christmas markets are accessible from Paris by train.
And with the HOURRAIL Club, take advantage of 25% off your Eurostar tickets for trips to December 16, 2026, subject to availability.
The HOURRAIL Club costs 34 € per year and the reduction of 25% applies to each Eurostar ticket, including when you're traveling with your family.
Let's take the example of a round-trip flight from Paris to London starting at 88 € per person :
€88 → €66 with the HOURRAIL Club, or €22 saved per person.
For a family of four, that amounts to Save 88 € on a single round-trip ticket.
With just two round-trip tickets from Paris to London at this price, the pass has already paid for itself.
Christmas spirit in Lille. Photo by Alexandre Ricart on Unsplash
📅 November 18 → December 30, 2026
🚆 Paris → Lille: about 1 hour
📍 Train station → market: 5-minute walk
For a first Christmas getaway with kids, it doesn't get much simpler than Lille.
The Christmas market is setting up Rihour Square, right in the heart of downtown. There you'll find designer booths, regional products, home decor, and plenty of gourmet specialties.
The Ferris wheel set up on the Grand-Place is the perfect way to cap off the outing: it lets you take in the view of Lille all lit up from above.
Another significant advantage: Lille Flandres and Lille Europe are both just a five-minute walk from the market.
🎄 What makes Lille unique: A Flemish atmosphere, a Ferris wheel in the heart of the city, and a market that’s particularly easy to reach by train.
💡 Ideal for: A day or a weekend with the family.
Christmas at the Grand-Place in Brussels. Photo by Luna Zhang on Unsplash
📅 November 27, 2026 → January 3, 2027
🚆 Paris → Brussels: about 1 hour and 22 minutes
📍 Brussels-Midi Station → downtown: about 15 minutes by metro
With more than 200 cabins, Plaisirs d'Hiver is one of the largest Christmas markets easily accessible from Paris.
The market stretches across much of the historic center, between the Grand-Place, Bourse, Sainte-Catherine, Vismet, and De Brouckère.
But Brussels isn't just about chalets: the program also includes a a Ferris wheel, an ice rink, rides, and a sound-and-light show on the Grand-Place.
🎄 What makes Brussels unique: the combination of a huge market, the illuminated Grand-Place, and numerous attractions for children.
💡 Ideal for: A car-free family weekend.
Photo by Marcus Loke on Unsplash
📅 December 4, 2026 → January 3, 2027
🚆 Paris → Antwerp: about 2 hours
📍 Antwerp Central Station → Market: about a 15- to 20-minute walk
Winter in Antwerp transforms Antwerp's historic center into a true winter wonderland.
The cabins are located mainly around the Grote Markt, Groenplaats, Suikerrui, and Handschoenmarkt, and the city also offers an ice rink, holiday lights, and a wide variety of entertainment.
Antwerp-Central Station is one of the most spectacular stations in Europe: the arrival itself is already part of the journey.
🎄 What makes Antwerp unique: A magnificent train station, a historic Flemish town center, and a lively Christmas atmosphere.
💡 Ideal for: Combine a Christmas market, architecture, and shopping.
Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash
📅 November 19, 2026 → January 3, 2027
🚆 Paris → London: about 2 hours and 15 minutes
📍 St. Pancras → Winter Wonderland: about 3.3 km, which is about a 12-minute subway ride to Hyde Park Corner.
In London, Christmas takes on a whole new scale.
The most famous event is Winter Wonderland, located in Hyde Park. With attractions, a Ferris wheel, an ice rink, shows, food vendors, and chalets, it’s more like a massive Christmas park than just a market.
Visitors can reach Hyde Park from St. Pancras by subway; the Hyde Park Corner station is one of the closest.
And Winter Wonderland is just one part of the experience: Leicester Square, Southbank, and Trafalgar Square also offer their own Christmas events.
🎄 What makes London unique: the scale of the decorations and attractions, offering a true Christmas experience for the whole family.
💡 Ideal for: families who want to turn the Christmas market into a big city trip.
A street in Amsterdam, adorned with twinkling Christmas lights and festive decorations. Historic buildings line the street. People are walking and biking along the street. Photo by Nerissa J on Unsplash
📅 Holiday season: November → January
🚆 Paris → Amsterdam: about 3 hours and 20 minutes
📍 Amsterdam Centraal → historic center: a few minutes' walk
Amsterdam doesn't have a single large, centralized Christmas market like Brussels or Cologne. Instead, the city offers a wide variety of events spread across different neighborhoods.
One of the most unique events is the Funky Christmas Market, held in Westerpark, featuring designers, fashion, design, music, and Christmas specialties. In 2026, the December 20.
But Amsterdam's real winter spectacle is somewhere else: the Amsterdam Light Festival, scheduled for November 26, 2026, through January 17, 2027, transforms the canals into a luminous art gallery.
🎄 What makes Amsterdam unique: the lights along the canals and a more urban, creative, and artistic Christmas atmosphere.
💡 Ideal for: a two- or three-day getaway.
Photo by Tobias Rademacher on Unsplash
📅 November → December 2026, depending on market conditions
🚆 Paris → Cologne: about 3 hours and 15 minutes
📍 Cologne Central Station → Cathedral Market: about a 1-minute walk
Cologne is probably one of the most impressive destinations for experiencing the tradition of German Christmas markets.
The city has several markets, each with its own unique character.
The most iconic one is located right in front of Cologne Cathedral, with a huge, lit-up Christmas tree and the Gothic facade of the cathedral as a backdrop.
The city also offers more unique markets, such as the Cologne Harbor Christmas Market, located on the banks of the Rhine near the Chocolate Museum. Its Ferris wheel offers a spectacular view of the river and the cathedral.
🎄 What makes Cologne unique: several different markets in the same city, with the impressive cathedral as a backdrop.
💡 Ideal for: families who want to experience the German tradition of Christmas markets.
The spirit of Christmas celebrations in Germany comes to life in this aerial view of a “Weihnachtsmarkt.” The vibrant lights dance to the rhythm of children’s laughter, and the colors are complemented by the sweet and savory aromas of crepes, waffles, sausages, printen, churros, and cinnamon rolls. Photo by Hatim Kanchwala on Unsplash
📅 November 20 → December 23, 2026
🚆 Paris → Aachen: about 3 hours with a transfer
📍 Aachen Hbf → market: about a 10-minute walk
The market in Aachen is one of the most famous in Germany.
For more than a month, the streets around the the cathedral and city hall turn into a Christmas village. In 2026, it will be the 53rd edition, from November 20 to December 23.
Its setting is particularly spectacular: Aachen Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, towers over the hundreds of booths set up in the historic center.
And you can't leave without trying the Printen, the famous spiced cookies from Aachen.
🎄 What makes Aachen unique: a market set up around the historic Charlemagne Cathedral and a iconic local specialty, the Printen.
💡 Ideal for: a true immersion in the tradition of German Christmas markets.
| Destination | What kind of experience? | From the train station |
|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷 Lille | An Easy Getaway with Kids | ⭐ 5 min |
| 🇧🇪 Brussels | Large Market + Attractions | ~15 minutes by subway |
| 🇧🇪 Antwerp | Flemish Christmas + Architecture | ~15–20 min |
| 🇬🇧 London | XXL Christmas and Attractions | ~12 min by subway |
| 🇳🇱 Amsterdam | Canals + Lights | 5 min. |
| 🇩🇪 Cologne | German tradition + cathedral | ⭐ 2 min |
| 🇩🇪 Aachen | Historic German Market | 10 min |
No need for an airport, a car, or parking: you arrive right in the heart of the cities.
Best of all, the journey begins right in Paris. A few hours later, you can step off the train and find yourself surrounded by holiday lights, festive huts, and the scent of mulled wine.
For families, it's also an opportunity to turn a simple trip into a true European adventure, while avoiding air travel.
The current promotion allows HOURRAIL Club members to enjoy 25% off Eurostar, for trips to December 16, 2026, subject to availability. The destinations currently featured by HOURRAIL are London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Lille from Paris.
The HOURRAIL Club costs 34 € per year and the reduction of 25% applies to each Eurostar ticket, including when you're traveling with your family.
For a round-trip flight from Paris to London starting at 88 € per person :
€88 → €66 with the HOURRAIL Club, or €22 saved per person.
So, rather London, Brussels, Lille, or Amsterdam for your next Christmas weekend?
👉 Join the HOURRAIL Club and use your discount to book your Christmas getaway.
Fondateur du calculateur d'itinéraires ferroviaire, Railee.com, je suis convaincu que nous pouvons voyager sans avion en Europe. Et après avoir traversé l'Europe en train de nuit de Paris à Istanbul jusqu'au Cercle Polaire, je vous partage tous mes bons plans pour optimiser vos voyages en train.
