The train is the easiest way to do a Christmas market weekend from London. You leave from the city centre, skip the airport queues and step out within walking distance of the stalls. From St Pancras, Eurostar runs direct to Lille, Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam, and one change opens up Bruges, Cologne and Alsace. Closer to home, York, Edinburgh, Bath and Manchester are all a direct train from a London terminus.
Journey times below come from Eurostar and the UK train operators, and are typical rather than exact: check the timetable for your day. Market dates come from our verified calendar.
Christmas markets by train from London: the comparison table
| Market | Train route from London | Roughly how long | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lille | Eurostar direct, St Pancras to Lille Europe | 1 hr 22 min | 18 Nov – 30 Dec |
| Brussels | Eurostar direct to Brussels-Midi | 1 hr 53 min | 27 Nov – 3 Jan |
| Bruges | Eurostar to Brussels-Midi, then a Belgian train | About 3 hrs | 20 Nov – 3 Jan |
| Paris | Eurostar direct to Paris Gare du Nord | 2 hrs 16 min | Notre-Dame market 26 Nov – 27 Dec |
| Amsterdam | Eurostar direct to Amsterdam Centraal | 3 hrs 57 min | Winter Paradise 17 Dec – 2 Jan |
| Cologne | Eurostar to Brussels-Midi, then Eurostar or ICE | About 5 hrs 30 min | Cathedral market 16 Nov – 23 Dec |
| Strasbourg | Eurostar to Paris, then TGV | 5 to 6 hrs | 27 Nov – 24 Dec |
| Colmar | Eurostar to Paris, then TGV (or via Strasbourg and a TER) | Strasbourg plus about 30 min | 23 Nov – 29 Dec |
| York | LNER direct from King’s Cross | About 2 hrs | 12 Nov – 21 Dec |
| Edinburgh | LNER direct from King’s Cross | From about 4 hrs 10 min | 14 Nov – 3 Jan |
| Bath | GWR from Paddington to Bath Spa | About 1 hr 20 min | 26 Nov – 13 Dec |
| Manchester | Avanti West Coast from Euston to Piccadilly | Under 3 hrs | 6 Nov – 22 Dec |
Dates are for 2026, running into January 2027 where shown. For every market in Europe, see the full calendar on our best Christmas markets in Europe page.
Direct Eurostar markets
1. Lille, France
Lille is the quickest trip abroad from London, at 1 hour 22 minutes on Eurostar. The Village de Noël fills the Place Rihour from 18 November to 30 December 2026, open from 11am to 8.30pm Monday to Thursday and on Sundays, and to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. It closes at 6pm on Christmas Eve and all day on Christmas Day. Add the Flemish-style Grand Place and the old town’s waffle shops, and a day trip is easy, though a night lets you see the lights.
Best for: A first, short taste of a French market.
2. Brussels, Belgium
Eurostar reaches Brussels-Midi in 1 hour 53 minutes. Winter Wonders runs from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with the Grand-Place tree and light show and chalets from the Bourse to Sainte-Catherine. Our Brussels Christmas market weekend has a two-day route.
Best for: A big city market with a long season.
3. Paris, France
The direct Eurostar to Gare du Nord takes 2 hours 16 minutes. Paris is better for lights and shop windows than for one great market, but the city lists a Christmas market by Notre-Dame from 26 November to 27 December 2026. See our Paris weekend guide for the rest of the trip.
Best for: Lights, department-store windows and a classic city break.
4. Amsterdam, Netherlands
The direct Eurostar to Amsterdam Centraal takes 3 hours 57 minutes. Amsterdam has no single big outdoor market; the main seasonal event is Amsterdam Winter Paradise, indoors at the RAI, from 17 December 2026 to 2 January 2027. Pair it with canal walks and our Amsterdam guide.
Best for: A late-December trip between Christmas and New Year.
One change on the way
5. Bruges, Belgium
Take Eurostar to Brussels-Midi, then a direct Belgian train to Brugge station, which takes about an hour. The markets on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein run from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and the Winter Glow light trail continues to 31 January. Our Bruges Christmas market guide has the details.
Best for: Couples and a fairytale setting.
6. Cologne, Germany
Change at Brussels-Midi for a direct Eurostar or ICE to Köln Hbf, which arrives right next to the cathedral. Eurostar gives the whole trip as about 5 hours 30 minutes. The cathedral market runs from 16 November to 23 December 2026, and five markets sit within walking distance. See our Cologne Christmas market weekend.
Best for: The easiest proper German market from London.
7. Strasbourg, France
Take Eurostar to Paris, then cross the city to Gare de l’Est for a TGV. Eurostar puts the whole journey at between just over five and about six hours. The Christkindelsmärik opens on 27 November and runs to 24 December 2026. Our Strasbourg Christmas market weekend has a route.
Best for: The self-styled Capital of Christmas.
8. Colmar, France
Colmar’s six markets run from 23 November to 29 December 2026. Go via Paris on a direct TGV from Gare de l’Est, or continue from Strasbourg on a TER, which takes about 30 minutes. Many people combine the two towns in one long weekend. See our Colmar Christmas market guide.
Best for: A slower, storybook weekend in Alsace.
Tip: Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est are close neighbours, but leave a generous gap between your Eurostar and your TGV, especially with luggage.
Christmas markets by train in the UK
9. York, England
LNER runs about 30 direct trains each weekday from King’s Cross, taking around 2 hours. The market’s alpine chalets fill Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square from 12 November to 21 December 2026, about 15 minutes’ walk from the station. Read our York Christmas market guide.
Best for: A medieval city and an easy weekend.
10. Edinburgh, Scotland
LNER’s direct trains from King’s Cross take from about 4 hours 10 minutes, and Waverley station sits right beside the market in East Princes Street Gardens. Edinburgh’s Christmas runs from 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, so it works for a Hogmanay trip too. See our Edinburgh Christmas market guide.
Best for: A long season and a dramatic setting.
11. Bath, England
GWR trains from Paddington reach Bath Spa in about 1 hour 20 minutes, many of them direct. The market runs only from 26 November to 13 December 2026, with chalets around the Abbey. Our Bath Christmas market guide has the details.
Best for: Georgian streets and a short trip.
12. Manchester, England
Avanti West Coast runs direct trains from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, which it puts at about 2 hours 45 minutes on average. The markets run across ten city-centre sites from 6 November to 22 December 2026, with Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens open to 3 January 2027. See our Manchester Christmas market guide.
Best for: The UK’s biggest spread of market sites.
How to choose
- Short on time: Lille, Bath or York, all under about two hours.
- First trip abroad by rail: Brussels, then Bruges as a day trip.
- A German market: Cologne, with one change in Brussels.
- Alsace: Strasbourg and Colmar together, ideally over three days.
- After Christmas: Brussels, Bruges, Amsterdam and Edinburgh all run into January 2027; our Christmas markets open in January 2027 list has more.
- New for winter: Eurostar adds an Antwerp stop on its Amsterdam route; read our rail news before planning.
Tip: Allow extra time at St Pancras for check-in and border controls, including the EU’s Entry/Exit System checks.
FAQ
Which Christmas markets can you reach by train from London?
Eurostar runs direct to Lille, Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam. With one change you can reach Bruges, Cologne, Strasbourg and Colmar. In the UK, York, Edinburgh, Bath and Manchester all have direct trains from London.
What is the closest Christmas market to London by Eurostar?
Lille, at 1 hour 22 minutes from St Pancras. Its Village de Noël runs from 18 November to 30 December 2026.
Can you get to the German Christmas markets by train from London?
Yes. Cologne is the easiest, with a change at Brussels-Midi and a total journey of about 5 hours 30 minutes.
How long does it take to get to Strasbourg by train from London?
Eurostar gives between just over five and about six hours, changing in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de l’Est for a TGV.
Which UK Christmas market is best by train from London?
Bath is the quickest at about 1 hour 20 minutes, York takes about 2 hours, and Edinburgh is the most dramatic for a longer weekend.
