Luxembourg is a superb base for Christmas markets. Germany, France and Belgium are all within an hour or so, and a short trip further takes you to the Dutch cave markets and the wine villages of Alsace. Trains in Luxembourg are free, so the only ticket you need is for the cross-border leg. Here are ten markets you can reach for a day or a night, starting with the capital’s own.
Rail details below come from CFL, SNCF, SNCB and the regional operators, and are typical rather than exact: timetables change, so check your day before you travel. Market dates come from the organisers or our verified calendar.
Christmas markets near Luxembourg: the comparison table
| Market | How to get there from Luxembourg | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg City Winterlights | You’re already there: walk from the station or take the free tram | 20 Nov – 3 Jan |
| Trier | Direct regional train along the Moselle, about hourly | 20 Nov – 22 Dec |
| Metz | Direct TER or TGV INOUI; fastest about 42 min, 44 trains a day | 20 Nov – 30 Dec (closed 25 Dec) |
| Nancy | Direct TER or TGV INOUI via Metz; fastest about 1 hr 30 | Saint-Nicolas festival 20 Nov – 3 Jan |
| Saarbrücken | CFL Saarbrücken Express bus from Luxembourg station, just over an hour | 16 Nov – 23 Dec (closed 22 Nov) |
| Aachen | Train to Liège-Guillemins, then on to Aachen via Verviers | 20 Nov – 23 Dec |
| Monschau | As for Aachen, then a bus into the Eifel | Advent weekends only, 27 Nov – 20 Dec |
| Valkenburg | Train to Liège, train to Maastricht (33 min), then the regional train to Valkenburg | Cave markets 13 Nov – 30 Dec |
| Maastricht | Train to Liège, then a direct train to Maastricht | 27 Nov – 27 Dec |
| Strasbourg | Direct TGV INOUI; fastest about 1 hr 43 | 27 Nov – 24 Dec |
| Colmar | Train to Strasbourg, then a TER | 23 Nov – 29 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.
On your doorstep
1. Luxembourg City Winterlights, Luxembourg
Winterlights runs from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, according to the Ville de Luxembourg, with chalets spread across the squares of the Ville Haute, an ice rink and a big wheel. The old town sits on a rock above two river valleys, so you can wander from a mulled wine on Place d’Armes to the ramparts above the Grund in five minutes. Its long run makes it the obvious pick for the days after Christmas. Our Luxembourg Winterlights guide has a two-day route.
Best for: A market that runs into January, with free transport.
Germany
2. Trier
Germany’s oldest city is the easiest trip of all. Direct regional trains run along the Moselle from Luxembourg to Trier, about every hour, and from the station it’s a short walk past the Porta Nigra, the huge Roman gate, to the Hauptmarkt. The market fills the Hauptmarkt and the square in front of the cathedral from 20 November to 22 December 2026, opening from 11am daily and staying open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Free travel ends at the border, so buy a cross-border ticket before you board.
Best for: A half-day trip with Roman ruins thrown in.
3. Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken’s Christkindl-Markt sets up on the St. Johanner Markt, the old town square lined with bars and restaurants. The City of Saarbrücken lists it daily from 16 November to 23 December 2026, opening at 11am, except on Totensonntag, 22 November, when it stays closed. The stalls on Bahnhofstraße also open on 24 December and from 27 to 30 December. There’s no direct train from Luxembourg; instead, CFL runs the Saarbrücken Express bus from Luxembourg station, with around 15 trips a day and a journey of just over an hour. You need a Saarbrücken Express ticket for it.
Best for: A lively evening market with a strong local crowd.
4. Aachen
Aachen’s market runs from 20 November to 23 December 2026, daily from 11am to 9pm, in the squares around the cathedral and the town hall. On Sunday 22 November, Totensonntag, it opens only from 6pm. Try the Aachener Printen, the spiced gingerbread the city is famous for. From Luxembourg, take the train north through the Ardennes to Liège-Guillemins, then continue to Aachen via Verviers.
Best for: Charlemagne’s cathedral and a bag of Printen.
5. Monschau
Monschau is the opposite of a city market: a half-timbered town in a narrow Eifel valley, with stalls along the river. It opens only on the four Advent weekends, Friday to Sunday, from 27 November to 20 December 2026. Hours are 11am to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 11am to 8pm on Sundays. The town has no railway station, so the last leg from Aachen is by bus. Our weekend Advent markets roundup has more markets like it.
Best for: A fairy-tale small town, ideally on a Friday.
France
6. Metz
Metz is the closest French market, with SNCF listing 44 trains a day from Luxembourg and a fastest journey of about 42 minutes. The city confirms its Christmas market from 20 November to 30 December 2026, closed on Christmas Day; the programme and hours are still to come. Metz is compact and walkable, and its Gothic cathedral, with some of the largest expanses of stained glass in France, makes a fine stop between stalls.
Best for: A quick French market with an easy train home.
7. Nancy
Nancy celebrates Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of Lorraine, with a 45-day festival from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. The big weekend, with the Saint Nicholas parade, falls on Saturday 5 December. The city’s showpiece is Place Stanislas, the gilded 18th-century square that is one of the most elegant in France. Direct trains run from Luxembourg via Metz, and SNCF gives the fastest journey as about 1 hour 30.
Best for: Families, and the Saint Nicholas parade on 5 December.
8. Strasbourg and Colmar
Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik, one of the oldest markets in France, opens on Friday 27 November 2026 and runs to 24 December. SNCF lists direct TGV INOUI trains from Luxembourg with a fastest journey of about 1 hour 43; other services involve a change. From Strasbourg, Colmar is a short TER ride away, and its markets run from 23 November to 29 December 2026. For the full plan, see our Strasbourg Christmas market weekend and Colmar Christmas market 2026 guides.
Best for: A two-night trip with the classic Alsace markets.
The Netherlands
9. Valkenburg
Valkenburg holds its markets underground, in two marl caves below the town. The Gemeentegrot and Fluweelengrot cave markets run from 13 November to 30 December 2026, closed on Christmas Day, with timed tickets. From Luxembourg, take the train to Liège-Guillemins, then the cross-border train to Maastricht, which SNCB times at 33 minutes, and change for the short regional hop to Valkenburg. Our Valkenburg Christmas market 2026 guide has the parade dates and booking advice.
Best for: Something different, and a market that’s warm and dry.
10. Maastricht
Magisch Maastricht fills the Vrijthof, the great square between the Basilica of St Servatius and St John’s Church, from 27 November to 27 December 2026. It’s on the same route as Valkenburg, so the two make an easy pair: caves by day, the Vrijthof by night. Stay over in Maastricht and you can do both without rushing.
Best for: Pairing with Valkenburg for a Dutch weekend.
How to choose
- For a half day: Trier or Metz. Both are direct and under an hour.
- For a full day: Nancy, Aachen, Saarbrücken or Strasbourg.
- For a night away: Valkenburg and Maastricht together, or Strasbourg and Colmar.
- For the days after Christmas: Luxembourg itself and Nancy run into January; Metz and Valkenburg’s caves run to 30 December.
- For a small town: Monschau, but only on Advent weekends.
Tip: Luxembourg’s free public transport stops at the border. On cross-border trains, buy a ticket for the whole journey before you board.
For more markets across the border, see our German Christmas markets and the Christmas markets 2026 dates roundup.
FAQ
What is the closest Christmas market to Luxembourg?
Trier and Metz are the closest outside the country. Direct trains reach Metz in as little as 42 minutes, and Trier is a direct regional train along the Moselle.
Can you do Trier’s Christmas market as a day trip from Luxembourg?
Yes. Direct trains run about every hour, and the market is a short walk from Trier station. It runs from 20 November to 22 December 2026.
Is there a direct train from Luxembourg to Strasbourg?
Yes. SNCF lists direct TGV INOUI services, with a fastest journey of about 1 hour 43. Some trains need a change, so check the timetable for your day.
How do you get from Luxembourg to the Valkenburg cave markets?
Take the train to Liège-Guillemins, then the cross-border train to Maastricht and the regional train to Valkenburg. Book a timed slot for each cave before you go.
Which markets near Luxembourg are open after Christmas?
Luxembourg’s Winterlights and Nancy’s Saint Nicholas festival both run to 3 January 2027. Colmar runs to 29 December, and Metz and the Valkenburg caves to 30 December.
