Germany Rail Tours

Germany has some of the most varied railway landscapes in Europe. The narrow-gauge steam lines of the Harz Mountains run through forest and across open moorland to the Brocken summit at 1,125 metres. The Rhine and Moselle valleys carry main-line trains past terraced vineyards and medieval river towns. Saxony has Dresden and Leipzig, both with rich railway heritage and some of the finest steam preservation in the country. Railtrail’s escorted rail holidays in Germany cover all of it: steam and heritage tours, festive departures timed around the Christmas markets, and scenic journeys through landscapes that reward travelling slowly.

All tours travel with a dedicated Tour Manager and include accommodation, rail travel, and guided excursions. European tours are ABTOT protected (member no. 5577).

Steam Train Holidays in Germany

Few European countries run steam as a regular scheduled service. In the Harz Mountains, three interconnected narrow-gauge lines operate under steam throughout the year: the Brockenbahn, which climbs to the summit plateau at 1,125 metres; the Selketalbahn, threading the wooded Selke valley; and the Nordhausen line, connecting the network to the main-line system.

Saxony runs alongside this. The Weisseritztalbahn heads south from Freital-Hainsberg into the Erzgebirge foothills, and Dresden hosts one of the major steam festivals in Europe, drawing historic locomotives from across the continent for mainline runs and static displays.

Railtrail’s steam rail holidays in Germany are designed around access to these lines and events, with itineraries that combine steam haulage with locomotive depots, transport museums, and the towns the railways were built to serve. Travellers who enjoy Germany’s heritage character often go on to Austrian rail holidays and Swiss rail holidays, both of which offer scenic mountain railways and active steam preservation programmes.

Germany Christmas Market Tours by Train

Germany’s Christmas markets are among the oldest in Europe. Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt has operated since the 17th century. Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, held on the Altmarkt since 1434, is the oldest in the country. Cologne spreads its markets across six sites in the city centre, including the cathedral square. The Rhine valley between Cologne and Rüdesheim lines the riverbanks with market towns within easy reach of each other by rail.

Travelling by train suits this kind of trip well. December rail travel avoids the road congestion and airport queues that come with the season, and the German rail network connects the main market cities directly. An escorted tour removes the additional complication of booking across multiple operators and currencies in one of the busiest travel periods of the year. For a fuller guide to planning a Christmas market trip by rail, see best European Christmas market tours by train.

Railtrail’s European festive rail tours cover Germany’s Christmas market towns alongside winter steam departures, with accommodation, rail travel, and a Tour Manager included throughout. Several itineraries also cross into the Alsace region on the French side of the Rhine, where Railtrail’s rail holidays in France offer their own programme of festive and scenic departures. Tours range from short four-day breaks to fuller eight-day itineraries.

What to Expect on a German Rail Tour

Every Railtrail tour to Germany travels with a dedicated Tour Manager throughout. Rail travel, hotel accommodation, and guided excursions are included in the tour fare. Most European departures run with fewer than 30 guests.

Tours are booked with a deposit from £75 per person. All non-flight European packages are financially protected through ABTOT (member no. 5577), which covers your money in the event the tour cannot operate as planned.

Germany tours vary in length from four-day short breaks to eight-day itineraries, with departures across autumn, winter, and spring. Solo travellers are welcome on any departure, and single occupancy pricing is available. The full European rail holidays programme covers over a dozen countries, with departures throughout the year. For anything not covered here, the Railtrail customer care team is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, on 01538 382323.