Europe Festive & Winter Rail Tours

Christmas Market Tours by Train in Europe

Germany has some of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe. Dresden’s Striezelmarkt dates to 1434. Cologne’s markets draw visitors from across the continent every December. Touring them by train, with an experienced Tour Manager handling the itinerary, accommodation and transfers, is considerably easier than arranging it yourself.

Railtrail runs three European Christmas departures in December 2026. The Rhine Lights & Christmas Delights tour puts you in the heart of Cologne for four days from 8 December, with time at the markets in Cologne, Bonn and Aachen included, from £995 per person. The Festive Steam in Saxony tour departs 1 December and pairs the Christmas markets of Dresden and Leipzig with mainline steam excursions and narrow-gauge railways across eight days, from £2,299 per person. For those who prefer to combine rail travel with a river cruise, the Alsace Christmas Spirit tour departs 21 December on an eight-day Rhine river cruise taking in the Christmas markets of Strasbourg, Düsseldorf and Koblenz, from £2,999 per person.

All three tours are fully escorted with small groups.

Winter Train Adventures in Europe

The European winter rail programme extends well beyond December. The Swiss Christmas Snow Train Adventure departs 20 December 2026 and covers eight days across some of Switzerland’s most celebrated mountain railways, based in Lucerne on the shores of the lake. The GoldenPass Line runs from the Bernese Oberland down to Lake Geneva, the Glacier Express route crosses the high Alps between Zermatt and St. Moritz, and the historic Rigi Railway has been climbing to the summit above Lucerne since 1871. The Titlis Rotair revolving cable car carries you to over 3,000 metres for views across the glacier. Christmas dinner is included at the hotel. Prices start from £2,095 per person, with full itinerary details on the Switzerland rail holidays page.

For winter departures beyond Christmas, two further tours run into early 2027. The Swiss Winter Snow Train Adventure covers the same celebrated mountain routes across eight days in January and February, from £1,649 per person. The Harz Mountains Winter Wonderland departs February and March 2027 for seven days of steam railway travel through the snow-covered Harz region of northern Germany, from £1,629 per person.

Why Book a European Christmas Train Holiday with Railtrail

Railtrail has been operating escorted rail holidays for over 40 years. The company is family-run, independently owned, and still managed by its founder. Every tour is fully escorted by an experienced Tour Manager, and the UK-based customer care team is available throughout.

For a Christmas trip to Europe, that matters. December is a busy travel month. Markets get crowded, trains fill up, and hotel availability at the right locations tightens early. Booking through Railtrail means the itinerary, accommodation, rail travel, and excursions come as a single planned package.

All European festive tours are financially protected under ABTOT (member no. 5577). Railtrail is rated Excellent on Trustpilot, with a British Travel Awards Silver in 2024 and Bronze in 2025 for Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays. Places can be secured with a deposit from £75 per person.

Railtrail also runs Christmas and winter train holidays across the UK and Ireland for those travelling closer to home. The full European rail holidays programme covers year-round destinations for anyone planning beyond the festive season. For independent travel, the European rail tickets service handles point-to-point tickets and pass advice.