Getting to the markets by train and tram, or by car
Leave the car behind if you can. Strasbourg is one of the easiest Christmas market cities to reach by rail, and once you arrive the markets sit within walking distance of the station. This guide covers the train and tram, why driving into the center is a bad idea in December, the security checks on the way in, and how to reach the Alsace villages and the tour meeting points without a car.
Arriving by train
Rail is the simplest way in. The Gare de Strasbourg is about a 10–15 minute walk from the Grande-Île, the island that holds the old town and most of the markets. Trams from the station reach the center in a few minutes, and Homme de Fer, the main tram hub, stands next to Place Kléber and its Great Tree. With light bags the walk in is pleasant. Take the tram if you have suitcases or tired children.
| From | Train | Typical time | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | TGV | About 1 h 50 | The usual way in from France |
| Frankfurt | Direct train | About 1 h 50 | The usual way in from Germany |
| Colmar | Regional TER | About 30 min | Several markets and the hub for village buses |
| Obernai | Regional TER | About 30 min | Market running to 31 December |
| Sélestat | Regional TER | About 20 min | The town of the 1521 Christmas tree record |
These are typical journey times, so check your own train before you rely on a connection.
Why not to drive into the center
In December the old town is no place for a car. The streets of the Grande-Île fill with walkers, and checkpoints stand at the ways onto the island. Park-and-ride lots on the edge of the city include a tram ticket with the parking, so you leave the car and ride in with your group. They fill by early afternoon at weekends, so arrive in the morning on a Saturday or Sunday, or come on a weekday.
A car does make sense for parts of a trip. Europa-Park lies across the Rhine in Rust, about an hour away by car, and some Alsace villages are easier to string together by road. Even then, park at a park-and-ride lot on market days and take the tram for the last stretch.
Security checks and missing buses
For the whole market period, security checks run at the entrances to the Grande-Île. Expect one each time you cross onto the island, and travel light, since a small bag makes the stop simpler. Some bus stops on the island are not served while the markets run, so a bus line you know from a summer visit may skip the stop you want. The tram is the safer bet. Before you count on a stop, look up your bus line, along with the city's final market program, which is published shortly before the season. Market dates and opening hours sets out the usual calendar.
On foot once you are in
Once on the island, walk. The Grande-Île, a UNESCO World Heritage site ringed by the Ill river and a canal, keeps its markets close together. Place Kléber leads to Place Broglie, and from there the lanes run on to the cathedral squares and out to Petite France at the western tip. Bikes are a poor idea in the market crowds, so leave them for quieter streets. Our guide to the Christkindelsmärik on Place Broglie starts at the oldest market. Petite France and the lit lanes then walks you from the canals to the cathedral.
If you would like a guide for the first evening, Discover Strasbourg's 2-hour markets walk, from ~$39, starts by the Barrage Vauban and finishes at Place Kléber, stopping on Place Broglie for mulled wine or a hot juice. Its catch is a lower score on Viator from few reviews, and one guest's app directions sent them to the wrong meeting point, so find Place du Quai Blanc on a map beforehand. Place Kléber and the Great Christmas Tree covers the square where the walk finishes.
Where the tours meet
Every tour starts from a fixed point, so allow time to walk or ride there through the crowds.
| Tour | From | Meeting point | Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover Strasbourg, markets walk | ~$39 | Place du Quai Blanc, beside the Barrage Vauban | On the listing |
| Do Eat Better, Christmas market food tour | ~$62 | Place d'Austerlitz, by the bronze 3D map of the city | 3 pm |
| Do Eat Better, traditional food tour | ~$90 | Place d'Austerlitz, by the same map | On the listing |
| My Cathédrale, cathedral tour | ~$29 | Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame, 3 Place du Château | On the listing |
| Ophorus, Colmar markets day | ~$168 | 17 Place de la Cathédrale, in front of the tourist office | 9 am |
| Tour.Alsace, wine-route villages | ~$143 | Bus station, Place de l'Étoile | 9 am, be there 15 min early |
| Abnoba Tours, Black Forest day | ~$139 | Place de la Gare, in front of the Mercure and Ibis Budget | 8:30 am |
The wine villages without driving
Tour.Alsace collects you at the bus station on Place de l'Étoile at 9 am and drives a minibus through Bergheim, Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Eguisheim, with a winemaker's tasting on the way, from ~$143. The driver speaks French and the commentary comes from an audio guide in 12 languages. Lunch in Riquewihr is at your own cost, and you are back in late afternoon.
The villages day lasts about 10.5 hours and takes no children under 4. For a day built around the markets themselves, Ophorus's Colmar Christmas day, from ~$168, leaves from the cathedral square, adds one second village chosen by date and drops you just outside the Grande-Île in the evening. Its catch is that you do not pick that village and meals are extra. It also needs at least two adults.
The Alsace villages without a car
The regional trains in the table above reach the three easiest market towns, and Colmar works as the hub for the rest. From Colmar, bus 816 runs to Riquewihr in about 28 minutes, and a shuttle goes to Eguisheim daily. Kaysersberg has no station and opens its market only on Advent weekends, Friday to Sunday. Plan a bus or shuttle from Colmar on one of those days. Colmar also runs free local buses on some December weekends. Each village keeps its own calendar, and Christmas markets in Alsace near Strasbourg lists them. For days farther afield, such as the Black Forest, winter day trips from Strasbourg compares the options.
Where to stay
- On the island. You walk to every square and can drop shopping at the hotel between stalls. The trade-off is life in the middle of the crowds, plus a security check whenever you come back from outside the island;
- Near the station. The markets are a 10–15 minute walk away, and early starts get easier, with regional trains to Colmar and the Black Forest tour leaving from Place de la Gare at 8:30 am;
- A tram ride out. You sleep away from the evening crowds, and the tram brings you to Homme de Fer in minutes. Check how late your line runs before you book.
Wherever you stay, book dinner ahead, since restaurants fill up in December and the small winstubs go first. If you are traveling with children, Strasbourg at Christmas with kids adds stroller advice, and our guide to December weather helps with the walk between tram and chalet.