How Much Does a German Christmas Markets Trip Cost? 2024 Budget

When you start thinking about a European Christmas Markets trip, you may first consider a Christmas Markets River Cruise and decide that it is too expensive. But you don’t need to take a river cruise to experience the holiday magic and a German Christmas Markets trip cost may be less than you expect.

I spent 10 days on a German Christmas Markets road trip and, while it took a little more planning than a river cruise would have, it was considerably less expensive.

This German Christmas Markets trip budget includes average costs for airfare, accommodations, transportation, food, and a few souvenirs. I will break down the individual costs below, but a one-week German Christmas Markets trip for two people will cost an average of $3,625, or $259 per person, per day.

German Christmas Market Trip Cost

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Before we get into the details, here are some important considerations to keep in mind when you are planning a Christmas Markets Trip:

• Germany has over 1,500 Christmas Markets with over 50 food stalls, and even more that are smaller. Don’t stress too much about visiting the most famous Christmas Markets. Sometimes the most enjoyable ones are the small towns that you have never heard of.
• Most German Christmas Markets are only open from late November or early December through Christmas Eve. If you want to travel between Christmas and New Years, you will need to do more research and stick to larger cities that may have a longer season.
• Some small town markets are only open on the weekends or evenings, so always be sure to check dates and times before you make your plan.
• Most German Christmas Markets are located in the Altstadt or Old Town and accommodations closest to the markets will book up quickly. It is best to plan your trip three to six months in advance.
• Be sure to purchase travel insurance in case weather or illness disrupts your vacation plans.
• Make sure you get some local currency (Euros for German markets) in small denominations to use for food at the markets as not all stalls accept credit cards.
• Visiting most Christmas Markets are free, but there are exceptions, such as Ravenna Gorge, which is only open on certain days and requires you to purchase timed entry tickets prior to your visit (and they sell out early.)

Airfare to Germany Cost

With major international hub airports like Frankfurt or Munich, getting to Germany is actually fairly affordable. You can typically find economy flights from major U.S. airports for as low as $600-700 per person.

I highly recommend signing up for a flight deal subscription service such as Going to keep an eye out for sales. If you prefer to use points and miles, I’d suggest downloading the Travel Freely app to track your credit cards and learn how to earn points.

With so many German Christmas Markets to choose from, just choose your hub city and you can build your trip around that. For example, I have suggestions for Christmas Markets near Frankfurt or Stuttgart.

Total Airfare Cost: $1400 ($700 x 2 people)

Germany Accommodations Cost

In my experience, the hotels in Germany are generally quite affordable, at least compared to where we stayed in Strasbourg, France. When looking for hotels, you will want to try to find accommodations within walking distance to the Altstadt or Old Town, where the Christmas Markets are typically located.

Just keep in mind that not all hotels offer parking and others require parking reservations. Finding a hotel that has parking or there is convenient public parking nearby is important if you are driving. If you are taking the train, look for something within walking distance to the train station or along a U-Bahn line in the larger cities.

There are plenty of boutique hotels to choose from, many of which will include breakfast. In the larger cities, you can also find chain hotels if you are looking to use points. Generally, you should be able to find hotels for under $200 a night.

For example:

• ​Breuer’s Rüdesheimer Schloss in Rüdesheim am Rhein ($170 per night including parking and breakfast)
• Romantik Hotel Zur Glocke in Trier ($180 per night including breakfast)
• Jaz in the City in Stuttgart ($160 per night)
• Hotel Villa Marstall in Heidelberg ($167 per night)

Total Accommodations Cost: $1,225 ($175 x 7 nights)

Germany Transportation Costs

If you plan on visiting quite a few Christmas Markets, you will need to figure out how you want to get around. It is possible to stay in a larger city like Frankfurt, Munich, or Stuttgart and take day trips via the train. Another option is to take the train from town to town, since Germany has a very good train system. Of course, then you are more subject to train strikes, weather delays, and train schedules.

The train is quite affordable. For example, when we stayed in Stuttgart, we took the train to Ludwigsburg and to Esslingen for $5-12 each. For longer distances, it will cost a little more. For example, the train from Frankfurt to Heidelberg is about $15.

If you prefer to have a little more flexibility in your schedule (and a place to store your luggage for stops on the way), you can also rent a car and take a road trip. I rented a car for less than $300 for a 10-day trip. Of course, you will need to factor in the cost of parking and gas as well.

Total transportation cost: $200

Food Costs at German Christmas Markets

While one of the best things about the trip is eating all the yummy German Christmas Market foods. If you book a hotel that includes breakfast, you will likely eat most of your other meals at the markets. And unlike the prices at fairs and festivals in the United States, German Christmas Market foods are also quite affordable.

For example, a bratwurst sandwich is typically five or six euro. A cup of glühwein is usually four or five euro, with a one to two euro deposit that you get back if you return the mug (although keeping a few make great souvenirs.) You can have a full meal with bratwurst, käsespätzle, glühwein, and something sweet for dessert for 20 euro. Every now and then you may want to sit down at a proper restaurant and eat something besides market food (like schnitzel or a healthy salad) but those can be affordable also.

Total cost for food: $300 x 2 people = $600

Souvenir Costs

The German Christmas Markets are packed with beautiful handicrafts such as nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, pyramids, wooden toys, Christmas stars, and more. You will want to look for locally-made products, as some of the larger markets have many vendors that sell imported goods.

The other thing to keep in mind is how you will get it all home. I strongly recommend bringing along a packable, reusable shopping bag to bring to the markets and an extra duffel bag for bring it all home. Remember that some of the larger items, like those beautiful wooden Christmas pyramids, can be quite pricey (hundreds of dollars) and take up a lot of space when carefully packaged for travel.

How much you spend really depends on how much and what you want to bring home to enhance your holiday decor or remember the trip. A few mugs and handmade ornaments don’t take up much space or cost a lot.

Total souvenir cost: $200

TOTAL German Christmas Market TRIP COST

A one-week German Christmas Market trip costs approximately $3,625 for two people traveling from the U.S. in early December, or $259 per person, per day. That’s much less than Christmas Markets river cruise, which costs about $3,800 per person!

Category	Expense
Airfare	$1,400
Accommodations	$1,225
Transportation	$ 200
Souvenirs	$ 200
Food	$ 600
The total cost of a trip to the German Christmas Markets for 2 people	$3,625

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