The Christmas Market of Regensburg

The Christmas Market of Regensburg has an excellent web site, which will allow you to plan your journey to their Christmas market easily and quickly. There are webcams and even several videos! The market is held around the church on Neupfarrplatz. Here's how to get there from the train station:

Head east on Bahnhofstraße toward Maximilianstraße 0.5 km; Turn left to stay on Bahnhofstraße 85 m; Turn left at Hemauerstraße, 31 m; Turn right at Doktor-Martin-Luther-Straße 0.6 km; Turn left at Pfluggasse 0.1 km;Turn right at Alter Kornmarkt 0.2 km; Continue on Domplatz 0.1 km

Planning Your Trip to the German Christmas Markets

3D Panoramas of several towns in Germany can be found here.

Bremen

The town of Bremen, in northwest Germany, has a page with several 3D panoramas of Bremen, as well as links to Bremen Webcams, just click here. All the maps you will need are here. This is a link to a 360 degree view from the train station.

Photo credit: Puddytat on Flickr.

Train Times - from Mainz and Frankfurt

Mainz - Bingen varies - from 0:34 to 1:04 depending on train, all regional trains
Mainz - Bonn 1:22
Mainz - Cologne 1:26; 1:23 to 1:45 on local trains.
Mainz - Frankfurt :30; 0:19 on ICE
Mainz - Speyer 1:15 not all regional trains

Can go from Mainz to Frankfurt on the S Bahn in 41 minutes

Frankfurt - Worms 1:18
Frankfurt - Speyer 1:25
Frankfurt - Bingen 1:21

Mainz is part of Rhinland - Pfalz system.

Christmas Market Info from the German National Tourist Office

Ho! Ho! Ho! The German National Tourist office in London has put up a great web page with the dates and hours of opening of the 2006 German Christmas Markets. Just click here to access that page.

Now, if they would only give some info where the market is located, and how to get there from the train stations, that would be a great help. As it is, the information is how to get to the market from England. Anyway, there is great information there, and I think you will want to go have a look.

Pipe Organs at German Christmas Markets

There are many famous pipe organs in Germany, and many are located in cathedrals. Since the Christmas Markets are usually right outside the cathedral, you might be able to hear some of the famous organs when you are done shopping.

If you want to attend a service, check the front of the cathedral, inside the door. Look around a little bit, as usually the time of services is clearly posted. Of course, then you will be able to hear the organ. Some churches also sell CD's of their organ at their gift shops, which make an easy to carry souvenir which you can enjoy for many years.

At Pipe Dreams, there are links to almost all the famous pipe organs of Germany. You can see the list of famous organs, see pictures of the organs, and listen to actual music of the organs of Germany by clicking here.

Ulm Christmas Market

Ulm is a beatiful city, and the cathedral there was the tallest building in the world for many years.

The Ulm Christmas Market is well worth a visit, and so is the Muenster. Make sure to take the little sightseeing tram--its well worth your time and money! Hope you enjoy this little video with the bells in the background!

Aachen Christmas Market: Walking Directions from the Train

Last time I went to the Aachen Christmas Market I took a bus. It took a long time and on the way back I got quite lost. If I go again this year, I am taking this map. You can see the blue lines at the "Hauptbahnhof." That's the main train station in Aachen. Click on the map, print it out, and take it with you. That's what I plan to do. The map is from a website I can't remember.

Aachen is well worth a journey. Arrive early, as there is plenty to do. The Christmas Market is just outside the Dom, which is Charlemagne's church. Take plenty of money, as you won't be able to resist the gingerbread!

Traveling to German Christmas Markets by Train in Germany

Can there be any more fun in Germany than taking the ICE train from Christmas Market to Christmas Market In December? I don't think so! You can get the up-to-the minute (2007) pdf ICE map by clicking here.

It's easy to travel by train in Germany, and you can plan your journey (and see how much time it takes to go from city to city) at the German railroad, known as Die Bahn, by clicking here. Consider buying a German rail pass in advance. The twin pass is quite a deal--a much better buy than a Eurail pass because the second traveler travels for half price!

With a German rail pass you don't even have to plan your trips in advance. Just go the the railway station, find a destination, and get on your train! No waiting in line, and it makes travel budgeting easy. There are no supplements for high speed trains, either.

(If you speak German and you like to do a lot of planning, you can find out the maximum speed of the ICE train you want to take and even where to stand on the Platform in any city by clicking here for ICE trains in the 2600 series, and here for the 2700 series.)

Germany: Which Towns Have Christmas Markets

North, South, East, or West, there are plenty of Christmas Markets in Germany. You can find a site that lists them all by clicking here!

Christmas in the German Train Stations

You'll know it's Christmas even in the train stations in Germany!

You can find out how long it takes to go from one town to the next by clicking here.

Visions of Sugar Plums

While the Christmas Markets in Germany won't be starting for another six months, it's not too early to begin dreaming . With so many wonderful Christmas Markets in Germany, the hardest choice is where to go.

Best to begin with a dream.

Tom Galvin has some great pages on Christmas Markets in Germany that will fill your head with visions of sugarplums! Just click on his name to be magically transported!

Welcome!

Christmas is far from now. It's too early to read about the Christmas Markets of Germany--yet! You will have to be patient.