Germany and Austria during Christmas time: expect to have a very special vacation in Southern Germany and Austria. Enjoy the visits of the Historic Christmas Markets – a unique experience in a festive atmosphere!
Christkindles Market in Nuremberg @Uwe Niklas
This well-designed 9-Day Germany & Austria Rail Circle tour from/to Frankfurt Airport takes you to some of the most charming cities in Central Europe: Salzburg and Vienna in Austria, Munich, Nuremberg, Heidelberg, and Regensburg in Germany.
The rail tour includes restricted 2nd-class Rail tickets (see the tableau; this is already included in the price of your tour). It is possible to upgrade all of the Rail Tickets to 1st-class Rail for an extra of US $ 229.00 per person (which also includes the reservation fee for specific seats)! Here you also find everything else that is included: transfers, rail tickets, tours, and admissions.
Price per Person
| two sharing a double room | one in a single room | three sharing a triple room |
| US $ 1,739 | US $ 2,599 | US $ 1,599 |
Would you like to submit your personal information so we can check availability for your specific travel dates for this beautiful tour? On our BOOKING INQUIRY page you find a form which you may use to forward your personal information:
View 9 Day Germany and Austria Christmas Rail Tour (9R01) in a larger map
Day 1 Nuremberg
By High-Speed Rail (ICE) it takes less than 2,5 hours from Frankfurt/Frankfurt Airport to Nuremberg. Your hotel is located in walking distance from Nuremberg Central Station, (which is located just outside the Old City Wall surrounding Nuremberg Old Town and the Imperial Castle). The “Christkindles Markt” (Christ Child’s Market) in Nuremberg is among the most famous Christmas Markets in Germany. Held on Hauptmarkt Square, one can enjoy the delicious Nuremberg Bratwurst while marveling at the beautifully decorated stalls offering local and traditional handicrafts and specialties in a medieval atmosphere.
Nuremberg’s history reaches back to the year 1050; its name “nourenberc” translates into “rocky hill”. Nuremberg’s famous landmark, the “Kaiserburg” (Imperial Castle), towers above the Old Town, which is protected by the five-kilometer-long city wall and many towers and gates that can still be visited. The medieval castle is one of the most important imperial palaces, dating from the middle ages of the 11th century (admission included). In the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party had chosen Nuremberg for their Nazi Rallies, and if you are interested in that part of history, you may want to visit the Documenation Center Nazi Rally Grounds which are located just south of the Old Town.
Christmas Market Nuremberg ©Steffen Ovliver Riese and Regensburg ©Regensburg Tourismus GmbH
When exploring the beauty of Nuremberg’s medieval Old Town, you may want to start right at the Koenigstor (“Kingsgate”) which is the gate right across from Nuremberg Central Station. From where the timber-framed buildings, the Gothic Church of St. Lawrence and the Church of St. Sebaldus can be easily reached by foot. Right next to the Koenigstor is the Handwerkerhof (craft center). Here, you will feel like you are back in medieval times; there are craft workshops like they used to have a long time ago, as well as a gingerbread bakery. Make sure to enjoy a Nuremberg Bratwurst along with a beer or a glass of “Frankenwein” (franconian wine).
Day 2 Regensburg
In a little less than an hour, the High-Speed train (ICE) will take you from Nuremberg to Regensburg on Day 2 of your Germany & Austria Vacation Package. Your hotel is located within walking distance from Regensburg Central Station. You will be welcomed with legendary Bavarian hospitality into the best-preserved medieval city in Germany, where two thousand years of history remain alive today. During Christmas time, the taste of punch, cookies, cinnamon stars, and roasted chestnuts is all around the Old Town of Regensburg. Enjoy a glass of punch with a roll with roasted sausages—it’s a must!
Regensburg has a long history of imperial significance. The buildings, towers, and churches offer an unspoiled peek into the past. You need not be a student of history to get a strong sense of what life was like in the days of old in Regensburg. Visit the dungeons, inquisition chamber, and the exhibition of books and prints illustrating the history of the Imperial Diet. Castles, churches, monasteries, and St. Peter’s Cathedral bear testimony to the grandeur of the prosperous medieval era, which is also brought to life in the many museums with their valuable and fascinating collections. The Stone Bridge and the Old Town Hall, set in the heart of the medieval city, are among the most important historic buildings in Germany.
Day 3 Vienna
After breakfast, your High-Speed train (ICE) will take you from Regensburg to Vienna, Austria’s capital city. Travel time is about three hours. The price of your Germany & Austria Christmas Tour Package already includes the 48 hour Vienna Card. With this card, you enjoy more than 200 discounts in Vienna, at museums and sights, theaters and concerts, in shops, cafes, restaurants, and also the “Heurige” wine taverns. But, most importantly, with this card you also enjoy unlimited free public transportation within Vienna. Even though your hotel is located in the City Center, it is great to have the option to take the subway, a streetcar, or a public bus. On your first day in Vienna, you may want to visit, for example, the Imperial Palace, “Hofburg Vienna”, the center of the former Habsburg Empire. The Palace was Sisi’s Imperial home and household, and the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the Silver Collection can be visited here. At the Vienna Hofburg, you also find the Spanish Riding School, where you may want to watch a performance or join a practice session, and also the close by Old Town Hall. In immediate walking distance of the Hofburg, you will find the State Opera House, one of the world’s most famous opera houses, where the Vienna Opera Ball takes place every year. St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna and it is a “must see” as well as smaller churches like the “Universitatskirche” (Jesuits Church) and the “Peterskirche” (St. Peter’s Church).
The “Christkindlmarkt” on the square in front of the City Hall is Vienna’s classic Christmas Market. Strolling among the elaborately decorated trees in the park, Viennese and visitors from all over the world can enjoy the wonderful Christmas atmosphere. The tree with seals, the “Kasperl tree“, the “Herzerlbaum” (Hearts tree), as well as the “Post Office in the Clouds” offer a perfect setting for a souvenir photo.
Christmas Market Vienna ©Österreich Werbung and Salzburg ©Tourismus Salzburg GmbH
Day 4 Vienna
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Vienna with your 48 hour Vienna Card. Maybe you want to visit the “Ringstrasse“, a circular road around the inner city districts of Vienna. In the 19th century, the road was replacing the Old City Wall, which had been built in the 13th century. Many of the buildings you find along this road, the Austrian Parliament Building or the University of Vienna, for example, were built around the 1850’s. You may want to visit Schonbrunn Palace and its beautiful Garden. Your Vienna Card covers the fare to get there; the subway station “Schonbrunn” (subway line U4) is very close to the entrance of Schonbrunn Palace, once the summer residence of the Habsburg family and home of Maria Theresa. The Rococo Palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historical monuments in Austria, and nowadays is one of the most visited sights in Vienna. It all started with the building of a mansion on hunting grounds in 1548, just outside of Vienna. The impressive palace in its present form (it has 1,441 rooms!) was built and remodeled around the 1750s by Maria Theresa. Make sure to plan in some time for a visit of Schonbrunn Garden. There, you also find the Neptune Fountain and Gloriette, which were designed to symbolize the glory of the Habsburg power. In the evening, you will have time to visit the Christkindlmarkt again, of course!
Day 5 Salzburg
In about 2 hours and 40 minutes, the High-Speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you throughout Austria, from Vienna, located in the east of Austria, close to the borders to Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, to Salzburg, all the way in the west of Austria, right at the German border. Salzburg, a beautiful town close to the Alp Mountains, and Birthplace of Mozart, is also the site of the popular movie “The Sound of Music”. Your hotel is located within walking distance of Salzburg Central Station and in the early afternoon—after you have checked in—you will join the English-speaking, most unique, 4-hour Sound of Music Tour yourself! This tour is an ideal opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Maria von Trapp while taking in local historical sights, both from the city of Salzburg and also the picturesque lakes and mountains surrounding the city. After the tour, you may want to walk across the Salzach River to take a look at Mozart’s Birthplace and the small shopping streets in the area. Here, you also find a wide choice of restaurants for dinner. Or, you visit the wonderful Christmas market in Salzburg, where you find various kinds of delicatessen. The historic market was first mentioned in the 15th century, located at the foot of the Hohensalzburg fortress and around the Cathedral. This Christmas market offers many different crafts, local specialties, and other Christmas-y items.
Day 6 Munich
On board of the High-Speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) you will continue your travels along the Germany and Austria Rail Tour back into Germany. It takes about 1:40 hours from Salzburg to Munich Central Station. Your hotel is located in short walking distance from the station. The price of your tour already includes admission to many sights in Munich (Munich Residence and Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum, Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain), and with your tour package, you will also receive walking suggestions for a self-guided walking tour through Munich City Center. Along this walking tour, you will visit the Marienplatz with the New Town Hall (with the “Glockenspiel“), the Konigsplatz (King’s Square), cultural center in the 19th century, and later, during the “Third Reich”, site of Nazi Party mass rallies and location of the Nazi Party headquarters in Germany, the English Garden, as well as the the State Opera House. You will be able to visit famous churches like Munich’s Frauenkirche, “Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady), with a height of 325 ft. a Munich landmark, St. Peters Church, built in the 14th century, and the Asam Church, which was built as a private chapel and integrated into an apartment building. The tour will pass by the most famous Munich shopping streets (Kaufinger Street and Neuhauser Street), as well as by the “Viktualienmarkt”, a traditional farmers market (open every day except on Sundays). The tour will take you by the famous “Alois Dallmayr” luxury delicatessen and coffee store, as well as to the Hofbrauhaus of course, likely the world’s most popular beer hall. This may be a great place to enjoy a hearty dinner and a fresh mass of beer (one mug holds 33.8 US fl oz)! This is not far from the Marienplatz (Marien square) where the Christmas Market has been located since the 14th century.
Neuschwanstein Castle ©By Gliwi CC-BY-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons; Christmas Market in Heidelberg ©Philipp Rothe Heidelberg Marketing
Day 7 Escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles
Another highlight of your Europe Rail Tour will be a visit to the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle. You will be on an all-day escorted coach tour that will first take you to Oberammergau for a photo stop (you may want to take a look at the Festival Hall, where the Passion Play takes place every ten years). The coach will then take you to Linderhof Palace, the Royal Villa of King Ludwig II. The Palace and Park were inspired by Versailles, and the rooms are beautifully decorated and furnished. After a short drive through Austria and back into Germany, you will get to Neuschwanstein Castle. The picture of Neuschwanstein is probably present in everybody’s mind, and Neuschwanstein really seems to be taken out of a fairy tale. You will join an English-speaking guided tour through the castle. The tour of the interior, the Throne Hall, the Hall of the Singers, the Grotto and all of the private rooms which were built for King Ludwig II, will complete the picture! After the tour of the inside, make sure to take some time to explore the castle grounds. The view of Neuschwanstein from the bridge behind the castle is like no other! Your luxury coach will take you back to Munich, where you will arrive in time for dinner and/or another visit to the Munich Christmas Market!
Day 8 Heidelberg
In an about three-hour train ride by Speed Rail from Munich to Heidelberg Central Station, you will continue your Germany and Austria Rail tour. Since the station is a little bit outside of the Old Town, where your hotel is located, your tour already includes a taxi transfer from Heidelberg Central Station to your hotel. Heidelberg is a beautiful historic town located along the banks of the Neckar River and the most significant sight is certainly the ruin of Heidelberg Castle, which is towering above the city. Since your hotel is located right inside of the Old Town of Heidelberg, it is easy to explore historic Heidelberg by foot. Your tour package will include walking tour suggestions for the Old Town. Along the walking tour you will see the Old Bridge from where you have a nice view of the Old Town and the Castle ruin above. You will also pass by the “Marktplatz” (market place), which is the main square of Heidelberg, the “Peterskirche” (St. Peter’s Church) and the historic University of Heidelberg. Heidelberg’s University was founded in 1386 and it is the oldest University in Germany; and with more than 30.000 students, it is still one of the most important universities in Germany today. If you want to enjoy a view over Heidelberg and the Neckar River you may want to walk up to the grounds of the castle ruins or, for a small fee, take the historic funicular up and down Heidelberg Castle. The historic Christmas Market is held on seven squares around the Old Town, featuring those typical stalls displaying Christmas handicrafts and local specialties. At night, enjoy the splendid view of the illuminated castle.
Day 9 Frankfurt Int. Airport
Today your Germany and Austria Christmas Vacation Package ends. Depending on the departure time of your flight from Frankfurt International Airport we will arrange a transfer from your hotel to the airport by Rail. Alternatively, the Private Airport Shuttle will pick you up right at your hotel. Travel time from your hotel in Heidelberg to Frankfurt International Airport is about an hour.
Would you like to download an overview of the 9-Day Germany and Austria Christmas Rail Tour (9R01) as a .pdf to print it out or to forward it to a friend? Please download it right here:This is already included in the price of your tour
| Day 1 - Frankfurt Int. Airport to Nuremberg/ Nuremberg | Unrestricted High-Speed "ICE" train ticket, valid from Frankfurt Int. Airport to Nuremberg (the direct ICE train takes 2:20 hours) | Hotel Victoria (or similar if not available), located within the Old Town, right across from Nuremberg Central Station - 3 walking minutes) | Admission to the Imperial Castle in Nuremberg, admission to the Deep Well and to the Sinwell Tower |
| Day 2 - Nuremberg to Regensburg/ Regensburg | High-Speed "ICE" train ticket valid from Nuremberg to Regensburg (the direct ICE train takes 55 minutes) | Eurostars Park Hotel Maximilian (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Regensburg Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Nuremberg |
| Day 3 - Regensburg to Vienna/ Vienna | High-Speed "ICE" rail ticket valid from Regensburg to Vienna (the direct ICE train takes 3:22 hours) | Hotel Zeitgeist Wien (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Vienna Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Regensburg, 48h Vienna Card (free use of public transportation system; discounts on many cultural and touristic highlights) |
| Day 4 - Vienna | no train ticket needed | Hotel Zeitgeist Wien (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Vienna Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 48h Vienna Card (free use of public transportation system; discounts on many cultural and touristic highlights) |
| Day 5 - Vienna to Salzburg/ Salzburg | High-Speed "Rail-Jet" train ticket from Vienna to Salzburg (the direct RJ train takes 2:22 hours) | Hotel IMLAUER & Bräu (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Salzburg Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 4 hr Sound of Music tour |
| Day 6 - Salzburg to Munich/ Munich | High-Speed "Rail-Jet" train ticket valid from Salzburg to Munich (the direct RJ train takes 1:30 hours), ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Munich | King´s Hotel Center (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Salzburg, Admission Residence Museum, Treasury Admission Cuvilliés-Theatre, Admission Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Admission Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Admission Marstallmuseum and Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain |
| Day 7 - Royal Castles/ Munich | no train ticket needed | King´s Hotel Center (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich, All day escorted coach tour to Oberammergau and to the Royal Castles - Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace, Admission Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau), Admission Linderhof Palace & Park (Ettal) |
| Day 8 - Munich to Heidelberg/ Heidelberg | Speed "IC" rail ticket valid from Munich to Heidelberg (the direct IC train takes 2:57 hours) | Hotel Hollander Hof (or similar if not available), located in the Old Town (taxi transfer provided) | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich, taxi transfer from Heidelberg Central Station to your hotel in Heidelberg Old Town |
| Day 9 - Heidelberg to Frankfurt Int. Airport/ Frankfurt Int. Airport | no train ticket needed | no hotel needed | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Heidelberg, Rail (optional upgrade to private airport shuttle available) transfer from Heidelberg to Frankfurt Int. Airport |
The tour package we provide includes a day by day itinerary as well as all tickets, vouchers and information necessary to enjoy a great independent tour. It also contains general information about the cities you visit which you can downloaded from our website once your tour is confirmed.
This is not included in the price of your tour
- Airfare from/to your origin to/from Frankfurt International Airport
- all meals other than breakfast (which is included)
- gratuities (tips)
You have booked the tour already and would like to download the to-europe tour package for this tour now? Please download them right here:
GERMANY & AUSTRIA CHRISTMAS RAIL TOUROur 9-Day Germany & Austria Christmas Rail Tour is over…..however, it was AWESOME, PERFECT, MAGICAL and filled us with memories for a life time! Your team did a superb job in arranging each detail – there was never any glitch ! The rail options, the instructions, the hotels were ‘spot on’ as were the tours. We did take advantage of our time in Munich to visit the Dachau concentration camp. We cannot thank you enough for enabling us to thoroughly enjoy our Christmas in Germany and Austria! We have shared our positive impression of your tour company with many of our friends and will continue to so do. – Gary, Judy, Laura, and Matthew L., Germantown, MD, USA View more
We are fortunate to have travelers from all over the world on our pre-packaged tours and we would love to have your feedback! If you have been traveling along this tour with us please leave us a review below – we greatly appreciate your time! (your Email address will not be displayed)
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I cannot fault this company at all. Perfect attention to detail. Everything went like clockwork. Any questions I had were promptly answered, documents resent without question and advice provided. The choice of accommodation was varied and the inclusion of the two tours provided an interesting insight into the von Trapp family singers and the German Alps.
We took the nine day Christmas rail tour. We loved every minute of it. Our accommodations were quaint with excellent treatment by hotel staff. Everyone was so helpful. We booked first class tickets on the trains which I highly recommend. We always had a seat and the trains were quiet. Thank you to the To-Europe staff for arranging a magical trip. You’ve got this down to a science so that your customers have the times of their lives.
My Sister & I took the 10 day tour & loved it. Next time - smaller suitcase as it was a sometimes difficult dragging them onto the trains. Sometimes the directions to the hotels were hard to understand, but we got there.
We added so many extras to our trip & Thomas & his team were very helpful,,thank you all.
It was a very special trip for us & something we will never forget.
My wife and took this ten day Christkindlmarkt tour with our son, his wife, and children ages 12,10 and 3.. The arrangements made by Thomas and his team for accommodations transportation, and special events were precise, faultless and easy to follow. and additional information provided for each stop was invaluable. The Christkindlmarkts in each location were magical and unique.. It was a tour that was totally enjoyed by all ages, from 3 to 70 years old. The only change we would make should we do something like this again is increasing the number of days spent in each location. Thank you Thomas and team for helping us create some wonderful memories. Rolf Schneider
We're just back from our Germany and Austria Christmas market tour. Exhausted, but full of great memories. To-Europe's choice of cities and hotels for this tour was excellent. When planning the tour we requested a few tweaks (adding a two nights) and To-Europe was very flexible and worked with us on these changes. During planning and while on the trip, To-Europe was always very responsive to any email questions that I sent.
First, the good stuff: Thomas and his team were incredible getting us from city to city. All of the arrangements were accurate and well managed. A 24 hour train strike happened on the day we landed in Frankfurt, and Thomas rented a car service to get us to our destination the next day. Amazing.
Now the not so good stuff: Because to the proximity to. the train stations (very convenient) several of the hotels were in pretty rough neighborhoods. Nothing happened to us, but we felt unsafe walking back to hotel at 9 or 10 pm (we are 63 and 64 year old sisters). We found some the markets to be overly crowded (not Thomas' fault). This was my third time visiting the markets, and I don't remember it being this crowded. I would suggest trying to go to smaller, more out of the way cities. Nuremberg and Munich were especially crowded. I do admit that 10 days of dragging bags on and off of trains was a bit much, and would suggest trying to spend two days per city, instead of moving every day like we did. I also found that the markets don't have the variety of goods that I remembered. They were not as unique as they used to be. Also would recommend upgrading to first class train. Much more roomy and comfortable.
My wife, myself, our younger son and his girlfriend took the 9 day Germany/Austria Christmas Markets rail tour. We extended the first stop in Nuremberg to 2 days to allow for a little jet lag recovery. We opted for the first class rail tickets and marveled at the smooth, quiet ride and the service.. The only issue we had was missing the Mannheim-to-Heidelberg transfer due to the Salzburg-to-Mannheim train being late but no problem to catch the next train a half our later. The hotels were all 5 to 10 minute walks from the train station (except Heidelberg which needed a taxi but voucher was included). Hotel rooms were fine, breakfasts were fantastic! Christmas markets were lots of fun, many other people thought so too because some (especially Salzburg) were packed! Our family had done a Christmas Markets tour by car several years ago and there was a lot of stress involved driving in a foreign country in the winter to new cities with byzantine street patterns - The To-Europe tour package made the whole experience a total pleasure!
Kristen & I just returned from a 9-day Germany/Austria Christmas Markets tour by rail. We’re ready to go again! I can’t write enough great things about our tour group, To-Europe. The To-Europe team is the best we’ve experienced in all of our International travels. It felt like we had our own private concierge before and during the trip. They were communicative, responsive & proactive (Thomas navigated us around a one day German rail strike). All hotels were lovely-at least 4⭐️. Instructions and directions for all rail, hotels and excursions were clearly communicated and easy to follow. And traveling between cities via rail was such a luxurious and scenic experience for us Americans. Of note-onboard wireless access via the ICE app on DB was excellent. Also, be sure to bring great Walking Shoes! Kristen and I averaged 10.5k steps per day!! Lastly, I highly recommend the City Mapper app. Best LOCAL Transportation Guide Ever. Routes and step by step guidance for all modes of travel: walk, taxi, bus, subway, light rail. CM Has it all!!
Back to the To Europe crew: Thank you, thank you for arranging and executing such a wonderful experience! We’ll be back to travel with you again! With Warm Regards, Rick & Kristen
We had a brilliant 28 day customized Christmas rail tour through Europe. We were a bit nervous at first booking through an overseas tour company. To-Europe and Thomas were amazing. All train tickets and hotel accommodation were provided before we left. The directions from stations to our accommodation were very easy to navigate, Train travel is the way to go and "To-Europe" is who you should book with. We will book through Thomas and "To-Europe" for our next adventure....we highly....highly recommend them.
Three of us, a couple and friend, recently returned from the 9-Day Germany & Austria Christmas Rail Tour and can't thank Thomas and the To-Europe Team enough for their work in making our holiday easy and memorable. From the outset they were very helpful in seeking to understand what we wanted and made bookings for rail journeys, hotels and visits/events that were smooth, comfortable and stress-free. We have wonderful memories to carry with us now, in large part thanks to your excellent planning.
We did the 9-day Germany/Austria Christmas circle tour. It was amazing/breathtaking/magical. Thomas was so helpful; everything was planned perfectly. We didn't need to contact him at all during our trip which shows that he properly organized the tour flawlessly! We flew in a day early to spend more time in Frankfurt, and we are glad we did. The Christmas markets were wonderful. Vienna was our favorite. The highlight of our trip was visiting Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace. The hotels were very nice and close to the train station (if we were to do this tour again, we would prefer our hotel to be in the middle of each town in the heart of city). We had one train delay and one cancelled train, but it was easy to find another train to board to get to our destination. It was so nice to spend 2 days in Vienna & Munich, we would have loved to spend 2 days in each town we visited. One day did not seem enough time to really immerse yourself in the city. Overall, we loved the tour!! THANK YOU to Europe.com & Thomas.
We enjoyed every minute of our Christmas trip to Germany and Austria. Along with everything extremely well organized, with every detailed considered, we felt truly supported as we travelled, knowing that any questions would be quickly answered. The hotels and their location from the train stations allowed for ease of travel, the quality of hotel was impressive and the planning allowed for us to enjoy the trip, not having to think of next steps. Would recommend highly and hope to book with them again very soon.
I did the Germany/Austria tour with my teenage daughter this last Christmas and absolutely loved it! What made it exceptional is the wonderful communication To-Europe's Thomas provided us and the incredible attention to detail in every single step. If it wasn't for Thomas and his hand holding daily, I don't know that I could have done it. The hotels we stayed at were wonderful! So comfortable and so pleasant and everything was extremely smooth and well thought out. I cannot say enough about Thomas and To-Europe, they're really the best. Just a side note if it helps, remember to pack light and carry a backpack if possible. Our suitcases really made hopping on the trains daily quite a daunting task.
We had a 23 day stay in Europe whereby TO Europe arranged for 14 days of it.
We primarily want to extend our gratitude to Thomas, Marie and Woldemar on the excellent service they provided. We customized our tour to start at Vienna and to end at Vienna (Christmas day), adding an additional day to the standard tour. We even went beyond and extended the tour to Prague. We requested train schedules to be changed, upgraded to first class and had a stop at the Mercedes Benz Museum, Stuttgart, on our way to Heidelberg. As always, we received fantastic responses to our requests, going the extra mile and provided improved suggestions. Thank you team you did a GREAT job!!
The information provided, hotels booked, and tours included was great and knowing the exact timeslots we could easily privately add additional sight-seeing and opera concert packages.
The hotels were from good to excellent to superb. We would just opt for another hotel in Vienna. The accommodation in Prague was superb!
We can confirm that we have already spoken highly of your services to friends and family and do expect to receive some queries from fellow South Africans!
THANK YOU for the wonderful experience,
We extended our stay in several of the cities for a total of 13 days. Thomas and his staff were so accommodating of our plans. Everything was planned perfectly. The train travel was easy to navigate. The hotels were very clean and comfortable. Walking directions from the train station to the hotels were very clear. Any questions we had were answered quickly by Thomas and his staff. We would highly recommend this tour company and will definitely consult them for our future European travels. You want a dependable tour company.? This is it.
We've just arrived home from the Germany / Austria Christmas Market rail tour. We traveled with our adult children and enjoyed every minute of our trip. The to-Europe team had everything planned and the trip was just what we hoped. We would absolutely recommend traveling with this company and are already wondering about future adventures!
A couple of notes on the tour. We chose 1st class train tickets are are very glad we did. It was nice to know we had an assigned seat when trains were sometimes crowded. The extra space made the trip feel a little more comfortable. We chose to arrive the day before the tour began. Although this added the cost of an extra hotel stay, we thought it was worth getting a decent night's rest before starting the tour.
From the moment I inquired about the trip to Germany/Austria for the Christmas Rail Tour, I was impressed. Thomas, who was my main contact was on it! Every question answered in record time and I immediately felt like I was going to be cared for on this trip. The trip itself was spectacular and when I had question related to the train travel while in Germany, I emailed Thomas and heard back from him within n0 time. The tours were spectacular, the hotels were wonderful and the entire experience was fabulous.. I would highly recommend Thomas and To-Europe to family and friends and will undoubtedly travel with them again. Thank you for a wonderful experience and fabulous memories!
Thank you Thomas for the most memorable vacation. We had a wonderful time in Germany and Austria. The Christmas markets were amazing, I’m so glad I got to experience this. This vacation I got to cross off a few things on my bucket list. The Sound of Music tour in Salzburg was so much fun and the castles In Munch were incredible. It had snowed and it was like a winter wonderland. We even got to fit in a chamber music concert in Salzburg. Amazing.
The hotels were amazing and so close to the train stations. It was wonderful how everything was perfectly arranged. We will definitely use this company again and I will tell my friends about them too. Thanks again Thomas and your company for making this vacation the best yet.
Regards
Judy and Stefan
I cannot say enough about Thomas and Michaela. They were outstanding. What started out as a Germany/Austria Christmas Markets Rail Adventure changed daily starting with shortly after we booked our trip, we were given constant updates and offered alternative solutions to the changes. Despite frequent attempts to have us reschedule we decided to forge ahead. My nephew, stationed in the Air Force in Germany was going to meet us in Frankfurt. Despite the itinerary changing to be nothing like the original, we decided to go ahead. I can honestly say as Christmas Market after Market closed; we were disappointed. You must remember this was OUR Choice. We were able to meet my nephew and did have a good time traveling the rails from city to city. Perhaps at some point in the future we may be able to take the original Germany/Austria trip. Thank You again!!
To-Europe did an exceptional job planning our trip and working with us to iron out even the smallest details. Throughout the planning phase, and even during the trip, they were in constant, and expedient communications with us. When we had questions during the trip they would reply to emails with full answers very quickly. The trip was well tailored and thought out to get us to the best sites to see along the way. I would definitely travel with them again and recommend them to friends!
A big thank you to the team at "to-europe" especially Thomas. The trip was absolutely AMAZING, well organised, trains worked perfectly and the Hotels were well located to train stations and Christmas Markets easy walking distance. The Hotel staff were amazing and most helpful. Would definitely stay at any of the hotels in the future (with the exception of Hotel Schani)
Our family especially enjoyed the included coach tour to Neuschwanstein Castle a must see.
The only comment the hotel in Vienna Hotel Schani Wien would not recommend for over 30's.
Overall great vacation made easy by the well organised the team at to-europe who were very helpful no issues at all and would definitely use them again and have recommended to-europe to many friends.
WELL DONE
The trip to the Christmas markets was on my bucket list and it did not disappoint! I’m so glad we booked through your company. Everything from the excellent help to your planning with vouchers, hotels, maps and the trains were superior! We had an absolutely fabulous time and everyone we met were very kind and helpful along the way. I was a little nervous being on our before we left but everything was fine and we enjoyed setting our own time schedule for most of it. I can’t thank you enough for all you did! You are Amazing !!
It was a leap of faith to book this trip, as I usually do all the planning myself, spending hours on the computer doing hotel comparisons and planning an itinerary. We had a great time, and it was very freeing to have someone else make the arrangements.
The team at 'To Europe' made this entire trip seamless.
It was amazingly convenient to have the lodging and transportation already booked, so that we could just focus on having a good time. The main trains in Germany can be a little tricky until you get it down, so don't hesitate to ask a lot of questions! Again, this company was incredible and I would not hesitate to use them again. I have already told many people about them! Thank you for making our holiday season so memorable!
The team at To Europe were outstanding arranging my 50th birthday trip to Germany and Austria. The trip exceeded my expectations completely. Every question I had prior to trip was answered immediately and during the trip. It was arranged so well and was planned so that we could easily navigate ourselves through Germany and Austria. without a glitch. The accommodations and tours were spectacular. I loved visiting each unique city and experiencing their Christmas markets and sites. The castles and churches were unbelievable. We also really enjoyed the Sound of Music tour. I would definitely recommend the expertise of Michaela, Petra, and Thomas and will, without a doubt, use their services again.
This was a bucket list vacation for my wife and I and it finally ligned up with a wedding we attended on the east coast. The team at To Europe were completely professional and were eager to assist as needed. If an email was sent they responded very quickly and always in a positive manner. The 9 day trip was truly special and each city we stopped in between Germany and Austria were amazing and full of life at this time of year. People from all over the world were teaming in the Christmas markets and the towns were buzzing with people throughout. Train travel and ground transportation in Europe is top notch and we always felt safe everywhere. Each of the selected hotels perfectly met our needs, were clean, comfortable, and fed you extremely well each morning. 2 things I will note: Germany celebrates Christmas on the 24th so many restaurants and shops close thay day so pptions will be limited and if you only have pne day scheduled for Salzburg and are doing the Sound of Musoc tour maybe add more time or focus more on the town than thw tour. While the tour was good and thisnwas the only way we learned about the Perchten parade that was happening that day, I would have loved more time in Salzburg to explore the quaint city and its fortress. By the time we got to our hotel, dropped bags, and took the tour it was dark and headed straight to market to watch the Perchten parade through the area. We were so lucky to catch both the Perchten in Salzburg and Krampus in Munich. If you are on the fence about this trip just jump over and donit, the convenience of paying over time makes it more than affordable.
Everything was planned perfectly. All the hotel staff were very friendly and more than happy to help, the train tickets and instructions sent were easy to understand and the suggested walking tours and potential sights to be seen all in a list for each location was a great idea.
Although I didn't have any issues whatsoever, it is reassuring to know that there is a help-line available 24/7 at any time of the trip!
I highly reccomend this tour for anyone considering seeing the Christmas markets as they are all within walking distance, most of them just around the corner from the Hotel!
This was a wonderful trip! The hotels you booked were outstanding. Great rooms, great breakfasts and close to the markets and trains. We enjoyed planning days that fit what we wanted to do and see. The staff at hotels and on tours were very knowledgeable and friendly.
Thank you for a great experience.
We did a 10 day rail tour through Germany and Austria in December 2019, and had an absolutely amazing trip. Everything was perfectly planned by TO-EUROPE! The hotels booked were great, and the train travel was exceptionally easy. We loved the location overviews and suggested itineraries that were prepared for us, and looked forward to each day's adventure, We appreciated the freedom that self guided tour gave us, with having all the logistics of the trip planned so perfectly for us in advance, Great way to travel. It was a magical trip and we are certainly considering the next location to travel via TO-EUROPE.
We returned on the 17th. After a 13 day customized train tour through Germany and into Austria. We had asked for some extra days in a couple areas and Michaela and team did so easily and just as we had wanted. Flew into Frankfurt then railed to Nuremberg, Regensburg, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich and Heidelberg - Each destination accessed through first class DB Bahnhof train accommodations. No issues at all. Christmas markets were amazing, Sound of Music tour beautiful and the bus tour was one of our favorites. All of the hotels we stayed at provided first class breakfasts and wonderful rooms. This was a trip we will never forget and look forward to planning again in a few years with to-europe.
2 couples, had a fantastic time. To-europe does an amazing job choosing hotels. We did a few extra days because there were a few more things we wanted to see and Michaela customized the trip for us. We will be be using To-europe again for our next European vacation.
Just arrived back from this tour. Absolutely loved it! We had the perfect amount of time in each town (although i fell in love with Salzburg and could have spent forever there).To-Europe was very helpful when we had any questions, they answered the phone and directed us in whatever we needed. Quite organized! The tours that were included were great (although there were some extra costs on top of the tickets we thought were covered. The company was a little confusing with the multiple emails they sent with separate info. It would be helpful to receive one pdf so things are organized. Overall the experience was amazing and I can't wait to book another tour. Such a magical vacation. Great reliable company. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend
!
I just completed a Christmas Market tour with my two sisters. It was a wonderful time. The staff were very helpful in helping us modify our trip to include a stop in Rothenburg - which we highly recommend. We did have a glitch with a hotel that was not suitable for 3 older women. We eventually resolved the problem with the hotel manager. They gave us a second room for free that made all much more suitable. All other hotels were wonderful and were close to old town/markets/train stations. The information we were given were clear and easy to follow. I would recommend To Europe to anyone that would like to have all arrangements for in country transportation and lodging taken care of for them. Thanks for a fun sister trip!
We enjoyed our 11-day Christmas Market trip to Austria and Germany! What a pleasure it was to have our transportation and lodging completely organized for us, and organized very well. We had no hiccups during our trip, and rhe chosen lodging exceeded our expectations. Using To-Europe took the stress out of planning our European vacation. Thanks so much!
2 kids
2 mother in laws
1 awesome seamless trip in Germany and Austria . Trains were a great way to see the countries and experience the cities. Hotels were all easy walk with the kids loved them all. Would do it again in a heartbeat !!
We thoroughly enjoyed our nine days travelling through Austria and Germany and visiting all the Xmas Markets in the evenings and exploring the towns during the day.
We started and finished in Vienna and found Vienna's Marketto be the best.
As we live in Sydney Australia and booked the tour through an American company and visited Austria and Germany, there was plenty of opportunity for things to go wrong.. Luckily nothing did - it all worked like a well oiled machine.
The hotels were really good, breakfast included and catching the trains was easy.
I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see a lot without a great deal of effort organising their own trip.
We had an amazing time in Austria and Germany visiting the Christmas markets.
The organization of the trip was fantastic and everything went off without any issues. Thank you so much for making this a holiday to remember.
Christine, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Fantastic magical trip.
Everything went smoothly and the hotels and breakfasts were fantastic!
This was our second to-europe rail tour. The Christmas market tour we just did was fantastic. As always, the hotels were great and everything went smooth. I would highly recommend to-europe to anyone thinking about a rail tour. Keep up the good work!
Four of us had to-europe plan a self guided rail tour of Christmas Markets in Austria & Germany. We had a wonderful time partially because to-europe did an exceptional job of arranging all our lodging, train tickets, & extra excursions. Their staff was very professional & timely in responding to all of our pre-trip questions. Contacting a company via internet that I knew nothing about & then entrusting them with money, was somewhat scary for me, but after the success of our trip, I wouldn't hesitate to contact to-europe again to plan another adventure. Our hotels that they selected were great...clean, with friendly staff, & easily walk able to the train station in almost all the cities where we stayed. We paid a little extra to ride first class on the trains, which was worth it. There were no "glitches" with hotel vouchers, train tickets, shuttles to & from the airports, or extra excursion tickets. To-europe's staff did a fantastic job of communicating & organizing. Thanks to them for a very memorable trip.
Our trip was everything I hopped it would be "magical" the beautiful towns the fun markets, each one slightly different then the last, I feared we would be marketed out by the end but we weren't and could have gone longer. We did other things on our holiday beside the Christmas Market tour including France, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Scotland but when people ask me what I liked best I would say the Christmas Market tour. I would highly recommend the To Europe team, everything was covered off and the hotels were all great. Thanks Vanessa and Matt Kelly
Our trip was absolutely magical-even traveling with 11 people (5 of whom were children ages 10-4)! Thank you to Michaela and Thomas for flawless planning! We decided to upgrade our rail tickets to 1st for the second half of the trip (secondary to logistics with baggage and small children) and we were able to work through the details with Thomas and get those printed-huge thank you! The castles, markets and Sound of Music tour in Salzburg were the biggest highlights for the children! It was amazing.
We have just returned from our wonderful holiday to the Christmas
Markets that Michaela very professionally, very understanding and very
knowledgeable, arranged for us.
Everything from the train travel, to the hotels, to the sightseeing tours and the information in each
information and tips in each town was just so well arranged. All went as
planned giving us a most remarkable with no worries, enjoyable and
unforgettable time in Germany and Austria. We included Switzerland in
our tour and we had the same experience there with Michaela's suggestions and arrangements, perfect!
It truely was a Wonderful White Christmas for us, something that we
would never experience here in Perth, Australia and one we will never
forget. A BIG THANKYOU to the crew of to-europe, Thomas, Michaela
and Petra for helping make this a holiday to remember.
The trip was wonderfully organized and both my daughter and I had a fantastic time. Excellent value for the money.
For 5 ladies travelling from Australia the adventure was exciting, fun, and magical with the weather turning on the snow everywhere we went. The arrangements and instructions for the tour were perfect, the hotels being ideally situated near rail stations and markets.
Knowing that contact with To-Europe was just a phone call away was comforting.
We all would highly recommend your company and the 9 Day tour, which was a perfect time frame.-Helen, Ange, Mal, Kerryn, Jill. Melbourne Australia.
Awesome arrangements. Not one glitch, all of the hotels were great, breakfasts, staff, beds, location! We added an extra two days, one at the beginning in Frankfurt and another in Vienna so we could see the Lippazaners, was glad to have a slower start to the trip as we loved Nuremberg and were a little less tired. Three days in Vienna was awesome as we were finally in sync with the time and the extra days were great. It was cold, but the weather never kept us out of the Markets or inside. This was our first rail tour and we will definitely do it again. Loved seeing the countryside on the rides. The train system is very efficient and easy to navigate as are the other transportation modalities in the cities. Can’t say enough positive about the to Europe team, they are great!
Our trip to the Christmas Markets in Germany was absolutely amazing and we owe it all to
to-Europe.com. Everything was so easy to follow and things were so smooth. I would highly recommend it to anyone!
We took the tour as is, beginning in Frankfurt before Nuremberg. Everything was more beautiful and magical than we anticipated! The to-Europe team did a brilliant job of organising everything, and the maps, guides and information was so incredibly helpful. The team were so quick to respond to our emails which was greatly appreciated. We encountered one issue with printing train tickets from the machine, although instructions were very clear. We just happened to be unlucky, and we suspect a couple of tickets were stuck in the machine. We later learned that you can ask the staff to print the tickets for you at the desk instead, so that would be our recommendation to anyone booking this trip. We would highly recommend this tour! Thanks, to-Europe.
This was our first trip to Europe and first time we have used a tour guide service. to-europe did a great job. everything they said they were going to do was done. We would highly recommend to -europe and will use them again.
Riding the rail was fun. The hotels were convenient, clean, and very nice. Tours were great as well.
Had a great 9 days
Narell and I with the help of the to-europe team customised the tour package to start in Munich, end in Saltzburg (near where our son lives) and adding an additional night in Frankfurt. For this the tour directions were straightforward and easy to follow. All hotels were high standard and conveniently located with english speaking helpful staff. The tour package appeared to be excellent value particularly as it removes the guesswork from self selecting accommodation. The to-europe market circuit and its included excursions is a fascinating and entertaining holiday experience which provides plenty of photo opportunities and fond memories. I think I need to revisit the Regansburg market for another of its steak sandwhices ("...Steak in Brot..."), Hiedelburg for a closer look at its castle and Vienna needs more time to explore. I am confident in recommending this tour.
We just returned from a modified 9 day Germany & Austria Christmas Rail Tour and want to really thank Michaela, Thomas and the rest of the To-Europe team for organizing an amazing journey. Like the other reviewers have said, the hotels, tours, and information were all excellent. At first we were a little hesitant about travelling around Germany by train, on our own, but the information and directions we were provided made everything easy. We did run into one small problem, but a quick email to To-Europe had the problem fixed in less than an hour (on a Sunday!). The fact that we did have a problem, and that it was fixed so quickly and efficiently truly demonstrates what a great organization they have and how much they care about their clients. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend To-Europe for anyone wanting to explore Europe.
Thanks so much to the team at To-Europe for an awesome Christmas trip to Germany and Austria. Everything was organized perfectly and it was an easy and affordable way to see some great cities for the Christmas season. The team accommodated our requested changes making it possible to spend 2 days in Vienna which was phenomenal and a day in Innsbruck, which may have been one of the most picturesque settings I have ever seen. All train tickets were perfect, hotel reservations were in great 4 star hotels and in great locations to enjoy the old towns easily from the train stations. I am already exploring other trips to let To-Europe help me plan. Highly recommended and I will be passing their info on to many American tourists looking to explore new countries.
Thanks very Much and Happy Holidays!!!
My husband and II agree that this was one of the most enjoyable vacations we've experienced and it's definitely deemed a 5 Star Rating!
Thomas, Michaela and Diana did a fabulous job organizing the hotels, 1st class rail tickets and providing ideas of things to do in each town.
Thank you so much for the instructions on how to print out the first rail ticket in Frankfurt and for the directions to each hotel.
The morning breakfasts provided at the hotels were a great way to start our day as there were several warm dishes as well as the standard European breakfast of cheeses, meats, breads, pastries, cereal, etc.
The Christmas Markets were so much fun and our favorites were in Nuremberg, Salzburg, Vienna and Regensberg. We went to the Christmas Market at the Thurn and Taxis Palace in Regensburg and it was truly magical and romantic as there were christmas lights, candles and fire pits all around.
Drinking the Gluhwein was another highlight for us, especially to keep us warm in the cold weather.
This is the 2nd tour we've done with to-europe, and it definitely won't be the last.
Thank you for EVERYTHING
Tracy and Jeff
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