Driving by car from England (UK) to Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) in western Germany is easy, especially for travelers living near Britain’s car ferry ports such as Dover, Harwich, Hull, and Newcastle.
Christmas markets in Germany are easily reached by car from the British Isles. Driving from the UK through France, Belgium, or the Netherlands to Germany has many advantages for visitors to Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte). Travelers with their own cars are free to explore more areas and easily visit lesser known, and often more romantically located, Christmas markets in smaller towns. Cities such as Cologne (Köln), Aachen, and Düsseldorf have famous Christmas markets but many other towns in western Germany have Weihnachtsmärkte worth exploring too.
Driving from the UK to Christmas Markets in Germany
Driving from Britain by car to Germany presents no major hassles other than having to drive on the opposite side of the road. Roads are generally in very good condition and apart from highways in France mostly free from tolls.
Traveling by car to Christmas markets in Germany has the convenience of being able to travel to small towns with ease. Shoppers will enjoy no luggage charges and no restrictions on carrying liquids, glass, and other sharp objects back home (other than potential customs charges). Many villages in the romantic Moselle and Rhine River valleys have Christmas markets that for decades welcomed visitors from Britain during the Advent period.
However, drivers to larger German cities have to note that foreign cars are not exempt from the requirement to display a Feinstaubplaketten (sticker) when entering a Low-Emission Zone (LEZ / Umweltzone). For example, the centers of Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt am Main have such zones while towns along the Mosel and Rhine Rivers generally do not.
Best Ferries from the UK to Aachen and Cologne in Germany
The highest number of ferries goes from Dover to Calais and Dover to Dunkirk – both French cities are around a three-hour drive from Aachen and just less than four hours from Cologne. Dutch ferry ports including Hook of Holland, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam (Ijmuiden), or Belgian Zeebrugge are all closer and very convenient for travelers from northern England and Scotland.
Useful ferry routes for travel from the UK to Christmas markets in Germany include:
- Calais to Dover – P&O
- Dover to Dunkirk – DFDS
- Hull to Zeebrügge – P&O
- Hull to Rotterdam – P&O
- Harwich to Hook of Holland – Stena
- Newcastle to Amsterdam (IJmuiden) – DFDS
Using the Le Shuttle-Eurotunnel (Felixstowe to Calais) is also a good option – it is usually faster than a ferry but often costs substantially more but good deals may be available, especially for early bookings.
Driving times from major ferry port towns to Germany are around:
- Calais – 350 km / 3h20 to Aachen and 410 km / 4h00 to Cologne (Köln)
- Dunkirk – 320 km / 3h00 to Aachen and 380 km / 3h40 to Cologne (Köln)
- Hook of Holland – 250 km / 2h30 to Aachen and 280 km / 3h00 to Cologne (Köln)
- Rotterdam – 220 km / 2h20 to Aachen and 260 km / 2h45 to Cologne (Köln)
- Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) – 250 km / 2h30 to Aachen and 300 km / 3h00 to Cologne (Köln)
- Zeebrugge – 240 km / 2h30 to Aachen and 300 km / 3h00 to Cologne (Köln)
Most of the driving will be on dual carriageway highways, which present little difficulty for British right-hand drive vehicles.
Driving from Calais to German Christmas Markets
Driving times and distances in kilometers (miles) from Calais to major German cities with Christmas markets in the western parts of Germany include:
- Aachen – 3h30 / 350 km / 220 mi
- Cologne (Köln) – 4h00 / 400 km / 250 mi
- Düsseldorf – 4h00 / 400 km / 250 mi
- Trier – 4h30 / 480 km / 300 mi
- Cochem – 5h00 / 500 km / 310 mi
- Koblenz – 4h30 / 500 km / 310 mi
- Frankfurt am Main – 5h45 / 600 km /370 mi
Passengers on the Hull to Zeebrugge (Belgium) ferries (P&O Ferries) can reduce the above driving times by almost an hour and 100 km (60 miles).
Dover to Dunkirk ferries operated by DFDS Seaways allow drivers to arrive around 50 km (30 mi) closer to Christmas markets than from Calais.
Driving via The Netherlands to German Christmas Markets
Car ferries to The Netherlands are also useful to British travelers, especially those traveling from regions to the north of London. The car ferry (Stena) from Harwich to the Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland) is also useful for rail travelers from London and the overnight service is particularly popular with children and families.
Driving times and distances in kilometers (miles) from the Hook of Holland to major German cities with Christmas markets in the western parts of Germany include:
- Aachen – 2h30 / 250 km / 155 mi
- Cologne (Köln) – 3h00 / 290 km / 180 mi
- Düsseldorf – 2h30 / 260 km / 160 mi
- Trier – 4h00 / 392 km / 240 mi
- Cochem – 3h50 / 380 km / 236 mi
- Koblenz – 3h40 / 370 km / 230 mi
- Frankfurt am Main – 4h40 / 490 km / 300 mi
Further car ferries arrive in the Netherlands at Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) from Newcastle (DFDS Seaways) and Rotterdam from Hull (P&O Ferries). Driving times and distances from these ports to Christmas markets in Germany are practically the same as from the Hook of Holland.
Many alternative transportation options are available from the UK to Christmas markets in Germany. Buses and coaches are often the cheapest but trains are faster and generally more comfortable. Cheap flights to Germany are available from various airports in the UK and are particularly useful when visiting German Christmas markets not located in the Rhinelands. Belgian Christmas markets are of course an even shorter drive but do not have the same long tradition as German Weihnachtsmärkte.