Guide · Planning

To the Christmas market by coach: seven destinations for groups

A Christmas market is one of the most popular day trips for clubs, companies and groups of friends. By coach, nobody has to drive or park, and everyone can have a glühwein. Here are the destinations we've worked out, with what you need to know for each city.

Part 1 of 4

The destinations

Close by are Valkenburg, with a Christmas market in its caves, and Aachen, just across the border. A little further away are Liège, Düsseldorf and Oberhausen, at around 110 kilometres from Eindhoven. Cologne and Münster are the big classics, at roughly 200 to 230 kilometres from the centre of the Netherlands. For each destination, the page shows where the coach parks, when the market is open and what to look out for.

Valkenburg Christmas market Aachen Christmas market Liège Christmas market Düsseldorf Christmas market Oberhausen Christmas market Cologne Christmas market Münster Christmas market

Part 2 of 4

Choose your day in good time

The Saturdays in Advent are the busiest at all the big markets, both at the market itself and at the coach parks. In 2025 Cologne expected up to 200 coaches on those days. A weekday is quieter, and coaches are easier to get then too. If you do want a Saturday in December, request a price estimate well in advance: coach companies fill those days early.

Part 3 of 4

Where the coach parks

Most cities send coaches to a designated coach park, sometimes with a shuttle bus to the market, as in Cologne. In Münster you pay a parking fee per coach; in Düsseldorf you book the space in advance with Düsseldorf Tourismus. The coach company knows these arrangements; ask in your request where the group will be dropped off and whether the parking fee is included in the price.

Part 4 of 4

Tolls, distance and the driver's working day

Tolls don't play a part for these markets: a coach pays no general toll or vignette in Germany or Belgium. For the markets further away, keep an eye on the length of the day: there and back to Cologne or Münster from the west of the Netherlands is easily five or six hours' driving, and a driver has a maximum working day.

If the group stays until the market closes, a second driver may be needed. You'll see that reflected in the price estimate.

Written and checked by Martijn Smeets, founder of BusOffer.com. Last updated on 9 October 2026.

Coach types

View these coach types

Frequently asked questions

Which Christmas market is closest?

Valkenburg and Aachen, especially from the south of the Netherlands. From the centre of the Netherlands, Düsseldorf, Oberhausen and Liège are roughly the same distance.

When should I book a coach for the Christmas market?

For a Saturday in December, ideally as early as September or October. On weekdays there is usually still room later on.

Can the coach wait until the market closes?

Yes, the driver waits at the coach park. On a long day the waiting time counts towards their working day; enter your departure and return times and BusOffer takes that into account.

Is a Christmas market trip also possible with a small group?

Yes, with a people carrier or minibus too. Enter the number of people and you'll see which vehicles fit.

Know enough? See what your trip costs

Fill in your place of departure, your destination and your group, and compare the coach companies with their prices.

Compare providers