How much does it cost?

From £1,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,755 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager who accompanies the group from London through to the return journey home.

Which trains are used?

Eurostar Plus Standard Class (London to Brussels), regional services from Cologne to Hanover and return routes, and the Brocken Railway (Wernigerode to Brocken Mountain summit).

What accommodation is included?

Five nights in the four-star HKK Hotel Wernigerode. All nights are spent in this single hotel base.

When does the tour run?

Departures are scheduled for November 2026 and December 2026.

What meals are included?

Breakfast every day, a Eurostar Light Meal on day 1, and dinners on days 1, 2, and 5. Day 3 includes only breakfast; day 4 is free.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Harz Mountains Christmas Markets

Six-day Harz Mountains Christmas markets and Brocken Railway from London

Great Rail Journeys operates this six-day escorted tour through Germany's Harz Mountains, departing London in November or December 2026. The journey begins with an Eurostar Plus Standard Class crossing from London St Pancras to Brussels, then continues by train through Cologne to Hanover before coach transfer to Wernigerode, a medieval town of half-timbered buildings dating to the 9th century. Based in a single four-star hotel, you explore three UNESCO World Heritage sites: Wernigerode itself, Quedlinburg with its Romanesque church and medieval Old Town, and Goslar with over 1,500 half-timbered houses. The centrepiece is a journey aboard the historic Brocken Railway through snow-covered forests of the Harz National Park to the summit of Brocken Mountain. A UK Tour Manager leads the group throughout, and all guided tours and most meals are included. Day 4 is free to pursue optional activities such as the narrow-gauge Harz Railway or a visit to the nearby aircraft museum.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £200 since 4 Jul, to £1,299.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The group can be as large as 30 people; confirm current group size when booking.
Day 4 is free; the itinerary does not mandate a guided activity, though optional railway rides and a museum visit are suggested.
A single supplement of GBP 100 (from GBP 1,599 vs. GBP 1,499 double) applies; this is modest but worth noting for solo travellers.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Wernigerode
London to the German town of Wernigerode
Meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras for the Eurostar to Brussels, then continue via Cologne to Hanover, with a coach transfer to Wernigerode for the first group dinner.
Day 2railovernight: Wernigerode
Wernigerode and a journey on the Brocken Railway
A steam-hauled journey on the Brocken Railway through the Harz National Park to the summit of the Brocken, then back to explore Wernigerode's Christmas market. (For the 3rd December departure, Days 2 and 3 are swapped.)
Day 3railovernight: Wernigerode
World Heritage Quedlinburg and its Christmas Market
Rail excursion to Quedlinburg for a guided tour of its UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, with free time to explore the Christmas market in the Marktplatz.
Day 4railovernight: Wernigerode
A day at leisure in Wernigerode
Free day to explore Wernigerode independently, with options including the historic narrow-gauge Harz Railway, Wernigerode Castle, an aircraft museum, or a train to Quedlinburg to ride the Selketal Railway, plus Wernigerode's Christmas market.
Day 5overnight: Wernigerode
Exploring Goslar on a guided walking tour
Guided walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage Goslar, discovering Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture, followed by free time at its Christmas market.
Day 6rail
Homeward bound
Coach transfer to Hanover, then train to Cologne and Brussels, joining the Eurostar back to London.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1Eurostar Plus Standard Class from London St Pancras to Brussels, then coach transfer to Wernigerode, a half-timbered town from the 9th century illuminated for Christmas.
Day 2The Brocken Railway carries you through snowy forests of the Harz National Park to the summit of Brocken Mountain, passing Brothers Grimm-style landscapes.
Day 3Guided tour of Quedlinburg's UNESCO World Heritage Old Town, with its Romanesque church and best-preserved collection of medieval buildings in Germany.
Day 5Walking tour of Goslar, a UNESCO World Heritage site with over 1,500 half-timbered houses and one of Germany's most charming Christmas markets, set at the foot of the Harz Mountains.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
5 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Eurostar Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout the tour
Eurostar light meal
Breakfast each day, 3 dinners
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,755 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager who accompanies the group from London through to the return journey home.
Which trains are used?: Eurostar Plus Standard Class (London to Brussels), regional services from Cologne to Hanover and return routes, and the Brocken Railway (Wernigerode to Brocken Mountain summit).
What accommodation is included?: Five nights in the four-star HKK Hotel Wernigerode. All nights are spent in this single hotel base.
When does the tour run?: Departures are scheduled for November 2026 and December 2026.
What meals are included?: Breakfast every day, a Eurostar Light Meal on day 1, and dinners on days 1, 2, and 5. Day 3 includes only breakfast; day 4 is free.