For the last weekend before Christmas 2019, I took a trip over to Saarland to check off two Christmas Markets on a day trip. Nellie didn’t make this trip since she wasn’t feeling well. We visited the U.S. over the past week, and the eight hour flight from Chicago wasn’t kind to her.
I decided to take a solo trip to visit the Christmas Markets at St. Ingbert and Saarbrücken. Using the DB Navigator app, I purchased the Rheinland-Pfalz Ticket for €25. Two adults and two children could purchase a Rheinland-Pfalz Ticket for €31, allowing your family to travel on any regional train in Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland for the day.
My first stop was St. Ingbert. Only a 40 minute train ride from Kaiserslautern, St. Ingbert’s Christmas Market is worth visiting as a stop on your way to Saarbrucken, but I wouldn’t make it the focus of a single day trip. The market isn’t unique, but it’s a nicely decorated market in a quaint city worth seeing. The Glühwein didn’t cost much, costing only €4 with Pfand, which is the cheapest I’ve had this season.
The market is a short five minute walk from the train station in the city’s Fußgängerzone (walking zone) and centered around the St. Engelbert Catholic Church. I especially enjoyed that the market wasn’t crowded, giving me plenty of time to explore without having to wait in a long line for Glühwein. I even stopped for a few minutes to catch the kid’s production on the main stage.
You won’t need more than an hour to see St. Ingberter Weihnactsmarkt. It’s great to check the box before hopping on the train to Saarbrücken. You won’t have to wait long, as the train runs every 15 minutes.
Saarbrücken Cristkindl-Markt is a short 10 minute train ride from St. Ingbert. You’ll need some time to spend here as you soak in the festive atmosphere, full of performances and activities for Kinder. This Christmas Market runs along Bahnhofstraße, the shopping district in Saarbrucken, close to the mall.
I enjoyed stopping to see the many street performers, as well as the performances on the main stage. There was plenty for children to enjoy including kid’s rides and ice skating. The market was pretty crowded on a Saturday afternoon, but it still didn’t take long to grab a Glühwein and snack.
Since the Christmas Market is close to the Hauptbahnhof, it’s easy to hop on the train back to Kaiserslautern once you’re done soaking it all in. The ride back home is only 50 minutes, making both St. Ingbert and Saarbrücken great for a day trip during any season. St. Ingberter Weihnactsmarkt ends December 22nd and Saarbrücken Cristkindl-Markt ends December 23rd, so see them while you can!
