An Evening at the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
From 27 November to 24 December 2026, the Hauptmarkt in Nuremberg fills with stalls, lights and the scent of Lebkuchen. A minibus with driver brings your group in and home again after dark, with no one searching for a parking space.
Dates and opening hours
It always begins on a Friday, two days before the first Sunday of Advent, and the Nuremberg Christkind does the honours. In 2026 that falls on 27 November; for 2027 the dates given are 26 November to 24 December.
Stalls open daily from 10:00 to 21:00, and on Christmas Eve from 10:00 to 14:00. An evening visit shows the lights at their best; leave time for supper in the Altstadt before the drive home.
Where your group gets out
Nuremberg's Altstadt is medieval and full of narrow lanes, so groups are not set down at the Hauptmarkt itself. While the market is on, coaches drop off and collect at two points on the edge of the old town: Vestnertorgraben (P1) and Grasersgasse (P2). Don't plan on the central bus station (ZOB): it is reserved for scheduled buses.
While you browse, coaches can wait at the Volksfestplatz, Bayernstraße 100, about 6 km away (about 12 minutes), where the tourist office runs a parking area with signs and staff. Its service dates are set each year, and the operator confirms the arrangement for a minibus.
When and where it happens
- Hauptmarkt and the surrounding streets of the Altstadt, Nürnberg
- 27 November - 24 December 2026; daily 10:00-21:00, on 24 December 10:00-14:00
Travelling with less mobile guests
During the market season the coach ban in Augustinerstraße runs all day. Coaches with passengers of reduced mobility can only get in with a special permit, one per entry, which the city takes bookings for online. If a grandparent or a guest using a wheelchair is coming along, say so when you enquire so the route can be planned around it.
Questions travellers ask
Is the market open on 24 December?
Yes, from 10:00 to 14:00. After that it closes for the year.
How far is it from Nuremberg airport?
About 7 km by road, roughly 13 minutes in light traffic, so an arrival and a market evening fit in the same day.
Does Nuremberg need a low-emission sticker?
No. Nuremberg has no low-emission zone at present, so no green sticker is needed to drive in the city. The rules are checked before travel.