Vacation in Austria, planned by a family who lives next door
Hi, I’m Brian 👋 an American dad living with my wife Shauna in a small German village near the Austrian border, south of Rosenheim. Innsbruck and Salzburg are easy train trips for us, so this is where I share how to plan Austria: Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Tyrol, the Christmas markets and the Krampus runs. It’s for families and couples who want real dates, real opening hours and plans that work by train, and every date and price is checked against the official source.
Every date checked against the official site · 10 big Christmas markets with 2026 dates below · Updated November 2026
Short answer: Austria’s Christmas market season 2026 starts early: Schönbrunn in Vienna opens on 6 November, Vienna’s Rathausplatz and Innsbruck’s old town on 13 November, and Salzburg on 19 November. Some markets stay open until 6 January 2027, and little Hallstatt has a one-day market on 8 December.
Where do you want to begin?
Vienna Christmas markets 2026
All six big markets, the best for kids, and how to link them
Salzburg Christmas market 2026
The cathedral market, Hellbrunn and the fortress Advent
Innsbruck Christmas markets 2026
Walk the old-town markets, then ride up to the Hungerburg
Krampus runs in Austria 2026
Confirmed dates in Salzburg, Innsbruck and Tyrol
Austria Christmas markets 2026: the big openings
| Market | City | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Schönbrunn Palace | Vienna | 6 Nov – 6 Jan 2027 |
| Rathausplatz | Vienna | 13 Nov – 26 Dec |
| Spittelberg | Vienna | 13 Nov – 23 Dec |
| K&K Market, Belvedere | Vienna | 20 Nov – 31 Dec |
| Old Town market (Golden Roof) | Innsbruck | 13 Nov – 23 Dec |
| Salzburg Christkindlmarkt | Salzburg | 19 Nov – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Wolfgangsee Advent | St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen, Strobl | 20 Nov – 20 Dec (Wed–Sun) |
| Hauptplatz | Graz | 20 Nov – 24 Dec |
| Hauptplatz and Volksgarten | Linz | 21 Nov – 23 Dec |
| Hallstatt Christmas Market | Hallstatt | 8 Dec only |
Dates were checked against each organizer in October 2026. Hours change around Christmas, so check the full guide before you go.
Austria at a glance
Christmas season
Schönbrunn opens first on 6 Nov 2026; several markets run to 6 Jan 2027
8 December
A public holiday in Austria (Immaculate Conception), and one of the busiest market days
Krampus runs
Late November to early December, e.g. Seefeld Fri 4 Dec at 18:00 and Salzburg Sat 5 Dec
From Bavaria by train
The Bayern-Ticket (€34, plus €10 per extra adult) reaches Salzburg Hbf and Kufstein
Driving
A 10-day car vignette costs €12.80 in 2026; from 2027 it is digital only
Vienna
Six big Christmas markets in 2026, all free to enter
Where to go in Austria
- Vienna: palaces, coffee houses and six big Christmas markets. Plan at least two or three days. See Vienna Christmas markets 2026.
- Salzburg: the cathedral, the fortress on the hill and a Christmas market that runs right up to New Year’s Day. It’s an easy train ride from Munich. See Salzburg Christmas market 2026.
- Innsbruck: an Alpine city with a medieval old town, several Christmas markets close together and a funicular up toward the Nordkette mountains. See Innsbruck Christmas markets 2026.
- Tyrol: the part of Austria closest to us, with Kufstein, Rattenberg, Kitzbühel, Hall and Seefeld. Their markets are in the Austria Christmas markets guide.
- Hallstatt and the Salzkammergut: the lakeside village everyone has seen in photos, plus the Wolfgangsee Advent villages. See Where to go in Austria.
Getting around Austria
By train: ÖBB trains link Vienna, Linz, Salzburg and Innsbruck. Coming from Bavaria, the Bayern-Ticket (€34 for one adult in 2026, plus €10 for each extra adult) covers regional trains as far as Salzburg Hbf and Kufstein. It doesn’t cover trips inside Austria.
By car: you need a vignette for Austrian motorways. In 2026 a 10-day car vignette costs €12.80. From 2027 the vignette is digital only and linked to your license plate, so buy it from the official ASFINAG shop or app.
On 8 December: it’s a public holiday in Austria (Immaculate Conception). Many markets open extra hours that day, so expect it to be one of the most popular days of the season.
Questions travelers ask
When do the Christmas markets in Austria open in 2026?
Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna opens first on 6 November 2026. Vienna’s Rathausplatz and Innsbruck’s old-town market open on 13 November, and the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt on 19 November.
Which Austrian Christmas markets stay open after Christmas?
Schönbrunn and Innsbruck’s Maria-Theresien-Straße and Hungerburg markets run until 6 January 2027, the Belvedere market until 31 December and Salzburg’s Christkindlmarkt until 1 January 2027.
When are the Krampus runs in Austria in 2026?
The big ones are Igls on Sunday 29 November, Innsbruck’s Christmas markets on 3 and 4 December, Seefeld on Friday 4 December at 18:00, Salzburg’s cathedral square on Saturday 5 December (around 19:00), Kundl on 5 December, Rattenberg on 6 December and Linz on Monday 7 December at 17:30. Most are free to watch.
Does Hallstatt have a Christmas market?
Yes, but only for one day: 8 December 2026, from 10:00 to 18:00.
Can I use the Bayern-Ticket to get to Salzburg?
Yes. The Bayern-Ticket covers regional trains from Bavaria to Salzburg Hbf and Kufstein, but it isn’t valid for trips inside Austria.
Do I need a vignette to drive in Austria?
Yes, on motorways. A 10-day car vignette costs €12.80 in 2026. From 2027 the vignette is digital only, so buy it from the official ASFINAG shop or app.
About this site
We moved to Bavaria in June 2024, and Austria really is our backyard. We take the train over the border all the time, so we know how close it all is. I check every date, price and timetable against the official source and write down when I checked it.
Our other travel guides
- Vacation in Germany: Christmas markets, castles, Munich and Bavaria
- Vacation in the Alps: which Alps to pick, panoramic trains, winter without skiing
- Vacation in the UK: London, Bath, York and Edinburgh by train
- Vacation in Sweden: Stockholm, Lucia, Liseberg and Lapland
- Vacation in Norway: Bergen, the fjords, Tromsø and Lofoten
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