The new direct rail link now places the magic of Christmas 8 hours from Paris! This is the opportunity to discover a European capital from a new perspective.
Lovers of spicy sweets, mulled wine and crafts, rejoice! The opening of a direct TGV connection between Paris and Berlin on September 16, 2024 will satisfy your desire for a winter escape. Indeed, the two capitals will now be connected in just 8 hours from city center to city center, with a stop in Strasbourg.
From Paris Gare de l’Est, you can board a brand new high-speed train every day operated jointly by SNCF and Deutsche Bahn. No more tedious changes, head straight to Berlin! Tickets start at €59.99 in second class and €69.99 in first class. An attractive price to head off to one of the key destinations for end-of-year celebrations.
Because who says December in Berlin, says Christmas markets! The German capital is full of more than 100 markets, each with a unique atmosphere. The more traditional ones will take you into magnificent light shows, amid the intoxicating scents of cinnamon and gingerbread cookies. The wooden chalets are overflowing with handcrafted decorations, vintage toys and accessories of all kinds to decorate Santa’s sack.
Popular with locals, the Gendarmenmarkt market will charm you with its majestic setting, nestled between the Konzerthaus and the twin cathedrals. Concerts and dance shows punctuate the evenings. A stone’s throw from the Brandenburg Gate, the modern Potsdamer Platz turns into a veritable frosty wonderland, with its dizzying 12 meter high toboggan run. The taste buds are not left out with a string of bratwurst stalls, the famous grilled sausages, pancakes and other delicacies that will make you forget the cold temperatures of Berlin’s winter.
Want a touch of exoticism? Berlin also cultivates difference with markets with Scandinavian, Japanese or Finnish accents. Taste fjord salmon and warm up with a tasty gløgg at the magnificent Charlottenburg Castle. Epicureans will succumb to the delights of vegan Christmas at the picturesque Kollwitzplatz market in Prenzlauer Berg. The unusual “Kinky Christmas” in Kreuzberg brings together creators and artists around naughty gift ideas.
The icing on the cake is that by opting for the TGV, your journey becomes a gesture for the planet. With only 2kg of CO2 emitted per passenger compared to 200 by plane, this connection has good points. What if you extended the magic by stopping off in Strasbourg, the capital of Christmas? Its market is one of the oldest in Europe…