The Dortmund Christmas Market 2026 (Dortmunder Weihnachtsstadt) opens on Thursday 19 November and runs until 30 December 2026, filling ten squares in the city centre with more than 250 stalls around the world’s biggest Christmas tree on Hansaplatz. It’s one of the largest markets in Germany, it sits two minutes from the Hauptbahnhof, and in November and December it shares the city with Borussia Dortmund matchdays at Signal Iduna Park. This guide covers the confirmed 2026 dates and opening hours, the tree, what to eat, how to combine the market with a BVB game, and where to leave your bags.
Day trip from Cologne, Düsseldorf or Amsterdam? Drop your bags near Dortmund Hauptbahnhof and walk straight into the market.
Dortmund Christmas Market 2026: Key Facts
| Dates | Thursday 19 November – Wednesday 30 December 2026 |
| Closed | Monday 23 November (Totensonntag eve) and 25 December |
| Opening hours | Mon–Thu 11:00–21:00, Fri–Sat 11:00–22:00, Sun 12:00–21:00; food and Glühwein stands up to an hour later |
| Stalls | 250+ across ten squares in the city centre |
| Main squares | Hansaplatz (giant tree), Alter Markt, Reinoldikirchplatz, Kleppingstraße, Friedensplatz, Westenhellweg |
| Entry | Free |
| Nearest station | Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, 5 minutes’ walk |
| Giant tree | About 45 m tall, built from roughly 1,700 red spruces, 48,000 lights, 4 m angel on top |
Opening Hours and Special Days
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 11:00 – 21:00 |
| Friday – Saturday | 11:00 – 22:00 |
| Sunday | 12:00 – 21:00 |
| Monday 23 November | Closed |
| 24 December | Shortened hours (check on the day) |
| 25 December | Closed |
| 26 December | 12:00 – 21:00 |
| 27–28 December | 11:00 – 21:00 |
| 29 December | 12:00 – 21:00 |
| 30 December | 11:00 – 21:00 (last day) |
The organisers publish any changes on the official website. Glühwein and snack stands are allowed to serve up to an hour after the stalls close, so the squares stay busy until 22:00 on weekdays and 23:00 on Friday and Saturday. The market is busiest on Saturday afternoons and in the week before Christmas; a weekday lunchtime visit is the calm way to see the tree.
The World’s Biggest Christmas Tree on Hansaplatz
Dortmund’s claim to Christmas fame is the Weihnachtsbaum on Hansaplatz: not a single tree but a steel frame dressed with around 1,700 red spruces from the Sauerland, standing about 45 metres tall, lit by 48,000 LEDs and topped with a four-metre illuminated angel. Construction starts in October with a ceremonial “foundation stone” and takes a month; the switch-on comes with the market opening on 19 November. The best photo is from the top of the Hansaplatz steps or from the Ferris wheel-free stretch of Kleppingstraße after dark.
What to Eat and Drink
- Reibekuchen (potato fritters) with apple sauce: the Ruhr classic, sold from the big griddles on Alter Markt.
- Bratwurst and Currywurst from the Westfalen stands; the half-metre version is a Dortmund thing.
- Glühwein in the annual collector’s mug, which changes design every year; the deposit (Pfand) is refunded when you return it, or keep it as a souvenir.
- Feuerzangenbowle around Reinoldikirche and Dortmunder Export beer for anyone who’s had enough mulled wine.
- Gebrannte Mandeln, Schmalzkuchen and Lebkuchen for the train home.
Combine the Market With a BVB Matchday
Signal Iduna Park is 15 minutes from the market by U-Bahn, and the famous Yellow Wall plus Glühwein is the classic Dortmund winter weekend. Borussia Dortmund home games during the market period:
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov | BVB v SV Elversberg (before the market opens) | 14:30 |
| Sun 29 Nov | BVB v Bayer 04 Leverkusen | 18:30 |
| December | Bundesliga and Champions League home dates confirmed by the DFL and UEFA closer to the time | Check bvb.de |
The Leverkusen game on 29 November is the one to aim for: a Sunday evening kick-off leaves the whole afternoon for the market. Take the U45 or U46 from Stadtgarten or Hauptbahnhof to Westfalenstadion/Stadion, about 10 minutes. Bags larger than A4 are not allowed into Signal Iduna Park and there’s no left luggage at the stadium, so if you’re carrying anything bigger than a handbag, store it in the city centre before the match.
Tickets for Bundesliga games sell out to members first; the official BVB ticket exchange and hospitality packages are the realistic route for visitors. The Borusseum (BVB museum) and stadium tour run on non-match days and are a good add-on for a weekday visit.
How to Get to the Dortmund Christmas Market
| From | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dortmund Hauptbahnhof | Walk south through Königswall to Westenhellweg and Hansaplatz | 5 min |
| Düsseldorf | ICE / RE trains, several per hour | 50–60 min |
| Cologne | ICE / RE trains | 1h10–1h30 |
| Amsterdam | ICE direct (via Duisburg) | About 2h30 |
| Dortmund Airport | AirportExpress bus to Hauptbahnhof | About 25 min |
| By car | City-centre car parks (Hansaplatz, Thier-Galerie, Stadtgarten); expect full car parks on Saturdays | Varies |
Dortmund is the easiest Christmas market in Germany to combine with others: Essen, Bochum and Düsseldorf are all under an hour by train, and the Deutschland-Ticket or a VRR day ticket covers the regional trains and trams. If you’re doing a Ruhr market crawl, Dortmund is the one to end on because of the tree after dark.
Tips for Visiting
- Go after 16:30 for the tree lights, but arrive earlier if you want to eat sitting down.
- Bring a card and some cash. Most stalls take cards now, but the smaller craft stands and some Glühwein huts are cash only.
- Mug deposit: usually €3–4; collect it back at any stand of the same operator.
- Totensonntag: the market closes on 23 November for the Protestant day of remembrance; don’t plan your visit for that Monday.
- Travel light. Hansaplatz and Alter Markt get shoulder-to-shoulder on Saturday evenings and in the final week before Christmas; a suitcase or big backpack makes it miserable for you and everyone around you.
Luggage Storage in Dortmund for the Christmas Market
Most visitors come to Dortmund for the day by train, or pass through between Cologne, Düsseldorf and Amsterdam with their luggage. The Hauptbahnhof lockers fill up fast on market weekends and don’t take large suitcases, and the stadium refuses anything bigger than A4.
Radical Storage has verified partner shops and hotels near Dortmund Hauptbahnhof and the city centre, a few minutes from Hansaplatz. Book online in a minute, pay a flat rate per bag with no size or weight limits, drop your luggage and collect it before your train. Every bag is protected up to €10,000, cancellation is free and travellers rate the service 4.8/5.
- Luggage storage near Dortmund Hauptbahnhof for day-trippers.
- Luggage storage near Hansaplatz right by the giant tree.
- Luggage storage near Signal Iduna Park for BVB matchdays.
Dortmund Christmas Market 2026 FAQ
The Dortmund Christmas Market (Dortmunder Weihnachtsstadt) 2026 runs from Thursday 19 November to Wednesday 30 December 2026. It is closed on Monday 23 November and on 25 December.
Monday to Thursday 11:00–21:00, Friday and Saturday 11:00–22:00, Sunday 12:00–21:00. Food and Glühwein stands may stay open up to an hour later. Hours are shorter on 24 December and between Christmas and 30 December.
The tree on Hansaplatz is about 45 metres tall and is built from roughly 1,700 red spruces on a steel frame, lit by around 48,000 LEDs and topped with a four-metre angel. It is widely billed as the world’s biggest Christmas tree.
Yes. Entry to all ten squares is free. You pay only for food, drinks and the Glühwein mug deposit, usually €3–4, which is refunded when you return the mug.
Yes. Borussia Dortmund host Bayer Leverkusen at Signal Iduna Park on Sunday 29 November 2026 at 18:30, with further Bundesliga and Champions League home dates in December. The stadium is about 10 minutes from the market by U-Bahn (U45/U46).
Walk. Dortmund Hauptbahnhof is about five minutes from Hansaplatz and the giant tree: exit the station to the south, cross Königswall and follow Westenhellweg into the pedestrian zone.
Radical Storage has partner locations near Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, Hansaplatz and Signal Iduna Park. Book online, drop your bags at a verified local business and collect them before your train or after the match, with protection of up to €10,000 per bag.
