ARTICLE • October 31, 2026
Christmas markets in Poland 2026 — dates and cities you can reach by train
Gdańsk, Wrocław, Warsaw, Kraków and Poznań — the 2026 market dates are in. Here is the list with rail access, so you do not have to hunt for parking in the centre.
The 2026 market season starts in mid-November and runs into early January. Below are the dates organisers have already announced — with a note on what is confirmed and what is not. We do not list prices or stage programmes: they change every year and should be checked with the organiser.
2026 dates
| City | Dates | Entry | Train from Warsaw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poznań — Christmas Market at the Fair | 14 Nov – 20 Dec 2026 | check with organiser | 2:35 |
| Gdańsk — Christmas Market | 20 Nov – 23 Dec 2026 | free | 2:25 |
| Wrocław — Christmas Market | from 20 Nov 2026 to early January 2027 | free | 3:45 |
| Warsaw — Market by the Palace of Culture | 20 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027 | free | — |
| Kraków — Market on the Main Square | 27 Nov 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 | free | 2:40 |
We only give opening hours where they are known. Gdańsk has confirmed: Sunday to Thursday 12:00–20:00, Friday and Saturday 12:00–21:00. Warsaw has not published 2026 hours yet — last year the market ran 11:00–21:00, and until 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Gdańsk — Europe’s best market
In 2025 the Gdańsk market won the title of the best in Europe in the Europe’s Best Destinations vote — and not only for its illuminations. Stalls stand in the centre, between Long Market and the Motława, and entry is free. From Warsaw it is 2:25 by train, from Kraków 5:15.
More on the city: Gdańsk — a weekend by the Motława.
Wrocław — market and islands
Wrocław opens on the same day as Gdańsk and Warsaw — 20 November. Stalls fill the Rynek and the surrounding streets, and after the market it is worth walking to Ostrów Tumski, where the gas lamps are lit at dusk. From Warsaw it is 3:55, from Kraków 3:00.
More: Wrocław — city of a hundred bridges.
Warsaw — by the Palace of Culture
The market on Plac Defilad is the easiest to reach: by Rondo Dmowskiego, 350 metres from Central Station. It also runs longest — until 6 January 2027. A good option if you do not want to travel, or if you have a connection in Warsaw.
Kraków — Main Square
The Kraków market opens a week later, on 27 November, and runs to 1 January. The square gets very busy — for calm, come on a weekday morning. From Warsaw the train takes 2:40.
More: Kraków beyond the postcard.
Poznań — the longest season
The Poznań Christmas Market at the Fair opens earliest, on 14 November, and closes on 20 December — before Christmas, not after. From Warsaw it is 2:35.
Practical notes
- Do not drive into the centre — in December car parks around the markets fill up and paid zones apply. Trains usually drop you a few hundred metres from the stalls.
- Weekends are peak — if you can, choose a Thursday or Friday morning.
- Book accommodation early — prices rise in the first half of December.
- Check Christmas Eve and holiday hours — many stalls close 24–26 December and hours are shortened.
Where these dates come from
Dates were checked on 31 October 2026 against organiser and local sources: Gdańsk, Poznań, Kraków, Wrocław, Warsaw. We will update this post when organisers publish new details.
Rail access to all these cities is in our hub: Poland by train.
