There are no direct flights from the US, so most visitors fly to Paris and add a fast train each way. December hotel rates, mulled wine and market food, and the city tax are what push a Christmas market trip over budget.
Starts with a sample trip. Change any number to match yours.
Compare hotels in central Strasbourg →The sample is 2 travelers for 2 nights. Your plan ($2,720) covers the main costs most people budget for, the ones you enter on the left. Costs people forget ($885, about 33% more for this trip) are the fees, taxes, tips and extras listed in the calculator. Prices were last checked on October 17, 2026.
Share of the $3,605 real cost. Nights and travelers multiply most of these costs, so changing either one moves the total the most.
8 of this trip's numbers link to a published price or rate. The rest are our estimates, and each one says what it is based on. You can also read how we calculate every trip.
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare to Paris, per person | $950 per traveler | A typical round-trip economy fare to Paris from a major US airport; KAYAK shows typical fares of about $680 to $1,255. Source |
| Hotel per night | $200 a night | Our estimate for a mid-range double room in central Strasbourg. December market weekends cost much more. Our estimate |
| Food per person, per day | $70 per traveler, per day | This guide suggests budgeting €50 to €80 per person per day, in line with our $70. Source |
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Checked bag fees Off by default | $90 per traveler | Most economy fares to Europe include one checked bag, so this is off by default. Basic economy fares charge extra. Source |
| Passports Off by default | $165 per traveler | A new adult passport costs about $165 and can take weeks. Our estimate |
| Train from Paris | $125 per traveler | TGV fares from Paris run from €29 booked early to €65 to €95 on busy December weekends, each way. Source |
| City tourist tax | $3 per traveler, per night | The Eurometropole's 2025 schedule lists €1.87 a night at 3-star hotels and €2.86 at 4-star hotels. Source |
| Christmas market food and mulled wine | $15 per traveler, per day | Mulled wine runs €3 to €5 a cup plus a cup deposit, and market snacks cost about €2 to €9. Source |
| Cathedral platform | $11 per traveler | The city lists the full adult price for the cathedral platform climb at €10. Source |
| Boat tours on the Ill | $18 per traveler | The full Batorama history tour costs about €16.50 per adult in 2026. Source |
| Trams and buses | $5 per traveler | The old town is walkable, but the tram helps with the station and outer hotels. Our estimate |
| Phone data | $30 per traveler | An international plan or eSIM. Our estimate |
| Card fees | 3% of your plan | Many credit and debit cards charge about 3% on foreign purchases; cards with no foreign transaction fee avoid it. Our estimate |
| Souvenirs and treats | $50 per traveler | Our estimate of about $50 per person for ornaments, gingerbread and small gifts. Our estimate |
| Travel insurance | 6% of your plan | Squaremouth says a comprehensive plan averages about 6% of the trip cost, usually 4% to 10%. Source |
| Pre-trip shopping | $60 for the trip | Our estimate for travel-size toiletries, sunscreen and small things bought before a trip. Our estimate |
| Pet boarding or sitter | $50 a day, if you check Pets | Dogster puts regular kennel boarding at about $35 to $85 a night. Overnight sitters at home cost more. Source |
For 2 nights with flights to Paris, a hotel and food, plan on about $2,700. Once you add the costs most visitors forget, like the train from Paris, market food and mulled wine, the city tax and card fees, it's closer to $3,600. Use the calculator above to match your own trip.
The market opens on Friday, November 27, 2026. Entry is free, but December is the busiest and most expensive time for hotels. Weekdays are calmer than weekends. Source
There are no direct flights, so most visitors fly to Paris and take the TGV, which takes about 1 hour 47 minutes. Advance fares start around €29 each way, and busy December weekends can cost €65 to €95. Book six to eight weeks ahead for the best prices. Source
It's small. Strasbourg adds about €1.87 per person, per night at 3-star hotels and €2.86 at 4-star hotels. It's usually paid at the hotel. Source
The climb to the cathedral's viewing platform costs €10 per adult. A Batorama boat tour around the old town is €16 per adult. Walking the Christmas markets and Petite France costs nothing. Source