London's Christmas markets 2026 and the easiest way to do three in an evening
- ✓ TfL-licensed operator · licence 11588
- ✓ Fixed price, confirmed before you pay
- ✓ Flights tracked · 60 min free waiting
- ✓ Meet & greet in arrivals
- ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours
- Reviews on Trustpilot →
London does not have one big Christmas market; it has a dozen medium ones scattered along the river and across the boroughs, most open from mid-November to Christmas Eve. Doing two or three in an evening on the Tube in December means a lot of stairs with a lot of bags. A car between them, at a fixed price per hop, turns the evening into the pleasant thing it was supposed to be.
Market list with dates and hours
| Market | Where | Typical dates (confirm 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southbank Centre Winter Market | Riverside walk, Waterloo | Early November – late December | Chalets, food, views of the river; busiest on weekend evenings |
| Leicester Square Christmas Market | Leicester Square | Early November – early January | Compact; combined with the Spiegeltent shows |
| Greenwich Market | Greenwich town centre | Year-round; Christmas programme through December | Covered market, crafts, good food; Cutty Sark DLR |
| Kingston Christmas Market | Kingston Market Place | Mid-November – 24 December | Alpine-style chalets; south-west London |
| Trafalgar Square Christmas Market | Trafalgar Square | Late November – December | Small; around the Norwegian tree |
| Covent Garden | The Piazza | Through December | Decorations and the giant tree rather than a market as such |
| Spitalfields and Columbia Road | East London | December weekends; Columbia Road Wednesday evenings | Flowers, crafts, the East End version |
| Winter Wonderland Christmas market | Hyde Park | 19 November – 3 January | The largest; see the Winter Wonderland page |
Dates and hours are confirmed by each market's organisers in the autumn.
Nearest stations and the Sunday-service trap
All the central markets are near a Tube or rail station: Waterloo and Embankment for the Southbank, Leicester Square for Leicester Square, Cutty Sark DLR for Greenwich, Kingston station for Kingston. If your evening includes the Oxford Street shops, remember the central stretch is pedestrianised from late October 2026, so the car meets you on a cross-street — see L("oxford-street-pedestrianisation-taxi-drop-off.html", "Oxford Street pedestrianisation and drop-off points"). The trap is the December weekend timetable: Sunday-level frequencies, weekend engineering closures, and after 20:00 a lot of people with a lot of bags on the same escalators. The Sunday after Christmas and Boxing Day are worse again.
A three-market evening by car
A route that works: start at Greenwich at 16:00 (best in daylight, then the lights come on), a fixed-fare hop to the Southbank (20–25 minutes, from about £75) for the riverside chalets and food at 18:00, then a short hop to Leicester Square (10 minutes, from about £75) for the last hour and dinner in Soho. Three markets, no stairs, bags in the boot. Reverse it to end at Greenwich for the pub.
Fares
| Hop | Saloon (fixed) | MPV (fixed) |
|---|---|---|
| Greenwich → Southbank | from £110 | from £110 |
| Southbank → Leicester Square | from £110 | from £90 |
| Leicester Square → Kingston | from £75 | from £90 |
| Any central market → Zone 2 home | from £75–£28 | from £75–£36 |
Illustrative from-prices; hourly as-directed hire is available for a full evening — ask when you book.
Airport arrivals heading straight to a market
Landing in the afternoon with an evening free? Heathrow to the Southbank is about 50 minutes and from £85 in a saloon; we can drop luggage at the hotel on the way. See London airport transfers.
- Quote and book online at any hour — the fare is fixed at the moment you confirm.
- Driver details (name, vehicle, registration, direct mobile) arrive the day before.
- Flight tracking on every airport pickup: if your flight is early or late, the pickup moves with it at no charge, with 60 minutes' free waiting after landing.
- Pay by card when you book. No cash, no meter, no surge.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is the biggest Christmas market in London?
- Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is by far the largest. Of the traditional markets, the Southbank Centre Winter Market and Kingston are the biggest.
- Are London's Christmas markets open on Christmas Day?
- No. Most close on Christmas Eve; Leicester Square and Winter Wonderland reopen on Boxing Day.
- Can you take us round several markets in one booking?
- Yes — either as fixed-fare hops booked together, or as an hourly as-directed hire with the same driver for the evening.
Essentials for international visitors
Flying in from abroad? The six things that catch people out, in one place. Full detail, with official links, in our UK visitor essentials guide.
Entry
Most visitors from Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia need a UK ETA (£20, apply in the UK ETA app, valid two years) — airlines have enforced it since 25 February 2026. eGates from age 8 for EU, US, Canadian, Australian and most other visa-free passports. More ›
Money
Pounds sterling; cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, contactless taps up to £100. Choose to pay in pounds when a terminal offers your home currency. Prices include VAT and there is no tourist tax refund. More ›
Phone
Free Wi-Fi at all London airports; UK SIMs and eSIMs from £75 in every arrivals hall; EU roaming depends on your operator. WhatsApp +44 20 8888 9988 works from any country. More ›
Christmas & New Year
Bank holidays on 25 and 28 December 2026 and 1 January 2027. No public transport at all on Christmas Day, reduced service and engineering works on Boxing Day; shops shut on 25 December. Pre-booked cars run every day at the fixed fare. More ›
Children & luggage
Child seats on request when you book. In a licensed private hire car children may travel without one if none is available (under-3s on the rear seat). Tell us the bag count and the right size of car turns up. More ›
Emergencies
999 or 112 for police, fire or ambulance; NHS 111 for urgent advice; A&E is free at the point of use, but bring travel insurance. Plugs are Type G, 230 V; traffic drives on the left — look right. More ›
Book your fixed-fare car
Price confirmed at booking, driver details the day before, flight tracked where relevant. Pay by card online — nothing to settle in the car.
