Rittner Christbahnl / Renon Christmas Train Market

A Christmas market that runs on rails

The Rittner Christbahnl, known in English as the Renon Christmas Train Market, is one of the most distinctive Christmas markets in South Tyrol. Rather than being concentrated in a single square, it is spread across several locations on the Renon plateau (Ritten in German), in the province of Bolzano, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Connecting the various parts of the market is the historic Renon railway, a characteristic narrow-gauge train that serves as Italy's most poetic form of public transport.

The locations: Soprabolzano, Collalbo, and Costalovara

The market unfolds between the station square in Soprabolzano (Oberbozen), the town centre and station of Collalbo (Klobenstein), and the historic Maso Plattner in Costalovara (Wolfsgruben), home to the beekeeping museum. The stalls are set up inside original vintage carriages or wooden huts designed to resemble them, a detail that makes the market instantly recognisable.

Atmosphere and local products

The Renon Christmas Train Market is intentionally understated and authentic, designed as a peaceful alternative to large city markets. Among the stalls, you can breathe in the scents of mulled wine, panettone, hot soups, and traditional South Tyrolean sweets, alongside high-quality handmade crafts. The gentle, nostalgic setting, often framed by the plateau's snow, is the true hallmark of the event.

Program: music, choirs, and children's entertainment

Every Advent weekend offers a rich cultural program: concerts and musical performances, exhibitions by choirs and musicians, and afternoons dedicated to fairy tales and magic for the little ones. There are also horse-drawn carriages from Collalbo station to the town centre, horse rides for beginners, and walks with ponies and llamas in Soprabolzano, as well as donkeys and sheep in Collalbo.

How to experience the market

From Bolzano, you can reach Soprabolzano via the Renon cable car, then continue by train to the other villages: the journey itself, through forests and Dolomite panoramas, is an integral part of the experience. Organised by the Renon Tourist Association, the Renon Christmas Train Market is an unmissable stop for those seeking a genuine, traditional, and family-friendly South Tyrolean Christmas.