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10 of the best train journeys in Europe, chosen by Lonely Planet

A new book on rail travel across the continent showcases gorgeous scenery, historic routes and adventures at a slower pace

R ailways in Europe are many things. With their grand stations, history and evocative destinations, they evoke a timelessness that is absent from the uniform experience of flying. In recent decades, high-speed services have complemented classic routes, while the demand for more climate-friendly travel has grown and new options have sprung up, including a recent wave of night trains.

Lonely Planet, which for nearly 50 years has championed a down-to-earth, connected style of travel, has produced a new Guide to Train Travel in Europe aimed at unlocking adventures by rail from any starting point on the continent. Here the authors pick fantastic journeys from the book.

Paris to Berlin – fast or slow

A well-established network of high-speed trains and a huge choice of slower options connects two of Europe’s great cities. A glorious three-country tour would allow you to head from Paris to Brussels, travelling on to Cologne via the space-age architecture of Liège-Guillemins station. Cologne’s cathedral is so close to the station you can hardly miss popping in before boarding an onward ICE German fast service to the capital, which takes less than five hours. To see more than the immediate surroundings of the station buildings in each city, book separate tickets for each leg at trainline.com , or add in a stop of a few hours or an overnight booking via Deutsche Bahn ( bahn.de ). A high-speed connection from Paris via Frankfurt is also possible.

Amsterdam to Vienna on the Nightjet

One of several recent additions to Europe’s sleeper train scene, the Nightjet service operated by Austrian Railways ( oebb.at ) departs every evening at 7pm or 7.30pm from Amsterdam. As you doze off, the train will trundle alongside the Rhine, passing Cologne and Koblenz, then continuing south-east through Germany and entering Austria at Passau. A 9.19am arrival in Vienna ensures time for a lie-in and breakfast. This train can easily be combined with the Eurostar service from London or a ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam , or from Harwich to Hoek van Holland .

Loop the loop in North Wales

Some of the world’s most beautiful narrow-gauge railways can be found in Wales and two of the best can be combined in a loop that takes in the mountains and coastal scenery of Snowdonia. Catch a service from Llandudno Junction – which has main line connections – down the Conwy valley to Blaenau Ffestiniog . Change for the celebrated Ffestiniog Railway , a distinctive steam-hauled service that winds 13 miles down to the coast at Porthmadog. Return via the sublime steam service of the Welsh Highland Railway under the summit of Snowdon to Caernarfon, where you can catch a bus to Bangor and main line services.

From Bastia to Ajaccio through the Corsican interior

The Chemins de Fer de la Corse ( Corsican Railways ) is a narrow-gauge railway centred on Ponte Leccia – from where three main lines head to Ajaccio, Bastia and Calvi, all providing incredible views of beautiful and rugged terrain. The route linking Ajaccio and Bastia is the longest and most celebrated, taking three and a half hours, so is best done with an overnight stop, rather than attempted as a day trip. Corsica is well served by ferries from mainland France such as Toulon, Marseille and Nice, opening up a tempting train-and-ferry route from the UK.

Dublin to Madrid by train and ferry

It is possible to head from Dublin direct to mainland Europe. A largely single-track line skirts the Irish Sea heading south as far as Wicklow before veering inland and stopping in the appealing county town of Wexford, set on the estuary of the River Slaney. It’s a short hop along the tracks from there to the port of Rosslare for the twice-weekly ferries to Bilbao , which take about 30 hours. Then it’s a five-hour rail journey on to Madrid. Recommended stops take in Burgos’s treasured cathedral, the former Spanish capital of Valladolid and Segovia’s Roman aqueduct and Alcázar fortress.

Venice to Palermo – across the water in Italy

Heading from top to toe in Italy, this dramatic journey’s potential stopping points need no introduction. Fast Frecciarossa trains connect Venice to the gastronomic centre of Bologna in 90 minutes, with Florence 40 minutes down the line. An hour and a half further on you’re in Rome. From here the south of Italy opens up. For one of Europe’s most unusual rail experiences take a train service all the way to Sicily. At Villa San Giovanni in Calabria, you and your carriage board a dedicated ferry to Messina, in Sicily, from where the hectic fun of Palermo is a slow-rolling four and a half hours’ ride away along the coast. There are several daily intercity and night services that run from the mainland, via the ferry, through to the Sicilian capital including sleepers direct from Milan, Genoa and Pisa.

From coast to coast, via a mountain high – Oslo to Bergen

A contender for Europe’s best train trip, the Bergen Line ( Bergensbanen ) thunders past southern Norway’s mountains and lakes between Oslo and Bergen, reaching 1,222m at Finse station, where a snowball fight is generally on offer. The trip takes nearly seven hours, which passes quickly in a blur of incredible scenery on a comfortable intercity service. There’s scope to do a longer version of this route taking the Norway in a Nutshell tour, which includes the Flåm Railway – possibly the world’s most scenic branch line – and a boat journey through Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord.

Paris to Barcelona on the slow train

These cities are linked by a fast train , but there’s a leisurely route south through France to the Pyrenees via Limoges, Toulouse and through magnificent rural and mountain scenery to Latour-de-Carol. While it’s possible to reach Latour-de-Carol by direct night train from Paris, you would miss the slowly unfolding views you can enjoy when doing this journey in daylight. From Latour-de-Carol a commuter line runs all the way to Barcelona and takes just over three hours. Possible stops along the way include fortified Ribes de Freser and Ripoll, home to an ancient monastery and a good starting point for hiking trails.

Budapest to Split on a sleeper

During the summer there’s a tempting night service between Hungary’s capital and the Adriatic. In recent years the train has left Budapest at midnight, getting into Split after lunch. En route it passes the Hungarian holiday playground of Lake Balaton and Zagreb, Croatia’s capital. Once on the Adriatic coast, buses head south to Dubrovnik, while ferries and catamarans radiate out to nearby islands.

Locarno to Domodossola through the Swiss Alps

Pretty much any journey in Switzerland promises jaw-dropping scenery, and on several routes trains run slowly specifically to show off the mountains, rivers and lakes that can be seen from the window. Travelling between Locarno in Switzerland to Domodossola in the Piedmont region of Italy, the Centovalli (Hundred Valleys) Railway is a short but scenic service past 52km of waterfalls, chestnut groves, church-topped villages, deep ravines and vineyards. Highlights include the Isorno Bridge near the village of Intragna and Intragna’s gorge.

These routes, plus tips on rail travel, are featured in Lonely Planet’s Guide to Train Travel in Europe by Tom Hall, Imogen Hall and Oliver Smith (£19.99), available at shop.lonelyplanet.com

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28 best European routes where you should take a train instead of a plane

Editor's Note

Europe's train system, particularly for intracountry travel, is a well-developed and affordable option for travelers visiting the region. If you already live in Europe, it can be an incredibly easy way to travel without flying.

You won't have to deal with long airport security lines, airport commute hassles, luggage fees or a host of other problems. Instead, you can hop on a long-distance train from the center of virtually any major European city to reach your final destination.

Related: 4 European train loyalty schemes UK travelers should definitely check out

European trains often offer some complimentary conveniences; they give you the freedom to stretch your legs, stroll to a dining car and get something to eat or drink. Not to mention, trains rarely come with the problems that many European airports and airlines have faced over the last few summers.

Read on to discover some of the benefits of European train travel and learn about a few of the region's most notable routes.

Why you should take the train

Although traveling by train can sometimes take longer than flying, the benefits of slow travel shouldn't be overlooked. By taking a rail journey instead of hopping on a plane, you can eschew much of the stress associated with airports and security. Also, in many instances — if you plan properly and buy the correct fares — you'll get to see multiple destinations on one trip.

Sure, occasionally, flying might be the cheapest option, but it's not always the most rewarding. Plus, with rail travel in Europe growing more and more popular, we regularly see great deals on travel that dwarf the prices offered on even low-cost carriers. Here are some of the great benefits of taking a train around Europe .

No security and customs screening lines

Simply walking on and off trains with your luggage in hand is a time-saving luxury that air travelers haven't experienced for decades. The airport security screening process and sprawling lines at passport control and customs can add hours to the experience. As a result, what you had hoped would be a quick flight may feel more time-consuming (and exhausting) than traveling by train.

Free internet access

Many airlines don't provide Wi-Fi (especially budget ones), and they often charge a high price if they do. Most long-distance European trains come with Wi-Fi included in the ticket price. Additionally, you'll have much more legroom and tray table space to work on a train once you're connected.

No airport commute hassle

Taking a train from the central station of your favorite European city is typically far more convenient than schlepping outside the city to an airport. This is especially true if you're staying in or near the city center. Depending on where you stay, you may even find it possible to walk directly to or from the station or reach the main station easily via (cheap) public transport.

Fewer cancellations and delays

European trains are not subject to the same weather and air traffic control delays as airplanes and they have much more consistent schedules. Some overnight trains and those with longer, more complicated itineraries may have delays on the rails to make way for overnight freight traffic; however, in comparison to planes, delays are often less likely or impactful.

Less environmental impact

You may not regularly think about how environmentally friendly your trips are, but it doesn't mean your travels don't play a part in the larger conversation about the environment. Many experts agree there is a substantial environmental benefit to traveling by train instead of flying.

"A journey from London to Paris by air emits around 10 times as much CO2 as the same journey by rail," Tom Hall, a writer and train specialist at Lonely Planet (which, like TPG, is a Red Ventures-owned company) said. "As travelers look for more sustainable travel choices, longer-distance rail routes are gaining in popularity."

Related: How is aviation fuel changing to help fight climate change?

28 best European train routes

Trains departing from Austria

Vienna to paris.

Launched in 2021, this Nightjet sleeper train route runs three times a week and takes around 14 hours to go straight through from Vienna to Paris . It has notable stops along the way, including Munich and Strasbourg, France.

Vienna to Genoa and La Spezia

One of Nightjet's newer additions, this route was launched in summer 2023 and is an extension of the company's service from Vienna /Munich to Milan . The route runs daily and takes around 16 hours to go all the way to La Spezia in Italy, passing through Milan and Genoa en route.

You can book tickets for both routes on the Nightjet website.

Trains departing from Belgium

Brussels to berlin.

European Sleeper launched in 2021, and one of its first routes was the overnight service from Brussels to Berlin . The route stops off at Antwerp, Belgium, before heading through the Netherlands. There, you can hop off at Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Deventer if you're not looking to travel all the way to Berlin.

You can book tickets on the European Sleeper website .

Liege to Aachen and Maastricht (launching December 2023)

Launching in December 2023, this route is a collaboration between Arriva, SNCB (the National Railway Company of Belgium) and Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Connecting Belgium , Germany and the Netherlands, this will surely be a popular route with European city hoppers once it launches.

Brussels to Dresden and Prague (launching 2024)

Set to open at some point in 2024, European Sleeper will also be extending its current Belgian services by adding additional stops in Dresden, Germany, and Prague .

Trains departing from the Czech Republic

Prague to zurich.

Another relatively new sleeper service, this route launched at the back end of 2022 by the Czech Republic's national rail operator Ceske drahy. The full overnight journey takes less than 14 hours and passes through Frankfurt and Basel, Switzerland.

You can book tickets on the official website .

Trains departing from France

Paris to london.

Perhaps one of Europe's most famed train routes, Eurostar travels between London St Pancras station and Paris Gare du Nord station in just more than two hours. Services run almost hourly, seven days a week. For a closer look at this route, check out our recent Eurostar review .

You can book tickets on the Eurostar website .

Related: The best hotels in London

Paris to Berlin (launching 2024)

Following a partnership between German rail operators Deutsche Bahn and France's SNCF, this new high-speed TGV service is set to launch next year; it'll stop in Strasbourg on the night route service. The door-to-door journey is expected to take about seven hours.

Paris to Venice (launching 2025)

This new sleeper link between two of Europe's most romantic cities is set for a 2025 launch. French rail company Midnight Trains will operate the route, which will also stop off in Milan. If successful, the company aims to add additional Paris services over the coming years, with Copenhagen, Berlin and Edinburgh all already marked to receive their own Midnight Trains services.

Related: Go here, not there: Where to take the best photos in Paris

Trains departing from Germany

Berlin to stockholm with snalltaget.

This was formerly Swedish rail company Snalltaget's service from Berlin to Malmo, Sweden. Now, this route has been extended all the way to Stockholm; it passes through Hamburg, Germany, and Denmark before reaching its final destination. The full journey takes just less than 17 hours and is a direct service.

You can book tickets on the Snalltaget website .

Stuttgart to Zagreb and Rijeka

Another epic sleeper train from Nightjet (this time under its EuroNight partnerships) allows you to easily ride from Germany to Croatia on two different routes.

Both routes start in Stuttgart, Germany, and pass through Munich. One route ends in the Croatian capital Zagreb, and the other heads to the Croatian harbor of Rijeka. The trips take 14 and 15 hours, respectively. However, note that the Rijeka route is seasonal and finishes at the end of September. Trains to Zagreb, however, run daily throughout the year.

You can book tickets for both routes on the Nightjet website .

Berlin to Brussels

This route is already covered above under "Brussels to Berlin."

Munich to Genoa and La Spezia

This route extends the aforementioned route under "Vienna to Genoa and La Spezia."

Aachen to Liege and Maastricht (launching December 2023)

This route is covered above under "Liege to Aachen and Maastricht."

Trains departing from Italy

Milan to paris.

This speedy route, operated by Frecciarossa (part of the Italian national train company Trenitalia), will take you between two of Europe's most fashionable cities in just less than seven hours. If you don't want to go the full stretch, you can also hop off at Turin, Italy, or Lyon, France. The service operates almost hourly every day.

You can book tickets on the Trenitalia website .

Intercity travel around Italy with Trenitalia

Italy's national rail network is a great way to get around the country and escape airport hassles. The Trenitalia Pass is an affordable and flexible option to use as you travel from one Italian destination to the next. You can book several trips within a seven-, 15- or 30-day period for as little as $128.

If you don't want to commit to buying a pass, you can instead purchase individual tickets from Trenitalia. Fares for its popular route connecting Rome and Florence, Italy — which takes a little more than 1 1/2 hours — cost less than $60 per person round-trip.

Trains departing from the Netherlands

Amsterdam to austria.

Tui's "Ski Express" is a special winter service that operates every Friday night between Dec. 23 and March 31. It allows ski fanatics to hop between Amsterdam and the Austrian Alps' famed ski resorts, such as Gerlos, Kirchberg, Niederau, Soll, Zell am See and Westendorf.

You can book tickets on the Tui website .

Amsterdam to Zurich

Another Nightjet train, this route can whisk you between Amsterdam and Zurich in roughly 12 hours. It passes through Utrecht, Netherlands, and Cologne, Germany, along the way. The train runs daily from 8 p.m. and arrives at its destination the following day at 8 p.m.

Related: How to spend 1 day in Amsterdam

Maastricht to Aachen and Liege

This route will launch in December 2023 and is covered above under "Liege to Aachen and Maastricht."

Amsterdam to Barcelona

European Sleeper is further expanding by linking the Netherlands to Spain with this new route. It's expected to officially launch in spring 2025 and take approximately 17 hours. The route will stop at Rotterdam, Netherlands; Antwerp, Belgium; Brussels; Lille, France; Avignon, France; Montpellier, France; and Girona, Spain, among others. It'll become one of the company's most well-connected routes.

Trains departing from Spain

Madrid to marseille via barcelona.

New for 2023, the eight-hour route from Madrid to Marseille, France, by Renfe finally launched in July. This packed route connects 14 destinations across Spain and France, including Barcelona; Figueres, Spain; Montpellier, France; Nimes, France; and Aix-en-Provence, France, before its final stop at Marseille.

You can book tickets for both routes on the Renfe website .

Barcelona to Lyon

Along with the above route, Renfe also launched a new service connecting Barcelona to Lyon, with stops in Girona, Spain; Perpignan, France; Montpellier, France; Nimes, France; and Valence, France. The route takes around five hours if you stay aboard until the final stop.

Trains departing from Slovenia

Ljubljana to budapest.

One of the most affordable routes on this list, these tickets regularly cost as little as 16 euros (about $17). Operated by Hungarian Railways, the train travels from Slovenia via Graz, Austria, before its final destination of Budapest.

You can book tickets on the operator's official website .

Trains departing from Sweden

Stockholm to hamburg.

This daily service operated by SJ EuroNight will take you from Stockholm to Hamburg via Copenhagen. It departs at 5:30 p.m. and arrives at 6:30 a.m. the following day. Plush compartments are available — including some for one to three people, complete with a private shower. The train also has pet-friendly compartments should you wish to travel with your beloved pooch.

You can book tickets on the SJ website .

Trains departing from the UK

London to amsterdam, brussels, paris and the french alps.

Taking Eurostar from central London is a speedy and efficient way of traveling to Europe without the hassle of taking a plane. Starting at London St Pancras station, you'll travel through the Channel Tunnel, which connects the continent to the U.K. with various destinations and routes.

London to Amsterdam's city center takes less than four hours to complete. Round-trip tickets start around $80 per person, a reasonable price given how expensive taxi rides to Heathrow from downtown London can be on a busy day.

Traveling to Brussels from London St Pancras is just as easy and takes less than two hours with similarly low prices.

Related: What's the difference between Business Premier, Standard Premier and Standard class?

As mentioned above, under "Paris to London," you can also reach the French capital in just over two hours. Beyond Paris, between Dec. 16 and Deb. 3, you'll also be able to travel from London to the French Alps to visit various ski resorts in Chambery, Albertville, Moutiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

Bottom line

Despite budget airlines offering cheap fares to most European cities, an intercity train trip can still be more affordable. As a bonus, it's often far less stressful than transiting through airports, and you'd be surprised by just how far you can travel.

Rather than worry about delays and cancellations, lost luggage, long customs lines and more, you can focus on work, socialize with travel companions and admire your surroundings as they pass your window. You can also take comfort in knowing your trip is less harmful to the environment than if you were to travel by air.

How to Travel Europe By Train: The Ultimate Guide (+ Tips!)

Beautiful views, comfortable train cars, the bustle of busy platforms, and the thrill of a new adventure: there are a lot of good reasons to travel Europe by train!

But, for those of us who grew up in a place where traveling by train isn’t common, the prospect of train travel in Europe can be as intimidating as it is exciting.

Thanks to traveling Europe extensively for years (including with our dog!) and spending more than a year living in Portugal, we’ve had a chance to appreciate countless train rides through and across Europe.

From the mind-boggling efficiency of Swiss trains to overnight train rides through Eastern Europe (Sofia to Istanbul was a particularly memorable ride) to simple jaunts across Italy, we’ve experienced just about every form of train travel in Europe.

And along the way, we amassed a huge number of European train travel tips !

This train travel guide is a culmination of everything we wish we would have known before we started traveling Europe by train , plus why we think it’s worth a try.

Table of Contents

Who is This Guide to Train Travel in Europe For?

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If you’re planning an epic, multi-destination trip and are hoping to travel by train through Europe but aren’t already comfortable with train travel on the continent, then this guide to traveling by train across Europe is for you!

We grew up in suburbs in the USA, and until we started traveling internationally in adulthood (4+ years of full-time travel , more than a year living in Lisbon, many trips across Europe, and counting!), we had virtually never taken a train.

W hile that’s certainly not the case for many people around the world, it is for thousands of our readers who grew up in similar environments to us!

If you’re excited to travel Europe by train but are learning the whole process from scratch like we once did, you’re exactly who we wrote this guide for.

While train travel in Europe isn’t exactly the same everywhere–with over 50 countries and therefore over 50 train systems, there are plenty of quirks based on location–this guide to train travel in Europe will give a solid overview that will help you start your travels with confidence.

Planes, trains, buses, rental cars, river cruises–with plenty of transportation options for getting around Europe, how do you know if train travel is for you?

In this section, we’ll break down the pros and cons of traveling Europe by train to help you decide if it’s the right transportation option for you.

Pros of Traveling Europe By Train

Taking a train across europe is a bucket-list-worthy experience..

For most of us who hail from other places, this is the number one reason to book that first train in Europe, right? 

Traveling by train through Europe tops plenty of bucket lists around the world, and for good reason: it’s an incredibly fun way to explore the continent.

On some routes, the train ride is a travel destination in its own right–and even when it’s not, it’s a cultural experience to remember.

… and can allow for spontaneity.

For some routes, especially those with fixed ticket prices (more on that in another section of this Europe train guide), traveling by train allows you to be spontaneous, coming and going from destinations with much less foresight than is required when taking planes.

Depending on where you are, it can be very scenic.

If you have daydreamed about staring out train windows in Europe as you watch mountains, streams, seas, villages, castles, and vineyards go by, let me tell you… that’s pretty much exactly what it’s like a lot of the time!

Obviously not everywhere on the continent is scenic, but if you travel Europe by train, you’re likely to experience some truly incredible views along the way.

Most train stations are in the center of the city.

In our opinion, this is one of the biggest benefits to train travel in Europe!

W hile most airports (especially airports servicing budget flights) are located far outside the city centers, train stations are generally located right in the heart of the action.

Step outside the train station in Cologne, for example, and you’ll be looking at the cathedral.

In Florence , you’ll arrive less than a 10-minute walk from the Duomo . 

In some places, like in Milan, Antwerp, Porto , and Paris’ Gare de Lyon, the opulent central train station is practically a tourist destination in its own right, so you’ll be exploring the minute you arrive, rather than spending hours getting into the city center from the airport.

No luggage limitations!

No one is going to weigh your luggage or make sure it is only a certain size on a train, so you can bring whatever you like (sports equipment and generally pets included).

Train travel in Europe is generally far more comfortable than flying.

At the end of the day, traveling Europe by train is immensely more comfortable than flying.

There’s less hassle, more comfortable seats, more ease of moving around, often better views, and more control over your environment.

If all else (price, time, etc.) were equal, we’d personally choose to take a train across Europe over a plane any day of the week.

Cons of Traveling by Train Through Europe

It can get pricey..

When you first set out to travel Europe by train, you may assume that it is more affordable than flying–but thanks to a combination of several factors, including incredibly inexpensive budget flight carriers in Europe, that’s actually not the case.

Typically, it’s cheaper to hop on a budget flight between two major European cities than take a train.

The severity of the difference, though, can vary dramatically, and there are lots of tips you can apply to your train travel in Europe to mitigate the cost, which we’ll cover in this blog post.

If you’re traveling long distances, train routes can take a prohibitively long time.

For example, when traveling from Paris to Venice , a route we’ve traveled by train, the train can easily take upwards of 10 hours, while the flight time is under 2 hours.

Now, that doesn’t account for getting to and from the airport, checking luggage, or going through security, all of which increase the amount of time a flight actually takes, but it’s still a large difference.

Train travel in Europe isn’t available everywhere.

As you move further into eastern Europe and the Balkans, train travel becomes much less prevalent (even popular Dubrovnik isn’t connected to the rest of Europe by rail).

A nd, when it does exist, can take longer and be less comfortable than planes or even buses depending on the destination.

Rail strikes can derail plans to travel Europe by train.

Generally, these are planned in advance, so you’ll know what you’re getting into before arriving, but they can be a bit of a hassle.

W e’ve had trips to both Italy and France impacted by rail strikes in the past.

If you have mobility issues, train travel can be difficult.

Lifting and storing luggage, navigating small staircases and bathrooms, and making your way through crowded train stations can be difficult if you struggle with mobility, so keep that in mind when deciding whether to travel Europe by train.

This is especially true with a short connection–we once had to literally sprint through the station to make a connecting train on time in Germany!

Traveling Europe by train can be a bit intimidating.

This isn’t a con, exactly, but there’s no doubt that the confusion surrounding train travel in Europe can prevent new visitors to the continent from trying it out, especially if they’re concerned about language barriers or navigating multiple countries.

If that’s your only hesitation, though, we urge you to set those concerns aside.

T raveling Europe by train is an incredibly rewarding experience, and well worth stepping a bit outside of your comfort zone for !

When discussing train travel in Europe, it’s important to remember that not all trains are created equal, or exist for the same purpose.

Here are a few general train categories to keep in mind as you plan your trip.

Metro/Intra-City Transport

Metros, aka subways (though some do run above ground) are public transportation used by a certain city.

While they are technically trains, metros are their own category entirely and this Europe train guide doesn’t cover them any further.

Commuter Rails/Regional Trains

Commuter rails and regional trains aren’t exactly synonymous, but for the purposes of this guide, they’re similar.

T hese are slower-moving trains used to connect surrounding villages to a major city (for example, Versailles to Paris) or trains that go within a certain country or region (for example, from Siena to Florence in Tuscany).

Most of the tips in this guide to train travel in Europe apply to these trains, but they sometimes have fewer amenities (like snacks/drinks available for purchase, for example) than high-speed or long-distance trains.

High-Speed Trains/Long-Distance Trains

These are trains that cover long distances within a country (for example, from Florence to Venice ) or cross borders (for example, from Paris to Amsterdam).

Since each country runs its own train system (often with a national carrier option and private carrier(s) mixed in), booking a ticket between countries may mean changing train companies at a city near the border.

For example, when we traveled from Paris to Venice by train, we took a French SNCF train from Paris to Turin, Italy, and then boarded an Italian Italo-branded train to travel from Turin to Venice–all booked on the same ticket.

These high-speed and long-distance journeys are the primary focus of this guide on how to travel Europe by train.

Tourist Trains

These are trains that, while technically public transportation, are typically used as tourist attractions for sightseeing purposes, and are priced accordingly.

Examples include the Glacier Express or Schniyge Platte in Switzerland, or the Jacobite Steam Train (aka Harry Potter train) in Scotland.

Sleeper Trains

Technically, sleeper trains aren’t their own category–they’re just long-distance trains with sleeper carriages in them–but they’re worth calling out separately in this guide to train travel in Europe because they’re particularly interesting for travelers.

Not only are sleeper trains a great way to save on hotel costs for a night of your trip, but they can also be quite the travel adventure in their own right!

Before you start looking into buying train tickets, there are a couple of terms to be familiar with:

First vs. Second Class Tickets

When traveling via train in Europe, you’ll generally have a choice between first and second-class tickets.

Buying a first-class ticket generally comes with slightly larger seats, sometimes the ability to reserve your exact seats when you can’t in second class (both of those facts vary based on the company you travel with), and possibly a small snack like a water bottle and a pack of cookies.

In our earlier travel years, we never used to consider these perks worth the money–but I’ll admit, as we started traveling with more luggage and most importantly, our dog Ranger, we started splurging on first-class more frequently.

The extra space can definitely come in handy if you have more than a suitcase with you!

Variable vs. Fixed Price Tickets

Variable-price tickets, as the name implies, tend to increase in price the closer your date of travel gets.

T hese tickets are generally used for high-speed trains and long-distance journeys and will be the most common form of ticket you see when traveling between countries by train in Europe.

Fixed-price tickets are more typical for regional (aka “slow”) trains and can be booked at any time–so you can just show up at the station and buy them from a kiosk without issue.

For example: if you travel from Florence to Bologna on a high-speed train, it will take around 30 minutes and that ticket has a variable price.

If you travel on the regional train that takes around an hour, the price is fixed and you can book it at any time.

When you travel Europe by train, one of the first things you’ll need to get the hang of is exactly how and where to buy European train tickets–and you have plenty of options!

Here are different ways to obtain train tickets in Europe.

Online (Via a Third-Party Site)

Third-party booking sites are incredibly useful when preparing to travel Europe by train, especially when you’re planning to travel between countries.

We use and recommend Omio , which will allow you to easily compare prices between different routes, show you the most efficient path, and allow you to book trains across Europe with no concerns about language barriers, iffy online translations of national websites, or issues with payment (some company websites struggle to process foreign credit cards).

Omio is a ticket aggregate, and searches multiple companies and routes at once, which makes it very handy for checking train timetables and possible routes as well as for booking tickets!

Search  train routes and tickets prices in Europe today!

Online (Via the Company Directly)

Alternatively, if you’re looking for the best possible deal, you can book tickets online through direct websites for most countries in Europe.

For example, here are the national train company websites for Italy , France , and Germany .

We tend to book directly whenever we’re traveling domestically in a place we’re very familiar with, like Italy.

At the Train Station

If you’re traveling a short distance on a regional or commuter rail (like to take a day trip, for example), you can also buy tickets directly at the train station.

If you’re buying train tickets in person, we recommend using the kiosks available whenever possible.

Not only do they tend to have language options that make things much easier, but they also tend to take a fraction of the time of waiting in line to be helped by a person directly.

With a Train Pass

The final option for booking tickets to travel Europe by train is to do it in one fell swoop with a Eurail pass (for non-European residents) or Interrail pass (essentially the same thing, but for European residents).

Essentially, a Eurail pass will allow you to buy a certain number of train rides (or an unlimited number) in advance, allowing you to be more spontaneous in your travels.

However, there are limitations–for example, some routes still require advance reservations and charge additional fees.

G enerally speaking, the average user will end up spending more on train travel in Europe with a pass than without one.

There are cases where a train pass makes sense, though, so if you’re planning lots of European train travel, especially in Western and parts of Central Europe , be sure to run the numbers to see if a European train pass is right for you!

Once you buy your tickets, the next step is to actually receive them!

Here are the three main options.

Most European train tickets these days can be received online and downloaded to your phone. 

When available, this is by far the easiest and quickest way to receive your tickets.

At the Station

You can also choose to receive your (paper) tickets at the station you’re departing from, either by purchasing them there as mentioned above, or by picking up tickets you bought online.

In most cases, there’s no real reason to pick up paper tickets you bought online as opposed to simply downloading them, but most countries do still have the option.

If you book tickets to travel Europe by train well in advance of your trip, many countries do also have a home delivery option where they can be mailed to you before you travel.

We took advantage of this for our very first multi-country trip to Europe and had our train tickets for our overnight route from Krakow to Budapest mailed to our then-home in San Antonio.

Honestly, it was complete overkill, even as the novice travelers we were then, and we don’t necessarily recommend doing this–but some places do have the option available.

If you’re confused, concerned, or just slightly intimidated by train travel in Europe but are ready to book your first journey, this section is for you!

Follow these instructions step-by-step, and you’ll travel Europe by train with ease.

Book your ticket.

Generally, for long or inter-country journeys, booking online is the easiest option as we outlined above.

We use and recommend Omio for booking train tickets in Europe.

Shop train tickets across Europe today!

Make sure your ticket is in hand.

This can mean downloaded onto your phone or printed onto a piece of paper in your hand.

E ither option works in most places, but whichever you choose, make sure you have your ticket handy when you board.

Head to the (correct) train station.

Most major European cities are home to more than one train station, so be sure to double and triple-check that you’re going to the right one before you set off.

Find your platform.

Much like in an airport, your first step to finding your train platform will be to check the (often large, sometimes confusing) boards bearing destinations and times.

It’s best to search for your train based on a combination of the train number, company, and departing time– not the destination. 

If your train is continuing past your stop, for example, searching by destination can get very confusing, very quickly.

European trains (and Europe in general) also use the 24-hour clock (so 3:00 PM will be displayed as 15:00, etc), so keep that in mind when looking for your train on the departures board.

Validate your ticket.

If you have a paper ticket, you’ll need to validate it before you board.

T he kiosks to validate your ticket are generally placed just before you reach the platform, but can sometimes be easy to miss if you’re not looking for them.

(As far as we’re concerned, this hassle is another point in favor of online/downloaded tickets.)

If applicable, find your train car and seat number.

If your train has reserved seats, you’ll need to find the exact train car number and seat number to sit in.

T his is most common on long-distance, high-speed trains.

… Or just look for the appropriate class.

If your train has open seating, the only seating concerns will be whether you sit in the 1st or 2nd class.

The “1” or “2” denoting whether it’s a first or second-class train car is generally marked obviously on the side of the train, near or on the door itself, so it’s fairly easy to make sure you’re in the correct place.

Stow your luggage.

In some trains, this will mean storing your luggage in the racks provided at the ends of each train car, in others, it will mean in the racks above the seats, and in still others, there are even places to store bags between the seats.

Keep an eye on what others are doing, but keep in mind that as long as your luggage isn’t in anyone else’s way, there’s generally some flexibility to the process.

Settle in and enjoy the views.

Once you’ve found your seat and stored your luggage, it’s finally time for the best part of train travel in Europe: kicking back and enjoying watching the world go by.

No matter how many times we ride trains through Europe, we never stop getting a little thrill during this part of the process!

Keep your ticket handy for when the conductor comes by.

At some point, as you travel Europe by train–and it could be 5 minutes into your ride, 5 hours into your ride, or both–a conductor will come by to check your ticket.

Be sure to have your ticket in a convenient place so that you’re ready when this happens!

Listen carefully as you get close to your destination.

As you begin to get close to your destination, it’s time to pay very close attention to the announcements.

Many European cities have train stations that sound very similar to each other, especially to those not familiar with them (for example Roma Tiburtina and Roma Termini), and you’ll want to be certain to exit the train at the correct stop.

O therwise, you might accidentally find yourself deep in the suburbs instead of in the center of the city!

In many places, especially along routes popular with tourists, arrival announcements for each station will be repeated in English, but that’s not a guarantee.

Exit the train quickly and smoothly.

When you reach your stop, be ready to exit immediately–that means luggage in hand and waiting at the end of the train car to exit.

You’ll generally see people start to queue up a few minutes before arrival.

The train stops long enough for everyone to exit comfortably, so you don’t need to push past other people or even hurry if you’re prepared.

However, if you wait until the train stops before even getting your luggage together, well–if your station isn’t the final stop, you might find the train moves on before you have time to get off.

If you have your heart set on traveling Europe by train, plan ahead.

As you plan your Europe itinerary , you’ll likely find that some destinations are better suited for traveling Europe by train than others, and it definitely pays to know which destinations require a train, plane, or bus before arriving in Europe.

Train travel in Europe is generally best suited for certain Western and Central European countries–the further you move into the Balkans and Eastern Europe, the more limited (and, shall we say, adventurous) it becomes.

And, despite being situated essentially as far to the west of Europe as you can get, Spain and Portugal are surprisingly isolated from the perspective of train travel (this is due to having a different size of railroad gauge than other countries in Western Europe).

Distance also plays a key role.

Traveling from Paris to Venice by train is a long but completely doable day, but Paris to Zagreb , not so much–that route is better suited to a plane.

Add in the fact that you’ll want to book your variable-price tickets in advance, and the bottom line is that you should definitely bank on planning at least the most important routes in advance.

Definitely book complex routes for train travel in Europe in advance.

If you’re traveling from Rome to Florence or Madrid to Barcelona, especially if you don’t mind taking a regional/slow train, you can book your train tickets once you already arrive in Europe.

For more complex or longer routes, though, you’ll make things much easier on yourself if you book before you start your trip abroad.

Bring snacks and drinks along for the ride.

While most long-distance routes will sell simple food on board like sandwiches, drinks, and pre-packaged snacks, the selection is generally about on par with airplane food, in other words, expensive and unexceptional.

Commuter and regional trains are much less likely to sell food on board.

On long-distance trains, there’s typically a dining car you can visit to make purchases, and on some routes (especially in first class), a restaurant cart will come around offering a few items, similar to a flight attendant.

Better not to worry about it, though: we recommend packing plenty of snacks (or even a full meal) and drinks to bring along, which is completely typical on trains in most places in Europe.

If you have a long train ride ahead, consider packing cards or a game.

Not only will this help entertain you throughout the journey, but it’s also a great way to meet other travelers!

Don’t count on having internet access onboard.

Even if you have a European SIM card and are traveling within the Schengen Zone (where SIM cards are supposed to work across borders), maintaining an internet connection on a European train ride is iffy.

B etween tunnels, remote countryside, border crossings, etc., it’s best not to count on having access.

If the train advertises wifi, don’t count on that either–some of them require a local tax ID number or phone number to access.

We’ve found that our best bet for internet access during train travel in Europe is whenever the train briefly stops at a station.

If you have a SIM card that works for that destination, you can usually expect at least a few minutes of connectivity there.

Make sure you go to the correct train station.

We mentioned this above, but it bears repeating: be very certain that you go to the correct train station when traveling by train through Europe… and that goes for when you get on and when you get off! 

… And show up early.

Some train stations in major cities are enormous, and can almost resemble airports, with 30+ platforms, various levels, and in some cases a mall inside them (like Roma Termini, for example).

If you’re not familiar with the station in question, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to find your way to the correct platform once you arrive!

If you have an opportunity to take an overnight train, do!

Not only is it a great way to save on the cost of a hotel for the night , but spending the night in a sleeper car can be quite a travel adventure!

(Though in the interest of full disclosure, I have never once gotten what I would call a good night’s sleep on a train. No regrets, though, and we’ll do it again!).

Toilets are plentiful, but their quality is questionable.

In other words, bring some toilet paper (I usually keep a small packet of tissues handy for that purpose) and hand sanitizer. 

Also, wet floors aren’t exactly unheard of, so you might want to stick with close-toed shoes.

Most high-speed trains in Europe have a toilet available in every train car, so you typically won’t need to go far to find one.

If you’re a student and/or under 26, you might qualify for discounts.

Keep that in mind when booking your train tickets for Europe, and if you do book a discounted fare, be sure to keep your ID handy (it’ll likely come in handy in many other places during your trip, too).

Keep in mind that some under-26 discounts are only available to EU residents, so be sure to verify that before counting on them if you aren’t European.

You can generally bring dogs (and cats) with you on trains in Europe!

This is a bit beyond the scope of this blog post, but given that we have several photos of Ranger in here, I’m sure at least a few readers are curious!

The vast majority of trains in Europe allow well-behaved companion animals on board, with varying requirements and costs (generally either free or the price of a child) based on the animal’s size, whether it’s confined in a carrier, etc.

It’s best to check the expectations for each route in advance, but with a little planning and flexibility, your furry friends are generally welcome.

Ranger is quite the traveler and has visited 8 countries and counting with us, many of them by train!

Keep an eye on social norms.

Cultural expectations around eating, talking loudly, and storing your luggage can and will vary depending on where your train travel in Europe takes you.

B e sure to keep an eye on what everyone else is doing to ensure you’re not inadvertently committing a faux pas !

For example, if you take a train, say, in Italy and then later in Austria as you travel Europe by train, you’ll likely notice a huge difference in the noise level on the train!

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

64 thoughts on “How to Travel Europe By Train: The Ultimate Guide (+ Tips!)”

We are senior citizens planning a trip to Italy and surrounding areas in September 2022. Looking at some train travel, multiple cities for sight seeing. We like the smaller, picturesque, historical cities. What advice can you offer?

I definitely recommend searching “Italy” on our search bar (top right of the site on desktop, part of the menu on mobile). Italy is one of our favorites and we have (literally) about 100 posts about it!

For small, picturesque, historic cities, Siena, Venice (it is pretty small!), and Verona come to mind. Florence, too–surprisingly small in some ways!

For even smaller hilltop villages like Montepulciano, etc, in Tuscany, be aware that many of the train stations aren’t in the town center, so you’ll likely want to catch a taxi in many of them to avoid hauling luggage up a hill.

Two years ago we had a small villa in a very small town in Italy. We trained to a new place everyday. It was funned and easy. We took the local bus into the next target town, bought our tickets at the station and took off for the day. We went to Florence, Pizza, and several smaller towns. We are mature seniors and had no trouble getting around. Only a couple of people spoke english in a small town, but, we managed easily.

Your comments encourage me to locate a home base in Italy and take a train or bus to the surrounding suburbs etc. I’m no spring chicken nor my husband but we get around easily. Thank you

Thanks for the helpful information. Appreciate it!

My boyfriend and I just booked our first train tickets in Europe thanks to you!!! I’m so happy we found your blog. We’re going to France and Spain this summer!

Ahhh that is wonderful to hear! Have a fantastic time!

My wife and I, both 70 are taking a cruise from Budapest to Passau and plan on taking trains to Birmingham England from Passau. I’ m planning about 5 stops. First Venice then Tirano, St. Moritz, Sion, Strasbourg and finally Birmingham. I plan on a Eurrail pass. do you have any advice, help or suggestion. Thanks

Hi Wayne! If you’re planning on an Eurail pass, my best advice is to research your routes, dates, and times in advance–many popular routes will still require advance reservations even with a pass.

Kate, my wife and I are planning our first cruise in Europe, and are thinking about taking the train from Barcelona to Rome (cruise departure). Your blog was a great overview. My question has to do with ability to get off and on a subsequent train, for day visits on the way. Is switching covered or individually arranged ahead of time, and is it a good or bad idea for novice mostly monolingual travelers to Europe? Advice? Thanks,(Chuck)

If you book a ticket from Barcelona to Rome, your ticket will be good for that specific train/departure only, so you can’t get off and back on at various stops. If you want to stop places along the way, you’ll need to book individual tickets between each destination you plan to visit.

If you have your heart set on that, look into an Eurail pass–it does what you describe, however, it can get confusing (some routes still require advance reservations) and will usually be more expensive than booking tickets individually.

Traveling by train is absolutely doable as a novice traveler, but be sure to be careful when you’re booking your tickets (to ensure they’re the right dates/times/train stations you expect), and pay close attention to the stops to ensure you don’t miss yours.

Another option, if you’re traveling during the summer and want to get from Barcelona to Rome quickly without flying, would be to take a ferry to Rome and then train to a few places around Italy from there.

Hope you guys have a great trip!

My family is looking to travel from Lille to Amsterdam. My question is: when we depart out train that originated in Lille and transfer to a new train in Brussels, will we need to go through some form of customs before we board the train for Amsterdam? I just want to get an idea of how much time to leave for connecting trains.

Hi Matt! No customs required–all of those countries are part of the EU Schengen Zone, so moving between them via train is generally as seamless as road-tripping between US states.

And, is 33 minutes to connect from one train to another a lot of time? We have never done this type of thing before so I’m not sure if that is cutting it too close

33 minutes should be okay! Definitely move with purpose to find your next platform once you arrive, but you shouldn’t be in a huge hurry as long as everything is on time.

Kate- I am considering coming to Europe early for my Christmas river cruise heading out of Brussels. I was thinking of taking the train from the Brussels airport to Koln to see their markets and explore, and then doing a day train up to Dusseldorf to see their Christmas markets. It looks like about a 2 hour train ride on Thalys to Koln and then only about 30 minutes from Koln on to Dusseldorf. I will then take the train back to Brussels for my riverboat cruise. Does this sound feasible?

As long as the timetables work in your favor, I don’t see why not! Germany and Belgium are both great countries for exploring by train.

Hello Kate, We are looking to visit Italy for the first time in December/2022, I was looking in the train tours, visiting 4 cities (Rome, Florence,Venice & Naples). Your thoughts on train tours? Thank

Hi Sharon! I’m not sure what you mean by tour–if you mean a guided trip, they can of course be very fun with the right group, but I wouldn’t say you need one for this route.

All of those cities are very simple to visit independently by train, and we have taken trains to and from all of them many times (I’m actually typing this on a train to Venice).

Hi Kate, my husband and I are planning to fly in to Italy and travel by train to the following places: 1) Milan 2) Switzerland 3) Vienna 4) Prague 5) Paris

May I know if these places can be connected by train. If yes which train will you recommend, please. We are actually thinking about 15-20 days to cover these areas. As it’s our first Europe trip, do you think it’s sufficient and is there any place along the way that you would encourage to go. Thank you.

Yes, those are all excellent destinations to visit by train, so you’re good to go there. As far as specific trains, you’ll need to pull up the individual routes to check (we recommend Omio for this, especially with cross-border trains).

That’s definitely too many places for 15 days, though, and still pushing it at 20. I’d recommend trimming the itinerary a bit if you can (or adding on extra days, of course!).

Hi there This was so helpful. My husband and I are going to Amsterdamin September and then 3 nights in Bruges. All us booked but I’m overwhelmed but the trains websites. Omio is the easiest but I’m still leary. Is it legit and a decent safe way to book trains? We are only going to Belgium. Then two days to the countryside in The Netherlands which we will just grab a regional train. Everyone is telling us to book the train to Bruges. Any helpful advice would be great. We would go to Antwerp and take an IC train to Bruges an hour later,as my husband does have hip and knee problems. Thanks in advance.

I understand, it’s a lot to take on the first few times!

We use Omio regularly, as do many people we know, it’s perfectly legitimate.

The Antwerp train station will be a beautiful place to rest for an hour. It’s absolutely stunning, especially the front foyer, and often pops up on lists of the best things to see in the city!

Hi Kate, My husband and I will be traveling from Prague to cities in Austria and Germany by train next month. We have used trains a few times in Europe before, but it was pre Covid. It looks like most Covid restrictions have been dropped, but I wondered if you have to show Covid vaccination cards on the trains?

Thank You, Jaymie

I’m always hesitant to answer questions like this because I feel like I’ll be summoning disaster with how quickly things can change, LOL.

But at the moment, no, you won’t need your vaccination proof in either place as far as I know.

Life is pretty 2019 these days when it comes to the logistics of traveling around Europe as a visitor, though a handful of places still require masks on public transport (I think Vienna is one of them, but again–things change!).

This is so helpful, but I’m striking out with trains from Naples to Rome? It says that there aren’t any? Why would they list it as an option if they don’t travel to there? Also, is there a way to preview how long the train rides are to decide if we want to travel to certain cities? Cannot find any train tables. I find the Omio and Eurail sites to be difficult to navigate and I can’t get enough information to plan! 🙁 Does it make sense to buy a eurail pass first and then research times and etas? Any help is appreciated!

Trains from Naples to Rome definitely exist! It’s possible you’re looking too far in advance to book the tickets–on Omio right now, it looks like I can purchase Naples to Rome tickets up to about 6 months out.

When you search for a specific route on Omio, Trenitalia, etc, it’ll show you how long the train is and how many changes there are, if any, much like searching for a flight.

We don’t recommend using the Google tool for this, as it tends to default to how to get somewhere if you leave at that second, which can be confusing and normally involves a more complicated route than you need.

Personally, we don’t generally find Eurail passes to be worth it in terms of cost-savings for most travelers, but in terms of research, you’ll be working with the same information either way. 🙂

Hope that helps! It can be a bit confusing at first, but if you try practicing by looking at dates sooner than when you actually plan to travel, I think you’ll find the information you’re looking for.

Thank you for taking the time to write all that useful information. It is so much appreciated by many of us! 🙂

Like many of your readers, we are (two young adults) planning to visit Europe for the first time this upcoming May. We are currently looking at: Landing in the morning in Prague, spend 1 or 2 nights, then Vienna, one night, leave following morning for Bratislava (this one is a maybe, it’s so close!) OR Vienna to Venice. Spend 1-2 nights, then Zurich, and finally Munich, before we make it back to Prague to catch our returning flight. We are looking at 9 days from the morning we land. 🥴 We figured it would be more efficient to travel in a circle, as some destinations -like Paris- will be out this time around. 🙁

Thoughts on that? I will look into Omni regarding trains, but our plan is to travel only by train, if possible.

I know that’s a lot of questions, but THANK YOU so much for your help! 😊

Thanks so much, Al! So glad to be helpful. 🙂

You definitely have the right idea with traveling in a circle, though I definitely recommend trimming some destinations!

With 9 days, I’d suggest no more than 3 base cities (and that’s pushing it), and you can add a day trip or two from there if you like.

I know it’s SO tempting to add more places (I have this problem constantly myself lol) but you’ll have much more fun with a bit of time to explore each place!

I’m not sure what your priorities are or what your budget is, but based on the cities you listed, I’d cut Zurich (Switzerland is amazing, but you don’t have time) and Bratislava. Ideally, I’d suggest cutting one more city as well.

If it were my trip, personally, I’d do a Prague – Venice – Munich triangle, and potentially day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle or somewhere else in the Bavarian Alps with one of the days in Munich. That’s just personal preference, though!

You can definitely do all the destinations you listed by train, no issue there at all. 🙂

That recommendation sounds amazing. The two big ones are Prague (#1!) and Venice, but really hoping to do Munich as well.

I will look into the Bavarian Alps, as I am not familiar with them 🙂

Thanks again. Really enjoy reading through your content! 😊

If you love mountains and/or castles, you’ll definitely love them!

Enjoy some Czech beer for us 🙂

Hi, we are doing Europe by train in June. Is there a way to determine: a. which direction the train(s) are going, so we can face forward? b. Which side is considered the right side (vs left side) for best views when recommended? Thanks for your perspective.

Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut way to determine which way trains are facing, especially because they often turn around during the route, depending on how they pull into/out of various stations. On long journeys, it’s not uncommon to find yourself facing forward part of the time and backward part of the time.

If you’re starting from the beginning of the line, you can sometimes tell which way you’ll be facing at the beginning based on the route, but not always.

The same goes for the views–for very specific routes, you can sometimes get personalized recommendations from others who have traveled the route (especially for particularly scenic ones), but there’s no simple solution to figuring it out beyond just recommendations.

It’d certainly be easier if that were the case!

Hi Kate, Really enjoying your posts, photos, and appreciate the helpful advice. I am planning a trip in Sept/Oct to visit Scotland for a week before traveling in southern Germany and Austria. What would you recommend about getting from Scotland/London to Koln, Munich or Frankfurt? Is there a good train route to take? Or is this a case where flights make more (economic or time) sense? Thanks for any pointers!

That’s definitely a route that is better served by flight, both from an economic and time perspective! 🙂

Is there something I am missing about Omio, the booking site that you recommend?

My wife and I are moving to Lyon in April and plan to go to Amsterdam in May. I went on the Omio site just to get a sense of what was available from Lyon (Gare Part Dieu) to Amsterdam (Centraal) on a random date (I picked May 9) and the site told me it could not find any trains between these places. But on the Rail Europe site, it showed a slew of trains available throughout the day.

I am confused.

I am too, I’m not sure why it’s not coming up! I just did the search myself and played around with dates, destinations, etc. Paris – Amsterdam, for example, seems to be pulling up just fine.

Could be as simple as a bug, but I just shot Omio an email asking for clarification.

Hi Kate I am Josh from KL Malaysia looking forward for europe trip in september 2023. I would like to start trip from berlin to budapest for 15 to 17 days.how to go about it by using eurorail?

Eurail has a website with a planning tool that can help you sketch out your journey.

Generally, you’ll buy either a set number of travel days within a given time period (like 7 days to be used in a month) or an unlimited pass.

Many routes do still require advance reservations (with additional fees), so be sure to check each route individually so you don’t miss anything!

Hi! I would love to travel as comfortably with my dog as you have, seeing from the pictures. I have a couple of questions: 1) what’s the name brand of that pet carrier. Looks perfect for mine. 2) Could you post tips on hoe to travel with your pet successfully.

Thank you for your content!

Yes, absolutely–with a catch (if you’re in the US). We bought the bag on Amazon Spain when living in Portugal and don’t know of an equivalent here. But this is the link: https://www.amazon.es/-/pt/gp/product/B00XR2D94W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&fbclid=IwAR3p0Ihrxf6e1yL4nJv5pJBK0GXmOIVIqXL97ov77VRuxSIvm61M2-NbfQE&th=1

Here’s Ranger’s backpack that he gets carried in as well (size large): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C9XLXVH?ie=UTF8&th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=ourescapeclau-20&linkId=813c9a64c05de1faef0162cbed102f22&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

He absolutely loves both–gets so excited when we get his bags out, and climbs right in when we get onboard!

Traveling by train in Europe with a dog is usually pretty simple, but you’ll always want to look up requirements for the specific country/train company (some require dogs not in a carrier to pay a half-fare or child’s ticket, etc).

If your dog is very small (like a yorkie or similar) they’re usually free, though again, be sure to check in advance.

I have it on my list to write a whole blog post on this topic eventually, but I hope that helps get you started! 🙂

Just wanted to say thank for you for such amazing content. We are starting to plan a 5 week trip to Europe for Summer 2024 with our 4 kids and your site and recommendations are beyond helpful.

Thank you so much, Megan! That’s wonderful to hear. 🙂 Hope you guys have an incredible trip!

Hi, planning a trip to Europe with the family. Have been to Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and UK so we are looking for something different. Like Berlin, Prague and Vienna or Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels. Love to get your thoughts on these routes and would you recommend taking the train between these cities? Or any other 3 cities you recommend we do over 10 days.

Sounds like a very fun trip! All of the cities you mentioned are definitely doable by train, but Berlin-Prague-Vienna is more cohesive than Amsterdam-Berlin-Brussels (I also personally would put a couple of dozen other cities in the region ahead of Brussels, though it definitely has things to offer!).

Since it seems like Berlin is a priority for you, I’d recommend using that as your anchor and spanning out from there.

A few other places that could make sense, if you want to add more options to your list, could be Krakow, Budapest, or Bratislava.

If you want to start in Berlin and include Amsterdam, you might look into Hamburg, Cologne, or Bruges.

You could also head south from Berlin, and do a Berlin-Munich-Switzerland (Zurich or Lucerne if you’re looking for cities) route.

Really, the possibilities are endless, so it just comes down to the cities that call to you the most!

We are seniors, experienced travellers but novice on trains. We have 3 weeks to visit Paris, Prague, Vienna, Bern, Marseilles, Barcelona, and Lisbon. What suggestions can you offer us Thanks

My first recommendation would be to trim a city or two–3 days per city is a very fast pace to keep up for 3 weeks!

Lisbon and Barcelona are of course the biggest geographic outliers. Lisbon is a non-starter as far as train travel to the rest of these cities is concerned–realistically, it’ll make more sense to fly to and from there.

Barcelona is a bit tricky, since Spanish and Portuguese trains are on a different rail gauge than the rest of the countries on your list. You can take a high-speed train from Barcelona to Paris, but getting from Barcelona to Marseilles via train is much more challenging than you’d think it would be based on a map.

The rest of the cities you mentioned are very well-connected by train, so you shouldn’t have any issues there. 🙂

Really informative site you have here!

I’m from Asia and planning to visit Europe for the first time in Oct 2023. I’ll likely start the tour from London and have about 10 days, then will fly home from Heathrow Airport London. I’m really into trains and would love your advice on what some destinations would be possible. I’ve never been to Europe so anything is fine with me. 🙂 Thank you

Honestly, the number of options is so overwhelming that you’re going to want to narrow it down–a lot!

Assuming you plan to hop over to mainland Europe (as opposed to heading north to Scotland, for example), Paris and Amsterdam are both great jumping-off points connected to London by train.

From either city, you can then reach dozens of cities within several countries in a day’s worth of train travel (or less).

Consider taking a look at places that interest you in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Belgium–just to name a few!

If you want to peruse some sample itineraries, we have several in this post: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/2-week-europe-itinerary-trip/

Hope you have a fantastic trip!

Thanks for all the info contained within this blog. We are planning for summer 2024,a 2-week tour of Europe starting and finishing in the UK. How many stops would you recommend? Where would you suggest?, need to combine, beach, sightseeing and something in the Alpes? Ive got in mind Uk – South of France – Italy- Budapest-Krakow – Germany(or similar)-UK Now for the tricky bit, we are planning to do this with around 20 Explorer scouts! Any tips for travelling in groups? Can you also recommend a great website for hostels Thanks in advance

Sounds like quite the trip! 20 scouts–you guys have your work cut out for you, but I’m sure they’ll love it. 🙂 Can’t offer much personal insight in that direction myself, but I commend you guys for taking it on.

With only 2 weeks, I’d recommend 3 stops, with an additional day trip or two to add on more destinations. Sticking with the UK – South of France – Italy might work best in your case. Germany and Switzerland would also work as potential substitutes as they’re geographically close (depending on where you go).

We go into a lot more detail on putting together a 2-week itinerary in this guide: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/2-week-europe-itinerary-trip/

As far as booking lodging goes, we tend to book all of ours through Booking dot com these days. For hostels in particular, Hostelworld is also popular, though we have rarely used it ourselves. Depending on how old your scouts are you might want to double-check any age requirements for dorm stays.

We are a couple in our 60’s who have travelled by train in Italy and Japan .We are travelling to Greece for 2 weeks then flying to Hamburg.From here we are going to travel straight to Berlin(3 nights),Amsterdam(3 nights),Paris (5 nights),Interlarken,Switzerland (3 nights) then to Munich(4 nights). I have just started researching the best way to purchase rail tickets either a Eurail pass or point to point on Omio.Considering our itinerary what do you recommend?I have read that a Eurail pass is easier than point to point bookings but may be more costly.

Thanks for your blog,very informative.

Hi Francine,

In our experience, Eurail passes tend to be a bit more expensive for most travelers. Part of the reason for this is that many popular routes still require advance reservations that require you to commit to a date and often pay an additional reservation fee.

We have used an Eurail pass in the past, but these days, we always choose to book point-to-point journeys.

However, the only way to know for sure about your route in particular is to plan your trip out via Eurail (be sure to double-check what routes require reservations) and as a point-to-point trip and compare prices. Every trip is different, and since the prices for high-speed trains change depending on when you book them, there’s no way to know for certain.

If you’ve been comfortable traveling by train in other countries in the past, I wouldn’t say the ease of using an Eurail pass is worth the probable extra cost, especially with how simple it is to book train tickets online these days. It does depend on the traveler, though!

Thanks for the information Travelling to krakow then Prague Budapest and Croatia. Have 2 month. Would like to travel by train How far in advance do you need to book train tickets as I want to do it leisurely and not book to far in advance. Also what other country’s/cities do you recommend Thank you so much Betty

For most routes in that area, booking as you go (a few days to a week or so in advance) is just fine, as long as you’re a bit flexible. Exceptions can include night trains and traveling over holidays, so keep that in mind!

Keep in mind that train travel in Croatia is much less expansive than you might think–Dubrovnik doesn’t even have a train station! You can use some train routes, like Zagreb to Split, but plan on adding in buses and/or rental cars (plus ferries, of course) depending on where you want to go in Croatia.

With 2 months to travel from Krakow to Croatia, you might also consider stops in Austria (Vienna is right along your route), Slovakia (Bratislava is very easy to reach) and Slovenia. Depending on how direct you want to travel, Bosnia and Herzegovina could fit in as well.

That barely scratches the surface of the possibilities, but hopefully it gives you some ideas!

Hi! My wife and I love to travel (Between the two of us we have done Italy, Fiji, Australia and many others). We are planning on the F1 races in Spielberg, Austria next June. Thinking about the train from Vienna to Barcelona after and wondering if the ride (about a day) is worth the time? The flight is about 5 hours. We had fun on the train in Italy (Rome to Venice) We will likely leave Vienna the Mon or Tues after and have another 10 days. What do you think about Barcelona and Madrid? Do both? Or one over the other? Thanks in advance!

The distance between Vienna and Barcelona is far enough that unless the idea of a night train and a few train changes sounds like a fun adventure, I’d recommend flying! Basically as a travel experience it can work, but as a basic form of transportation, they’re a bit too far apart for the logistics to make sense.

As far as Barcelona and Madrid, both are wonderful, but they’re very different. Barcelona wins on whimsical architecture and access to the sea. Madrid wins on stately art museums and for having a more laid-back vibe. We enjoy both cities, but Madrid is our personal favorite of the two (though we are in the minority with that opinion!).

If you have time to spend a few days in each, they’re definitely both worth experiencing.

Hi! Thanks for the reply….sounds like flying is the way to go….we will have 4 days each in Madrid/Barcelona so should be able to get the flavors of both. Love your blog!

Thanks, Greg! Enjoy Austria and Spain! 🙂

Hi Kate! I just found your blog while planning my first Europe trip… I’m so excited I have actual tears! I promised myself traveling around/to Europe would be something I accomplish by the time I turn 25. This train travel blog has given me so much needed information as when I originally started planning this trip a few years ago my original plan was by train. I will be combing through your blog site to read as much as I can and support you how I can.

My plan is to start in southern Portugal, through southern Spain, southern France, into Italy. I need to do more research to see if this much in a 2 week time span is even feasible. And, it looks like I may be better off taking a bus in Western Europe. This has been my one hurdle in actually going. If I’m going to go, I’m going to visit multiple countries… but the navigation between countries is the most fearful part for me. I will be using your blog to help me plan and prepare.

All this to say… I’m so glad I found your blog!! Thank you for all of your wonderful information.

Your comment brings a huge smile to my face! I remember planning our first trip so clearly at about the same age (I was 23 on our first-ever trip to Europe and 24 on our first multi-country European backpacking trip) and I can definitely say it was nothing short of life changing. 🙂

All of the places you mentioned are among our favorites in the world! And reading between the lines, it sounds like you may have a preference for coastal areas, which all of those areas have in spades.

One small snag is that you have chosen some of the hardest places to travel between countries by train in western Europe, namely Portugal and Spain. Getting between major cities by train is no issue within each country, but the two aren’t very well-connected by train to each other, and the only train route to France from Spain leaves from Barcelona. There’s a long history as to why, but basically the train rail gauges in the Iberian peninsula are different than elsewhere.

However, don’t worry! There are plenty of solutions. 🙂 Buses are definitely a great option, especially for getting between places like the Algarve and Seville, etc. There are local buses, but also check out Flixbus, which is very popular with travelers and easy to use (we’ve used it many times ourselves). Also, flying is a surprisingly affordable option–Ryanair, Easyjet, etc. have tons of routes in these areas and are frequently way cheaper than traveling by train. Blablacar–basically Uber for traveling long distances–is also an option, though not one we have lots of personal experience with.

Finally, don’t forget about ferries! They can be surprisingly affordable, especially in Spain and southern Italy. We took a ferry from Barcelona to Rome and found it very memorable with amazing views: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/barcelona-to-rome-ferry/

As I always like to tell people, getting on that first plane and starting your trip is the hardest part. After that, everything falls into place. 🙂

Hi Kate, Your blog has been super informative and helpful! We are planning a family trip to Europe this May with our 3 teenagers. Our goal is to do Rome (4 nights), Venice (2 nights), Salzburg (3 nights) and Munich (4-5 nights) in 15 days. Planning to fly into Rome and fly out of Munich or Frankfurt (Dallas is home), and travel by train from city to city. Are we taking on too much? Do you recommend using the fast train from Rome to Venice? Really want to take the train thru the Alps from Venice to Salzburg, but is it going to be much more expensive than flying? I’m assuming I need to book that leg of the train trip asap. Again, great job on the blog! It has made me very excited for our trip!

That’s great to hear, thank you!

That sounds like a good pace for a trip–if anything, 5 nights seems slightly long in Munich, though very doable with a day trip or two built in (and there are plenty of amazing ones in Bavaria!).

Taking the fast train from Rome to Venice would absolutely be our preference–it’s the fastest way to travel between the two cities by far.

Same for Venice to Salzburg (it’s a lovely train ride!). but yes, it can be more expensive than flying depending on when you book and how good of a flight deal you get. It’s much more comfortable regardless, though (not traveling to and from the airports is a big benefit in its own right). Depending on what train company you travel with, expect tickets to be available for purchase anywhere from 3-6 months in advance. I’d start watching earlier, though, just looking at more recent dates, to get a feel for what prices to expect.

Thank you for taking the time to put all of these great information together. Really appreciate it. So our plan for next year is as follow (12 days):

Spain: 1 day Madrid 1day Sevilla 1 day Barcelona

from Barcelona, take fast train to Italy 1 day Rome 1 day Naples 1 day Milan

from Milan take fast train to Switzerland:

What places (areas) would you recommend visiting in Switzerland? We would like countryside, small towns. I heard Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries to visit, so anything where we can enjoy nice scenery but not the most expensive areas. Also, is it feasible getting around in trains between these cities/countries? Thank you in advance!

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The 14 most scenic train journeys in Europe

Pack a book, hop on board and enjoy the most scenic train journeys in Europe, from west to east and north to south

From glaciers and fjords to deserts and plains,   Europe ’s home to some of the world’s most mind-blowing natural landscapes. And so, logically, it makes a heck of a lot of sense that the finest scenic rail journeys in Europe – train routes which are specifically designed to show off those spectacular landscapes – are amongst   the best in the entire world .

The European continent’s finest scenic rail journeys also double up as pilgrimages to sites of incredible feats of engineering. These trains scale dramatic mountains, plunge through ginormous tunnels and span vast distances. You won’t just be gob-smacked by the view: you’ll wonder how on earth you’re able to experience it from the comfort of a locomotive.

And, before you say anything, no, scenic rail routes certainly aren’t just for rail geeks. Oh no. They’re also amongst the most comfortable and supremely romantic ways of getting around. As well as being much better for the planet than cars and planes, train travel is a destination in itself – and that’s even more the case with scenic routes. So, without further ado, here are our top 14 scenic railways in Europe right now.

RECOMMENDED: 🚂  The best train journeys in the world 🚅  The best train journeys in Asia 🚉  The world’s most spectacular train stations

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Best train journeys in Europe

1.  Oslo to Bergen, Norway

Connecting Oslo and Bergen is the fairytale Bergen Line. Take it in spring or autumn, and the voyage plays out like a living painting of all four seasons, as blustery flower meadows and lush valleys fade into icy forests of pine and glittering lakes. It’s a journey that’s quite possibly up there with the best in the world. It makes little difference which way you travel – views are equally OTT in both directions, on both sides of the tracks – but start in the morning to ensure you get a full day of views on the seven-hour trip. Ticket prices are generally quite affordable, but onboard food will set you back, so pack snacks.

2.  Belgrade to Bar, Serbia and Montenegro

Often referred to as ‘the Balkan Express’, the 11-hour (on a good day) jaunt from Belgrade to Bar celebrates civil engineering and natural majesty. A whopping 435 bridges are traversed as the train trundles from the Serbian capital to Montenegro’s largest port, working as a time machine through the twentieth century in these parts. That means socialist architecture in Užice, modern ski resorts in Kolašin and the rapidly developing tourism of Montenegro’s southern coast. The last stretch is particularly stunning.

3.  Palma to Sóller, Majorca

The electric train line that links Majorca’s capital, Palma, with the northern town of Sóller was originally built to ship oranges across the island. Its vintage wooden carriages rattle out of central Palma, through the city’s hinterlands and across the great dry plains of southern Majorca. After a stop in Bunyola, it’s a steady climb into the foothills – followed by the sudden pitch black of the Sóller tunnel. And then comes the best bit: a winding route through the lush peaks of the Serra de Tramuntana, with incredible views over Sóller’s distant church, before the final descent. The whole trip only takes an hour, leaving plenty of time to catch the heritage tram down to Port de Sóller and cool off in the sea before the return leg.

4.  Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog, Wales

The small mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog has fallen on tough times with the demise of the slate mining industry, but the little steam railway that connects it with Porthmadog harbour is a gorgeous route showing Wales at its most magnificent. Most of the journey snakes through Snowdonia National Park, with plenty of stop-off options for travellers with time on their hands. The Ffestiniog Railway Company is also the oldest independent railway company on the planet, another layer of awesome to this gorgeous experience. 

5.  Zermatt to St. Moritz, Switzerland

If you’ve high expectations of an experience named ‘The Glacier Express’, get ready for them to be exceeded and then some. This mountain marvel connects the resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz, and the panoramic views make this one of the best ways to embrace all this dramatic landscape offers. The seven-and-a-half-hour journey traverses 291 bridges, 91 tunnels and a whole lot of beauty. 

6.  The Brocken, Germany

Another gorgeous journey from base to summit, The Brocken Railway picks wide-eyed passengers up from the settlement on the edge of Harz National Park called Drei Annen-Hohne. When the ride is over, those passengers find themselves on top of the world, or at least on top of the Brocken, the highest peak in Northern Germany. The journey is all tight turns, dramatic valleys, snowy vistas and lose-yourself imagery at a maximum speed of 40km/h. 

7.  Barcelona to Montserrat, Spain

There are plenty of ways to travel from Barcelona to the base of Montserrat mountain, but we’re putting our eggs firmly in the basket marked ‘train’. Actually, that would be ‘tren’ in Catalan, but you get the idea. There is a wide range of tickets available for the journey, though we recommend getting one that covers not just your train from Barcelona and then either the cable car or rack railway up the mountain itself, but also entry into the Montserrat Museum.

8.  Fort William to Mallaig, Scotland

A constant on lists of the world’s most beautiful train journeys, Scotland’s Jacobite Steam Train is an 84-mile stunner traversing the magic of Scotland from Fort William to Mallaig. Booking ahead is an absolute must but totally worth it, as the journey transports visitors across a landscape that takes the term ‘rugged’ and redefines it in that inimitable Scottish way. Some call it the Hogwarts Express after its turn in the Harry Potter films, and you can insert your own magical comment here.

9.  Myrdal to Flåm, Norway

Another frequent face on lists of the world’s best train journeys, the line between Myrdal and Flåm in Norway bridges the divide between impossibly cute and absolutely monolithic. That’s Norway in a nutshell, right? The small things are all quaint and idyllic, while the big ones bluster through stunning cliffs, jagged mountains and awe-inspiring scenery. The Flåm Railway climbs a whopping 867 metres into the sky and back, with a short shop at the Kjosfossen waterfall as the cherry on top. 

10.  Chur to Poschiavo, Switzerland

Switzerland is every bit as spectacular as its reputation suggests it might be. Actually, this place is woefully undersold and the rail route between Chur and Poschiavo is further proof, a jaw-dropping run that takes lucky passengers through the heart of the Swiss Alps. The famous mountains unravel on either side of the train, scenery that tends to see passengers put their cameras down and stare at the wonders at hand. The Bernina Express continues toward Tirano in Italy for those who need even more scenery. 

11.  La Rhune, France

What an absolute stunner of a ride. From the foot of the Pyrenees to the top via an early 1900s cog railway, the quaintest of quaint trains scaling a mighty height. It can be a little jarring, but the cobwebs are soon blown away by the stunning vistas and the majesty that awaits at the summit. The train only runs from April to September, round-trip tickets cost €20 (an absolute bargain), and it begins its journey in the town of Sare, some 10km or so from Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

12.  Prague to Bratislava, Czech Republic and Slovakia

Okay, the scenery outside the window between Prague and Bratislava is nothing to write home about. Is it pretty? Sure, we’d expect nothing less from this part of the world, but the real fun of this route is found inside. A train journey spent in a Central European restaurant car is one of those most eccentric travel experiences, so make an immediate beeline for that part of the train when boarding. Line up some excellent Czech  pivo  and enjoy the conveyor belt of characters who will invariably make their way through the car. 

13.  Málaga to El Chorro, Spain

While you can’t get a train across the thrilling and terrifying Caminito del Rey walkway, you can still experience a great journey on the way. The train from Malaga to El Chorro is a stunner, a fast route that takes less than 45 minutes and will set you back less than a tenner. That gives you just under 45 minutes to enjoy the stunning scenery and dredge up the courage to traverse the famous walkway. 

14.  Mostar to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina doesn’t have many trains, but it remains an absolute must for lovers of rail travel. Why? Well, the stretch of track between Mostar and Jablanica quickly answers that question. It offers a jaw-dropping array of twists and turns that hug the cerulean blue of the ice-cold Neretva river, as jagged cliffs hem everything in from all sides. Sure, you need to get up early to catch the train, but it is worth that sunrise alarm. The route continues to Sarajevo, passing through charming Konjic and several satellite towns along the way.

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Travel Europe on a Budget

The Savvy Backpacker

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Complete guide to train travel in europe | how to travel europe by train.

Our step-by-step guide to traveling Europe by train.

Transportation

Traveling by train is the quintessential way to tour Europe. It’s romantic. It’s inspiring. It’s super-efficient. It’s comfortable. Some might say it’s almost magical. And to those who don’t live in a country where train travel is prominent, it’s a little mysterious.

In this Complete Guide To Train Travel In Europe,  I’ll cover everything you need to know about traveling Europe by rail—including how to get the best price on train tickets, rail pass tips, understanding train schedules, tips for riding trains, how to navigate train stations, and advice for dealing with other issues you might encounter. By the end of this guide, you’re going to be a European train expert!

Quick Tip: Most train tickets are now electronic so you’ll want fast and reliable mobile data on your phone when traveling via train. Check out my guide on how to use your phone in Europe and our guide to the best SIM Cards and Data Plans for Europe .

The Pros and Cons of Europe Train Travel

Let’s start with a quick overview of the positives and negatives of train travel in Europe.

Advantages Of Train Travel In Europe

Here are all the things I love about riding the train in Europe:

• In contrast, traveling from the airport to the city can take anywhere from 20-60 minutes and costs between $10-$80.
• There are no lengthy check-in procedures or security screening for most train travel. You simply show up a few minutes before the train leaves, buy a ticket if you don’t have one, and hop on the train.
• There are no luggage weight limits or extra fees for multiple pieces of luggage—just make sure that you’re able to lift your bag onto the train.
• Most European trains now accept electronic tickets—you simply show your ticket on your phone. That means no waiting in ticket lines and it makes planning your train travel even easier.
• You can pretty much bring whatever you want on a train—including alcohol. So stop by the local grocery store and pick up some cheap food for the journey.
• Europe’s rail network is extremely vast so it is possible to travel to even small towns by train. Most destinations offer multiple trains a day. The most popular routes usually have multiple trains an hour so getting to where you want to go is rarely difficult.
• If you’re traveling a long distance, consider taking an overnight train. These trains have special sleeper cars with bunks (usually six-bunk rooms or two-bunk rooms). A bunk in a sleeper car will cost about $45-$90 extra (about the same as a night in a hostel) but you won’t lose out on a whole day of travel. Overnight trains also have normal seats if you don’t want to fork over the extra cash for a bunk but it’s kind of uncomfortable.
• Train travel allows you to be spontaneous so you can show up at any train station, buy a ticket, and be on your way.
• Europe has a lot of beautiful countryside so traveling by train is a great way to see some fantastic views.
• Some trains also offer designated quiet cars if you truly want quiet.
• Train seats are larger and more comfortable than plane seats (especially when compared to many discount airlines). You’re also free to move about the train whenever you feel like it. Many trains also have seats that face each other and have a table between the seats—so it’s great for groups.
• European trains run on schedule well over 90% of the time but flights are only on schedule around 65%.
• Historically, train stations were the central hub for commerce and transportation so European cities showed off their status by building grandiose train stations. While it isn’t a huge deal, it is one of those nice little perks.
• Many countries offer sizable discounts for people under 26 years old so don’t forget to look into those discounts.
• The train is the most environmentally friendly form of travel. In fact, even France banned short-haul flights to encourage more train travel within France.
• We’ve always found riding the train to be fun. It’s oddly magical and relaxing.

Disadvantages of Train Travel in Europe

Train travel isn’t perfect so here are a few things to watch out for:

• That said, you can get some really good deals if you’re able to book high-speed trains in advance but you’ll pay a premium if you book last minute.
• There are often discounts for travelers under 26 years old.
• Note: Don’t forget to add in travel time to/from the airport and time to get checked in and through security—which will add around three hours to your journey.
• The train schedules can be a little confusing—especially for beginners. Luckily, there are plenty of apps that help make the process much easier but we still get tripped up every now and then.
• Many cities have more than one train station (Paris has six!). It’s not uncommon to arrive at one station and leave from another.
• It is also possible to change stations during a single journey. For example, when traveling from London to Lyon via the Eurostar, the Eurostar stops at the Paris North station, but then you have to travel to the Paris East station to catch the train from Paris to Lyon because there are no direct trains from London to Lyon. This transfer would require a cheap Métro (subway) ride.
• Striking is a national pastime in Europe. It happens a few times a year (or more if the people aren’t happy) but they announce the strikes well in advance so it shouldn’t be a surprise (just a hassle). You’ll just have to deal with them if they happen.

Pre-Trip Train Journey Planning

There are a number of great websites that will help you plan your train journey.

The first is Rome2Rio — simply plug in your destinations and it will give you all the train routes (as well as plane, bus, and car routes with cost estimates and travel times) for your journey. Rome2Rio is good for comparing different modes of transportation but I find better train ticket prices and more complete train listings on Omio and Trainline .

The German Railways Website ( Bahn.de ) shows the schedule of every train in Europe (yes, every train). We find that it’s helpful for piecing together complex train journeys. But it’s also good for seeing which trains require reservations and other important information. Unfortunately, you can only book German train tickets on the site so hop over to Omio and Trainline to book your tickets.

I’ve also written a few country-specific train guides to help you learn the quirks of each country’s rail network.

• Belgium Train Guide
• England Train Guide
• France Train Guide
• Germany Train Guide
• Italy Train Guide
• Netherlands Train Guide
• Portugal Train Guide
• Spain Train Guide
• Switzerland Train Guide

How to Buy European Train Tickets

Buying European train tickets can be a little complicated—especially when you’re looking for the best deals.

That’s because each country runs its own National rail service (many countries also have separate private rail networks as well) and each does things slightly differently.

Luckily, there are plenty of online tools to make the whole process easier and we’ll walk you through the process.

NOTE: I’ve written an in-depth guide on how to buy train tickets in Europe if you want a more detailed look at finding the cheapest train fare.

How To Understand Train Ticket Pricing

Before we get started, I need to explain the two main ways train tickets are priced— fixed price and variable price .

Variable-Price Train Fares

Variable Train Fares are always changing based on demand, the day of the week, the time of year, and the distance to the departure date. Essentially all high-speed trains operate on this pricing model.

• In general, the prices will continue to creep up as the departure date approaches—you’ll pay a fortune if you buy last minute.
• Of course, you lose flexibility when buying tickets in advance because the cheapest tickets are normally non-refundable/unchangeable

Fixed-Price Train Fares

With Fixed Train Fares , the price is solely determined by the distance traveled. This is most common on regional and slower trains. With this type of ticket, it doesn’t matter when you buy tickets because the price never changes.

Where To Buy European Train Tickets

There are two main ways to buy European train tickets—directly from each country’s National Rail Service (via their website or at the train station) or through a third-party train booking search engine like Omio and Trainline —I find these booking services to be much more user-friendly.

Third-Party Train Ticket Booking Sites

There are quite a few advantages to buying your train tickets with third-party booking sites:

• The advantage of booking with a third-party booking site is that it lets you book more complex multi-country/international train routes. Many National Rail Services have trouble booking international routes (i.e. going from France to Italy)—so they can’t always find the best deals or show all available routes.
• Many of Europe’s National Rail websites still have issues processing foreign credit cards so it’s common for credit cards to be declined when booking. These third-party sites won’t have these issues.
• We’ve found that it’s common for Europe’s National Rail websites to be plagued with weird technical problems and overall poor user interfaces. Many times you’ll get kicked from the English version of the page to the local language in the middle of the booking process. These third-party booking websites take care of these issues.
• Third-party booking services have much better smartphone apps than the clunky national rail service apps.

Our Favorite Train Booking Websites

• Omio : Omio is a great train booking engine that lets you book tickets from just about every country’s rail service and they make the booking process very user-friendly.
• Trainline : Trainline is a new European train booking service (very similar to Omio ) that sells train tickets from Austrian, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and German Railways railways (and a few others).

National Booking Sites

Despite their technical issues, sometimes the cheapest tickets can only be found by booking directly with each country’s national rail service. This is because sometimes they offer limited-time deals that third-party booking sites don’t have access to. So it doesn’t hurt to at least take a look.

Links to Some National Railway Websites:

Austrian Railways ¹ – Belgian Railways ¹ – Danish Railways – Finnish Railways – French Railways – German Railways – Irish Railways – Italian Railways – Spanish Railways – Netherlands Railways ¹ – Norwegian Railways – Polish Railways – Swedish Railways – Swiss Railways ¹ – United Kingdom Railways

¹ Domestic tickets (i.e. trips that are wholly within the country) are always the same price — regardless of when they’re purchased and they never require a reservation. Therefore, it is easiest to buy tickets at the station. However, these countries often have a separate international high-speed train system (e.g., Belgium has slower regional trains and high-speed Thalys trains that link major Belgian cities to other international cities — these tickets should be purchased early for cheaper fares).

Quick Note About Eastern Europe Trains

Some Eastern European countries still don’t have online ticket booking so it’s only possible to purchase tickets at the station or through a local travel agent. Ask your hostel or hotel and they’ll tell you where to locate an agent.

Receiving Your Online Tickets

There are multiple ways to collect your tickets after you purchase them:

• Electronic Tickets:  Many times you can have an electronic ticket sent to your phone (either via email or the booking app). Simply show the conductor on the train when he checks tickets and he’ll scan the QR code on the screen. This isn’t available in all countries but most countries have switched to eTickets.
• Print-At-Home Tickets:  Anywhere that offers electronic tickets will usually let you print tickets at home. You can often simply save the PDF to your phone/tablet and the conductor can scan it from there.
• Note: You’re often required to use the SAME credit card use to purchase the tickets to collect the tickets at the station.

Buying Tickets At The Station

You can buy train tickets at any train station—either from the ticket window or from automated ticket machines. We recommend trying the automated ticket machines since the lines at the ticket window are long, slow, and understaffed.

When To Buy Train Tickets To Get The Best Price

Fares are fixed for most  regional and local trains so there is no reason to buy them early.

For high-speed trains , it’s best to buy tickets early to get the cheapest tickets. In most cases, train tickets can be purchased 60-90 days before the departure date but buying a few weeks early is usually fine.

Train Ticket Price Examples (Comparing Last Minute vs Buying Early)

• Purchased Two Days Before Departure: €69.00
• Purchased Three Weeks Before Departure: €55
• Purchased Two Days Before Departure: €135
• Purchased Three Weeks Before Departure: €97
• Purchased Six Weeks Before Departure: €54
• Purchased Two Days Before Departure: €234
• Purchased Three Weeks Before Departure: 124
• Purchased Six Weeks Before Departure: €55

As you can see, booking just a few weeks early can save quite a bit of money.

Quick Point About Buying Train Tickets Early : As stated above, buying tickets in advance is the best way to save money but this also limits your ability to be flexible/spontaneous. This is especially true since many of the truly cheap train tickets are non-refundable. For optimum flexibility, it might be best to buy a rail pass. Here’s my  Guide To Using Rail Passes in Europe and my Eurail Pass Review .

Other Train Ticket Discounts

Most rail services offer various discounts—some are based on rider age but other discounts are based on region, the day of the week, or other schemes.

• The most common discount is a youth discount — which is usually for people under 27 years old.
• Most countries offer a number of potential discounts. For example, Germany has a Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket (Happy Weekend Ticket) where groups of 2-5 people can ride as much as they want on regional trains from Saturday to Sunday for €44. Check each country’s rail service website to see if there are discounts available.

Eurail Passes

Many travelers choose to use rail passes instead of buying individual tickets. That’s because Eurail passes can save you a bit of money (depending on how you use them) but most importantly they give you excellent flexibility by allowing you to travel without needing to plan.

Note: We’ve written a lot about Eurail Passes. Check out our  Guide To Using Rail Passes in Europe and our Eurail Pass Review for more in-depth information.

Quick Rundown On Rail Passes

A rail pass (aka Eurail Pass) is a single ticket/pass that allows you to ride any train in Europe—simply hop on, show the conductor your pass, and you’re good to go. Actually, it’s not quite that easy these days as there are a few stipulations, but the general idea is that you can ride any train without booking individual tickets.

Types Of Rail Passes

• Continuous:  Unlimited travel to any Eurail participant country for between 15 days and 3 months.
• Flexi:  10 or 15 individual travel days (doesn’t have to be consecutive days) to any Eurail participant country within a two-month period.
• For example, one pass could be 10 days of train travel between France, Switzerland, and Italy. You have a two-month window to use of your 8 travel days. Each day you travel by train counts as one travel day but you can take unlimited train rides within each day.
• Eight travel days in a single country which must be used within a month.

Advantages of Rail Passes

• Flexibility: The number one benefit of rail passes is the flexibility they offer. You simply have to walk onto the train and go.  That’s why this is a great option for people who don’t want to plan and who would rather wander across Europe.
• Long-Distance Trains: It’s also a good deal if you plan on taking a lot of long-distance trips because those tickets tend to be expensive so a rail pass is a good way to save some money. On the other hand, if you’re taking a bunch of short train rides then you’ll probably be better off buying single tickets.
• Low Stress:  Piecing together a bunch of train journeys and then pre-purchasing individual tickets is stressful and takes a lot of time and planning. For a lot of people, paying a little extra for a rail pass is worth the hours saved having to preplan your entire trip.

Disadvantages of Rail Passes

• More Expensive: It’s usually cheaper if you purchase your train tickets online a few weeks in advance. That said, most of these cheap pre-purchased tickets are non-refundable so you’ll lose most of your flexibility. However, if you’re purchasing your train tickets a few days before departure then it’s much cheaper to use a rail pass.
• Reservations: A few countries require rail pass holders to pay extra for a seat reservation on high-speed trains. The fee can range from anywhere from €5-€35 and they have to be made in advance — they can sometimes be made online or directly at the train station. Here’s a detailed guide to rail pass reservation requirements from eurail.com. You can also enter your journey into  Bahn.de  and it will tell you if that specific journey requires a reservation.

Navigating The Train Station

Ok, now we know how to buy train tickets and rail passes… so let’s learn about what to expect when you get to the train station.

The train station is the central transportation hub of most European cities so things can be a little chaotic and confusing—especially if you’re not used to traveling by train.

In this section, I’ll give you some tips to help you find your train.

First, make sure you have the correct train station because many cities have multiple stations. For example, Paris has six stations. Even some small towns have two different stations.

Once you arrive at the station, you’ll see signage in English so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding your way. Some stations are huge so you may have to walk quite a bit and navigate stairs and escalators.

Depending on the size of the station, you’ll also find fast food, cafes, shopping, lounges, and restrooms (although you sometimes have to pay to use them). Also, most train stations have luggage lockers that you can rent if you need them.

Pickpockets and Scams at the Train Stations

Train stations can get very busy, hectic, and full of confused tourists so they’re a common target for pickpockets and other scammers. Pay attention to your stuff and be wary of “helpful” strangers willing to help you with the ticket machines. Check out our Guide To Avoiding Pickpockets and Tourist Scams in Europe .

Train Ticket Machines

If you need to buy your train tickets or print your pre-purchased tickets you’ll want to first head to the automated ticket machines. Everything is in English and the machines are easy to use.

Alternatively, you can still go to the ticket window or customer service desk but the lines are usually long.

Reading The Train Station’s Departure Board

Once you arrive at the station you’ll want to look for the departure board. There are usually multiple boards throughout the station and one giant main board. This board tells you where to find your train, when it leaves, and where it’s going.

The three most important things to note are the train number , departure time , and the platform .

Your train ticket will show the scheduled departure time and the train number but it usually won’t show which platform the train leaves from.

So head to the departure board and find your train number to see at which platform your train is located. It’s very common for the departure board to not display the platform until 10-15 minutes before departure so pay attention to the board.

Find Your Train’s Platform

Once know what platform your train is departing from you’ll want to find that platform at the station. Sometimes the platforms are a bit hard to find so you might have to seek them out.

Don’t worry if there isn’t a train there at the moment because trains often pull in, load up, and leave.

There are usually a few staff members milling about on each platform so don’t be afraid to ask train station staff as most can speak English.

Validate Your Ticket 

Many physical train tickets need to be validated (stamped with time/date) before entering the train so look for small validation boxes near the entrance of the platforms. Simply place your ticket inside the machine and it will stamp it.

You can receive a large fine if the ticket checker sees that your ticket isn’t validated (they’ll assume you were trying to ride for free). If you forgot, quickly seek out the conductor, explain that you forgot to validate and everything should be fine. Or you can just play the “I’m a dumb tourist and these scary trains confuse me” card and hope they let it slide.

Note: Electronic tickets don’t need to be validated because they’re usually only good for the specific time stated on your ticket. Some paper tickets also don’t need to be validated but we usually try doing it anyway to be safe.

Finding Your Train Car

On some trains (usually high-speed trains) you have assigned seats so look at your ticket to see which train car your seat is in. The car number will be displayed on the side of each train car.

You can board the train in any car but it’s much easier if you enter your car (walking through multiple train cars is a pain).

Most regional and slower trains don’t have assigned seats so you can simply board anywhere you like.

That said, you’ll want to get on fairly quickly because trains are usually only at the station for a few minutes before they leave.

On The Train

You’ve made it on the train. Congratulations! In this section, we’ll talk about settling in and a few things you might experience on your ride.

Find Your Seat & Store Luggage

Find your assigned seat (if you have one) or take any free seat if it’s open seating. The seat numbers are displayed above the seats.

Take the opportunity to store your luggage. Smaller luggage like backpacks and some suitcases can be stored above your seat on luggage racks. There are usually larger spaces for bigger luggage at the end of each train car.

Wait For The Conductor To Check Your Tickets

A ticket checker will come by and check your ticket after the journey starts—typically within 10-20 minutes after departure.

While not extremely common in Western Europe, border patrol might board the train to check passports. They might ask you some questions but we usually only encountered this in Eastern Europe.

Enjoy The Ride

One of the great things about train travel is the comfort of the ride. Feel free to walk about, check out the bar car, enjoy a picnic (alcohol is allowed), or sleep. Some trains offer free wifi but we’ve never had much luck getting it to actually work.

Departing The Train

One of the most confusing parts of the ride is knowing exactly when to leave the train. That’s because train stations are sometimes named very similarly.

For example, many trains coming into Brussels first stop at the Brussels Nord station (which is located on the outskirts of town) before stopping at the main  Brussels Centrale station (which is located in the center of town).

More Europe Travel Tips From The Savvy Backpacker

I have a lot more tips and tricks for traveling through Europe on a budget. Here are a few helpful articles I think you’ll enjoy.

• Get moving with our picks for the  Best Travel Backpacks .
• Get packing with our  Europe Packing List .
• Get traveling with our  Europe City Travel Guides .
• Get planning with our step-by-step Guide To Traveling Europe On A Budget .
• Get a High-Speed eSIM Data Plan for Europe and learn more about how to use your phone in Europe .
• Recent Posts

• Best eSIM For Europe Travel | Everything You Need To Know About European Prepaid eSIM Data Plans - March 24, 2024
• Holafly eSIM Review | Testing The New eSIM Data Plan from Holafly - March 3, 2024
• Fashion Advice: How to Avoid Looking Like An American Tourist In Europe - February 20, 2024

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Thanks For Reading! — James

Questions? Learn more about our Strict Advertising Policy and How To Support Us .

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Hazel Plush | 07 December 2022

23 of the best rail journeys in europe.

See Europe how it was meant to be seen: from the window of a train! From mountain climbs to luxury sleepers, here's the rail adventures you must add to your bucket list...

1. Glacier Express, Switzerland 

Glacier Express, Switzerland (Shutterstock)

Best for… Seeing Switzerland in the slow lane

The journey: Zermatt to St Moritz (290km; seven and a half hours)

We say… Don’t be fooled by its name: the Glacier Express averages 38kph, but who wants to rush when the scenery is this spectacular?

Linking two of Switzerland’s best-loved ski resorts, the route is an opus of snowcapped peaks, rugged valleys, 291 bridges and wild tangles of alpine forest. The view will keep you glued to the train’s panoramic windows – though the traverse of the towering Landwasser viaduct might have you reaching for a second glass of Valais wine.

Top tip: In Zermatt you can extend your trip by taking Europe’s highest cog railway to the summit of Gornergrat (3,089m). The view of the Matterhorn is worth it.

Read next  Switzerland's most stunning rail journeys

2. odontotos rack railway, greece .

Odontotos Rack Railway, Greece (Shutterstock)

Best for… Peaks and valleys

The journey: Diakopto to Kalavrita (22.5km; one hour)

We say… Making delightfully slow work of a wild Peloponnese gorge, this heritage railway – built in 1895 – is one of southern Greece’s final remaining narrow gauge lines.

It starts in the seaside town of Diakopto and weaves up to the mountain town of Kalavrita through hand-carved tunnels and plane-tree forests. En route, you’ll cross 49 bridges in total, as the Vouraikos River roils far below.

Top tip: To visit nearby Olympia’s ancient temples and stadium, take the small train from Katacolon – yet another narrow-gauge survivor.

3. Rhine Valley Line, Germany

The Rhine Valley Line, Germany (Shutterstock)

Best for… A riverside ramble

The journey: Cologne to Mainz (152km; two and a half hours)

We say… The Rhine Valley Line finds its muse just after Bonn, where it starts to tightly hug the waterline. Sure, you could take the high-speed intercity route and save yourself an hour on your journey, but then you’d miss out on the patchwork of vineyards, Koblenz’s hilltop fortress and the legend of Lorelei Rock.

Top tip: Interrail passes are valid on this line – and get you a discount on KD Rhine Line boats.

4. Venice Simplon Orient-Express, UK, France & Italy

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (Shutterstock)

 Best for…The ‘golden age’ of rail

The journey: London to Folkestone; Calais to Venice (1,636km; 24 hours)

We say… While the final descendent of the real Orient Express met its end in 2009, a US businessman had long since bought up 1920s and ‘30s carriages (many belonging to the original service) and resurrected its route to Venice.

This journey is played out on two heritage trains – the British Pullman on the UK leg and the VSOE between Calais and Venice – and as the mountains and meadows slip by, you can sip martinis in the piano bar, devour lobster in its Étoile du Nord restaurant car and just dream.

Top tip: Though the southbound journey is popular, the northbound experience is just as fabulous – and doesn’t book up so quickly.

Read next The best new rail routes around the world for 2022

5. west highland line, scotland.

Glenfinnan Viaduct on the West Highland Lane, Scotland (Shutterstock)

Best for… The wildest of Scottish rides

The journey: Glasgow to Mallaig (264km; five and a half hours)

We say… After slipping away from Glasgow, the West Highland Line weaves some of Britain’s wildest scenery: to lonely moorlands, forest-bound lochs and crumbling castle ruins.

Up here, you’re more likely to spot red deer than humans – though the Glenfinnan Viaduct is familiar thanks to its cameo in the Harry Potter films. If travelling southwards, sit on the right-hand side of the train for the best views.

Top tip: The Royal Scotsman and Jacobite Steam Train are rather luxurious – if pricey – alternatives to this £16.80 (one-way) ScotRail journey.

6. Bernina Express, Switzerland & Italy 

Bernina Express (Shutterstock)

Best for… Jaw-dropping (and ear-popping) views

The journey: Landquart to Tirano (163km; five hours)

We say… Starting this summer, you get even more bang for your buck on the Bernina Express , as its trans-alpine journey has been extended for around 50km. It now starts (or terminates) at Landquart before looping through the Prättigau mountains and over Zügen Gorge’s sheer-sided ravines.

Running between May and October, its climax is the 2,253m-high Bernina Pass, the gateway to Italy. It’s a smooth ride but one that’s big on drama, encompassing dizzying and panoramic views from the Brusio Spiral viaduct along the way.

Top tip: For the best views, grab a seat on the rig.

7. Mariazell Railway, Austria

The Narrow Gauge or Mariazell Railway in the Austrian Alps (Shutterstock)

Best for… Alpine hikes and hijinx

The journey: St Pölten to Mariazell (78km; two and a half hours)

We say… Traversing one of the wildest regions of the Austrian Alps, this narrow-gauge service is officially split into two sections: ‘Valley’ and ‘Mountains’.

The former stretches from St Pölten to Frankenfels, a land of pretty grazing meadows and gentle pathways (tickets allow you to hop on and off), while the latter climbs up through the ruggedly handsome Erlauf gorge and the peaks of Ötscher-Tormäuer Naturpark. Allow a full day – at least.

Top tip: For widescreen views, grab a first-class panorama carriage (May to October on weekend and holiday services), while heritage rail fans love the 100-year-old Ötscherbär train that runs from June to late September.

8. Inlandsbanan, Sweden 

Inlandsbanan train pulling into Mora, Sweden (Shutterstock)

Best for… A jovial jaunt

The journey: Kristinehamn to Gällivare (1,288km; from two days)

We say… The Inlandsbanan is slow travel at its best, heading up past the Arctic Circle and into Swedish Lapland. In fact, its drivers love an excuse to stretch their legs, and scheduled stops to take a dip in Lake Siljan or visit Sami villages and their reindeer herds along the way are worth it.

Before you know it, you’re cooing over moose and foraging for berries under midnight sun (June to early July) – all thoughts of the timetable long forgotten.

Top tip: At each stop you can order fresh dishes from local restaurants, such as smoked Arctic char and lingonberry crumble.

 9. Trenino Verde, Sardinia, Italy

The Green Train travelling through Italy (Shutterstock)

Best for… Island adventures

The journey: Palau to Tempio (59km); Sindia to Bosa (33km); Mandas to Laconi (37km); Mandas to Sadali (58km); Arbata to Gairloch (62km); times vary

We say… The best way to get under the skin of Sardinia is by catching the Trenino Verde – or Green Train – for a picturesque pootle around the island. The Mandas-Laconi line weaves through wild woodlands, the Palau-Tempio track culminates in a town famed for its cork groves, and Sindia–Bosa forges from the island’s untamed interior out to its western coast.

Top tip: Don’t be surprised if the conductor hops out to shoo sheep off the line, or to stop traffic at level crossings. Slow travel at its purest.

Read next Italy's most spectacular rail journeys

10. la ligne des cévennes, france.

La Ligne des Cévennes, France (Shutterstock)

Best for… Gallic grandeur

The journey: Clermont-Ferrand to Nîmes (304km; six and a half hours)

We say… Every twist and turn of this train line is an engineering marvel: it ticks off a mighty 106 tunnels and over a thousand bridges, as well as the seriously lofty (46m high) Chamborigaud viaduct.

With 29 long-legged arches arranged in a semicircular loop, Chamborigaud is a scene-stealer – although the track reaches its pinnacle on the summit at La Bastide (1,023m). There are gentler pleasures still to be found in the rolling vineyards of the Auvergne, the chestnut forests of Cévennes National Park and the track’s picturesque dalliance with the River Allier.

Top tip: Visit in springtime to see the area’s wildflowers in bloom.

11. Derry/Londonderry to Coleraine, Northern Ireland

Derry/L:ondonderry, Northern Ireland (Shutterstock)

Best for… A budget Irish beauty

The journey: Derry/Londonderry to Coleraine (55km; 38 minutes)

We say… This route doesn’t need five-star cabins or steam locomotives for wow-factor: it’s all about the scenery. Explore a banquet of windswept beaches, razor-edged cliffs and wild views on the no-frills Translink service.

Sit on the left-hand side (if travelling eastwards) and settle in for a ride that Sir Michael Palin hailed in his Great Railway Journeys series as “one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world”, as you hop-skip peregrine falcon habitats and the thread the longest railway tunnels in Ireland.

Top tip: Stop for a yomp on the wide, wild sands of Benone beach.

12. Linha do Douro, Portugal 

Pinhão Station, Portugal (Shutterstock)

Best for…Giving the city the slip

The journey: Porto to Pocinho (160km; three and a half hours)

We say… Don’t take a day cruise from Porto: hop on the Linha do Douro instead. Most boat trips only venture as far as the port-producing village of Pinhão, but this train line ploughs further into the heartlands, past great walls of rock and rambling quintas (wine estates).

Better yet, the track swaps between shores, so there’s no such thing as a duff seat. Pinhão Station must be one of Europe’s prettiest terminals, trimmed with intricate azulejo tilework, but look out, too, for the towering gorge around Régua and the ancient rock art of the Côa Valley at Pocinho.

Top tip: In Pocinho, linger over lunch and local port at Taberna da Julinha (+351 965 398 826) – its steaks are worth the trip alone.

13. Septemvri to Dobrinishte, Bulgaria

Tsepina on the Septemvri to Dobrinishte, Bulgaria (Shutterstock)

Best for… Making new friends

The journey: Septemvri to Dobrinishte (125km; five hours)

We say… Bulgaria’s only operating narrow-gauge railway is a lifeline to its remote south-west, so make room for the babas (grandmothers) heading to market.

The train travels at a glacial speed (you can walk beside it in parts), but it’s a journey to savour, with stops for hiking in Bansko, Velingrad’s hot springs and Belitsa’s dancing bear sanctuary.

Top tip: The train only has a simple café on board, so bring a picnic.

14. El Transcantábrico Clásico, Spain

León, Spain (Shutterstock)

Best for… Exploring the north

The journey: León to Santiago de Compostela (643km; four to eight days)

We say… Never has the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela felt so indulgent. El Transcantábrico ’s lavish compartments and plentiful excursions make for an easy, enlightening ride.

The Clásico itinerary hugs the northern coast, with stop-offs at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, seafood suppers in Santander and, on longer trips, hiking in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Picos de Europa National Park.

Top tip: The rail network actually runs between San Feliz and Ferrol – a few kilometres shy of León and Santiago de Compostela – so the trip is bookended by brief coach journeys.

Read next  6 of the world's most luxurious sleeper trains

15. belgrade to bar, serbia, bosnia & montenegro.

Mala Rijeka Viaduct, Serbia (Shutterstock)

Best for… A cross-country caper

The journey: Belgrade to Bar (476km; 10 hours)

We say… This Balkan line can’t be booked online with national operators, so you’ll need to get tickets at the counter, but once on board you’ll hop ravines and rivers with the greatest of ease, thanks to its 254 tunnels and 435 bridges.

It took railway engineers decades to blast through the Dinaric Alps, traverse the thick birch forests, skirt the shores of Lake Skadar and build the 200m-high Mala Rijeka viaduct, which, until 2001, was the tallest railway bridge in the world.

Top tip:  Local sources state this train is currently only operating a night time service. Boo we say! But look out for the return of its day time schedule. 

16. Golden Eagle Danube Express, Turkey to Hungary 

Golden Eagle Danube Express (Shutterstock)

Best for… The east with ease

The journey: Istanbul (Turkey) to Budapest (Hungary) via Bulgaria & Romania (1,832km; seven days)

We say… On the Danube Express ’s ‘Castles of Transylvania’ route, you’ll whizz between two of Europe’s most beguiling cities in the lap of luxury.

Off-train excursions allow for easy exploration of medieval towns and Romanian castles, while the onboard experience includes opulent perks: think plush double cabins, starched linens and piano recitals.

Top tip: Spend your time socialising in the cocktail lounge; this journey tends to attract fascinating souls.

17. North York Moors Railway, England

Vintage passenger train on the North York Moors Railway (Shutterstock)

Best for… A time-travelling treasure

The journey: Whitby to Pickering (38.6km; one hour, 45 minutes)

We say… With a shrill whistle and a scorching blast, this steamy trip into the North York Moors National Park begins in lively Whitby, so spare time to visit its recenty reopened Abbey.

From there, it travels windswept dales, lush carpets of heather and, so it seems, time itself. Though devoid of most mod cons, the NYMR’s hundred-year-old steam trains make surprisingly quick work of these rolling moors, as you stop off for picnics and village walks along the way.

Top tip: For a taste of life at the steamy end, join the railway’s ‘experience days’ and ride on the footplate.

18. Bohinj Railway, Slovenia & Italy

Bohinj Railway, Slovenia (Shutterstock)

Best for… Slovenia made simple

The journey: Jesenice to Trieste (approx 150km; three hours)

We say… To ford the peaks of the Julian Alps to the northernmost sliver of Italian coastline, the Bohinj Railway must slice a route it has plied for over 110 years.

It was built as a strategic network for the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, but these days it’s catnip for hikers and cyclists who revel in the easy connections to Most na Soci, Lake Bled and Nova Gorica’s wineries.

Top tip: For a special trip, catch the heritage steam train (May to November) between Jesenice and Nova Gorica, where staff still don the uniforms of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire.

19. Semmering Railway, Austria

Semmering Railway, Austria (Shutterstock)

Best for… UNESCO-listed joys

The journey: Gloggnitz to Mürzzuschlag (41km; 40 minutes)

We say… Praised by UNESCO as ‘one of the greatest feats of civil engineering’, the Semmering teeters on two-storey viaducts and narrow mountain passes, with twists and steep inclines aplenty.

The reward for your fortitude? Swoon-worthy views of the Austrian Alps, and opportunities for great hiking or skiing. It took six years and 20,000 labourers to build this track, and this pioneering project from the 1850s became the blueprint for mountain railways all over the world.

Top tip: Gloggnitz is just an hour by train from Vienna, so don’t miss out.

20. Bergen Railway, Norway 

Bergen Railway, Norway (Shutterstock)

Best for… Scandi splendour

The journey: Oslo to Bergen (500km; six and a half hours)

We say… Even in the cosy comfort of your compartment, Norway’s desolate Hardangervidda plateau will send a shiver down your spine. While the forests and lakes outside Oslo are beautiful, it’s the Bergen Railway ’s eerily empty mountain passes that steal the show.

Stretch your legs at Finse, the highest station on the line (1,222m), to see where Robert Falcon Scott and his crew trained in advance of their infamous 1912 South Pole expedition. A lonely spot indeed.

Top tip: Hop off at Myrdal and pick up the extraordinary 20km branch line to Flam (one hour), whose spiral tunnels and steep gradient will sweep you up further into these breathtaking mountains.

21. Brocken Railway, Germany 

Brocken Railway, Germany (Shutterstock)

Best for… Saving your legs

The journey: Drei Annen Hohne to Brocken (19km; 51 minutes)

We say… The summit of Brocken (the Harz mountains’ loftiest point) is a doddle for these steam trains (which, if you book online, you'll have to do in German). They climb thick pines and wildflower meadows up to the 1,141m peak, forming one of three lines on the Harz Railway, Europe’s longest network (140km) still running daily steam trains.

Top tip: Buy a one-way ticket and hike back down, walking the famed trail to Torfhaus.

22. Ffestiniog Railway, Wales 

Ffestiniog Railway, Wales (Shutterstock)

Best for… Steaming Snowdonia

The journey: Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog (21.7km; one hour 15 mins)

We say… Operated by the oldestsurviving train company in the world, the Ffestiniog Railway has run for almost 200 years through Snowdonia National Park, and has a gleaming troupe of steam locomotives. The route is a rich feast of rivers, waterfalls, mountains and ancient woodlands, with a looping spiral section lending some thrills.

Top tip: Add on the Welsh Highland Railway – Ffestiniog’s sister route – between Porthmadog and Caernarfon to extend your fun.

Read next Britain's most scenic rail journeys

Discover more incredible rail journeys:, switzerland's most stunning rail journeys, spectacular rail journeys in the usa, interrailing on europe's orient express, related articles, looking for inspiration.

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Europe by Train: 20 Itinerary Ideas for 10 Days of Travel

There’s no better way to slow travel through Europe than by train. Here are 20 itinerary ideas for 10 days in Europe by rail – with options for every travel style, budget and season.

Europe is experiencing something of a railway renaissance, with old tracks being revived and new rail routes opening up.

Whether you’re looking for a fast-paced, multi-country itinerary or you prefer to explore one country in depth, travelling by train is an easy and affordable way to get around.

Some of these train journeys are among the most beautiful on Earth; others are a convenient way to get from A to B. Whatever you’re looking for, here are 20 of the best Europe 10-day itinerary ideas to get on board with.

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10-day itineraries for travelling Europe by train

Each of these Europe train itineraries is perfectly suited to 10 days of travel but can easily be shortened or extended depending on how much time you have.

Depending on your travel plans and just how far you plan to ride the rails, it might be economical to pick up a Eurail Global Pass.

Similar to a Amtrak Rail Pass in the US or the JR Pass in Japan, it can be used for multiple trips across the continent (it covers 33 countries in total). There are no fixed dates, and you have complete flexibility to design your own route.

Learn more about the Eurail Pass and purchase your pass online here through the official website .

Central Europe by Train: Hungary to Slovenia

• Route: Budapest – Bratislava – Vienna – Ljubljana
• Editor’s pick

This route traverses four of Central Europe’s great capitals: Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Ljubljana.

Made for travellers who don’t mind moving at a fast pace and want to make the most of their 10 days in Europe, this itinerary hits all the urban highlights of Hungary , Slovakia, Austria and Slovenia with plenty of opportunities for day trips to castles, wineries and hiking areas in between.

Start in Hungary’s enthralling capital and spend a few days experiencing the best of Budapest . Don’t miss a morning wander around the covered market, a soak in the Gellert or Széchenyi Thermal Bath, and sunset at Fisherman’s Bastion.

After the impressive scale of Budapest, Slovakia’s capital (3.5 hours away by train) seems diminutive in comparison – but don’t be fooled, Bratislava has a lot to offer visitors. With one full day in the city you can catch all the highlights, starting with a morning walking tour of the historic Old Town core and culminating with a view from the castle grounds.

For something different, cross the famous UFO Bridge to wander around Petrzalka , a colourful neighbourhood on the opposite side of the river. Then indulge in a day trip on the Danube or through the countryside to visit Slovakia’s amazing castles, wineries and old towns .

Continue to Austria, following the mighty Danube river. For this leg you can choose between a morning train (1.5 hrs) or if the weather is good, the ferry (1.5 hours). Vienna needs no introduction – there are countless things to keep you occupied in this classic European capital for 2-3 days, ranging from historic cafes to museums and churches.

When you’ve had your fill, board the train for a final time for the scenic journey to Ljubljana. This train ride takes the better part of a full day and leads you through some of southern Austria’s and northern Slovenia’s most beautiful countryside. Stopovers in Graz or Maribor (Slovenia’s second-largest city) can easily be arranged if time permits.

Fall in love with petite and pretty Ljubljana by wandering the river’s edge through the Old Town, browsing the produce market and taking the funicular up to the castle. Bled is within easy reach (under 1.5 hours by train or bus) and you won’t regret adding on a half-day trip to visit the region’s most iconic lake .

Northern Italy: Milan to Trieste

• Route: Milan – Verona – Padua – Venice – Trieste
• Designed by: Sophie from Just Heading Out

Italy has more than enough on offer to fill 10 days of travel or more . This route takes you to some of the most popular cities in the north of Italy plus a few underrated places.

Start in Milan, the elegant fashion capital. Spend two nights here to eat, drink, shop and see the highlights: The Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and the Castello Sforzesco. The next day, take either the regional train (2 hrs) or the fast train (1.25 hrs) to Verona.

Verona’s biggest claim to fame is as the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet , so you must visit Juliet’s balcony and Romeo’s house. But there’s much more to Verona! Climb up to the Castel San Pedro for a great view of the city, visit Castelvecchio, and see an opera performance at the historic Arena.

After two nights in Verona, board an early train to Padua (1 hr). Padua is noticeably less touristy than Verona or Milan. As one of the oldest cities in Italy , it features a beautiful historic city centre. Visit the Cathedral, the Botanical Gardens, and the Prato della Valle.

After dinner, it is time to take a train to Venice (30 mins). When you arrive, check into your hotel and rest up for three days of sightseeing . Aside from the highlights – such as Ponte Rialto, Doge’s Palace and Piazza San Marco – be sure to leave some time to explore the streets and get lost down the alleyways. A day trip to Murano and Burano is certainly worth the effort.

From Venice, it is a 2-hour train ride to Trieste. This underrated city lies close to Italy’s borders with Austria and Slovenia, and both influences can be clearly felt in the food, culture and architecture.

Trieste is the perfect place to slow down and relax for a day at the beach. Finish your trip around Northern Italy by visiting the Castello di San Giusto and Miramare Castle.

Southern Spain’s Andalusia: Madrid to Granada

• Route: Madrid – Toledo – Cordoba – Seville – Granada

While a road trip in Spain might be the best way to explore the country from top to bottom, you can still see a lot when travelling on the country’s railway network. This itinerary focuses on the southern part of the country: the culturally distinct and utterly mesmerising Andalusia region.

Spain’s capital is a natural place to begin. If it’s your first visit, pause for a day or two to visit the most important landmarks in Madrid before boarding a train to Toledo. Half an hour later, you’ll find yourself walking the streets of one of Spain’s most magical and history steeped cities . For all the best things to do in the imperial city, see this guide to Toledo .

For the remainder of your Spain train itinerary, divide your time between Cordoba (4 hours from Toledo by train), Seville (40 minutes from Cordoba) and Granada (1.5 hours from Seville). Each of these three Andalusian cities has its particular charms and fair share of awe-inspiring landmarks, most notably the Mezquita in Cordoba, the Alcazar in Seville and the one and only Alhambra in Granada.

If you have more time, finish with a couple of days on the coast or head west to Lisbon to continue travelling around Portugal by train.

Poland & Germany: Krakow to Berlin

• Route: Krakow – Wroclaw – Dresden – Berlin
• Designed by: Kami from Kami and The Rest of The World

This train journey takes you through some of the most beautiful and interesting cities of Poland and Germany and allows you to see some lesser-known yet amazing corners of Central Europe.

Featuring historical sites, beautiful nature and hip spots, the itinerary is good for anyone who’s interested in culture and history but also wants to venture beyond the expected.

Start your journey in Krakow, the former capital of Poland and one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. You need at least two days to see all the main sights, starting with the Old Town and the Wawel Castle, the riverside and the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz. Krakow is a perfect base for side trips, the most popular being the UNESCO-listed salt mine in Wieliczka and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Both are easily reached by train.

From Krakow, continue by direct train to Wroclaw (3 hrs), one of the main cultural capitals of Poland. Set aside a full day to see the city, taking your time to fall in love with the colourful Market Square and to find as many quirky dwarfs as possible. In the evening be sure to find the magical ‘neon yard’.

From Wroclaw, you can easily explore part of the Lower Silesia region – probably the most interesting part of Poland. Easy train trips include beautiful Swidnica , with its spectacular 17th-century Church of Peace (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the stunning Ksiaz Castle (the third largest castle in Poland), numerous spa towns, and the Sudety mountains.

From Wroclaw, continue by train toward Dresden but stop on the way in Goerlitz, the city divided by the Polish-German border. It’s one of the prettiest and best-preserved German cities and you’ll surely recognise it from numerous movies, including The Grand Budapest Hotel and Inglourious Basterds . The train trip from Wroclaw to Dresden takes a little over 3 hours and Goerlitz is more or less halfway.

Even though the city was badly destroyed during WWII, Dresden has some of the most impressive Baroque architecture you can find in Europe. You need two days to see it properly, but the main highlights of the city are conveniently located in the centre.

Finish your trip in the cool and vibrant capital of Germany, Berlin (2 hrs by train from Dresden), where you can enjoy a variety of attractions – from historical monuments and mementos of 20th-century world events – and alternative sites such as Kreuzberg.

The Swiss Alps: Geneva to Tirano via the Glacier Express

• Route: Geneva – Bern – Interlaken – Zermatt – St Moritz – Tirano
• Designed by: Allan from It’s Sometimes Sunny in Bangor

This 10-day itinerary is breathtaking all year round – but at the same time it’s winter-inspired as it follows some of the highest peaks in Europe and takes you to some of the most popular destinations for winter sports in the Swiss Alps.

Many of the stops are hard to reach, so the most convenient start is Geneva near the France/Switzerland border.

A day or two is enough time to explore Geneva, the largest city in Switzerland, before forwarding to the charming administrative capital of Bern (2 hrs). You can cover the main attractions of this small but beautiful city in a day – the connecting bridges are a must see – before the next stretch to Interlaken (1 hr), a resort town known as the ‘adventure capital of Switzerland’.

Interlaken is an ideal base to explore the many surrounding mountain peaks including the famous Jungfrau. The 3-Day Jungfrau Travel Pass offers great value for money when exploring this area’s mountains by train and cable car.

This Swiss rail itinerary then takes you high into the alps to visit some of the most beautiful winter resort towns in the world. The first is Zermatt (2.5 hrs), set beneath the majestic Matterhorn (AKA the Toblerone mountain). Cable cars from Zermatt whisk you up towards the peak.

A day is long enough to explore the town before joining the Glacier Express , one of the most scenic train rides in the world. After 7 hours riding the rails through mountainous terrain you’ll finally reach St Moritz where you can connect to yet another breathtaking train, the Bernina Express, to cross into Italy. The trip ends at Tirano (4 hrs). Spend a day in this resort town before continuing on to Milan or Turin for onward travel.

The Balkans by Train: Zagreb to Bar

• Route: Zagreb – Belgrade – Bar

Bus is by far the preferred way to travel around the Balkans region – but there is one rail route that should be on every traveller’s radar. The train from Belgrade (Serbia) to Bar ( Montenegro ) is easily one of the most scenic and yet underrated in all of Europe.

With 10 days up your sleeve, you can tackle this full-day journey (the day train is highly recommended) plus add a few days in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb , at the beginning of your trip.

Zagreb is often overlooked in favour of Venetian cities along the Dalmatian Coast – yet Croatia’s capital is easily one of its most beautiful destinations , albeit in a slightly unconventional way. Zagreb is loaded with history, street art and beautiful churches, including the iconic St. Mark’s, with its colourful tiled roof.

After a day in Zagreb, board a train for Serbia’s capital, Belgrade (6 hrs). The former administrative centre of Yugoslavia is a must-visit for those interested in modern history and Brutalist architecture. Spend a morning at Avala Tower , climbing up to the viewing deck for a panorama, cycle around the concrete jungle that is New Belgrade, and wander the old neighbourhood of Zemun. House of Flowers, the final resting place of Josip Broz Tito, is a fascinating visit – but if you only have time for one museum in Belgrade, make it the Tesla Museum.

Completed in 1976 and officially opened by President Tito himself, the Belgrade to Bar train passes over no fewer than 435 bridges on its way to the Adriatic Coast. It’s all about the journey: The part of Montenegro the train traverses is absolutely stunning , especially when the train passes over marshy Lake Skadar.

When you arrive in Bar, make a detour to Stari Bar to explore the ruined old town and the aqueduct before finding a spot to relax on the beach. Pleasant swimming beaches can be found down the coast in Ulcinj – itself a good jumping off point for travelling into Kosovo or Albania .

The Netherlands’ Randstad: Rotterdam to Amsterdam

• Route: Rotterdam – Den Haag – Amsterdam
• Designed by: Erin from Pina Travels

This European train route brings you to three beautiful Dutch cities within a region of the Netherlands known as ‘The Randstad’, the most heavily populated and developed part of the country.

On this route, you’ll get to experience the best of Dutch culture , architecture, history and food. Travel times between cities are short and direct, which makes this an easy train itinerary with maximum time to explore each destination.

The route begins with three days in Rotterdam. During WWII, Rotterdam was completely flattened by bombing. The city has since been rebuilt, and is now a modern metropolis that’s packed with history, art, good food and amazing architecture. While in Rotterdam, check out the city’s famous ‘cube houses’ to walk among the blocks and visit the Show Cube Museum . You’ll also want to check out the Erasmus Bridge, the Van Nelle Factory (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and Market Hall, where you can enjoy Dutch art and food all under one roof.

From Rotterdam, take a quick 25-minute train ride to your next destination, Den Haag (The Hague). Plan to spend three days in this city, which is known for being the seat of the Dutch government since 1588. Den Haag is home to the Gothic-style Binnenhof complex and the 16th-century Noordeinde Palace, which is one of the Dutch Royal Family’s official palaces. You’ll also find plenty of museums, churches, and restaurants that are worth visiting.

Next, take a 45-minute train ride from Den Haag to the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam to witness the artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and iconic narrow houses for yourself. You’ll want to spend four days visiting popular attractions plus experiencing alternative things to do in Amsterdam .

Visit the Rijksmuseum to see the work of the Dutch masters and visit the Anne Frank Museum to learn the story of the Jewish wartime diarist. When you’re hungry, be sure to drop by Upstairs Pannenkoekenhuis to try some classic Dutch pancakes!

Portugal by Train: Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela

• Route: Lisbon – Coimbra – Porto – Santiago de Compostela
• Designed by: Or from My Path in the World 

Covering three of the biggest cities in Portugal along with the endpoint of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, this route is perfect for history and culture lovers, as well as for anyone looking to immerse themselves in Portugal’s laid-back yet lively atmosphere , taste great food and wine, and meet friendly locals.

Lisbon is a contagiously vibrant city and it’s worth dedicating four days to experience the best of it, including its landmarks, museums, enchanting neighbourhoods and culinary and nightlife scenes. Some of the must-sees are Sao Jorge Castle, the National Tile Museum, Belem Tower, and the Santa Luzia Lookout Point – but the bucket list goes on and on.

A 2-hour train ride will take you to Coimbra, a postcard-perfect city on the Mondego River. Coimbra is known for its 13th-century UNESCO-Listed university, one of the oldest in Europe . While touring it, it’s possible to visit the Baroque Joanine Library, the Botanical Garden, gorgeous courtyards, and much more.

Other things to do here include visiting Sé Velha (Coimbra’s cathedral), admiring the Manga Cloister, and watching a Fado de Coimbra concert. This music genre originated in Lisbon but Coimbra has developed its own typical style.

After two days, continue to Porto (1.5 hrs), another must-visit place in Portugal . Spend another two days in this city, a fantastic base to explore the Douro Valley if you feel like hiring a car. Visit Livraria Lello (an astounding bookstore), wander through the Crystal Palace Gardens, visit the Bolsa Palace, and cross the bridge over to Gaia to tour some top port wine cellars.

Lastly, Spain’s train company, Renfe, can take you from Porto to Vigo (2.5 hrs) and from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela (50-90 mins), where you can spend your last day and a half. As the endpoint of the pilgrimage route Camino de Santiago, its highlight is, of course, the impressive UNESCO-Listed cathedral, built in the 11th-13th centuries.

Mainland Greece: Athens to Thessaloniki 

• Route: Athens – Meteora – Thessaloniki
• Designed by: Chrysoula from Greece Travel Ideas

This 10-day train journey in Mainland Greece covers the country’s two major cities and the natural wonder of Meteora.

The train ride from Athens to the port city of Thessaloniki via Meteora is dramatic, as it passes through narrow valleys and steep mountainous countryside. The greatest treat is the chance to discover Meteora, with its amazing rock formations and six monasteries perched on high rocky crags.

Athens is rich in archaeological treasures that are easy to visit on foot. Other things to see include the Archaeological Museum, the various markets, and the Changing of the Guard ceremony in Syntagma Square. Four days or longer is required to enjoy all of these attractions.

The train from Athens to Meteora (Kalambaka station) leaves Larissis Athens station in the early morning and takes 4.5 hours. The journey passes through beautiful mountainous countryside with narrow valleys. It’s quite a long walk to the first of the monasteries and they are spread out across a wide area, so it’s best to take a taxi or pre-book a guided Meteora tour.

Most visitors to Meteora stay for two days in nearby Kastraki or the larger town of Kalambaka. All 6 of the monasteries are open to the public and accessible via stone-cut steps, but it’s advisable to limit yourself to 3-4 per day.

The train journey from Kalambaka to Thessaloniki takes 3.5 hours. Thessaloniki is an attractive port city with a rich history and reputation for good food, so it’s ideal to spend at least 2-3 days here. Thessaloniki has several notable Byzantine, Roman, Ottoman, and Sephardic Jewish monuments. In contrast, there are lovely beaches within easy reach, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife.

Czechia & Germany: Prague to Munich

• Route: Prague – Nuremberg – Munich
• Designed by: Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure

This 10-day train journey is all about beautiful buildings, rich history and – if you’re a fan – drinking lots of delicious beer!

Each of these cities has something special to offer and no shortage of things to keep you entertained. They’re also all quite close to one another, so you won’t waste too much time getting from one spot to the next.

The trip starts in Prague , one of the most beautiful capital cities in Europe, where you’ll spend three nights. On day one, walk through some of Prague’s most beautiful neighbourhoods before checking out Vysehrad castle in the afternoon. End your first day trying Czech food classics such as pork, dumplings and of course, beer! 

Start the second day with a walking tour through the Old Town and Wenceslas Square, take photos on the Charles Bridge, then enjoy a river cruise in the evening. On your third and final day in Prague, see the John Lennon Wall, visit the famous Prague Castle, and end with a beautiful view from Letna Beer Garden.

From Prague, head out on a 6-hour train journey to Nuremberg, where you’ll spend three nights. Your first day in Nuremberg should be dedicated to exploring the Old Town. Don’t miss Weissgerbergasse, a street filled with historic timber houses.

Take a guided tour of the Nuremberg Memorial to learn more about the Nuremberg Trials and visit the courtroom where the trials took place. For more history, visit the Nazi Rally Grounds and Documentation Centre on the afternoon of day two. For something lighter, admire the artwork at Albrecht Dürer’s House and visit the Imperial Castle of Nuremberg.

To finish, take a one-hour train ride from Nuremberg to Munich for your final 4 days. Get your beer fix at a local beer hall or garden, tour the beautiful Old Town, including Marienplatz and Frauenkirche, shop the food markets, and visit local museums.

On your last day in Munich, head out on a day trip. Visit Dachau, the oldest and largest concentration camp in Germany for an important tour through history, or head to Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration behind Sleeping Beauty .

Ukraine’s Big Three: Kiev to Lviv

• Route: Kiev – Odessa – Lviv
• Designed by: Amy from Moonshine and Minibuses

This itinerary hits the three most-visited cities in Ukraine , giving you an eclectic overview of Europe’s biggest country.

While you can take the day train in order to enjoy the views, Ukraine’s night trains are the recommended affordable way to cover a lot of ground quickly. If you’re nostalgic, the overnight trains are often a trip into the past!

Landing in Ukraine’s capital will launch you right into the middle of one of the most dynamic countries in Europe. From colourful medieval legends to stoic Soviet architecture , centuries of history are on display at every corner.

With four days in Kiev, join the pilgrims in the monastery caves of Lavra Pechersk and peek at mummified monks, explore the luxurious private residence of ousted President Yanukovych, and dine at restaurants headed by internationally renowned chefs.

Just when you’re getting into the groove of Ukraine, head to Odessa, the Pearl of the Black Sea, travelling either by intercity or overnight train. Odessa has a reputation for being a party town (that it gleefully lives up to), but in addition to the beach clubs and Gilded Age bars, make sure you take some time to learn about the history of the city. Established under Catherine the Great, it has a diverse and dramatic background.

After two or three days of living life to the fullest in Odessa, head towards Lviv. This city is nearly 800km from Odessa, so it’s best to take the overnight train. Considered a cultural hub, Lviv is a tapestry of idyllic European scenes, from its cobblestone streets to its skyline of church spires. Wander down alleys, pop into coffee shops, and peer into the myriad of churches.

End your trip to Ukraine at an underground bunker-style pub, a craft beer ‘theatre,’ or the regal opera house (or even the cocktail bar below it!).

Transiberian Express: Siberia to St. Petes

• Route: Irkutsk, Siberia – Moscow – St. Petersburg
• Designed by: Sinead from Map Made Memories

This itinerary offers something for everyone as it combines historic sites and the fantastic architecture of the big cities with small-town rural Russia, nature trails and scenic landscapes.

Spend a day exploring Irkutsk on foot following the city’s ‘green line’, a tourist trail painted on the pavement that covers points of interest around the city. Take a full day trip to Lake Baikal 70km away. Shop in the fisherman’s market at tiny Listvyanka, visit the wooden Church of St Nicholas, take a boat trip on the world’s deepest lake, or enjoy a scenic hike in the hills surrounding the lake.

The train from Irkutsk to Moscow takes around three-and-a-half full days following a popular stretch of the Trans-Siberian Railway route.

When you arrive in Moscow, spend 3-4 days visiting the imposing Kremlin, Lenin’s Tomb and the incredible Armoury. Tour opulent churches such as the iconic St Basil’s Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

For an amazing view of sprawling Moscow, head to the deck on the top of the Central Children’s Store, an enormous toy store in the centre. Spend a day riding the elaborately decorated Russian Metro system and make a stop at VDNKh to view the sculptures and to visit the Museum of Cosmonautics.

The journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg takes 4 hours on the fast train or 8 hours on a slower overnight train.

Enjoy a leisurely trip on St. Petersburg’s canals before exploring the elaborate Winter Palace (try to book tickets in advance as there are usually long queues). Make time to visit the ornate Church of the Spilled Blood, decorated from floor to ceiling in tiny, colourful mosaics depicting intricate biblical scenes.

The Best of Britain: London Loop

• Route: London – Bath – Cardiff – Liverpool – Edinburgh – York – London
• Designed by: Tracy from UK Travel Planning

This 10 day best of Britain by rail itinerary is the perfect way for first-time visitors to explore some of the most popular cities across Britain’s three nations. In addition to visiting the three capitals, the itinerary also includes a trio of England’s most beautiful and interesting smaller cities.

A round trip itinerary, the journey starts and ends in London. To start, explore the sights, landmarks and attractions of the UK capital . A guided tour may be the best option to make the most of your day.

Departing from London, head to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed city of Bath. Travel time by train between the cities is around 1.5 hours with direct services departing from London Paddington to Bath Spa. The main highlights of Bath include the Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and the Royal Crescent. Sally Lunn’s is a popular cafe for a cake and a cuppa. On your third day, continue exploring Bath or jump on the train to Salisbury and Stonehenge.

After spending two nights in Bath, travel to the Welsh capital Cardiff (1 hr). In Cardiff, visit the castle, stroll the centenary walk or join a Gavin & Stacey or Dr Who themed tour.

Travel from Cardiff to Liverpool (3.5 hrs) and spend an afternoon exploring the main sights of the city including Albert Dock. Another option here is to take a Beatles tour and visit the childhood homes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, fills the itinerary for days 6-7. There are plenty of things to do and see over two days, including Edinburgh Castle, walking the Royal Mile, shopping on Princes Street, and enjoying the views from Arthur’s Seat.

Then, travel from Edinburgh along the Northumberland Coast and through the cities of Newcastle and Durham before arriving in York (2.5 hrs). Walk the city walls, visit York Minster, learn about the city’s history at the Jorvik Viking Centre, and shop on the Shambles. For the best afternoon tea, head to the iconic Bettys Tea Rooms before travelling back to London on day 10 (2 hrs) to complete your loop.

To put a festive spin on this UK road trip, consider timing your journey to spend Christmas in London .

Norway by Train: Bergen to Oslo via the Flam Line

• Route: Bergen – Voss – Myrdal – Flam Fjord – Gudvangen – Laerdal – Flam – Myrdal – Oslo
• Designed by: Tracy from Tracy’s Travels in Time

This rail itinerary from the coastal city of Bergen to Norway’s capital, Oslo, is perfect for those who want to experience the breathtaking beauty of this Scandinavian country. Train lovers will enjoy travelling on the Flam railway, which is recognised as one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world.

Spend the first couple of days exploring the city of Bergen. Not-to-be-missed highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of old Hanseatic wharf and the buildings at Bryggen, Bergen’s fish market, and a ride on the funicular to Mount Floyen for spectacular views of the city.

On day three, hop on the train to the small resort town of Voss. The journey takes 1.5 hours with beautiful views along the way. If you’re visiting in summer, enjoy the hiking trails around Voss. In winter, make sure you book accommodation in advance as Voss transforms into a popular ski resort.

After spending the night in Voss, take the train to Myrdal (1 hr) where you alight and transfer to the Flamsbana Line. This is one of Norway’s most popular attractions, so book your tickets in advance.

As well as the Flamsbana, there are a few things to do and see in Flam including the museum – but the main attraction is the fjord on which Flam sits. Catch a boat and enjoy a spectacular scenic trip along two of Norway’s most famous fjords to the neighbouring village of Gudvangen.

The next few days offer the perfect opportunity to explore the local area. Stay in Gudvangen overnight before catching a bus to the nearby town of Laerdal via one of the longest road tunnels in the world.

Relax for a few days, enjoy a few hikes or cycle around. Explore the Gamle Laerdalsoyri village in Laerdal, whose wooden houses date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The Borgund Stave Church near Laerdal is the best preserved stave church in Norway and can be reached by bus or bicycle.

On day eight, take the bus to Flam (50 mins) and jump onto the Flam railway back to Myrdal. Trains run from Myrdal to Oslo up to four times a day, but be sure to check connections.

The final two days of this itinerary are spent in Norway’s capital, Oslo. Explore the city’s museums (fans of artist Edvard Munch can experience his works at the new Munch Museum) and enjoy the architecture, cafes and foodie culture .

Northern Spain: Madrid to Barcelona via Basque Country

• Route: Madrid – Bilbao – San Sebastián – Zaragoza – Barcelona
• Designed by: Vicki from Vicki Viaja

While many visitors to Spain only travel back and forth between the most popular destinations, this Spain 10-day itinerary leads you to the north of the country – an area known for its great food and unique culture.

The itinerary starts in the capital of Spain, Madrid. In three days, you can get a good first impression of Spanish culture and visit essential sights such as the Plaza Mayor and the Almudena Cathedral.

The journey continues to the north of Spain. In Bilbao (4-5 hours from Madrid by train), you can experience the unique culture of the Basque Country. Bilbao is also the ideal destination for art lovers. Besides the world-famous Guggenheim Museum, the art museum Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao awaits you.

San Sebastián, also called Donostia, is another example of a great city in the Basque Country. After taking the train from Bilbao (2 hrs), get to know the northern beaches. The most famous in the area is the Playa de la Concha. Don’t miss the sunset .

Continue 3 hours by train to Zaragoza, a beautiful city in Spain that is unfortunately overlooked by most travellers. The city is built in the typical Spanish style and its restaurants allow you to try lots of delicious dishes from the region. Particularly impressive is the Pilar, the city’s basilica, which is located in the center. It’s the largest of its kind in Spain and is considered one of the most important churches in the country.

The last stop is in the Catalan capital Barcelona , 90 minutes by train from Zaragoza. Spend a few days relaxing on the beach, soaking up Catalan culture, and discovering some of the most impressive buildings of the Modernisme movement, including the Sagrada Família, La Pedrera and Casa Batlló.

East Meets West: Istanbul to Bucharest

• Route: Istanbul – Edirne – Plovdiv – Sofia – Bucharest

This train journey is unique because it crosses continents, taking you from Istanbul from East to West, Asia to Europe, and through to Bulgaria and Romania. Trains in this part of Europe might be a little slower and less comfortable than what you’re used to, but that’s all part of the fun.

Start your epic rail journey the best way possible by crossing the Bosphorus into Europe. Istanbul is a huge, heaving city. Whatever time of year you visit – winter or summer – and however you choose to explore it – by focusing on the highlights, by wandering the less-touristy neighbourhoods or by letting your stomach guide you between the best restaurants and markets – you really can’t go wrong. Just make sure to set aside time for the Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar.

Before leaving Turkey , make an overnight rest stop in the city of Erdine (4 hours from Istanbul by train) to see the stunning 16th-century Selimiye Mosque before crossing the border into Bulgaria. As you continue moving north, you’ll see how the historic Ottoman influence has permeated the Balkans region.

While Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital city, has its draws and is worthy of a day or so of your time, Plovdiv is where you should direct most of your attention. One of the oldest cities in Europe, Plovdiv counts an immaculate Roman Amphitheatre and exquisite Bulgarian Revival architecture among its many virtues. To get there, you’ll need to take a bus or local train from Sofia.

The Sofia to Bucharest leg over the Danube river is another highlight of this itinerary – just be warned that it takes a full day to reach Romania’s capital and in the winter months , you may need to change trains at the border.

Devote some of your time in Bucharest to learning about Romania’s tumultuous recent history and don’t leave without visiting the vibrant Piata Obor market . One of the best things to do in winter is hop between the many cafes and wine bars, an experience that will show you a different side to the city.

Transylvania by Train: Bucharest to Sibiu

• Route: Bucharest – Brasov – Sighisoara – Sibiu

A perfect extension on the previous itinerary (or a wonderful rail journey all on its own), Transylvania by train is a slow travel experience that will allow you to soak up the magnificent landscapes and wild nature this part of Romania is known for.

This trip is all about the fortified churches, Saxon cities and magnificent castles, with a side of hiking (or skiing) plus plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in Transylvania’s unique culture along the way.

A road trip through this area of the Balkans will give you more flexibility, but the romance and nostalgia of the train can’t be beat. Connections are reasonable, times fast and fares extremely affordable, making this a great choice for budget-conscious travellers.

Departing from Bucharest, take an early morning train (1.5 hrs) to the small city of Sinai to visit the awe-inspiring Peles Castle. As you break through into mountainous territory and enter Transylvania proper, your first stop is Brasov, another hour north by rail. Brasov is the first of three charming cities on this itinerary and warrants at least two full days, with an afternoon set aside for visiting Bran Castle.

The fortified city of Sighisoara (4 hours by train) is smaller than Brasov but even more charming. Walk the old walls, admire the craft guild gates and climb up both the bell and church tower for a view.

Sibiu (3 hrs) is known for its distinctive vernacular architecture and grand main square – there are towers here that you can climb for an aerial view, too. Connections back to Bucharest are easy to find, or you can continue west to Timisoara then cross into Northern Serbia .

Classic Italy: Venice to Rome

• Route: Venice – Florence – Rome
• Designed by: Samantha from The Wandering Wanderluster 

Train travel is arguably one of the most romantic ways to travel. So why not travel by train through three of Italy’s most romantic cities?

Venice, Florence and Rome are three of the most-visited cities in Europe and fortunately they are very well connected by Italy’s high speed rail network, which means you can easily visit them all in 10 days.

The beauty of this short Italy itinerary is that it can be done in either direction and thanks to the frequency of train departures, you can pretty much leave and travel onto your next destination anytime you want.

Start your trip in the serene ‘Floating city’ of Venice in the north, known for its charming canals, gondolas and beautiful architecture that lines the main artery through the city, the Grand Canal. There is a lot to see in Venice but for first timers, three days is plenty for the main highlights.

Jump on a 2-hour train and arrive in the heart of the Renaissance city of Florence for another three-day stay. Art lovers will trip over their tongues at the sheer volume of masterpieces to see in the city, while foodies will want to devour their body weight in Bistecca alla Fiorentina and drown themselves in Tuscan wine.

Finally, head to Italy’s magnificent capital city, Rome, where there are as many ancient ruins as there are churches – the main must-visit being St Peter’s Basilica inside Vatican City.

Three Great Capitals: Paris to London

• Route: Paris – Brussels – London
• Designed by: Dymphe from Dymabroad

This is the perfect itinerary by train for visiting three of the greatest European capitals.

Start in the French city of Paris where you can glimpse the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum and Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre. To explore the highlights of the city, three days is a good amount of time.

The train journey from Paris to Brussels takes about 1.5 hours. The capital of Belgium houses some of the institutions of the European Union. After two days, continue to London (2.5 hrs) for Big Ben, London Eye, Tower Bridge, and Oxford Street.

There are plenty of Instagrammable places in London to check out. Three days in the city is plenty of time to see the most iconic sights.

Christmas Market Route: Frankfurt to Metz

• Route: Frankfurt – Cologne – Aachen – Liege – Metz

This festive-themed train trip around Europe takes you between five of the region’s most atmospheric Christmas Markets in Germany, Belgium and France. Travel times are short, so you can easily accomplish this route while the markets are in full swing.

Frankfurt’s Christmas Market dates back to 1393 and is one of Germany’s largest and most spectacular festive events. While you wait for Römerberg square to transform into an open-air market, spend your days in Frankfurt roaming the riverside and the reconstructed Altstadt Old Town. For more things to do in Frankfurt, see this list .

If you’re looking for something special to buy from the market in Frankfurt, a locally made blue-and-white pitcher jug is a great choice. Save some room in your suitcase, though, because there’s lots more shopping to come.

Cologne (60 minutes from Frankfurt by train) and Aachen (30 minutes from Cologne by train) boast two more gorgeous German-style Christmas Markets.

When your time in Germany draws to a close, cross the border by train to visit Liege (20 mins) where you’ll find yet another classic market, this time with Belgian souvenirs and food . Finish with a scenic train trip through Luxembourg to the French city of Metz (4 hrs), where a special gastronomic market awaits.

More Europe travel inspiration

• Europe road trip itinerary inspiration : 13 ideas for winter
• Foodie experiences in Europe
• Best places to go in Europe in fall
• Train travel packing list

Awesome information. I am going to use this guide to enhance my travels abilities.

So happy I came across this post! What a great list! I really like the look of the Swiss rail trip.

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Traveling by Train in Europe: Where, Why, and How

Train travel has been the transportation method of choice in Europe for many years for good reason: Europe is dense enough that train travel is efficient, taking you from city center to city center much quicker than you can when flying.

Buying Train Tickets and Rail Passes

The easiest place to buy your train tickets in Europe is at Rail Europe. They also sell rail passes, which are convenient if you plan on making lots of journeys.

Top International High-Speed Train Routes

Europe has an extensive high-speed rail network, connecting cities such as Paris, Barcelona , and London quickly and easily.

The main two international services are the Eurostar (connecting London with mainland Europe) and the Thalys, which connects Paris to Belgium, Holland and north-west Germany, with Brussels as the main hub.

Within the Schengen Zone , Europe's border-free zone, you can board a train in one country and end up in the other without even realizing it. Though Britain isn't in the Schengen Zone, border controls for Eurostar routes to and from London are conducted by both countries before you depart, which means you can just jump off the train and walk out the station at the end of your journey without standing in any lines.

Check out some of the best international routes in Europe:

• London to Paris 2h30m
• London to Brussels 2h
• Paris to Brussels 1h20m
• Paris to Barcelona 6h30
• Frankfurt to Paris 3h50m
• Hamburg to Copenhagen 3h55m
• Frankfurt to Zurich 4h

Of course, you're actually more likely to be taking trains within a single country. Read on for country-specific advice for train travel in Europe.

Spain has more kilometers of high-speed rail tracks than anywhere else in Europe (and is second worldwide, after China). All the routes go via Madrid, which means you'll probably need to change there to get from north to south, although there are some continuous routes that cross the entire country.

High-speed trains in Spain are known as the AVE.

• Madrid to Barcelona 2h30m
• Madrid to Seville 2h30
• Barcelona to Seville 5h15m
• Madrid to Malaga 2h20

Germany started the high-speed train movement in Europe, but the roll-out stagnated for some years, which means that key routes (such as Berlin to Munich) don't yet exist. (You can still take the train from Berlin to Munich, but it's not really any quicker than the bus.

High-speed trains in Germany are called ICE. 

• Berlin to Hamburg 1h55m
• Frankfurt to Cologne 1h20m
• Frankfurt to Munich 3h10m

 The high-speed rail network in Italy is essentially one long line that connects Naples to Turin, via Rome , Florence, Bologna, and Milan.

• Rome to Florence 1h20m
• Rome to Milan 2h55m
• Rome to Bologna 1h55m
• Rome to Naples 1h45m
• Rome to Turin 4h05m
• Milan to Bologna 1h
• Milan to Turin 45m

There are not many high-speed rail routes in France, though the network is expected to roll out further in the next few years, eventually connecting Paris to Bordeaux.

• Paris to Lyon 1h55
• Paris to Marseille 31h15
• Paris to Strasbourg 1h45
• Paris to Lille 1h

Train Travel vs. Flying

How do these travel times compare to flying? Let's consider a one-hour flight. We'll add a half hour to get to the airport via taxi or rail connection (remember to add the costs!) They'll want you to be there well in advance of take-off, let's say an hour minimum. You've already doubled the travel time, and you're not even close to your destination.

Then consider that it takes a half hour to get your bags and get to the front of the airport to survey the options to get you into town. Choosing a taxi, you might be lucky to get to the city center and your hotel in a half hour. Add another hour in total to your travel time.

So now we're at 3.5 hours for a "one-hour" flight.

Another thing to consider is that budget airlines often operate out of Europe's smaller airports. You'll have to consider this when you want to take a budget flight to connect your international flight to your final destination. For example, most international flights arrive at London's Heathrow airport, but budget airlines tend to fly out of London Stansted, London Gatwick or London Luton airports.

Some airports are notoriously far from the city they claim to serve. Ryanair calls Girona in Spain ' Barcelona-Girona ', even though it is 100km from Barcelona, while Frankfurt-Hahn Airport is 120km from Frankfurt itself!

Prices for budget airlines and high-speed rail connections are often similar, though flights are often cheaper when booked well in advance and more expensive at the last minute.

Train Travel vs. Driving

High-speed train travel is invariably quicker than driving. It will also usually be cheaper when traveling alone or in a pair. Remember that toll roads are very common in Europe, which will push up the price of your journey considerably. Only when you fill a car can you be more confident of savings. 

Here are some other pros and cons of driving as compared to taking the train.

Train Pros: Why You Should Take the Train in Europe

• Trains allow you to move easily between cities and European capitals. Most train stations are located near the tourist centers and have hotels nearby.
• No parking worries.
• With an unrestricted Eurail Pass, you can get on and off when you wish, often without the hassle of dealing with ticketing agents. You can take the train on a rainy day just to see the scenery, without having to worry about the unscheduled expense.
• You can sleep on a  night train , saving travel time and some of the cost of a hotel.
• You can pay full attention to the scenery at hand.

Car Pros: Why You Should Rent or Lease a Car on Your European Vacation

• It's easy to get to small, out-of-the-way towns and hidden romantic getaways.
• Go where you want, when you want. You don't have to go by the train timetable.
• Visit sights out in the countryside without having to sign up for an expensive tour.
• When you see something compelling in transit, you can leave your luggage in the car (albeit at some risk!) and explore your surroundings.
• Many people can travel at the same cost--if you choose a large enough car.

Train Cons: Why You Shouldn't Take the Train

• If you want to experience an event in the countryside, you'll most likely have to sign on to an expensive tour or figure out the local buses, which aren't on a tourist schedule.
• Usually, two people travel for double what one person can travel for. A large family traveling on a train is usually quite a bit more expensive than stuffing them into a rental car, especially in northern Europe, where train fares tend to be higher. This is changing as there are deals on train tickets that allow families to travel on a discount. On the other hand, keeping young children entertained may be easier on the train.

Car Cons: Why You Don't Want a Car

• In a major city, you'll have to deal with parking and related fees,  if  you can figure out how to get to your destination in the first place.
• You'll have to deal with the worries involved with driving in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar rules.
• Many cities in Europe have restricted traffic zones in the city centers, like the  Zona Traffico Limitato in Italy , made to confound tourists. Ticketing is automatic via cameras and can be quite expensive.

About Single Europe Train Tickets

Choosing Madrid-Barcelona Air Shuttle Vs the AVE Train

Guide to Bus and Train Travel in Spain

How to Travel From London to Paris by Train, Bus, Plane, and Car

How to Travel from Madrid to Barcelona by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane

5 Ways to Find the Cheapest Train Travel

AVE Trains in Spain

How to Travel From Rome to Naples by Train, Plane, Bus, or Car

Germany Guide: Planning Your Trip

How to Get the Best Hotel Deals in Europe

How to Travel From Florence to Paris by Train, Bus, Plane, and Car

How to Get from City to City in Spain

How to Travel From Zurich to Paris by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane

The 12 Best Day Trips From Barcelona

How to Travel from Frankfurt to Paris by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane

Step-By-Step Budget Tips for a First European Vacation

The Man in Seat 61

A beginner's guide to

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia.

Breakfast in London, dinner in Barcelona

There's no need to fly within Europe.  It's surprisingly easy, quick and comfortable to travel by train from London to almost anywhere:  Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Prague, Helsinki, wherever...  The difficult bit is finding out how to do it and where to buy tickets.  That's where Seat 61 comes in.

This website explains the best routes, train times & fares from London to major destinations all over Europe, and between major European cities.

It explains the best way to buy tickets for your specific journeys, whether you live in the UK, mainland Europe, the USA, Australia, wherever.

Train times & tickets

If your journey starts in the UK , select your destination country in the upper drop-down box to see the best routes, train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

If your journey starts in another European country , select the city where your journey starts in the lower drop-down box - if it isn't listed, select one nearest to it in the same country.

Return to this page for general information & advice about European train travel.

Planning your trip

How to buy tickets, luggage, bikes, dogs & cars, about specific trains & routes, station guides, how to check train times.

If you only remember one European train travel resource

Apart from seat 61 of course - make it int.bahn.de .  This has an excellent online timetable for the whole of Europe, probably the most useful European train travel resource on the net.  Ask it for Palermo to Helsinki or Lisbon to Moscow and you'll see what I mean.  These tips may help:

Place names

It recognises English-language place names & prompts with station or city names.

If you don't know which station to select

The safest option is to select the plain city name, often in capitals, for example PARIS or BERLIN.  The system will work out which is the relevant station for your journey.

If it only offers specific stations, try to select the main station in that city, which may be shown as main station or (in Italy) Centrale , in the Netherlands as Centraal , in Germany or Austria as Hauptbahnhof, Hbf or HB (= main station in German), Hlavni in Czech or Glowny (Gl.) in Polish.

In Brussels, Brussels South Station is the main station, also known as Brussels Midi or Brussel Zuid .  In Barcelona, select Barcelona Sants .  In Verona, select Verona Porta Nuova .  In Turin, the main terminus station is Torino Porta Nuova , but the TGV trains to/from Paris use Torino Porta Susa , which many trains leaving from Porta Nuova heading for Venice or Rome also call at.  In Venice, Venice Santa Lucia is on the Grand Canal in central Venice, Venice Mestre is on the mainland.  In Lisbon, select Lisbon Santa Apolonia .

It only holds data for the main rail operators

Plus some smaller operators, not for all trains everywhere.  Notably it does not cover:

- Some private open-access operators such as Italo in Italy.

- The Circumvesuviana Railway, Naples-Herculaneum-Pompeii-Sorrento.

- Euskotren in Spain, operating narrow gauge local trains between Hendaye, San Sebastian & Bilbao.

- FEVE in Spain, who run narrow gauge local trains along the north coastal towns.

- Spanish suburban routes including Barcelona to Latour de Carol and Barcelona to Portbou & Cerbère.

- It doesn't always hold complete or 100% accurate data for the Balkans or Greek domestic trains.

For British train times it's better to use www.nationalrail.co.uk as this will show any engineering work alterations.

Timetable changes in June & December

It usually holds data only until the next Europe-wide timetable change , which happens twice a year at midnight on the 2nd Saturday in June & December.  So don't be surprised if it shows no trains running in late December if you ask it in August, that's beyond the December timetable change.  Data for dates after the December timetable change usually starts to come online by mid-October and isn't 100% reliable until early December.  Also note that data for French, Italian & Spanish trains will only be held for the next few months, not for the whole timetable period.

This system is very good, but some railways (typically the Spanish, Hungarians, Polish & Balkan railways) can be late in supplying data, and data can be unreliable in some parts of the Balkans, for example.  If you get strange results you can try the railway operator's own website instead, for example www.renfe.com for Spain or www.ose.gr for Greece.  There's a complete list of rail websites on the useful links page .

You can adjust transfer time

By default the system allows the minimum time to change trains, whether changing into a local train that runs every 30 minutes or into a sleeper train which you can't afford to miss.  It won't suggest impossible connections, it always allows enough time to walk from one train to the other if the first train is on time, but it doesn't take into account the possibility of the first train running 20 minutes late. 

It's a good policy to allow more time for transfers, so click in the From box to open the details panel, then change Transfer time from Normal to (say) at least 40 minutes .

On a through ticket you're legally entitled to later onward travel if a delay means a missed connection ( more info on that here ), but with separate non-refundable train-specific tickets the risk is yours so you should allow more than the minimum, see more about how long to allow for connections here .

You can specify a route or add stopovers

Click Stopovers to set one or two via stations if you want to find journeys via a particular route.  By adding a duration in hours and minutes you can specify stopovers at these stations.

Fares & tickets

int.bahn.de will show train times for virtually any journey in Europe, but will only show fares and sell tickets for journeys to, from or within Germany, plus a few cross-Germany routes such as Belgium/Netherlands to Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic.  To check fares for other journeys, see the How to buy European train tickets page .

DB Navigator is a free online train timetable app for all of Europe, the app version of the German Railways all-Europe online timetable at bahn.de.  It provided a journey planner, train details, and calling points, though it needs a WiFi or mobile data connection.  To download, go to int.bahn.de/en/booking-information/db-navigator (please let me know if that link stops working).

Railplanner is a free offline train timetable app that you can download onto your phone to check train times & train calling points on the move without the need to be on WiFi or to use mobile data .  It's blisteringly quick and covers almost all the train covered by the DB Navigator app.  The whole European timetable sits on your phone, with updates automatically downloaded every month.  It's created with Eurail and Interrail passholders in mind, but is useful for anyone. Download for iPhone or Android at www.eurail.com/en/plan-your-trip/rail-planner-app - please let me know if the link stops working!

Station arrivals & departures

Click here & enter a station to check scheduled train departures or arrivals at almost any station across Europe.  This is an online equivalent of the printed departure posters displayed at stations.  It shows real-time information for stations in Germany if you pick today's date, but for 'real time' information in other countries, see the real-time section below .

The European Rail Timetable

The world-famous European Rail Timetable is the train traveller's bible, with route maps and up-to-date timetables for trains, buses and ferries for all European countries, plus trains in Asian Turkey and Russia including the Trans-Siberian railway, ferries to North Africa & the Mediterranean islands.

Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook pulled the plug on their entire publishing department, and the August 2013 edition was the last to be published by Thomas Cook.  The good news is that the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and a reborn European Rail Timetable continues to be published.  Remarkably, the timetable has now survived its parent company, as Thomas Cook collapsed in 2019.  What does it contain?

Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu for around £16.99 with shipping worldwide.

If you live in the UK you can also buy from www.amazon.co.uk , it's eligible for Amazon Prime next-day delivery.

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How to check fares & buy tickets

This section has turned into a bit of an essay .  If you just want to know how to buy tickets, skip this section, go to the How to buy tickets page , select a specific journey and I'll tell you how to book it.  If you're interested in how European train booking works (or doesn't), read on.

Reality check:  No single website sells tickets for all trains in all countries

Although you can look up train times almost anywhere in Europe using int.bahn.de , there isn't a single website that can show fares & sell tickets for every European train in every country.

So you can't go to europeanrailways.com (there's no such site) and buy a Stockholm to Alicante ticket (there's no such ticket).  It's perfectly possible to travel by train from Stockholm to Alicante, but we're talking 6 trains run by 5 different operators ticketed with at least 4 separate tickets.  Ah, I see from the look on your face that realisation is beginning to dawn...

Each country has its own national operator with its own website

Each national train operator has its own website and its own ticketing system.  Then there are various private operators, either genuinely independent such as Italo , Regiojet or Leo Express , or pseudo-independent such as TGV-Lyria created by the relevant national rail operator(s) to run specific international routes.

In fact, Europe has over 50 different rail operator websites selling train tickets for their own trains, even before considering third-party ticket resellers.  You need to use the right website for the right journey.  So which is the relevant operator for your journey?

If you go to the How to buy tickets page , select your starting city, and on the next page select your destination, you'll find my advice on how to book that specific route.

However, as a rule of thumb, if there's a named operator such as Eurostar or Regiojet you'd go to that operator's website, in this case Eurostar.com or Regiojet.com.  If it's a normal international train jointly run by the relevant national rail operators, your starting assumption should be to use the national rail operator website for the country where your journey starts, then check the one where it ends.

The pseudo-independent operators can also be booked at the owning national operator sites

Eurostar is owned by French Railways (SNCF) and others, and Eurostar tickets can also be bought at SNCF's website www.sncf-connect.com .  TGV-Lyria is owned by SNCF & SBB (Swiss Railways) and can also be booked at www.sncf-connect.com or www.sbb.ch.  The national operator sites can of course book other trains in their respective countries too, in connection with Eurostar or TGV-Lyria.  So London to Avignon by Eurostar & onwards French train can be booked as one transaction at French Railways www.sncf-connect.com , for example.  It can be useful to know that!

International trains can usually be booked at the national operator website at either end

For international journeys, your starting assumption is to book them at the national rail operator website for the country where the journey starts.  But if a train can be e-ticketed, you can also book using the destination country's national train operator website.

For example, Berlin-Prague trains are run jointly by German & Czech national railways, and can be booked at either German Railways int.bahn.de or Czech Railways www.cd.cz with print-your-own tickets.

Now it gets interesting, as this is one of the routes where each partner operator manages advance-purchase price levels independently.  So the price at bahn.de might be €39 (with cheaper €19 & €29 tickets sold out), whilst €19 tickets remain available for the same train at cd.cz.  It pays to check both!

In fact, even the fixed-price full-flex fare can differ between partner operators.  As I write this, Austrian Railways (ÖBB) charge €64 for a full-flex on-the-day ticket from Vienna to Prague, but even if you were in the ÖBB ticket office at Vienna Hbf, it'd be cheaper to whip out your phone and buy exactly the same ticket for the same trains from Czech Railways for €42.

But a word of warning:  Check ticket delivery carefully if buying from the operator at the destination end.  For example, Austrian Railways oebb.at issues print-your-own tickets for Vienna-Venice trains so can be used for either direction.  Trenitalia.com can also book these Vienna-Venice trains, but you must collect a hard-copy ticket from a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket office in Italy - not much help if you're starting in Vienna!

There are exceptions to this rule, of course.  The Paris-Milan Frecciarossas enter France on an open-access commercial basis, so can only be booked at Trenitalia.com, not SNCF-connect.com.  Whilst the competing Paris-Milan TGVs enter Italy on an open-access commercial basis and can only be booked at SNCF-connect.com, not Trenitalia.com.

Some trains aren't bookable online at all

Another reality check:  Slovenian, Croatian, Bulgarian & Turkish railways don't sell international tickets online, for example.  Trains between Slovenia or Croatia & Germany can be booked online in either direction at German Railways int.bahn.de .  Trains between Slovenia or Croatia & Austria can be booked online in either direction at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at .  But the only way to buy tickets from Ljubljana to Zagreb or Zagreb to Belgrade or Sofia to Istanbul, is at the station.

Longer journeys often need to be broken down into stages

Many international journeys involve a change of train, often this means a change of operator.  Operator websites may not be able to sell tickets for such journeys.  Nice to Milan can't be booked at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com , because SNCF can't access prices or tickets for the Trenitalia train between Ventimiglia & Milan (Ventimiglia is the border station where you change trains).  And the Trenitalia website can't book you from Nice to Milan either, because it can't access prices or tickets for the SNCF train between Nice & Ventimiglia.  You need to book Nice-Ventimiglia at www.sncf-connect.com and Ventimiglia-Milan at Trenitalia.com .  Two tickets, two bookings, on two different websites, such is the reality of Europe's rail network in the 21st century.  But there are two specialist retailer sites that resolve this.

Introducing www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com

Two ticket retailer websites deserve a special mention, www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com .  These connect to multiple operators, allowing tickets for trains across much of western Europe to be booked in one place.

They have their own journey planning logic, so (for example) they can work out a suitable journey from Nice to Milan using an SNCF train from Nice to Ventimiglia and a Trenitalia train from Ventimiglia to Milan, they then source the Nice-Ventimiglia ticket from SNCF and the Ventimiglia-Milan ticket from Trenitalia, and add them together to provide you with a Nice-Milan journey as one seamless transaction.

I often recommend www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com as they allow you to book tickets together in one place for journeys that would otherwise require multiple bookings on different websites.  They are designed for international users, so happily accept overseas payment cards (some national train operator sites struggle) and are written in plain English (some national rail operator sites slip back into local language or use poor English translations).  The downside is that they charge a small booking fee, but it's often worth paying that.

Raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com currently connect to the following national railways: Great Britain (National Rail), France (SNCF), Spain (Renfe), Italy (Trenitalia), Germany (Deutsche Bahn), Austria (ÖBB).  They also both connect to private operator Italo .  www.thetrainline.com also connects to Swiss Railways (SBB), the Benelux ticketing system (SNCB, NS & CFL) and private operators Regiojet & Westbahn .

Raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com come as close as you'll get to a pan-European train booking site, but even they don't yet connect to the Portuguese, Czech, Slovakian, Slovenian, Croatian, Hungarian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Bulgarian, Turkish, Greek, Romanian, or Polish Railways ticketing systems.  So for a €15 Lisbon-Porto ticket you still need to go to Portuguese Railways www.cp.pt and the only place you'll find a €21 Prague-Budapest ticket is Czech Railways www.cd.cz.  You get the picture?

More about who Thetrainline are .  More about who Raileurope are .

Incidentally, you might also come across Omio.com .  Omio has similar connectivity, but at the time I write this it doesn't have any journey planning logic.  So although it can sell you a Nice-Ventimiglia ticket using its connection to SNCF if you ask it for Nice to Ventimiglia, and it can sell a Ventimiglia-Milan ticket using its connection to Trenitalia if you ask it for Ventimiglia to Milan, if you ask it for Nice to Milan it will say there are no trains (and will suggest a flight) because it lacks the capability to plan the journey itself and combine multiple tickets.  It also says there are no trains for journeys where it lacks the necessary connectivity.  For example, Omio says there are no trains from Budapest to Zagreb and suggests a bus, but you can easily buy a train ticket from €19 from Hungarian Railways at www.mavcsoport.hu .  So it's important to understand a site's limitations.  Omio does have some extra connectivity, for example it connects to Swedish Railways sj.se so can be useful to book Swedish trains if sj.se rejects your credit card, and to Portuguese Railways cp.pt which no other site does.

So which website should you use to buy tickets?

Don't worry!  On seat61.com I'll tell you the right website(s) to use for any given European journey (well, almost).  Go to the How to buy European tickets page and select your starting city.  On the next page, select your destination city.  I'll then explain the different ways you can make that specific journey and which website(s) to use to buy tickets.

To check fares & buy tickets in one country

You can check fares & (usually) buy tickets for domestic journeys at each country's national rail website, see the links page for a complete list .

To check fares & buy tickets for international journeys

The national rail websites listed above sometimes sell international tickets to neighbouring countries as well, but often only in a limited way, for example tickets for direct trains.  However, you'll find detailed advice on how to book specific international journeys on the How to buy European tickets page .  Here are some general rules of thumb.

Rule-of-thumb 1, try www.raileurope.com & www.thetrainline.com .

These connect to the British, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian, Benelux systems and can easily book journeys including multi-operator journeys to, from and within those countries.

Be aware of their limitations:  You still need to use other sites for journeys not covered, for example they don't connect to the Portuguese, Norwegian, Finnish, Croatian, Bulgarian, Czech or Hungarian ticketing systems.  They also charge a small booking fee, you can avoid paying any fee by buying direct from train operator websites, using the following rules of thumb.

Rule-of-thumb 2 , if you know that the train you want is run by a specific operator, go to that operator's website:

- www.eurostar.com for Eurostar trains between London & Paris, London & Brussels or anywhere in Belgium.

- www.tgv-lyria.com or www.sncf-connect.com for TGV-Lyria high-speed trains between Paris & Switzerland.

- www.regiojet.com for Regiojet trains between Vienna & Prague or Prague & Bratislava.

Rule-of-thumb 3 , otherwise, simply go to the national train website for the country where your journey starts.  Although there are many exceptions to this rule, as you can see below:

- For journeys starting in London : 

   www.eurostar.com for Eurostar to Lille, Paris, Brussels or anywhere in Belgium.

   www.nsinternational.nl or www.b-europe.com for journeys to Rotterdam, Amsterdam or anywhere in Belgium or the Netherlands.

   www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com for journeys to anywhere in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Milan, Turin, Germany. 

- For journeys starting in Paris & France :

   The French Railways site www.sncf-connect.com sells many journeys from Paris & French cities to neighbouring countries.

   For journeys from Paris to Germany, it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For journeys from Paris & France to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria it's better to use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Brussels, Bruges or Belgium :

   The Belgian Railways international site www.b-europe.com will handle journeys to neighbouring countries.

   For journeys from Belgium to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Rep. it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For the Nightjet sleeper from Brussels to Vienna it's better to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Amsterdam & the Netherlands:

   The Dutch Railways international site www.nsinternational.nl will handle journeys to neighbouring countries.

   For journeys to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Czech Rep., Sweden it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For the Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam to Munich, Innsbruck & Vienna use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Switzerland :

   The Swiss Railways site www.sbb.ch can book journeys to neighbouring countries, for example Paris.

   For journeys to Paris you can also use French Railways www.sncf-connect.com , it's worth checking prices there too.

   For journeys to Italy, it's better to use Italian Railways www.trenitalia.com as SBB can't sell Trenitalia's cheap fares beyond Milan.

   For journeys to Germany, Benelux & Denmark it's better to use German Railways int.bahn.de .

   For journeys to Austria you'll often find cheaper prices at the Austrian Railways site www.oebb.at .

   For the sleeper train from Zurich to Prague sleeper, book using Czech Railways www.cd.cz as Sbb.ch can't sell it.

   For the sleeper trains from Zurich to Vienna, Budapest, Hamburg & Berlin use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at or www.thetrainline.com .

- For journeys starting in Italy :

   The Italian Railways site www.trenitalia.com can book many international trains from Italy, but not the French-run trains Milan-Turin-Paris.

   For journeys from Milan or Turin to Paris, use French Railways www.sncf-connect.com .  Add connecting tickets from other cities at www.trenitalia.com .

   It's better to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at for Venice-Vienna day & sleeper trains, Rome-Florence-Vienna/Munich sleeper trains.

- For journeys starting in Germany : 

   German Railways int.bahn.de sells through tickets to most neighbouring countries. 

   For travel to Austria, it's often cheaper to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at , so check this too.

   For travel to Prague, it's often cheaper to use Czech Railways www.cd.cz , so check this too.

   For Nightjet sleeper trains within Germany & to Switzerland & Austria, it's better to use Austrian Railways www.oebb.at .

- For journeys starting in Austria:

    Austrian Railways www.oebb.at can book journeys to most neighbouring countries.

   For travel to Germany, also check German Railways int.bahn.de as they can occasionally be cheaper for the same train.

   For travel to Prague, check prices at Czech Railways www.cd.cz too as they can be cheaper than ÖBB for the same train.

- For journeys starting in Prague :

    Czech Railways www.cd.cz can book journeys to most neighbouring countries.

  For journeys between Prague & Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm also try German Railways int.bahn.de .

- For journeys starting in Budapest :

   Hungarian Railways www.mavcsoport.hu can book journeys to most neighbouring countries.

   For journeys to Germany, you can also check prices at German Railways int.bahn.de , but the Hungarians are usually cheaper.

   For journeys to Austria, you can also check prices at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at , but the Hungarians are usually cheaper.

   The sleeper trains from Budapest to Zurich & Munich can also be booked at www.oebb.at .

- For journeys starting in Slovenia or Croatia

  Zagreb or Ljubljana to Germany can be booked at German Railways int.bahn.de .

  Zagreb or Ljubljana to Austria can be booked at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at .

  Other international journeys (e.g. to Belgrade or Budapest) cannot be booked online, you have to go to the station.

- For journeys starting in Poland :

   Polish Railways haven't yet enabled online booking for international trains, except for than Berlin-Warsaw.

   You can book from Warsaw or Krakow to German cities at German Railways int.bahn.de and print out your ticket.

   The sleeper train from Warsaw & Krakow to Vienna can be booked at Austrian Railways www.oebb.at as you can print your own ticket.

   All other international tickets starting in Poland can be arranged through reliable ticketing agency www.polrail.com .

- For journeys starting in Copenhagen :

   Danish Railways www.dsb.dk can't sell international tickets.

   German Railways int.bahn.de can sell tickets from Copenhagen to Germany, Brussels, Amsterdam, Prague, Switzerland.

- For journeys starting in Stockholm & Sweden :

   Omio.com (formerly GoEuro) or www.sj.se can sell tickets to Oslo or Copenhagen or within Sweden. 

   German Railways int.bahn.de can sell tickets from Stockholm, Gothenburg & Malmo to anywhere in Germany.

   German Railways int.bahn.de can also sell tickets from Stockholm, Gothenburg & Malmo to Amsterdam, Brussels, Switzerland & Prague.

Rule-of-thumb 4 , break the journey down

I have lost count of the times I've advised travellers to split the booking and book each section of the journey, or if necessary, each individual train, at the relevant operator's website.

For example, int.bahn.de comes up with silly-money €246 prices if you ask it for Paris to Vienna, a journey which passes through Frankfurt, but it will happily sell you a Paris-Frankfurt ticket from €39 and a Frankfurt to Vienna ticket from €29 if you break the journey down.

Similarly, Prague to Venice can't be booked online anywhere, but the Czech Railways site www.cd.cz/eshop will happily sell you a Prague to Vienna ticket from €14 and Austrian Railways www.oebb.at will book the Vienna-Venice sleeper from €59 with couchette.

There are endless examples of this all over Europe, some creative thinking is often required!

Rule-of-thumb 5 , some trains cannot be booked online

Remember that some trains simply cannot be booked online so will need to be booked by phone or at the station.  For example Zagreb to Belgrade, Belgrade to Montenegro, or Sofia to Istanbul.

I'll say it again, for advice on which website to use for which specific European train journey, see the How to buy European train tickets page .

It matters whom you call!  Some agencies are better for some journeys than others because of the ticketing systems they use.

You'll find a list of agencies with advice on who to call on the How to buy train tickets by phone page .

Maps of the European rail network

Free online rail maps.

This free online rail map of Europe is a good basic overview of the extent of the European railway network.  It's intended for people using a Eurail or Interrail pass so leaves out many routes in non-Interrail/Eurail countries such as Russia & Ukraine, and leaves out many smaller lines even in countries covered by these passes.

For more detail, try the zoom-able online map of European (and indeed, world) railways at www.openrailwaymap.org .

You can also try the Swiss Railways all-Europe online map at maps.trafimage.ch .  Zoom in for more detail.

For the best (and official) map of the UK rail system, click here .

For an online map of the French rail network click here .

For an online interactive map of the German rail network click here .

For the best (and official) map of the Swiss rail system, click here .

But for a decent map of all European train routes, you really need to buy one of the printed rail maps listed below.

Rail Map Europe:  Buy here

Travellers' railway map:  buy here, rail atlas of europe by ian allan:  buy here.

Ian Allan Publishing do an excellent hardback rail atlas of Europe for around £21, available through Amazon.co.uk .  You can also buy it in the USA at Amazon.com .

Rail Atlas of Europe by M Ball:  Buy here

There's another highly-detailed European Railway atlas covering the whole of Europe, europeanrailwayatlas.com , price £24.95 in 122-page paperback book form covering 23,000 locations with free PDF version for your computer, tablet or phone.

Real-time train running information

Are the trains running on time?  Delays, incidents, strikes or disruptions?

London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar

Changing trains in paris.

Train journeys from the UK into Europe often involve a change of train and station in Paris.  Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord , which is an easy 7 minute 500m walk from the Gare de l'Est but a metro or taxi ride from the other Paris stations including the Gare de Lyon .

See the Changing trains & stations in Paris page for advice on metro, RER and taxi travel, and an easy route guide.

The Paris metro website is www.ratp.fr .

If you want to spend some time in Paris, by all means take an earlier Eurostar on the outward journey or a later one on your return.  There are left luggage lockers at several Paris rail stations if you need to leave your luggage somewhere.

You can avoid the hassle of crossing Paris when travelling to many French destinations, by changing at Lille , see the London to France page .

Changing trains in Brussels

The ferry alternatives, london to paris by train & ferry.

London to Paris 'sleeper' option via Portsmouth-Caen:   There's an overnight train-ferry-train option where you can leave London Waterloo around 18:30, sleep in a comfortable cabin with en suite shower & toilet 22:45-06:45 on Brittany Ferries' overnight sailing from Portsmouth to Caen, then take a train from Caen to Paris St Lazare arriving around 11:05.  This is not a bad option if you need an alternative to Eurostar.  Times, fares & info for travelling from London & Portsmouth to Paris by overnight train & ferry are shown here .

London to Amsterdam by train & ferry

Uk to spain by ferry, other useful ferry routes.

DFDS Seaways ( www.dfds.com ) sail overnight from Newcastle to IJmuiden near Amsterdam, see the Newcastle-Amsterdam page .

Should you go 1st or 2nd class?

2nd class is absolutely fine for most travellers.  There's no need to pay for a 1st class ticket to travel in comfort these days, especially on the fast modern air-conditioned express trains.  So if you're on a budget, don't bother with 1st class unless you are offered prices that make it silly not to upgrade.

For most of us, 2nd class is the norm unless the Company is paying.  If you're visiting Europe from overseas, rest assured that there are very few peasants and chickens in 2nd class these days.

What more do you get in 1st class? 

First class gets you wider seats, plusher seats, more leg and elbow room, and fewer passengers per coach.  In most cases, assume that is all.  Luggage room is the same, perhaps with fewer passengers per coach using it, but this is not a sensible reason for paying a 1st class fare as there's always room for luggage in any class.

On a few premier trains including Eurostar , Spanish AVE trains & Lyria , some 1st class fares include an at-seat service of food & drink, but these are the exceptions.  Unless you're told otherwise, you should assume that a 1st class ticket simply gets you a nicer seat with more leg and elbow room, surrounded by more business travellers with laptops and fewer families with kids.  On German ICEs and Austrian railjets , food & drink is not included but in 1st class a steward will take orders and serve you at your seat, in 2nd class you have to go to the bistro or restaurant car.

Tables for two & solo seats:   First class cars generally have seats arranged 2+1 across the width of the car (two seats abreast, then the aisle, then one solo seat), hence the wider seats with more elbow room compared to 2+2 seating in 2nd class.  So in a typical first class car you'll find face-to-face tables for two and solo seats as well as tables for four - if you're a couple, facing each other across an intimate table for two, both of you getting a seat that's both window and aisle, is a key advantage of going 1st class.  As is booking a solo seat if you're travelling alone, a seat that's both aisle and window, where you aren't sitting next to anyone else.

Train seat numbering plans :  Click here for train seating plans

1st class can be an affordable treat

Don't decide until you see the price!  Most train operators have airline-style variable pricing, you might find 2nd class costs €40 and 1st class only €45 because of the way the price quotas have worked in each class.  In which case you'd be crazy not to pay an extra €5 to upgrade!

On sleeper trains, class is irrelevant

On sleeper trains, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket is almost irrelevant, as your comfort depends on the type of sleeping accommodation you pay for:  Seat, couchette, or sleeper.  A 2nd class couchette is more comfortable (and more secure) than a 1st class seat.  A 2nd class sleeper is more comfortable than a 1st class couchette (where such things exist).  In fact, on most routes only a 2nd class ticket is now needed for a 2-bed sleeper.  On nightjet sleeper trains , for example, all accommodation is now classified as 2nd class, even deluxe sleepers with shower.  The options for travelling on overnight trains are explained here .

Should you make a seat reservation ?

Local, suburban & regional trains in most countries don't have seat reservations.  You just get on and sit where you like, like the London Underground or New York Subway.

Long-distance trains in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden & Poland are usually all-reserved and every ticket comes with a seat reservation automatically included, free of charge.  The same goes for international trains to, from or between these countries including Eurostar , TGV-Lyria , Paris-Barcelona TGVs , Paris-Milan TGVs , Paris-Milan Frecciarossas and Paris-Germany TGV/ICE trains .  Such trains often don't have any displays showing which seats are reserved and which free because it's assumed that all passengers have a reserved seat.

Long-distance trains in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark & much of central Europe are usually reservation optional .  You can travel without a reservation (the risk is you may have to stand at busy times) or you can pay a small fee to reserve a seat.  If you don't have a reservation you can sit in any empty unreserved seat - an electronic display above each seat (or on older trains, a little printed slip in a slot) show which seats are reserved.

Making a short journey mid-week in February as a solo traveller I might not bother making a reservation, especially if I'm joining at the station where the train starts so will have my pick of the seats.  But if you're making a long journey or travelling on a busy Friday or Sunday afternoon or travelling with your family or in a small group, I strongly recommend making a reservation to be sure of a seat.  You are usually offered the option of adding a seat reservation when buying a ticket online, if you fail to add one you can sometimes make a separate seat reservation only booking later, the German, Austrian & Czech railway websites can do that, but not all websites.

Forward-facing seats

I know from experience that American visitors in particular (if you'll forgive me for saying so) are obsessed with facing forwards.  Europeans less so, as we are used to trains with half the seats facing one way, half the other, and we know that it's no big deal as trains run smoothly on rails - think cruise liner restaurant, where half the diners are going backwards at 18 knots without noticing!

On most European trains you cannot specify which way your seat faces.  The reservation system knows the carriage seat layout, but it cannot predict which way round the train will enter service that day.  Indeed, on some routes the train reverses en route, for example on a journey from Rome to Venice, seats which are backward-facing from Rome to Florence will be forward-facing from Florence to Venice as the train changes direction at Florence SMN which is a terminus.  Similarly, trains from Zurich to Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna change direction at Buchs, before the Austrian border.

There are a few cases where a forward-facing seat can be requested.  Some operators including Eurostar keep their trains a particular way round, for example on Eurostar car 1 is always at the London end, car 16 at the Paris end.  You can often select your seat from a seat map when you book such trains direct with the relevant operator, the direction of travel is often indicated on the plan so you can see which seats face which way.  On a few TGV routes in France a clever dual numbering system allows the correct set of numbers to illuminate depending which way round the train is, which in turn allows the reservation system to offer a choice of forward-facing seat if you book at www.sncf-connect.com or www.thetrainline.com .  In the UK, we have traditionally had a much simpler low-tech system.  Two seats facing each other have the same number, say 15, the one facing is 15F and the one going backwards is 15B.

Remember that on trains where reservation is optional (domestic trains in Benelux countries, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, and much of Eastern Europe) you can sit where you like, and if you find your reserved seats not to your liking just sit elsewhere.  However, in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, all long-distance trains are all-reserved so you usually have to stick with your reserved seats.

My favourite arrangement in first class on most European trains is a face-to-face table for two.  Both of you get a window seat, and both an aisle seat, and one seat is always facing forwards.  My wife usually gets that!  It also means you get the full length of a window to look out of, not half a window.

Which side of the train?

On some routes the best scenery is on a particular side of the train, for example the left hand side going south along the Rhine Valley from Cologne to Mainz, or the right hand side from Switzerland into Austria through the Arlberg Pass.  I try and mention which side to sit on the relevant pages of this site, if it matters.

However, many reservation systems won't let you choose which side of the train to sit as the train or carriage could enter service either way round.  Only in some cases is direction of travel shown.  On trains where reservation is optional (domestic trains in Benelux countries, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, much of central Europe) you can sit where you like so can move if your reserved seat is on the 'wrong' side.

First class lounges at stations

There are first class lounges at some major stations, usually with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks or even beer and wine, plus WiFi and charging points.  Sometimes the lounge is for anyone with a first class ticket (which may or may not include first class Eurail or Interrail passes), in other cases the lounges are only for holders of the most expensive premium-fare first class tickets or who have that train operator's frequent traveller loyalty card. Here's a quick guide:

Eurostar business lounges at London St Pancras, Paris Nord & Brussels Midi

Eurostar has a business lounge opening off the departures hall after security at London St Pancras , Paris Nord & Brussels Midi with complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine & spirits, beer and snacks.  The lounge has toilets, free WiFi and charging points.  The London and Paris lounges also have a free cocktail bar, open afternoon until evening.

The business lounges are open to holders of Business Premier tickets or holders of Eurostar's top-tier Carte Blanche loyalty card.  They are not open to holders of Standard Premier tickets or railpass holders. 

Paris & France

Anyone with any 1st class ticket for TGV-Lyria trains from Paris to Switzerland can use the SNCF Salon Grand Voyageur at Paris Gare de Lyon in Hall 3 with free WiFi, hot drinks and water.

Apart from this, the Salon Grand Voyageur is only open to travellers with SNCF loyalty cards or the most expensive full-price 1st class Pro tickets.  You can use it with any 1st class ticket if you have a Eurostar Carte Blanche loyalty card.

All the other major Paris termini and many big city stations across France have an SNCF Grand Voyageur lounge with free WiFi, hot drinks and water, but these are only for passengers with SNCF loyalty cards or the most expensive full-price 1st class Pro tickets.  You can use them with any 1st class ticket if you have a Eurostar Carte Blanche loyalty card.

Brussels & Belgium

Eurostar (formerly Thalys) has its own lounge at Brussels Midi, only for Eurostar (formerly Thalys) passengers who have the most expensive Premium class tickets.  Not open to holders of Comfort class (= regular 1st class) tickets or to railpass holders.

Apart from this there is no first class lounge at Brussels Midi , but I consider the bar at the Pullman Hotel to be the best VIP waiting room for the price of a beer.

Amsterdam & the Netherlands

There is an NS International Lounge at Amsterdam Centraal at the western end of platform 2 and there are similar lounges at Schiphol & Rotterdam Centraal .  You can use these lounges with any type of 1st class international ticket including 1st class Eurail & Interrail passes.

Follow the signs for NS International Lounge, check www.nsinternational.nl for opening times.  Tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks available. 

Switzerland

Unfortunately, SBB closed their first class lounges at Zurich & Geneva at the end of 2016, citing lack of use.

Trenitalia has Freccialounges at major city stations.  These are only for holders of the most expensive Executive class tickets or who have Trenitalia's own frequent-traveller loyalty card.

Competitor Italo also has lounges at major city stations, branded Club Italo.   These are only for holders of the most expensive Club class tickets or who have Italo's own frequent-traveller loyalty card.

There is a Renfe Sala Club lounge at Madrid Atocha , Madrid Chamartin , Barcelona Sants , Malaga Maria Zambrano, Seville Santa Justa, Cordoba, Valencia, Alicante, Girona, Zaragoza Delicias, Valladolid and several other stations. 

The Sala Club is open to anyone who has paid the Premium fare, or who has a 1st class ticket for an international AVE (but not TGV ) to France.  Typically open from 06:00 to 22:00 every day.  You can use them from 2 hours before your train leaves until departure.

Tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer and snacks available.  For details search www.renfe.com .

There are DB Lounges at major stations, but only for holders of the most expensive DB Flexpreis tickets.  You cannot use the lounges if you have a 1st class Sparpreis or Super Sparpreis ticket or Eurail or Interrail pass.

They don't admit holders of tickets for regional trains or trains operated without DB involvement such as Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , Nightjet , European Sleeper or the Munich-Prague trains .

However, if you have a Eurostar Carte Blanche loyalty card you can use a DB Lounge with any ticket.

There are lounges at Berlin Hbf , Bremen, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main Hbf , Frankfurt Flughafen , Hamburg Hbf , Hanover, Cologne Hbf , Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich Hbf , Nuremberg, Stuttgart.  Typically open 07:00-21:00 daily, follow signs for DB Lounge , search int.bahn.de for opening times.

There are ÖBB Lounges at Vienna Hauptbahnhof , Vienna Meidling , Linz, Salzburg , Innsbruck , Graz & Klagenfurt.

These Austrian lounges are really useful because you can use them for up to 90 minutes before or after your journey with almost any type of 1st class ticket or with a ticket for any type of sleeper for Nightjet or EuroNight trains and with a 1st class Eurail or Interrail pass.

There's one exception:  You can use the lounge with a 1st class DB Sparpreis or Flexpreis fare, but not with a Super Sparpreis fare.

Typically open 06:00-21:00, for details see www.oebb.at & search for ÖBB Lounge .  Tea, coffee, soft drinks, snacks & free WiFi available.

Budapest & Hungary

Budapest Keleti has an excellent business lounge on platform 9 , open 06:00-21:30 daily.  This lounge is really useful as it can be used by anyone with a 1st class international ticket to, from or via Budapest, or a single or double sleeper ticket, or a 1st class Eurail or Interrail pass with a reservation for a train that day.  Unfortunately, there's no lounge at Budapest Deli or Budapest Nyugati.

Prague & the Czech Republic

CD (Czech Railways) has a lounge at Prague Hlavni with newspaper and free WiFi, but it's also open to 2nd class passengers with tickets for the higher categories of train such as EuroCity and SuperCity so it's more upmarket waiting room than 1st class lounge.  The excellent Fantova Kavárna upstairs in the historic station hall makes a better VIP waiting lounge for the price of a cup of coffee.

PKP Intercity used to have poorly-advertised lounges at Warsaw Centralna & Krakow Glowny , but strangely closed them in 2014 due to lack of users.

Copenhagen & Denmark

DSB Danish Railways have DSB1 lounges for first class passengers at Copenhagen , Aarhus and Odense.  Open Monday-Friday only.  Passengers with 1st class tickets for SJ trains to Stockholm or Intercity trains to Germany can also use it.  For details search www.dsb.dk and use Google Translate.

Stockholm & Sweden

SJ have a first class lounge at both Stockholm Central & Gothenburg Central open to all first class ticket holders   It's open Monday-Friday only morning until mid-evening, for details see www.sj.se .

Travelling overnight

Sleeper trains are a time-effective and romantic way to travel.  Huge distances can be covered while you sleep, using less daytime time than flying and often saving a hotel bill, too.

Forget about first and second class on sleeper trains, these terms become misleading.  The real classes on an overnight train are seat, couchette and sleeper.  In fact, all accommodation on nightjet sleeper trains is now technically 2nd class, even a deluxe single-bed sleeper with shower.  Although some operators still require a 1st class ticket for a single-bed sleeper.

Incidentally, trains don't have sterns or bows or port or starboard as they are not a ship.  They also don't have cabins , the correct term has always been a sleeper or couchette compartment .

Click for sleeper & couchette car berth numbering plans , this answers the typical worry We have berths 21 & 25, are we in the same 2-berth compartment?   Yes, you are!

...in a sleeping-car

A sleeping-car is the equivalent of a hotel :  A cosy bedroom, with comfortable beds, washbasin, and room service.  Sleepers come in 1, 2 & 3 berth varieties, depending on the route, whether you have a 1st or 2nd class ticket, and the price you want to pay.  For the daytime parts of a journey, the beds fold away to reveal a sofa.

If you are travelling alone and don't want to pay for a 1st class single room, you can normally book just one berth in a 2 or 3-berth room and share with other passengers of the same gender (though this is currently not possible in Italian domestic sleepers).

In addition to the normal lock, sleeper compartments have a security lock which cannot be opened from outside even with a staff key, so you'll be both safe and snug.  The most modern sleepers now have CCTV in the corridor, too.

On most sleeper train routes there are inclusive fares covering travel, sleeper & breakfast.  If you have an Interrail or Eurail pass, you can look up the additional cost of a sleeper on the Interrail & Eurail reservations page .

For more detailed information about what to expect when travelling by sleeper, see the Travelling by Sleeping-car or Couchette page or the information about specific sleeper trains, including:

- Nightjet sleeper trains linking Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland.

- Prague to Krakow sleeper train .

...in a couchette

A couchette is rail's answer to a youth hostel or pensione:   Economical and comfortable, it's an ordinary seating compartment for 4 or 6 people by day, with fold-out padded bunks for 4 or 6 people by night, each with sheet, rug & pillow which you arrange yourself.  Male and female passengers normally share the same compartment (although there are 'ladies only' compartments on most routes), and apart from removing shoes & jackets,  passengers do not normally undress.

A berth in a 6-berth couchette compartment costs around €20-€27 per berth per night, in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass.  A berth in a less-crowded 4-berth couchette compartment costs around €30-€37 per berth per night, in addition to a 2nd class ticket or railpass.

In addition to the normal lock, couchette compartments have a security lock or chain which cannot be opened from outside, even with a staff key, so you'll be quite safe.  1st class couchettes (4 berths per compartment) are rare, they pretty much only exist in on the few remaining French domestic overnight trains .

There's more detailed information about what to expect when travelling by couchette on the Travelling by Couchette or Sleeping-car page .  For more specific information, if your journey involves a nightjet, see the nightjet sleeper train page .  If your journey involves a French domestic Intercité de Nuit overnight train, see the Intercités de Nuit page .

...in a seat

Although it's the cheapest option, travelling overnight in an ordinary seat is a false economy.  It's not recommended however tight your budget, either for comfort or security, unless there's no other option.  There's no lock on the compartment door, and no staff on duty.  Think of it as the equivalent (almost!) of sleeping in a shop doorway.  Always budget for at least the couchette supplement for a comfortable night's journey. 

How early to be at the station?

There are some exceptions .  Major Italian stations now have a simple manual ticket check between concourse and platform circulating area.  In France some major stations have automatic ticket gates when boarding long-distance trains, scan the barcode on your ticket and they open, they're work until 2 minutes before departure.  But it's still nothing like air travel.

Train composition posters

Is there passport control before boarding, how long to allow for connections , it takes just minutes to change trains, if your onward train is a local one, if your onward train is all-reserved, if your onward train is a sleeper, if connecting out of a sleeper.

Example   You're catching the Cologne-Munich sleeper train, due to arrive in Munich at 07:10.  There are onward connections to Salzburg at 07:25 and 09:30, both with cheap fares available which are only valid on whichever specific train you choose.  Online systems and the European Rail Timetable suggest the 07:25.  But is this a safe connection?  No, it isn't.  Even this excellent sleeper train can arrive 20, 40 or 60 minutes late, and it pays to be on the safe side.  In this case I'd recommend booking the 09:30 and having a leisurely breakfast in Munich.

Through ticket or separate tickets?

Recommended connection times when changing stations in paris, travel tips, what happens if you miss a connection, if things go wrong ..., here's what you should know.

With a through ticket the international conditions of carriage (CIV) give you a cast-iron legal entitlement to travel on by later trains if a delay means a missed connection, so tight connections aren't necessarily a problem.

However, through tickets no longer exist for many journeys and you'll often be given separate tickets for each train.  Unfortunately, CIV protection only applies to connections within each ticket, not between tickets.

The good news is that rail staff will usually help you out if there's a delay, as connections between separate tickets and different operators are often covered by the Agreement for Journey Continuation (AJC) or RailTeam/HOTNAT , which I explain below.

If you miss a connection

If you are on a delayed Eurostar and you realise you're going to miss your onward connection, Eurostar train managers carry a HOTNAT / CIV stamp and will endorse your ticket.  They may walk through the train helping people with connections, or may announce that they are available in a particular car.  Similarly, staff on other European trains can usually endorse or stamp your ticket if their train is delayed.

Tip:  If crossing Paris by metro, buy a metro ticket in the Eurostar cafe-bar car to save vital minutes, you might still make your connection.

It's good to be aware of your rights under the international conditions of carriage or CIV and its limitations, and of AJC & HOTNAT .

An example...   I was travelling from London to Bordeaux on a Eurostar running 40 minutes late.  It looked like I would miss my connection in Paris, and naturally my onward ticket was train-specific & non-changeable!  An announcement was made that the train manager was in the bar car to help passengers with connections.  He stamped my ticket and told me to go to the ticket office at Paris Montparnasse to get myself rebooked on a later train.  In the event, I bought a metro ticket from the Eurostar cafe-bar to save time at the metro station (important tip!), I walked to the front of the train as we approached Paris, I had allowed a little more than the recommended minimum 60 minutes to cross Paris in any case, and I made my connection!

If you miss a Eurostar due to a delayed train

If you miss a connection in brussels, your rights:   civ conditions of carriage.

Unfortunately, this CIV missed connection protection only applies within a single contract for carriage, in other words, within one ticket.

If you have a through ticket from A to C changing at B, your connection at B is protected if there's a delay.

But if you have a ticket from A to B and a separate ticket from B to C, your connection at B is not protected by the CIV as this is two separate contracts for carriage and CIV does not apply between contracts.  These days, many journeys have to be made using separate tickets.

For example, there are no through tickets between London and Germany, so if you book a journey from London to Berlin, even as one transaction on one website, you'll get a London-Brussels Eurostar ticket and a separate Brussels-Berlin DB (German Railways) ticket.  This is two separate contracts for carriage and CIV does not protect you for a missed connection in Brussels, between the two tickets.

The CIV were written when through tickets were the norm for almost all European journeys, these days many through journeys have to be made using multiple tickets.  Frankly, the CIV are no longer fit for purpose.  I have spoken at the EU Parliament in Brussels on the subject!

Railteam & HOTNAT

Agreement on journey continuation ( ajc ).

The signatories to the AJC are:

SNCF (French Railways), DB (German Railways), ÖBB (Austrian Railways), Trenitalia (Italian Railways), Renfe (Spanish Railways), SBB (Swiss Federal Railways), BLS (Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon Railway), CD (Czech Railways), SNCB (Belgian Railways), NS (Dutch Railways), CFL (Luxembourg Railways), DSB (Danish Railways), SJ (Swedish Railways), SZ (Slovenian Railways), ZSSK (Slovakian Railways). 

Eurostar signed up to the AJC in 2023, as did MAV (Hungarian Railways), PKP (Polish Railways), HZPP (Croatian Railways) & European Sleeper .

The AJC doesn't currently cover some open-access operators such as Italo, Westbahn, Regiojet, Leo Express.

To qualify for help under the AJC:

Both trains have to be run by signatories to the agreement.

You have to be making an international journey, not a domestic one.

You must have allowed reasonable period of time between trains, meaning at least the minimum applied by official journey planners.

You may need to get proof of the delay from the delayed operator, which they are obliged to give you.

Onward travel has to be on the same operator on the same route.  It is either the station staff or the train manager for the onward train you gives you permission, you should ask at the interchange station.

Remember that the AJC is a commercial agreement between operators, it's not a passenger right you can claim.  So politely remind staff about it if they don't seem to know about it.

A traveller's report

A traveller reports:   "I got to my local station and there were no trains going anywhere!  There had been an emergency that stopped all trains for half an hour or so in the early morning rush hour, just when I needed to get to London for the 8.30am Eurostar to Paris and TGV down to Toulon, with train-specific tickets all the way.  So what do you do?  I just went to the ticket office when I reached London - they had the emergency flagged up on their computer screens and just wrote me a docket/stamped and signed it and on I went.  At St Pancras, I did the same - went to the Eurostar ticket office and they stamped the unused tickets, issued new ones and off I went.   At Gare de Lyon, I went to the ticket office, showed them all the dockets, stamped, stapled and initialled tickets and again they just issued me a ticket for the next train."

Holidays & tours by train

Railbookers , railbookers.co.uk.

Railbookers can custom-make a holiday or short break by train to most European countries for you, with train travel & carefully-chosen hotels, for however long you like, leaving on any date you like.  If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They look after their customers well and get a lot of repeat business, so I've no hesitation in recommending them.

Byway, byway.travel

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book European trips for you as a package including hotels, starting from any British station.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.

To see pre-configured packages from the UK to various destinations, use the journey planner on their website .

Tip:   First book a one-way outward journey to your destination city on your outward date.  Then change the direction of the arrow and book an inward journey on your return date.  The journey back to the UK can be from a different location if you like, for example if you plan to travel around a bit before your return to the UK.

Alternatively they can build a trip to your requirements, email them or use the contact form .  Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

Rail Discoveries , raildiscoveries.com

Great rail journeys , greatrail.com, general country guidebooks.

People sometimes think a guidebook is an unnecessary expense, but it's a tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip.  You will see and understand so much more if you have a decent guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think the best ones out there are either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks are excellent, and you won't regret buying one!

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk or buy in the USA at Amazon.com

H otels in europe, backpacker hostels.

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about the backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of dorm beds or ultra-cheap private rooms in backpacker hostels in most European cities at rock-bottom prices.

Car hire comparison:  www.carrentals.co.uk

The award-winning website www.carrentals.co.uk compares many different car hire companies including Holiday Autos.  That means not only a useful price comparison, but a wider choice of hire and drop off location.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here .  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  There's no need to buy a physical SIM card!  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone.  You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com .

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa.  They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities.  My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

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All Destinations , Europe , Overland Travel , train travel

The best train journeys in europe: as recommended by travel experts.

Have you ever wondered what the best train journeys in Europe are?

Europe is a small continent, and it’s relatively well connected by railways.

Some of these are nostalgic – like the Orient Express – and have slowly been forgotten about over time, as budget flights become more common. 

However, in today’s climate crisis, people are once again turning to trains, as they have a much lower carbon footprint than flights. 

Night train routes have restarted, meaning that once again, you can go to sleep in one country and wake up in another. 

There are plenty of other reasons to travel by train. Some routes are incredibly beautiful. 

Plus, whether you are trundling through the Swiss Alps, taking a train trip around the coastline of Cornwall or venturing from Europe to Asia on the Trans-Siberian railway, each route is a completely unique experience. 

Let’s have a look at some of the best rail journeys in Europe. 

What are the best train journeys in Europe? 

Here are some of the best train journeys in Europe:

• Palma to Soller train in Mallorca

The Bergen to Oslo Railway

• The Red Arrow in Russia
• Schafberg Cog Railway in Austria
• Jacobite Train in Scotland
• Belgrade to Bar in Serbia

Best Rail Journeys in Europe

Spain: palma to soller train (mallorca).

One of the best things to do in Mallorca is to take the old fashioned 1920s train from Palma, the capital, to Soller.

This train harks back 100 years, when rail travel was very different.

However, its slow journey through the Tramuntana mountains makes it one of the most scenic things that you can do in the Balearics.

You need to buy your tickets at the Palma main station on the day you wish to travel.

You then board the train, and arrive, 90 minutes later, in the town of Soller.

This place is famous for its beautiful Cathedral and bountiful restaurants.

To complete your journey, hop on a tram to Port de Soller, which is one of Mallorca’s best unspoiled beaches.

You can read more about the Palma to Soller train here.

UK: St Erth to St Ives Train

At 11 minutes, this is perhaps the shortest train journey on this list.

But it’s undoubtedly one of the most scenic. Hugging the Cornish Coastline from St Erth to St Ives, this route takes in perhaps the most tropical-feeling coastline in Britain.

After admiring the beaches, you’ll end up in the beautiful tourist town of St Ives, where there are plenty of things to do .

If you really enjoy the views, you could also walk back to St Erth along the coast path, which follows more or less the same route as the train and takes around an hour.

France and Spain: Paris to Barcelona TGV Train

If you love vibrant European cities, can’t decide between Paris and Barcelona and want to travel by train, the super-fast and comfortable TGV train between the two makes it easy to explore them.

Start your journey in Paris, the City of Light, where you’ll be dazzled by the French capital’s beautiful architecture, world-class art and amazing cuisine. 

When it’s time to depart, head to Gare de Lyon in the east of Paris. If you have time, stop for lunch at the spectacularly ornate Train Bleu restaurant first.

From Gare de Lyon, you’ll board a double-decker TGV train (the top deck seats have the best view).

The train will race across France, reaching speeds of over 300km/hr until it reaches the south.

Here, the slower speeds between stops like Montpelier and Perpignan allow you to see some of the gorgeous French countryside and coast. Then, you’ll cross the Pyrenees mountains and enter Spain.

Before the final destination of Barcelona Sants Railway Station, the train also stops in Girona.

The whole journey takes just over 6.5 hours and is made pleasant by comfortable seats, onboard wifi and a café carriage.

And when you reach your destination, there are many wonderful  things to do in Barcelona ,  including wandering the romantic Gothic Quarter, tasting tapas and marvelling at the bold and whimsical architecture of Gaudí, with sites like La Sagrada Família and Casa Batlló. 

By Martha from May Cause Wanderlust

UK: The Caledonian Sleeper Train

The  Caledonian Sleeper train  from London Euston to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands is one of our favourite train journeys, not only in the UK but in Europe too.

Six days a week, the Caledonian Sleeper departs London in the late evening and winds its way through the English countryside before crossing into Scotland.

As the train travels further north, the landscape becomes wilder and more remote until eventually the next morning it pulls into the station at Inverness, capital of the Highlands.

There are various accommodation options, ranging from luxurious double rooms, ensuite rooms with twin bunk beds, classic rooms with twin bunk beds or, for those on a budget, comfortable seats.

For passengers booking sleeping accommodation, the Club car offers a seasonal Scottish menu which you can enjoy before retiring to your room.

The Club car is also a great place to meet and chat with fellow travellers making the trip to Scotland.

Waking up and peering out of the train window to see the Scottish countryside passing by is a magical experience, and the Caledonian Sleeper is the perfect way to enjoy views of Scotland’s dramatic and beautiful landscape.

You can also catch the Caledonian Sleeper to other destinations in Scotland including Fort William, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

From these stations, you can connect to other routes like the West Highland Line. 

By Tracy from UK Travel Planning

Mr Henderson’s Railway

Mr Henderson’s Railway is the rail journey that connects Algeciras with the beautiful town of Ronda  in Andalucia.

The route was built in the early 1890s. What was once an arduous and dangerous journey on horseback is now a delightful 90-minute trip that services some of the traditional ‘pueblos blancos’ (white towns) that Andalucia is famous for. These include Jimena de la Frontera, Gaucin, Cortes de la Frontera and Jimera de Libar.

The journey starts in the port of Algeciras and, as you leave the industrial city behind and head towards La Almoraima, you’ll spot storks nesting on telegraph poles.

This part of the journey passes through the Parque Natural de los Alcornocales so keep a lookout for the cork oak trees after which the area is named.

You’ll be able to spot them easily by the bare lower trunks where the cork has been stripped.

From the comfort of your seat, you can enjoy the spectacular views unfolding as you pass through orange and avocado groves, as well as fields of sunflowers or poppies, depending on when you travel.

As the train crosses rivers and cuts through ravines via sixteen tunnels and twenty bridges, you’ll also see oleander trees growing in the valleys of the mountain peaks.

Alison Nicholson from Alison in Andalucia 

Pisa to Genoa

Some of the best scenic rail journeys in Europe are, surprisingly, just regional trains. On that is worth a mention is the route that travels from Pisa to Genoa. When journeying by high-speed train, this route takes about 1.5 hours.

Pisa is one of the most famous cities in Italy and Europe, fabled for its dramatic Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Besides that, it’s a student city and the atmosphere is incredible, with lots of restaurants, cafes, and bars.

Genoa, the capital of the Liguria region, is a much larger city than Pisa, and it is also a wonderful, yet much less visited place!

Because of this, you will feel more like a local when you go here. You can also find lots of local coffee bars in Genoa, and it is a great place to experience typical Ligurian food, such as pesto.

When travelling by train from Pisa to Genoa, you pass by the beautiful Cinque Terre. This is a collection of five colourful towns standing against the backdrop of the sea. 

This is one of the most scenic train rides in Italy because of the incredible Cinque Terre vistas! 

By Dymphe from Dymabroad

The Bergen to Oslo line in Norway is one of Northern Europe’s great railway journeys.

It’s also one of the most scenic, travelling 308 miles through forests, across frozen mountain plateaus, beside wild rivers, along the shore of serene lakes and through nearly 200 tunnels.

The journey on the Bergen Railway takes around seven hours on a comfortable electric train.

Look out for the cute Finse station, the highest station on the line and the highest point of the Norwegian railway system.

At the isolated Myrdal station, the Flåm Railway branches off at a precarious gradient on its way down to the Aurlandsfjord and the magnificent Kjossfossen waterfall.

One of the best ways to experience the Bergen railway is to travel on it as part of a Norway in a Nutshell tour , which is a tour company that offers rides on the Bergensbanen and the Flåm Railway. They will do all the planning for you!  

You can take the Bergen to Oslo railway all year round, but the long daylight hours make summer the best time to take the trip. 

By Helen from Helen on her Holidays

The Red Arrow, or  Krasnaya Strela in Russian, is a luxury overnight train trip running between Moscow  and St. Petersburg (and vice versa) every night.

It is the most comfortable and atmospheric sleeper train between these two smashing cities.

The historic train service started operating in 1931 and was initially reserved for only the communist party elite travelling between Moscow and Leningrad.

While the trains have been refurbished over the years to meet modern comfort and standards, the dark red carriages maintain their retro charm with wooden finishes and an air of nostalgia.

Today, everyday people like you and me can experience the best amenities, comfort and historic charm when travelling on the Red Arrow.

The train has sleeper cabins only, and travellers can choose between a first-class compartment with two berths or a second class compartment with four beds.

Bedding is provided, and the ticket also includes a breakfast delivered to your compartment before arrival the following day.

There is also a stylish restaurant car if you want to have a late dinner or get peckish at night.

Every night, the Red Arrow runs in each direction between Leningradsky Station in Moscow and Moscovsky Station in St. Petersburg. The journey takes about eight hours to cover the 600 odd kilometres.

By De Wet from Museum of Wander

Bükk Mountains

One of the most incredible European train journeys is the small diesel train from Miskolc in Hungary through the Bükk Mountains. 

It travels to Lillafüred – here, you can find some of the most exciting things to do in Miskolc including waterfalls, cave systems, gardens, and the tranquil Hámori Lake where you can float around in a wooden rowboat.

The train ride itself only takes about half an hour each way, but the views are spectacular.

It takes you out of the city, through thick forest that casually opens up to mesmerizing views of the valley, crossing bridges and negotiating narrow tunnels in the mountains. 

The conductor shuffles on the outside of the train checking tickets, but they must find shelter through the tunnels!

The Lillafüred forest train runs during summer and on the weekends in autumn – which is the absolute best time of the year to go due to the autumn colour show that nature provides.

To get to the train, take tram number one to Laev and buy tickets in the ticket office.

The train runs regularly throughout the day, but you should head there early so that you can get the most out of the day in Lillafüred before catching the train back.

By Linn Haglund from Brainy Backpackers

Venice to Florence Train

Taking the  train from Venice to Florence  allows you to enjoy a leisurely breakfast in St Mark’s Square and be in Florence in time to watch the sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo.

Ride in comfort aboard the Frecciarossa or Frecciargento high-speed train or take the slower scenic route that takes you through three of Italy’s most picturesque regions, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany where you’ll catch a glimpse of the beautiful rolling hills and cypress tree alleys.

If you have some extra time on your hands, take a break en-route and stopover in the historic city of Bologna, a foodie paradise known for its Bolognese sauce, meats, and wine as well as its striking piazzas and architecture, most notably its two towers.  

By Samantha from The Wandering Wanderluster

Isle of Man Steam Train

Taking a trip on a steam train is always a special adventure for young or old. The smell of the coal, the old-fashioned carriages and the certain clickety-clack during your journey are all so evocative.

The steam train railway in the Isle of Man is only 15.5 miles long. The three-foot narrow-gauge track is the longest narrow gauge steam line in Britain.

Running between the capital town, Douglas and the  town of Port Erin  in the south of the island, the line runs from the Spring through to the autumn. It is a popular attraction for tourists, but also for islanders travelling between villages.

During the summer, the sound of the whistle can be heard across the south as the white puffs of smoke float across the countryside. The journey takes around an hour and passes through fields, villages and along the coastline.

Built in 1874, the Isle of Man Steam Railway still has four original engines. The oldest engine, Caledonia, was built in 1885.  The carriages are beautifully maintained with vertically sliding windows which are lowered to open the doors.

You can book the 1905 Dining Car for dinner and sample some Manx fine dining in the Pullman style dining car.

By Larch from The Silver Nomad

Belgrade to Bar

The Belgrade-Bar Railway is one of the longest and most scenic train lines in the Balkans.

Spanning 476 kilometres (296 miles), it connects the Serbian capital with the small town of Bar on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast.

The line was constructed between 1958-1975 when Montenegro and Serbia were part of Yugoslavia.

It’s an absolutely spectacular ride, passing through more than 250 tunnels and over no fewer than 435 bridges and viaducts.

The mountain scenery is breathtaking, especially as you approach the highest point (1,000 metres above sea level) near the town of Kolašin.

But the highlight is riding over Skadar Lake, the largest lake in the Balkans and one of  the most beautiful places in Montenegro .

The train takes a narrow rail bridge, so you almost feel as if you’re skimming over the surface of the marshy waters.

All up, the journey from Belgrade to Bar takes 13 hours.

If you don’t have a full day, an alternative option is to board at Podgorica and ride down to Bar – it only takes an hour and it includes the beautiful lake portion of the ride.

Either way, it’s recommended to take the day train (rather than the overnight train) so you can soak up the beautiful views. Tickets cost around €25-€40.

By Emily from Wander-Lush

Schafberg Cog Railway

The Schafberg Railway is a beautiful nostalgic red cog railway in Austria. It runs from St. Wolfgang at Lake Wolfgangsee to the top of the Schafberg Mountain.

There are only two stops, the first at Schafbergalpe at 1363 meters and the second at the top station at 1732 meters.

The railroad line is only 5.85 km long, but the ride has stunning scenery and provides a unique experience.

With the nostalgic red rack railroad, you drive up a height difference of 1188 meters. All in all, the ride takes about 35 minutes.

While driving up the mountain, you enjoy a great view of Lake Wolfgang and the surrounding mountains.

Once you reach the summit, a mountain panorama like something out of a travel magazine awaits you. From there you can see the many glittering lakes in Salzburg and Upper Austria.

The red Schafbergbahn looks back on a long history, as the railroad has been around for more than 130 years. Construction work began already in April 1892 and the railroad was opened as early as 1893.

Today, it is one of the most famous tourist attractions in the region and a must-see when travelling to Salzburg or Upper Austria.

A ride on this nostalgic steam locomotive, one of the oldest in the world, is an unforgettable experience!

By Martina from  PlacesofJuma

Jacobite Train in Scotland 

The Jacobite Train ride in Scotland is one of the most scenic train journeys in Europe. This steam train is popularly known as the Hogwarts Express as it passes over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, featured in the Harry Potter films.

This 84-mile round-trip train journey starts at  Fort William, the outdoor capital of the UK  and terminates at Mallaig – a fishing port.

It takes about 2 hours on each leg of the journey with around 1 hour 45 minutes to roam around in Mallaig.

Throughout the journey, you get to admire the stunning beauty of the rugged West Highlands Coast of Scotland.

While the train slows down at the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct, gaze out to the Loch Shiel and soak up the beautiful scenery.

You can buy a 1st or 2nd class ticket for this train. First Class carriages are beautifully ornated and have a more comfortable seating arrangement.

You can pre-order an afternoon tea on this scenic train journey if you fancy it! On Standard Class carriage, you can buy sandwiches, crisps and hot and cold beverages from the trolley.

The Jacobite Train operates daily between April and October. The tickets sell out quite fast, so booking well in advance is recommended.

By Moumita & Sankha from Chasing the Long Road

Glacier Express 

Switzerland is almost unrivalled when it comes to scenic train journeys in Europe, with the magnificent Swiss Alps making for the backdrop of many of the region’s most breathtaking journeys.

One of the more famous of these is the Glacier Express, a high-speed train line that traverses through Alpine scenery as it connects the ski resorts of Zermatt and St Moritz.

Also known as ‘the slowest fast train in the world’, due to the time it takes to navigate the mountains, valleys and peaks of the alps, this one-way journey takes roughly seven hours of travel between the two destinations with just one stop along the way at Chur.

You’ll find some of the most scenic spots in the 2nd half of the journey, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Landwasser Viaduct’ and the Rhine Gorge which marks the beginning of the River Rhine.

But Zermatt itself is possibly the biggest attraction of the journey. It’s set beneath the backdrop of the famed Matterhorn which is probably the most iconic peak in Switzerland, if not the world.

The Glacier Express is also included on the Interrail/Eurail and various regional passes however seat reservation is necessary as places will fill up quickly during peak season (in the Alps, this is winter and summer).

Swiss Railways are generally very clean and punctual, and the Glacier Express is no exception. 

By Allan from Bangorni

Bucharest to Chisinau Train

There’s an overnight train from Bucharest to  Chisinau, Moldova , that is possibly unlike any other train in Europe: partway through the journey, it stops, and the wheels get changed.

Romanian and Moldovan train tracks are of different widths, so trains cannot circulate between the two countries without this swap.

It’s quite the experience since passengers must stay in the cars while the switch takes place. It is an incredibly noisy affair of screeching metal!

The wagons are uncoupled from one another, and each is hydraulically lifted a meter or so into the air. One set of wheels is removed, rolled away, and replaced by another set, and the wagon is slowly lowered.

Not only is the swap unusual, but this is one of the few Soviet-era trains still on the rails in Europe. It’s not designed for luxury or, frankly, even comfort, with thin, hard bunks.

But the plastic flowers and crepe curtains hark back to a time long ago, as does the Cyrillic lettering on the doors and the samovar that sits at the end of each railway car.

It may not be a luxury ride, but it is like few others.

By Leyla from Women on the Road

Overnight Train From Frankfurt to Copenhagen With a Surprise

Travelling overnight by train from Frankfurt, Germany, to Copenhagen, Denmark, is more of an adventure than you’ll expect! 

You’ll leave Frankfurt around midnight when it’s dark out, so you could try to get some sleep. It’s a challenge though since people get on and off at each stop, one of which is the large city of Hamburg. 

Somewhere between Hamburg and Copenhagen, your train will decide that it wants some time off and gets onto a “Ferry!”

Once the train gets on the ferry, you’ll need to disembark and climb to the upper decks of the boat. 

You might catch the sunrise as you cross the water, which is beautiful – albeit a bit strange, as you’ll have been expecting a train journey! 

After watching the sunrise, it’s time to get back on the train. Make a note of your cabin when you get off, so you know the right one to get back onto!

The train doesn’t wait around for that long, so make sure you jump up on time before the conductor alerts you that the train is leaving.

You’ll eventually pull into the glorious city of Copenhagen, home of the Little Mermaid and the Danish Royal Family. 

By Cynthia from Blue Bag Nomads

Taking the Eurostar high-speed train from London to Paris might not be a scenic train ride, but it is surely the most convenient journey in Europe – and it’s a bucket-list check for all train travel fans. 

Hopping on a train in central London and getting off in central Paris just a bit over two hours later, that’s a Europe traveller’s dream coming true! 

But wait, a train that connects the UK with the European mainland? Exactly. The Eurostar runs through a tunnel under the seabed of the Channel, the strait that separates the UK from France and the rest of Europe. 

Since 1994, passengers can effortlessly visit two of the most splendid European cities in a wink of an eye. There’s also no need for tedious airport commuting as both train stations are located in the heart of the city.

From Gare du Nord in Paris, it’s only a short walk to beautiful Montmartre, and St. Pancras in London is equally close to Covent Garden. 

Whether you are keen on  spending a long weekend in Paris or even just going on a day trip, with Eurostar you easily do it.

A flakey Parisian Croissant for breakfast and authentic Fish and Chips for Lunch? Just hop on the train! 

But don’t mistake it for a normal train ride, though. By crossing the Channel, you are leaving — or entering — the European Union, and certain requirements are in place.

Make sure to verify the needed paperwork before your trip and be there at least 45 minutes before departure.

By Lena from Salut From Paris

Munich to Fussen

Easily one of the best train journeys in Europe is the ride from Munich to Fussen.

Most people popularly take this route by  taking a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich , as it’s only a short few hours through Bavaria.

Along the two-hour train ride, you’ll be rewarded with some of the most breathtaking views of the Bavarian Alps.

If you’re lucky enough to be visiting around wintertime (or sometimes in March), there may even still be snow right out your train window.

You’ll be glued to the window for the whole ride because you won’t want to miss a thing!

The most popular way to take this train is to take the train right from Munich Central Station to Fussen.

You can purchase tickets at the train station, but if you’re visiting during a busy time of year like the summer, then you’ll want to secure yours online ahead of time.

Book for as early as possible, as during summer it gets very busy in the later morning and afternoon

Once you arrive in Fussen, your breath will truly be taken away as you explore the magical little town and its accompanying two castles.

By Krystianna from Volumes & Voyages

Tips for taking trains in Europe

Some of these trains are very speedy and are actually quicker than flying. But others take a long time – and the journey is part of the experience. This is slow travel at its finest! 

Just make sure that you’ve packed plenty of essentials (food, entertainment and toiletries) for the journey – what exactly you’ll need depends on the length of the train journey!

Make sure that you book your train tickets in advance, particularly during peak season. Trains often either fill up or become extremely expensive during these seasons. 

When booking a rail trip, make sure that you are aware of whether you have booked direct trains or trains that require a change . Sometimes the change can be quick, so be prepared! 

Where to buy European train tickets

Usually, the best place to buy European train tickets is the rail service website for that country. 

In England, this is National Rail . French Railways use SNCF, Austrian Railways have ÖBB and Czech railways have cd.cz.

However, it can be a bit difficult to purchase train tickets i f you’re not a resident of that country and don’t speak the language. 

This is because the website might not accept foreign cards and the translation could be difficult. 

Instead, you could use a universal service like Trainline to book your tickets.

This is ultimately a train finder that you can use across the continent. 

You can book international trains and domestic journeys with Trainline . 

These convenient and scenic rail journeys are incredible ways to see Europe. 

What is the longest train in Europe? 

Unsurprisingly, the longest train in Europe is in Russia. But it’s not the Trans Siberian, as that train journey is mainly in Asia.

Instead, it travels from Adler on the Black Sea to Vortuka , which is close to the Arctic Circle, and takes a whopping three days!

Which European country has the best rail system? 

Lots of countries in Europe have excellent rail systems, but Swiss Rail is widely regarded to be amongst the best!

What is the most famous train in Europe? 

Lots of people consider the Trans Siberian to be the most famous train in Europe, but it’s actually mostly in Asia. As is the Eastern Express train , which connects Ankara to east Turkey!

One of the most famous trains in Europe was the Orient Express . It still runs, but its a nostalgic historical experience now, especially for train lovers, and not the route that you’ll take to get anywhere quickly!

Incredible train journeys in Europe!

These fascinating and beautiful train journeys in Europe are well worth taking! They’re great for the environment and provide a unique travel experience that you won’t find elsewhere!

There’s so much of a country that you miss by just flying in. If you take the train, you’ll see beautiful landscapes and experience a local culture that you just don’t find in an airport’s arrivals lounge. 

Sure, travelling by train can be slower, but it’s a richer experience! 

If you want to read more about scenic rail journeys, make sure that you check out the rest of my train travel posts!

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A Comprehensive Guide to Train Travel in Europe

Train travel in Europe is the ultimate bucket list experience! Find out all you need to know about riding this continent’s extensive rails.

If you’re trying to explore any part of Europe without taking at least one train ride, good luck! It’s kind of part and parcel of the experience. Mastering train travel in Europe isn’t difficult. The rail system is vast, generally well-connected, and fairly easy to use, but there are a few tips you need to know before planning your itinerary. In this ultimate guide to European train travel, we’ll discuss why, when, and who should take the trains, which trains you should book, how to get tickets, the types of available train trips, and a few suggested routes. Get your pen and pad, or bookmark this blog—you’re going to want to keep these tips handy!

Exploring Europe With Let’s Roam

Train travel in Europe has never been easier than it is today. And with the vast rail system at your feet and Let’s Roam in your pocket, you can easily hop off the train, explore a city in an hour or two, and be back at the station in time for coffee before departure. Our app-guided scavenger hunts introduce you to Europe’s greatest cities at the touch of button. We’ve got bar crawls , sightseeing hunts , art walks , and ghost tours in cities all over the world. Just download the app, pick your city, purchase your tickets, and start exploring!

Train Travel in Europe

It should go without saying (but unfortunately does not) that Europe is a continent, not a country, and therefore, train travel across the region differs wildly depending on which nation we’re talking about. For instance, trains in Switzerland are pristinely clean, always on time, relatively quiet, and orderly. Trains in Southern Italy tend to be late, drastically overcrowded, loud, and… interesting.

Your train travel experience will also vary immensely depending on what type of train you’re booking. The intercity and commuter train experience is a totally different one than fastspeed, long-haul trains, for instance. Each train company also has differing standards and procedures. Bearing these facts in mind, we’ll be as specific as we can in this guide, but you’ll need to do some research on every train journey you book, making sure you look for a few specifics (which we’ll cover) so you know what you’re getting into. Here we go!

The Pros of Train Travel in Europe

1. savings on hotels.

One of the perks of train travel is that you can book your transitions overnight if they are long rides. Sleeper trains are generally less expensive than a European hotel room, and by traveling overnight, you don’t lose any of your precious sightseeing time! You can choose to go cheap and book a regular seat for your night train or pay extra for a sleeper cart with bunk beds. Bunk rooms usually have anywhere from 2 to 6 bunks and vary in price depending on the train company, length of journey, and level of privacy you choose. However, they are typically equivalent to a night in a nice hostel.

2. City Center Convenience

Unlike airports, central train stations are generally located in the middle of the city. If you’re on a tight schedule or are watching your budget, this is one of the primary perks of taking the train. While a flight may be faster and cheaper at first glance, sometimes the journey from the airport to the city center can take over an hour and can cost up to $80.

Some cities, like Athens, now have a city metro line that runs from the city center to the airport, which is cost and time-effective, but that isn’t always the case. When deciding between a flight and the train, always look at the cost and time that transferring from the airport to your hotel will add (both ways). Then, make the most efficient decision.

3. Easy Ticketing Process

Most train companies now offer online ticketing, and you can use an e-ticket from your mobile phone. Occasionally, you may need to stop in the ticket office before your departure and show them your QR code, and they will print you a paper ticket, but this is becoming less and less common. Many train routes have fixed prices (more on that later), so you can easily book your journey the day of without exorbitant rate hikes.

4. No Luggage Restrictions

Unlike buses and planes, trains generally do not have luggage restrictions or fees. If you’re willing to load and unload four suitcases and you can find space for them, you can take them. We still suggest that you travel light, as lugging a bunch of suitcases on and off trains isn’t exactly the epitome of fun.

5. Spontaneity

As noted above, most popular train routes in Europe have multiple options to choose from. Therefore, they are unlikely to sell out. Most long-distance trains do have variable prices, and they are cheaper to book ahead of time. Slower commuter trains between bigger cities have fixed rates, as they are used by locals, and you can typically book a ticket on the same day with no financial penalty.

This allows you to move freely between cities without being locked down to a particular schedule. There’s nothing worse than leaving a city you’re enjoying without seeing all you want to see. It’s even worse if the next city on your list is a disappointment. Having flexibility in your schedule allows you to spend more time in the places you love and move on from those you don’t care for as much.

6. Peaceful Journey (Mostly)

Trains offer a level of peace that the bus and plane do not. Long-distance trains through the European countryside offer a chance to enjoy the scenery, catch up on emails, write in your travel journal, listen to a podcast, etc. The ambiance of trains in Europe varies greatly by country and company, but in general, it’s a fairly peaceful journey.

7. No Security or Checks

There are no long lines to get on a train. There are no security or baggage scanners (except maybe a quick one to get in the station). You won’t be asked to take your shoes off or disrobe your jacket, jewelry, etc. The boarding process is swift and easy.

8. Increased Comfort

Train seats are usually larger and more comfortable than planes and buses. The walkways are wider. It’s easier to get up and walk around. The bathrooms are bigger, and there’s more storage for luggage. Sometimes, you even have your own table, charging station, and cup holders.

9. Seats With a View

Most European trains, especially sightseeing trains or long-haul tourist trains, have large windows for viewing the scenery. It’s a great way to experience the countryside and snap some photos as you roll along.

10. Eating How You Like

For the most part, you can bring any food or drink you want on the train. This does not apply to inner-city and metro rides—you shouldn’t eat or drink on those. But on longer trains, you’re more than welcome to bring a basket of food and a bottle of wine in most places.

11. A Plethora of Options

The European rail system is vast. If the train you wanted to take sells out, there is likely another option. If you want to add a stop in a city, you can easily do that, too. When you take the train, you can visit small towns that aren’t accessible when flying.

12. Youth Discounts

If you’re a student with a valid ID or a European citizen under the age of 26, you can qualify for reduced-priced tickets!

13. Pets Welcome

You may need to arrange it ahead of time and pay an extra fee (usually the price of a child’s ticket), but well-behaved pets are usually allowed on European trains.

14. No Extra Fees

Unlike the budget airlines that hop all over Europe, a train ticket is the price that’s stated. There’s no extra charge for choosing your seat, checking in at the station, or any other nonsense. The price is the price.

15. Reliable

Train travel in Europe comes with fewer delays than air travel. In most European countries, trains are on time and running efficiently. Some countries are far more efficient than others, but overall, the train system stays pretty consistent.

The Cons of Train Travel in Europe

The days of cheap train travel in Europe, especially Western Europe, are pretty much gone. While there are some good discounts, it’s rare for the train to cost much less than a flight. For long-distance, high-speed trains, it’s especially important to book your ticket early. This is the one case where you’ll want to book from home well in advance of your trip.

When considering the cost of a train ride versus a plane ticket, remember to figure in the cost of transit to and from the airport. Also, consider any luggage fees, booking fees, etc., that you’ll pay on the smaller European airlines.

2. Confusing Schedules

Train schedules can be quite confusing at first glance. Luckily, the major train companies all have apps now that simplify the process for visitors. Make sure you download the apps for whatever companies you’re traveling with. There are generally helpful workers in the ticket office or on the platforms who can help you find the right train. However, language barriers can be a problem, especially in smaller, more rural stations. Pay attention to signs, listen for announcements in English, and get there early so you have plenty of time to ensure you’re in the right place. There’s almost always a local or fellow traveler who can help reassure you. Don’t be afraid to ask! The train station is a great place to meet travel companions.

Switching Trains

Another confusing aspect about trains is that many of your routes will require you to change trains somewhere in the middle. That can really get hairy as you’ll need to pay attention during your journey and not miss your transition station.

Multiple Stations

The major European cities will have several train stations. Pay attention when booking your ticket, and ensure that you choose the correct station, both for your boarding and your departure. This is especially important if you’re taking a multi-train journey. Always double-check. The last thing you want to do is get off your train at your connection city and realize your next train leaves from a totally different station all the way across town.

3. Rail Strikes

Rail strikes are extremely common in Europe, especially France, Italy, and Greece. However, rail strikes are generally planned in advance and announced. If your train is going to be affected, you’ll receive a notification or email. You may have to go to the station or call a provided number to see if your specific train is affected, though. Pay attention when traveling in these countries, and have a backup plan in mind.

4. Decreased Accessibility

The nature of trains makes them more difficult for travelers with a physical disability. Many are not wheelchair accessible. Many have very large gaps and steep steps that you’ll need to maneuver. They can be crowded and have fast-paced boarding processes, which can be overwhelming or even physically impossible for disabled travelers.

5. Longer Travel Times

While the highspeed trains chug along at 140-170MPH, it’s nowhere close to the more than 500MPH you get when flying. When deciding between the two, you should consider the time it takes for security and check-in at the airport and weigh your choices. For instance, taking the regional train from Milan to Naples makes sense, as you can do it in 4.5 hours, probably less time than the whole flying process. However, the train from Paris to Budapest takes over 15 hours, while the flight is less than two. In the latter case, taking to the sky is much more time- and cost-efficient.

6. Location Limitations

While the European rail system is huge, it’s not consistent. If you’re traveling in Germany, no problem. However, if you’re taking a tour of Central Europe and the Balkans, you’re much more likely to take the bus than the train. While there are regional trains that connect big cities like Sofia, Bulgaria, and Bucharest, Romania, other popular routes have no train access.

Types of European Trains

We’ve hinted at a few of the common types of trains you may encounter on your travels through Europe, but now let’s dive into the details of what to expect with each category of choo-choo.

Overnight Train (Sleeper Trains)

Sleeper trains are not truly a separate category unto themselves. They are a type of car on a high-speed regional train. Sleeper trains are a great option for budget travelers who want to kill two birds with one stone. An overnight journey not only saves your precious sightseeing time, but it essentially gets you a free or reduced night’s accommodation.

To take advantage of this cost-saving, you’ll need to book early! Sleeper cars do sell out, and they don’t have a fixed price, so the longer you wait, the higher the price you’ll pay. Typically, you can pay per bed or book a private two-person bunk room.

Innercity Trains (Subway, Metro)

Inner city trains are one of the easiest ways to get around a big city. Most major European cities will have a variety of trains. For instance, London has the Underground (the Tube), the Overground, the DLR, both suburban and national rail services, and the London Tramlink. In most cities, you can use the same ticketing system or rail pass for all the commuter options within a certain zone of the city. Traveling further out or trips to the airport may cost extra. This varies by city, though, as some, like London, have a centralized transportation organization, and others are privatized and operated by separate companies.

Innercity trains usually have a kiosk in the subway station or at the rail hub. You can purchase a ticket up to seconds before the train arrives. There are generally no assigned seats, and they’re usually crowded. You will likely be standing often, and eating and drinking on the train is usually frowned upon. These trains move quickly, so get there on time, and be ready to load up fast. There are typically little to no luggage storage spaces. You may need to verify your ticket when boarding the train, and there will usually be a scanner in or around the entrance.

High-Speed Regional Trains

High-speed regional trains are the rails that you’ll use to get between major cities on your European vacation. You will typically book these tickets in advance, at least if you want the best price. You’ll usually have a seat reservation, as well. These usually have comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, and snack options.

Some high-speed trains do not have assigned seats, but you will be relegated to a certain class. Most of these trains have a 1st class option that gives you a bit more space and amenities. Pay attention to the number on the outside of your carriage, and make sure it corresponds to your ticket. Often, the carriages are numbered 1 or 2. If you have a regular ticket, get on a carriage labeled 2. At some point during the ride, an employee will come by to verify your ticket, so keep them handy. This could be ten minutes or ten hours into the journey.

Tourist Trains

Tourist trains are typically used for day trips to major attractions. This includes the Swiss Glacier Express and the Jacobite Steam Engine in Scotland. These trains are typically set up for viewing scenery, are round-trip, and are highly sought after. They are generally expensive compared to other public transit and tend to sell out.

Book these tickets in advance, and do some research about which side of the train you should sit on to get the best views.

Booking Your Tickets

When to book.

As discussed previously, when you book your ticket will depend highly on which type of train you’re taking. For most travelers coming from the United States, you’re going to be on a tight schedule, and you’ll likely have all your travel days set in stone before you leave home. If that is the case, as soon as you know the route you’d like to take, book your tickets. The earlier, the better.

If your schedule is more flexible, I suggest booking your longer regional tickets ahead of time. However, you can leave the smaller journeys unbooked. For instance, there are multiple trains from Florence to Pisa or Rome every day. The journey takes an hour or so, and you can play it by ear.

How to Book

Third-party booking.

For most travelers, booking online through a third party like Omio, Rail Europe, or Trainline is going to be the easiest for you. These companies work similarly to Kayak or Google Flights. They search a plethora of companies and give you the best prices and times available. They will also easily allow you to compare bus, train, and plane prices in most cases. These platforms are easier to use, as they are more organized and the schedules are presented in English.

Direct Company Booking

Once you find the train route you want, you can either book through the companies listed above, or you can redirect to the train company website and book with the train number you’ve found. Some websites are easier than others, and you may be able to save a few dollars by booking directly with the train company. Online is the best way to book regional and long-distance trains. Just follow the directions in your confirmation email. Some companies still require you to have a paper ticket printed at the train station before departure. Many companies still have stipulations in their email, but when you get to the station, they’ll tell you it’s not necessary, and you can use your e-ticket. But it’s better to ask than to get a nasty surprise at go-time!

With a Representative

Shorter trains can easily be booked at the train station via a kiosk or the ticket window. Don’t shirk this option, especially if you find a worker whom you can easily communicate with. Many of the smaller train companies don’t have websites, and they aren’t included in the searches done by Omio and others. By talking to an actual person, you can often score a much cheaper train ticket on a local train!

European Rail Passes

In this section, we’ll discuss the plethora of rail pass types and their pros and cons. In general, rail passes are meant to keep you from having to purchase multiple individual tickets. They usually come as a card that’s valid for a set number of days. They cover specific transit options in specific regions only. Depending on when and where you’re traveling, a pass may or may not be your best bet.

National and City Passes

Each nation or large city has a version of a rail pass. London has the Oyster Card. Paris has the Navigo that covers the city and surrounding region, and Deutschland has the German Rail Pass that covers transit within in country. The latter also covers the trip from Munich to Salzburg, Austria, and a few other international trips on the Deutsche Bahn to Venice, Innsbruck, and Brussels. The details of these passes are beyond the scope of this article, as each has very specific rules about which regions they cover, what forms of transit are included, etc. You will need to do some basic calculations to determine if a local pass is the right option for you (more on that in a minute).

Eurail Pass

The Eurail Pass (known as the Interrail Pass for Europeans) is a pass that covers both local and regional trains and high-speed international trains in 33 countries across Europe. Sounds great, right? Here’s the catch: The Eurail Pass is expensive, and it has strict limitations.

The most popular option is the 10-Day in 2-Month Pass, which sells for $351 PP. This option is valid for two months from the day you take your first trip. Within that two months, you have ten days of unlimited travel. If you take a ride of any kind, that counts as a day. Seat reservations on international and regional trains are not covered by the pass, so you must still go online and reserve your seat, which comes with an extra charge. Another con is that the Eurail system only sets aside a small number of train seats for pass holders, so they sell out fast. While Eurail can be useful, it is not always your best financial option.

Writer Note

I personally find that the Eurail Pass is rarely worth the price unless you’re booking all your train tickets 4-6 months in advance or more. If you’re not booking early, you’ll likely find that you paid a huge amount for a pass that has no tickets available for the routes you desire. I once paid $500 for my pass because I was taking the Eurostar from England to Paris, and it was worth it, as that particular ticket is very expensive. However, when I went to book my train five minutes later, there were no available Eurostar tickets for months. Unfortunately, there is no way to see if tickets are actually available before purchasing the pass.

Tourist City Passes

Another way to score a deal on European transit is with a tourist city pass. These passes are primarily used to get free entrance and discounts to tourist attractions. However, many of them include local public transit in the price. These passes are only worth their weight if you plan to see several attractions! For instance, the Rome City Pass comes in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, or 7-day options. It covers all tourist attractions in the city and public transit and offers discounts at restaurants and shopping facilities. It also allows you to skip those long ticket lines. If you plan to thoroughly explore a city, these passes are great options!

Determining if You Need a Pass

The best way to determine the value of a rail pass is to map out your major routes for the trip. Get on Omio to find the trains you want, and write down the prices. Then, compare your individual ticket prices to the price of the pass. Don’t forget that you may spend a few more dollars per day getting around the city itself on trams, buses, and metros, so add a few dollars for the days that you’re in a big city to your individual ticket total, then compare. Make sure you read the fine print on these passes. Most of them have stipulations, and sometimes, they are too restrictive to be useful.

Popular Train Lines

Here are a few train lines you may find useful!

• Most French public trains are operated by SNCF .
• In Italy, your primary options are Italo Treno, ItaliaRail, and Trenitalia.
• The Spanish train system is Renfe . It has beautiful and easy-to-use trains connecting most of Spain, including the new high-speed train from Madrid to Barcelona.
• The Deutsche Bahn is the German privatized national rail.
• There are as many train routes on the Nederlandse Spoorwegen in the Netherlands as there are bikes in Amsterdam.

Popular European Train Routes

Here are a few ten-day trips through Europe that are easy to organize and offer major bang for your buck!

1. Central Europe Capital Jaunt: Hungary to Slovenia

If you’re looking to get acquainted with the gems of Central Europe, you can’t beat this train journey from Budapest to Ljubljana, with stops in Bratislava and Vienna. You’ll cross the beautiful scenery of the Alps, visit epic castles and quaint wineries, and spend a few days in each capital city. Wander the architectural wonders of Budapest, and enjoy the luxurious Széchenyi Thermal Bath and quirky nightlife of the Ruin Bars. Tour the tiny capital of Slovakia and its historic Old Town. Explore the historic cafes and royal palaces of Vienna before ending your trip on the scenic route to Ljubljana. The pretty city lies on the Danube and is filled with charm. It’s also an easy day trip from lovely Bled, the country’s most stunning lakeside village.

2. Deep Dive Into Italy

If you want to limit your time on the train and dive into one country, we recommend a north-to-south trip through north-to-south Italy. Flying into Venice, you’ll enjoy the incredibly historic canals and grand bridges before moving on to Florence, the home of the famous Duomo and the most impressive collection of Renaissance art in the world (and the best steak and gelato on the planet). Take a day trip to Pisa to see the Field of Miracles, then head for a few days in Ancient Rome. Finish your trip with a train ride to Naples to explore the ruins of nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum, and take the ferry for a day on the Isle of Capri!

3. Czechia Republic and Germany

For this route, you’ll explore the funky Czech capital of Prague, enjoy the famous beer, explore some of the most beautiful architecture in Europe, and gorge yourself on roasted pork and dumplings. Then, move on to Nuremberg, reveling in the adorable Old Town Markets and cathedrals and visiting the iconic trail venue. Then, pop over to Munich; you’ll enjoy incredible beer gardens, stunning Old Town, fantastic markets, and easy day trips to Neuschwanstein Castle and the historic Dachau Concentration Camp.

A secondary option would be to turn north at Nuremberg and further explore Germany by visiting Frankfurt and Cologne.

Train Travel Tips for a Smooth Ride

To get the most out of your European rail adventure, you must do some proper planning. We’ve covered most of these tips already, but here’s a summation to make sure you get the best experience every time!

• Book your inter-city trains as early as possible. These have variable rates, and you’ll get the best seats and prices by booking well in advance.
• Use a third-party website like Omio or Rome2Rio to compare all your transit options. A train may be your best bet, but sometimes, a flight or a luxury bus is a better option!
• Read the fine print for any pass, and carefully calculate the cost of individual tickets before purchasing. Sometimes, they look amazing on the surface but don’t live up to the hype.
• For local transit, always stop by the station and talk to a person. They often know of better, more economical options than what you can find online.
• Always download the transit and train company apps. They offer notifications on strikes, have easy access to your tickets, and have more user-friendly train schedules. Aside from train companies, every major city has a transportation app. Google the options for your city, and get to know the apps before your trip!
• Get to the train station early so you can find your platform, print your ticket if necessary, and secure a good seat on the train.
• If you’re using mobile tickets, ensure that you have a way to keep your phone charged for the duration of the trip.

Pack Your Bags!

Hopefully, you found our ultimate guide to train travel in Europe helpful! Enjoying Europe by rail is a bucket list experience, so don’t stress too much. If you miss your train, there’s always another one close behind. Do your research, make your plan, and then sit back and enjoy the beauty of Europe from the rails!

For more epic train adventures, check out “ The Most Incredible Train Excursions in the World ” or “ How to Experience the World’s Best Luxury Train Rides .”

Frequently Asked Questions

While some stations have confusing train schedules, traveling Europe by train is easier than ever with handy third-party apps, increased English signage, and high-speed efficient trains.

The best train company depends on which nation you’re in, as each has its own national rails. Some travelers opt for the Eurail Pass , which covers 33 countries in Europe, including France and Ireland .

Traveling Europe by train is efficient and nostalgic. It’s not always the cheapest option, but there are no bag fees, it’s comfortable, and you get to enjoy stunning scenery along the way.

The cost of exploring Europe by train varies drastically depending on which cities you visit, when you book your tickets, and many other factors. However, a 10-day Eurail Pass sells for $351.

One of the best train trips in Europe is the adventure through Central Europe from Budapest to Ljubljana with stops in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and the Austrian capital of Vienna .

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How to Book Train Travel in Europe: 12 Essential Sites

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline .

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto : "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at [email protected] .

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The train can be the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to travel around Europe—but booking can be confusing. Here are all the essential sites for booking train travel in Europe.

For Multi-Country Train Travel in Europe

Rail europe.

Rail Europe is one of the best starting points for planning a trip around Europe, whether it’s a multi-country itinerary or single country trip. The modern, easy-to-use website offers English and U.S. Dollar display options and lets you make reservations, compare rail passes, and buy tickets. Use the customizable map to easily build out your trip.

Remember EuroRail? It’s now called Eurail , and its site is a great resource for planning a trip across the continent. Site features include a fun tool to help you find the best rail pass for your trip, plus European train timetables, maps with travel times, and even travel inspiration if you’re still deciding where to go. Eurail also helps with ferry travel, so you can easily figure out how to combine a train and ferry to get to your next destination. Note that if you’re a European resident, you’ll need to use the InterRail site to buy your passes, as there are different options for residents and non-residents.

Thalys runs high-speed trains on routes around France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Buy tickets directly on its site—you’ll find good special offers and a deals section. Note that this site is only available in French, but Google Translate works well enough that you shouldn’t have trouble using it if you don’t speak the language.

B-Europe partners with rail companies across Europe (like Eurostar, TGV, and Trenitalia) to offer discounted train tickets. Compare prices here before booking your tickets—you can find deals like a one-way ticket from Brussels to Paris on a high-speed train for $20 if you’re flexible.

Ever bought a flight that patches together an itinerary from multiple airlines for the cheapest fare? Raileasy is the same concept, but for trains. It allows you to save tons of money by booking one leg of your journey through one train company and the rest through another—an option that most train sites don’t give you.

Not sure if you want to take the train, bus, or a combination of both on your European trip? Trainline helps you compare and book train and bus tickets across the continent. This is one of the easiest ways to check prices and times for multiple companies (like Eurostar, SNCF, Trenitalia, Renfe, Flixbus, and more) in one place. Book here and you can even pay with PayPal and Apple Pay.

Transpennine Express

Transpennine Express runs train services across Great Britain. Check here for live train times, information on how to get compensation if your train is delayed, ticket offers, and to buy tickets. It’s worth noting that you can get a group discount through Transpennine if you’re traveling in a group of three or more people.

For Single-Country Train Travel in Europe

Deutsche bahn.

Deutsche Bahn is the site you need if you’re planning train travel across Germany. Check here for great ticket deals, to buy tickets, and check train times. If your trip includes travel to/from Germany and another European country, you can buy German Rail, Interrail, and Eurail Passes here (and the site has a comparison tool to help you decide which type you need).

Swiss Railways

Train travel in Switzerland can get expensive, but Swiss Railways has some decent deals on its website, including a Swiss Coupon Pass that gives you discounts on attractions. If you’re planning a longer trip, the Swiss Half Fare Card is a good investment, as it will save you 50 percent off of rail, bus, and boat tickets for one month. In addition to train tickets, you can also book excursions and packages here.

Italiarail offers both tickets and buy rail passes, and it’s also a good resource for general information on train travel in Italy. The maps on this site are incredibly detailed, and show which trains are high-speed and which are regional—you  can even see which services and amenities are offered at each station.

For Airport Transfers Via Train in Europe

Stansted express.

The Stansted Express is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to get to and from London’s Stansted Airport. Buying your tickets online saves you hassle at the airport.

Heathrow Express

Travel between London’s Paddington station and Heathrow airport in just 15 minutes on the Heathrow Express .

Terravision

If your European train travel mainly involves getting to and from the airport, be sure to check out Terravision , which will show you prices and times for both bus and rail transport to and from airports in Europe.

What to Wear for Train Travel in Europe

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Long Dress with Tie Belt

Braided Shoulder Bag

Pineapple-C Brightening Serum

Men’s casual jean and short sleeve button down outfit.

Regular Fit Polo

Slim Fit Jeans

Women’s Comfy Outfit to Wear on a Flight

Restore Draped Jogger

Adjustable Cap

Chuck Taylor®

Men’s comfortable airplane outfit.

Crewneck Sweatshirt

No Sweat Joggers

Noise Cancelling Headphones

Women’s Outfit for Spring in a Major City

High Neck Top

Raw Hem Jeans

18k Gold Bar Studs

Textured Jacket

Slip-on Sneakers

Men’s evening outfit for a cruise.

Riviera Short Sleeve Shirt

Stretch Technical Shorts

Square Sunglasses

Women’s Casual Shirt Dress Outfit

V-Neck Dress

Gulf Necklace

Market Canvas Tote

Men’s Casual Summer Outfit

Graphic Tee

Light Wash Spray On Jeans

Sprite Baseball Hat

White Watch

More from SmarterTravel:

• Top 10 Reasons to Travel by Train
• 9 Ways to Make Long Train Rides More Comfortable
• 6 Incredible Train Journeys That Won’t Break Your Travel Budget

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The Ultimate Guide to European Train Travel With a Eurail Pass

Here’s how every type of traveler—not just backpackers—can benefit from this all-in-one train ticket..

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Eurail Passes can be used on scenic trains, too, like this one in Switzerland.

Photo by Shutterstock

If you’re planning a multi-city tour of the continent this summer and will rely on trains to get around, you may want to consider purchasing a Eurail Pass. Haven’t thought about buying a Eurail Pass since your backpacking days? You’re not alone. The last time I traveled with one was in 2007 as a college student. After forking over about $500 (from my part-time job as a barista) for the multi-use train ticket, I rode at least a dozen trains from Amsterdam to Paris and on to Madrid over the course of a month that summer. I saved not only money but also time waiting to buy tickets because I could walk on to most trains and have the conductor punch my pass on board.

For beginners to European train travel, the Eurail Pass is a single document that allows non-European citizens to travel by train multiple times across a network of 33 European countries. The travel must occur over a specified period of time, and the pass forgos the need to buy individual point-to-point tickets. The Eurail Pass, which is celebrating its 64th anniversary this year, can be used for riding local trains, high-speed trains, and even night trains. In addition to the flexibility and time-saving benefits it affords, traveling with one can also save you money, depending on your travel plans.

Here’s everything you need to know about Eurail Passes before you buy one.

How do Eurail Passes work?

You can choose from either a One Country Pass , which covers train travel in a single country, or a Eurail Global Pass , which offers unlimited train travel across 33 countries in Europe, using their national railroads. Within each pass type, there are even more options. There are ones for children (ages 4 to 11), youth (12 to 27), adults (28+), and seniors (60+). They come in first- and second-class options across all age categories.

The passes also cover different trip lengths for both One Country and Global Passes. The flexible, four-days-in-one-month pass is for you if you’re going on a shorter getaway and won’t be taking trains regularly. The pass with three months of unlimited travel is best used for fast-paced trips where you plan to cover a lot of ground over an extended time.

The validities for flexible passes include:

• Four travel days within one month
• Five travel days within one month
• Seven travel days within one month
• 10 travel days within two months
• 15 travel days within two months

There are also passes available for unlimited travel days during set periods of time. Those continuous train passes include durations of:

• Two travel months
• Three travel months

The pass is sold by the number of travel days you are planning on using it. Each travel day covers as many trains you’d like to take between the 24-hour time window from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the same calendar day. Keep in mind, there are exceptions to be made if you’re taking a night train. For example, if you book a train that leaves on Monday night and arrives on Tuesday morning, you will only need to use one travel day (the day of your departure) to cover that trip. However, if you choose to board another train on Tuesday, you’ll have to use another travel day on your pass.

To find the ideal pass for your particular trip, Eurail built an online tool that lets you fill in your travel plans, including which countries you plan to visit, how many days you intend to travel by train, and the length of your entire trip. At the end of the short survey, it recommends the pass that suits your needs best.

A TGV high-speed train at Gare du Nord in Paris

Photo by Hans Engbers / Shutterstock

Where can you buy a Eurail Pass?

You can buy any type of Eurail Pass online from Eurail.com , but several other sites sell them, too. RailPass and Rail Europe are both authorized vendors that sell Eurail Passes for around the same price as Eurail.com with slight variations to insurance and service fees.

Some offer free shipping and others offer special discounts and promo codes on tickets, so it’s best to check all your options before purchasing your pass to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

You can also purchase Eurail Passes at train stations in Europe, but that’s more expensive than ordering them online in advance.

How much does a Eurail Pass cost?

In 2023, the cost of a Eurail Global Pass purchased directly through Eurail starts at $276 for second-class fares and $351 for first-class seats for the four-days-in-one-month pass for adults. A 15-day unlimited pass for adults currently ranges from $498 to $631.

The most expensive pass is the three-month unlimited pass, which starts at $1,013 and goes up to $1,286 when bought directly through Eurail.

Considering that a two-month unlimited pass costs between $822 to $1,043, you’re only paying a few hundred more for an entire extra month of unlimited train travel.

One Country Passes are slightly more affordable and vary by each country. For example, adult passes for Italy bought directly from Eurail range from $142 to $270 for second class and $181 to $342 for first class.

Eurail also groups certain regions so you can get multiple countries for the price of one with its Benelux Pass (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg) and Scandinavia Pass (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden). Note that Eurail does not offer One Country Passes for certain countries that are included in the Global Pass, such as Switzerland, Montenegro, and Bosnia.

In 2020, Eurail launched its first-ever mobile version of the Eurail Pass via its Rail Planner App.

Courtesy of Eurail

Are Eurail Passes worth it?

It depends. If you know you’ll have four travel days over a one-month period, a second-class pass would cost most adults $276—or $69 per day. If the train you need to take costs more than $69, or if you’ll be taking multiple trains in one day that add up to more than that, it’s worth buying that pass. If you only need a less costly regional train to get between cities like Amsterdam and Brussels, however, then it’s probably not worth it.

For those who would argue that buying $50 RyanAir or EasyJet flights to jump from city to city is faster and cheaper, keep in mind that once you add on arriving early to the airport for security and all the bag fees you’d pay to check a bag, you might end up breaking even. Plus, train travel is more sustainable and more scenic.

Do you need reservations with a Eurail Pass?

In some instances, yes. For trains in popular countries like France, Spain, and Italy—especially in the summer—you will need to make an advance seat reservation at an additional cost (generally from around 3 to 10 euros), even if the fare is included with your Eurail Pass. In addition to those popular destinations, all night trains and most international high-speed trains throughout Europe require a supplemental reservation fee.

Some scenic trains, like the Bernina Express in Switzerland, also require one. To find out if you need to make a reservation, search for your desired route on the Eurail Timetable , and the results will show whether or not one is necessary.

Reservation fees vary between different countries and train services and must be paid directly to the railway carriers; payment can be made at the train station, online through the websites of the national railway companies, by phone, or through Eurail’s Rail Planner app. Eurail recommends making train reservations two months in advance during the summer and ahead of holidays to guarantee yourself a seat.

Alternatively, you can opt to ride on regional trains, which don’t require seat reservations. Even though they are slower, if you have the time to stop along the way, you’re likely to discover a few appealing villages you never would have happened upon by taking the high-speed route. To find trains that don’t require reservations, check the “no seat reservations required” box when searching on the Eurail Timetable page.

What European countries does the Eurail Pass cover?

There are currently 33 countries in Europe with rail carriers that accept Eurail Passes. Great Britain’s train operators nearly pulled out of the agreement in August 2019 . After negotiations with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents the U.K. train industry, travelers will continue to be able to use their Eurail passes within Great Britain.

Here’s the full list of the 33 countries currently serviced by Eurail: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. Download the train route map .

Eurail covers train routes in 33 countries.

How far in advance do you need to buy a Eurail Pass?

You can buy a Eurail Pass up to 11 months in advance of your trip, as long as it is activated at a European train station within that 11-month period. You can also preactivate your pass for a specific date when you check out at Eurail.com to avoid waiting in line at the train station to do so.

In 2020, Eurail launched its first-ever mobile version of the Eurail Pass via its Rail Planner App . Now instead of waiting for the physical document to be delivered in the mail—or constantly worrying about losing it during your trip—you can download the app and load your mobile pass onto it as soon as your order confirmation email lands in your inbox.

Enjoy views like this from the Flam Railway in Norway.

Are Eurail Passes just for college students?

You may have been under the impression that only budget backpackers in their 20s can benefit from Eurail Passes, but the passes are actually available to all age groups. And while previously those 27 and under were the only age group eligible for discounts, in 2019, Eurail also introduced a 10 percent discount for people over the age of 60 , too.

Eurail passes are also great for families. While kids age 3 or younger don’t need a pass to travel, children ages 4 to 11 are eligible for a free Child Pass. Up to two children are allowed to travel for free with one adult. Find out more about family discounts here .

What are other benefits to having a Eurail Pass?

All Eurail Pass–holders are eligible for discounts on select museum tickets and boat tours throughout the entire 33-country network. But one of the major perks of having an unlimited train ticket that includes night trains is the hotel savings. By sleeping on a train, you’ll get from point A to point B and save money on hotels at the same time.

Eurail Passes aren’t only for use on trains either—they can be used on ferries and public transportation in some countries, too. See the full list of participating train, ferry, and public transport companies that accept Eurail Passes on board. In fact, the Greek Islands Pass now offers ferry service to 55 islands, making it a viable option for island-hopping.

T his article originally appeared online in 2019; it was updated most recently on March 29, 2023, to include current information.

I compared the cheapest and most expensive accommodations on the same European sleeper train. I'd only book one again.

• I traversed Europe by sleeper train in the cheapest accommodation I could find — a $40 seat.
• Later, I traveled with the same train line in the most expensive accommodation — a $200 cabin.
• Here's how the rides compared and why the latter was worth the higher price.

When I'm backpacking through Europe , traveling by overnight train just makes sense. It's essentially a moving hotel that helps me maximize my time exploring destinations during the day.

Some of my sleeper train experiences have left me feeling well-rested and ready for adventure, while others left me too exhausted to do anything but sleep upon arrival. And I've found it all depends on which accommodation I book.

For example, on two different trips to Europe over the last two years, I booked overnight rides with the same train line, OBB Nightjet .

The first was in the train's cheapest accommodation , a reclining seat. The second was in the most expensive accommodation, a private cabin . Each ride was roughly 12 hours long.

My experiences couldn't have been more different. The comforts of the private cabin made me feel vindicated in my plans to travel by night, while the seat felt nearly impossible to sleep in and left me feeling like I'd made a big mistake .

Read on to see how the accommodations compared and which had a better value.

I booked a seating carriage accommodation for $40 for the first ride.

In October 2022, I traveled from Berlin to Vienna, Austria, in a reclining seat in a shared space. It was the lowest tier of accommodation — one step below a shared bunk cabin and two steps below a private cabin.

The second time around, I booked a private cabin for $200.

In November 2023, I booked Nightjet's private cabin accommodation — the highest tier — for a trip from Venice, Italy, to Vienna.

The seating carriage felt cramped with six travelers and limited storage space.

A seating carriage is a small, enclosed room with two sets of three reclining seats facing each other.

My room was completely full, which gave me the most cramped experience possible for my overnight ride. I thought there wasn't enough legroom for each traveler — especially when reclining.

My chair was slightly larger and more comfortable than the average seat in coach. It also had a foldout table that was just big enough to hold my phone and ticket.

Above the seats, there were four shelves for luggage storage . However, some of the travelers in my cabin had multiple large suitcases, making it tricky to pack everything in.

"The quality of travel depends not only on the carriages but also on the route," OBB Nightjet wrote in a statement to Business Insider. "We recommend the sleeper or couchette car for night travel. There is enough space to stretch out. Seated carriages are recommended for shorter journeys."

The private cabin was a spacious, enclosed room I had all to myself.

My private cabin was 30 square feet with three bunks — two on top and one on the bottom.

Since two bunks were up top, there was plenty of space to stretch and move around. And there was luggage storage space next to the top two bunks.

But most of all, I appreciated having total privacy and felt safe with a door that could lock and a key card to access it.

I didn't find a table in the space like the seating carriage.

Inside the cabin, I found a goodie bag of snacks and sleep essentials

The welcome gifts surprised me since I didn't get these complimentary items in the seating carriage.

Inside a goodie bag on my bed were sleep amenities, from slippers and earplugs to a sleep mask and washcloth.

In the seating carriage, charging my phone wasn't easy.

I thought charging my phone would be a given on an overnight train.

But in the seating carriage, two outlets were shared among six passengers, and both were at the back of the room.

Since my room had five other travelers inside, I had to coordinate with other passengers to get a chance to charge my phone. Luckily, one other traveler spoke English, so they translated for me.

Once I got my turn on the outlet, I felt the need to stay awake and ensure it wasn't stolen. This is mostly because I was seated at the front of the carriage, so I couldn't hold onto my phone while charging.

Luckily, new Nightjet cars running in the near future will have more outlets in seating carriages, the train line's rep told BI.

Meanwhile, in the cabin, I had two outlets just for me.

Charging my phone wasn't an issue in the private cabin since I had two outlets. The room had other energy amenities, too, like temperature and volume controls.

In the seating carriage, I used the bathroom at the end of the car to wash up.

There was no bathroom or sink in the seating carriage, so I used a shared restroom at the end of the car to wash up before bed.

But inside the cabin, I had my own private vanity and wash basin.

The private cabin didn't include a bathroom, but a vanity and wash basin were hidden behind double doors across from the bottom bunk.

I felt more comfortable washing up inside my room than in the shared bathroom at the end of the car. And I appreciated thoughtful details that made me feel like I was in a hotel room, from bright lights on the mirror to toiletry storage space on the inner doors.

When it was time for bed in the seating carriage, I couldn't get comfortable.

I got zero sleep in the seating carriage for a few reasons.

Once I reclined my seat, I realized it didn't lay flat like a bed, making it uncomfortable to rest in a position that didn't hurt my back. I didn't get a pillow or blanket either.

According to the Nightjet rep, the train line only provides sheets and pillows for the top two tiers of accommodation, as Nightjet doesn't recommend seating carriages for long trips.

During my ride, it seemed like many travelers already knew this. Seating carriage passengers boarded and disembarked at stops in the middle of the night, making it even harder to fall asleep.

The cabin's bunk was cushy with a comforter and a pillow.

In the private cabin, I got about six hours of sleep in the bottom bunk, which is a lot for an overnight train ride, in my experience.

I credit the firm cot with just the right amount of give to cozily curl up underneath a fluffy comforter.

At the end of my sleeping carriage ride, I was too exhausted to explore.

With an uncomfortable chair as well as a lack of privacy and personal space, my sleepless night in the seating carriage left me feeling like a zombie when I arrived in Vienna the next morning.

I was so exhausted that I splurged on a hotel room as soon as I arrived rather than exploring the city as planned.

The whole experience left me thinking that booking the cheapest accommodation on the overnight train ultimately isn't worth the time or money saved.

But in the private cabin, I woke up feeling well-rested and ready for a day of adventures.

I woke up in my private cabin to a train attendant delivering me a light, complimentary breakfast — something I didn't get in the seating carriage.

After enjoying a caffeinated tea, yogurt, and hard rolls with Nutella and jam spreads, I disembarked in Vienna, feeling ready for my day.

My restful night made it easy to appreciate the unique aspects of the city upon arrival, from vibrant street art to awe-inspiring palaces.

This ultimately made the trip worth the higher price for me, and I know I'll always book private cabins on sleeper trains in the future.

• Main content

Taking the train in Spain - all you need to know

Apr 3, 2024 • 15 min read

The vintage train from Sóller to Palma de Mallorca is one of the most scenic rail routes in Spain © Shutterstock

Spain boasts Europe’s longest high-speed rail network, second only to China globally, and its trains are exceptional and far-reaching. In one day, you could gawp at Gaudí’s architectural genius in Barcelona , be whisked by rail to Madrid ’s museums, and still arrive in Seville for a sunset flamenco show.

Not that it’s all A to B whirlwind rail routes. There are some outstanding scenic train journeys to slow down and enjoy the Spanish pace of life, whether trundling along the northern coast’s narrow-gauge tracks or meandering into the mountains. And with some new low-cost operators now on the scene, exploring Spain by train has never been more affordable.

With over a thousand stations and thousands more daily departures, getting around Spain by train is a straightforward joy rather than a stressful necessity. Seat reservations on most services guarantee uncrowded carriages, Rioja-serving cafe cars provide perfectly wine-paired panoramic views, and electric-powered trains make journeys even more sustainable. What’s not to love? Here’s everything you need to know to plan a train trip in Spain like a pro.

Train services are generally excellent in mainland Spain

You can traverse all four corners of Spain by train, usually on swift, reliable, well-maintained carriages. Few areas aren’t covered by at least a regional service. And where there are coverage gaps, buses will usually take you the final stretch to that pretty medieval village. While strikes can occur, they are rare, and minimum service levels are generally guaranteed. Compensation payments are offered for delays over one hour, which helps keep timetables on track. 

Renfe is Spain’s national railway company, operating everything from non-stop regional capital connections to short-hop commuter services. Iryo and Ouigo provide low-cost competition on the main high-speed intercity lines, with the latter’s double-decker trains being a welcome addition.

While the numerous names for differing service and train types can be confusing, the trains in Spain can generally be divided into three categories:

• High-speed, mainly long-distance (larga distancia) services link many major cities, mainly via Madrid. These full-service trains can reach 310km/h (193mph) and include Renfe’s AVE (Alta Velocidad Española), its new no-frills Avlo counterpart, and Iryo and Ouigo. There’s an ever-growing network of high-speed routes , including the popular Barcelona–Madrid, Madrid–Seville, and Madrid–Valencia lines.
• Mid-distance services – although they can sometimes cover long distances and reach speeds of 250km/h (155mph) – make up the majority of other major routes. Renfe services these under names including Media Distancia, Avant and Alvia. Intercity and Regional Exprés services are somewhat slower but only call at major stations. Popular routes include Madrid– Toledo , Granada–Seville, and the Euromed coastal service between Barcelona and Alicante . Nearly all long and mid-distance services use sleek, modern carriages.
• Slower trains , including Regional, Proximidad, and Cercanías commuter services (Rodalies in Catalonia), complete the network. The older Cercanías AM trains, previously FEVE, mainly operate on the northern coast’s picturesque narrow-gauge tracks.

Nearly all large and medium-sized train stations are staffed and contain shops or cafes. High-speed train stations operate similarly to airports, with luggage security scanners and boarding gates. It’s advisable to arrive 20–30 minutes early, especially as boarding can close five minutes before departure. The bonus is you’ll have time to admire the stations. Some, like Toledo’s Mudejar-style ticket hall and art nouveau Bilbao Concordia , are attractions in their own right.

There are tourist trains and unique rail services too

In addition to standard train services, Spain has an exceptional selection of specialist rail routes known as “ tourist trains .” These range from seasonal, short routes, such as the scenic Tren dels Llacs in the Pre-Pyrenees, to indulgent, multiday sojourns like the luxury Transcantábrico train hotel. There are currently no standard domestic night trains.

International and island rail routes are limited

Away from the mainland, the rail situation is starkly different. The Canary Islands have no train services, and only Mallorca in the Balearic Islands has limited rail connections . These consist of three short, modern lines and the vintage Sóller train. 

Traveling to and from France by train is possible on France’s TGVs (from Paris) and Renfe’s International AVE services to Marseille and Lyon . Fares start from €29. You can also cross via Hendaye in the Basque Country or take the slower, scenic sleeper service via the Pyrenees . The Trenhotel (night service) between Madrid and Lisbon has been discontinued, leaving the Tren Celta between Vigo and Porto and the slow route to Lisbon via Badajoz as the only connections with Portugal . Work continues on improving the tracks to accommodate a direct, high-speed link between the two Iberian capitals.

Book ahead to save money and guarantee your seat

Spain’s rail operators all use dynamic pricing for high-speed and long-distance services. Therefore, early booking is advised, especially as seat reservations are mandatory. Advanced Avlo tickets between Madrid and Barcelona start from €7, with Ouigo and Iryo also offering competitive pricing on primary routes. A same-day ticket can sometimes cost more than 10 times more than booking in advance. Prices are less competitive on routes solely operated by Renfe. 

When booking tickets online to or from major cities, use the dropdown city name followed by todos (all) to check for direct and affordable tickets from all stations. Provide the Passport or ID number of the photo document you’ll be traveling with, as tickets are personal. The second surname can be left blank – Spanish people take both their father's and mother’s surnames. Tickets can be printed, collected at self-service machines, or displayed as QR codes on mobile devices. Overall, Ouigo and Iryo's websites are easier to navigate than Renfe's, which can be glitchy. While most people would recommend using a third-party booking service – handy for comparing prices between all operators – direct reservations avoid booking fees.

Even short-distance, popular services with fixed fares (some mid-distance and regional trains) can fill up. I’ve previously struggled to get last-minute weekend tickets on the Madrid to Toledo route. Secure all tickets ahead if your vacation coincides with a major holiday such as Easter (Semana Santa) or Christmas, including around Three Kings Day on January 6.

Iryo and Ouigo release tickets many months ahead. Renfe’s tickets should be available at least 60 days ahead, but this isn’t always true. Check regularly in the months leading up to your departure and sign up for newsletters on the three websites to receive ticket availability and discount updates.

Occasionally, two single fares (ida) can be cheaper than a return (vuelta) . Reservations can also be made at station ticket machines (in English) or staffed desks. Larger stations may have separate sales points for particular types of tickets. 

You’ll always be assigned a mandatory seat reservation. However, if you’d prefer to select your own to guarantee a window, you can change it for a nominal fee. Confusingly, Renfe’s website has this step after choosing a payment method. 

Cercanías and Cercanías AM tickets can’t be purchased in advance and should be purchased at the ticket office, self-service machine, or onboard from the conductor when traveling from the tiniest unstaffed stations. This is the only time you’re allowed to board a train without a ticket. 

If you wish to upgrade from basic class (básico) on high-speed routes, you can choose from Elige, Elige Confort and Prêmium on Renfe, or similar options on Iryo. Upgrades can include access to premium station lounges, at-seat food service, and more spacious seats. Solo travelers may want to upgrade to enjoy an individual seat in the 2+1 configured carriages. Ouigo allows these seats as a paid add-on without upgrading.

Discounts and offers: know your benefits and bring ID

Much noise was made about the launch of Spain’s fixed-price travel pass . Yet this system, established to offer discounted fares on repeat return trips, is primarily aimed at locals and commuters.

Renfe does offer a Spain Rail Pass for travelers , covering between four and ten journeys. However, depending on the routes you plan to take, pre-booking discounted, advanced fares can be cheaper. Some region-specific options exist, such as the better value three-day Galica Rail Pass .

Other discounts available on Renfe include:

• Small group discount when booking four or more travelers together.
• Seniors discount, up to 40%, for over 60s. However, this requires purchasing a card ( La Tarjeta Dorada ) in person before making the reservation. Advanced, discounted fares can be better value.
• Youth Discounts for under 25s with a European Youth Card or suitable International Student Card. A digital card can be purchased online by citizens of most countries.  
• Babies travel for free, as do children, although the age cap varies between operators.

Considering an Interrail or Eurail pass? Check on any savings first. All high-speed trains in Spain require seat reservations, an additional cost not included in these passes. Avlo, Iryo, and Ouigo are likewise excluded, and these cheaper advanced tickets may be better value than using the pass, though there is less flexibility.

Money-saving tip: high-speed trains include a free local ticket

If you’re traveling on a high-speed AVE or long-distance service operated by Renfe or Iryo, Combinado Cercanías is included. This allows for free use of local Cercanías trains to reach your departure station and again on arrival. Scan the QR code at barriers, or use the PDF code to get a zero-priced ticket at Cercanías’ self-service machines.

Seat reservations ensure most train journeys don’t feel crowded

Traveling by train in Spain is so enjoyable because all long and mid-distance services require a seat reservation. With no congested corridors or jostling vestibules, these trains never feel crowded, even when full. However, some regional and Cercanías services can be packed, particularly around commuter hours and Friday and Sunday evenings. You might want to avoid peak times or, when available, pay for a regional service seat reservation.

Plan around major events and regional holidays during your trip, such as Semana Santa, when ticket demand and crammed suburban trains are common. Trains in Spain operate every day of the year, though some services may finish earlier on public holidays. If you’re traveling on weekends or during holidays, check onward public transport in advance as small, rural stations may have a reduced weekend bus service.

Train can be the fastest, most affordable transport method

Using the train in Spain can be quicker and cheaper than flying. For example, a flight from Madrid to Barcelona takes 1¼ hours compared with 2½ hours by high-speed rail. But once you factor in security checks, out-of-city airport transfers, and runway taxi times, the overall journey length by plane becomes longer.

Driving distances are considerable. The same journey by car will take closer to seven hours. It’s unquestionably worth renting a car if you’re planning a road trip , but generally, long-distance jaunts are best by rail. 

Most train terminuses are connected to city buses and, in larger metropolises, commuter rail or metro systems. Barcelona-El Prat Airport and Madrid–Barajas Airport are on the train network. If you wish to visit smaller towns or villages that are not on the train network, consider other ways to get around Spain .

Onboard facilities differ between service types

All of Spain’s high-speed train services are spacious, comfortable, clean and well cared for. Carry-on luggage can be placed in overhead racks, while storage areas at either end of the carriage accommodate bulkier luggage. Popular services (especially on Friday and Sunday evenings) can quickly fill, and train staff will usually assist in rearranging suitcases to fit. Cercanías services can be more dated and crowded and often lack enough dedicated luggage space.

If you’re traveling by bicycle, check the luggage policies of Renfe and Iryo . In some instances, bikes must be disassembled or an additional fee paid.

The dining carts on Spain’s trains are typically stand-up, cafe-style rather than seated dining carriages. They’re good for stretching your legs or getting an alternative window view, but dining at your seat table is often more comfortable. A selection of hot meals, snacks and drinks – usually all of decent quality – are available, and certain ticket types offer pre-ordered meals served at your seat. Iryo has particularly impressive dining options .

On some routes, a trolley service may be provided in addition or as an alternative. Mid-distance and Avlo services have vending machines rather than dining carts. Bringing your own food and even alcohol onboard Renfe’s services isn’t a problem.

Complimentary (sometimes patchy) wi-fi is provided on Iryo and Renfe’s high-speed services, alongside entertainment portals accessible on your device. Ouigo charges per connection. Plug sockets (F-type) are available at seats on high-speed and mid-distance trains. Nearly all trains, except commuter services, have toilets.

Plan the perfect train trip with these scenic routes and tips

The most popular train routes for travelers in Spain are the high-speed connections that rocket between Seville, Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. But riding the rails in Spain isn’t only about barrelling between urban sprawl. These are some of our favorite scenic rail routes worth planning into your trip. 

• Santander to Oviedo :  Cross the lush landscapes of Northern Spain on this slow, scenic rail route using Cercanías AM’s narrow-gauge tracks. This six-hour journey provides some of the expensive Transcantábrico Train’s panoramas for a bargain €16.55. There are no seat reservations, which is handy, as you can switch sides to marvel at both the sparkling Bay of Biscay and the mighty Cantabrian Mountains , Spain’s answer to the Dolomites. 
• Barcelona to A Coruña :  Once served by the discontinued sleeper Trenhotel, this is one of Spain’s longest rail routes, taking nearly 14 hours. The 9:05am Alvia departure can be affordable to cross seven of Spain’s autonomous communities. Pack snacks and pay for a window seat (ideally on the right) to see the full scope of Spain’s landscapes, from arid pastures and fertile farmlands to the verdant Galician Massif . Consider hopping off a few stops early in Ourense to use the town’s free-to-access thermal pools the following morning.
• Granada to Almería : Leaving the magnificent Moorish Alhambra behind, set off across western Andalucía towards the coastal city of Almería. It’s a showstopping three-hour journey traversing the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, snow-capped peaks looming beyond, before cutting through carpets of cork trees. Book a late afternoon departure for ethereal golden light, or take two single tickets to plan a lunch pause at Guadix, best known for its cave houses. 
• Palma de Mallorca to Sóller:  Step onboard the rickety, wooden carriage of Ferrocarril de Sóller , constructed in 1912, for a one-hour-long trundle from Mallorca's capital to the pretty port town of Sóller. En route, you’ll wend through the Tramuntana Mountains, unlit tunnels, and citrus groves close enough to touch. All seats are excellent, but you might want to stand in the open-air platforms between carriages. 
• Zaragoza to Canfranc :  A one-way ticket on this twice-a-day, 2½-hour regional train costs just €16.90, and you’ll get plenty of panoramas for your money, especially after Huesca when the tracks slowly climb up into the ​​Pyrenees. Our resident rail expert, Tom Hall, calls it one of Europe’s best train routes , partly because the landmark Canfranc Station has recently been reborn as a grandiose hotel .

Station tips when traveling Spain by train

Most large cities have multiple train stations, so always confirm departure points. When traveling to dedicated AVE stations outside major cities, check the station’s distance from the city center and pre-plan your connecting travel. Some stations, such as Antequera ’s Santa Ana, can be as far as 15km (9 miles) from the Old Town. 

Spain’s largest stations, such as Madrid Atocha and Barcelona Sants, can be confusing due to split-level and separated boarding areas for different services. Don’t be afraid to ask for help navigating the station. A quick flash of your ticket will soon have you pointed in the right direction.

All major stations have cafes and kiosks where you can pick up food, although preparing a train picnic from a delicatessen might be preferable. Still, a quick tapas in Atocha's Tropical Garden, even if the pond-residing turtles have now been rehomed, is a solid start to any journey. If you’re on a connecting service with time to explore beyond the station, most larger terminals have lockers or left luggage desks (​​consigna) .

Many stations are accessible, but there’s room for improvement on older services

Adif, the agency in charge of Spain’s rail infrastructure, provides in-station and boarding assistance for travelers with accessibility needs via the Acerca service, offered at 145 stations.

When booking tickets online, H seats – accessible spaces that can anchor a wheelchair – can be requested on the opening screen, and Acerca assistance can be requested later in the booking process. A minimum of 12–48 hours' notice is stipulated, depending on the operator. However, in larger stations, staffed service centers can usually provide support without pre-booking if you arrive and register at the desk ahead of travel. Check which facilities are available at each station on Adif’s website .

In addition to offering boarding support (many train types require a stair-climber lift, not just a ramp, while others like Avlo have level boarding), Acerca can provide technical aids for hearing and a guided sight service. Contact Adif Acerca for information on induction loop systems or to discuss alternative routes should your planned journey include a non-accessible station without in-person assistance. Tactile paving, step-free access, and elevators are installed at most major stations, and nearly every train has a conductor or staff member onboard who can assist. 

On high-speed, long-distance, and most other services, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms are located in carriages with H seats. Ouigo trains have a call button on adapted seats to provide food and drink service, as the cafe is located on the top deck. Cercanías AM carriages have no H seats but offer a dedicated space for wheelchair users with tie-downs. However, many older, narrow-gauge trains lack accessible bathrooms.

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11 of the best value train journeys in Europe (Starting from €9! )

The best and cheapest way to see Europe ? How about travelling by train across Europe. While it is not as cheap as coach travel, trains in Europe, if booked in advance, can offer some incredible deals. It beats flying anyway and also is the most sustainable and one of the cheapest ways to travel across Europe. While for peace of mind and ease of travel, an Eurail pass is incredible, if you do have a rough itinerary in mind and prepared to book the long distance routes 90 days in advance ( or 9 months for trains in France) , there are some incredible  cheap train tickets for Europe. Following my revised guide to the best budget bus companies to see Europe, I’ve compiled a list of the 11 best tips and hacks to find cheap trains in Europe.

1. Use the stopover feature on Deutsche Bahn’s international tickets to travel from Berlin to Prague with stopover in Dresden for €18.90

Plan a stopover at no extra cost thanks to this incredible feature from deutsche bahn.

If you are visiting Berlin for example with plans to continue to Prague, via the Deutsche Bahn website, you can add a 24 hour stopover in Dresden at no extra price.

For example, searching in March 2022, you can buy a ticket from Berlin to Prague for as little as €18.90 with a 24 hour stopover in Dresden.

Or if you are planning to visit Budapest, you can book a ticket from Berlin to Budapest for €46.90 with a 24 hour stopover in Prague.

PS: If you are planning a trip to Prague, checkout my guide to the best budget places to stay in Prague ,  Prague on a budget and also my guide to the best things to do in Prague

These are Deutsche Bahn’s Sparpreis advance-purchase cheap fares.

For an extra €19.90 you can also upgrade your ticket to 1st class where you’ll get a slightly better seat and legspace but honestly in my opinion, there is not really a big difference between travelling 1st and 2nd class on these trains.

2. Prague to Budapest- €16 and Vienna to Budapest- €9 with Regiojet

One of the best value cheap train europe deals- tick off three classic europe destinations with one incredible fare.

Formerly the Student Travel Agency which started out offering low-cost luxury bus services within Czech Republic, the agency has now rebranded as Regiojet offering incredible value low-cost train services within Czech Republic and beyond.

The best value deal of the lot, was launched last summer when Regiojet started a new train service that linked up three key European capitals that are a staple of every Eurotrip- Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Currently there are 2 trains servicing the route daily. Tickets start from as little as €16 between Prague and Budapest and just €9 from Vienna to Budapest.

A quick search pulled up a few of the €16 Prague and Budapest fares in March 2022. The basic fare includes seat reservations and WiFi. For an extra €2.30 you get a better seat, free newspaper water and access to their built-in LCD screens.

3. Prague to Budapest with Czech Railways for €21 in advance

Another slightly more expensive and alternative option is to book Eurocity train from Prague to Budapest for as little as €21 or 514 CZK. You can only book this ticket in advance only via the

Czech Railways website.

4. Prague to Munich for €15 via Czech Railways

Czech railways, portal for czech trains can sometimes offer some great deals on train travel…..

If you are travelling from Czech Republic to Germany, I would also strongly urge you to look up fares on Czech Railways website where they can be often a third cheaper than when booking via Deutsche Bahn website.

For example on 30th March, travelling from Prague to Munich on the direct train, ( 11.38am ) the fare shows up as €42 one way via bahn.de website but if you look at the Czech Railways website, same train and fare shows up as 360 CZK which is €14.76 which is a massive saving.

Promenade Anglais, Nice

5. Paris to Nice €19 with the French low cost train service Ouigo

A low-cost, high-speed train service operated by sncf .

Visiting France soon? While many are familiar with their amazing TGV trains, Voyages SNCF also has a low-cost train service called Ouigo which offers fares as cheap as €10 between Paris Marné la Vallée and Lyon or Bordeaux & €19 from Paris to Nice. These super cheap fares open 9 months in advance so you should book early to get these fares.

For example, a quick search on en.oui.sncf, I can see a bunch of fares for €10 from Paris to Bordeaux in June 2022. It is worth noting that this fare is valid from Marné la Vallée which is the TGV outpost for Disneyland Paris and is a 12 minute , €15 ride from Paris CDG airport. Or you can take the underground to Châtelet-Les-Halles from where you take the RER-line A to Marne-la-Vallée. Journey time is 35 minutes and costs €7.50.

If you are planning to travel to Paris and Nice, Ouigo also operate a low-cost service on this popular route. In June 2022, I can see fares for as little as €19. Trains leave from the more central Gare de Lyon to Nice.

Ouigo also has a few extras to keep in mind. If you want a seat with electric sockets for an extra €2 and if you want to be in the quiet carriage, there is an extra €5 fee.

Trainline’s cheap fare finder feature is a really handy feature to find out the cheapest fares in the next month

PS: Another brilliant value train deal to also keep in mind is the Milan to Paris route. Being offseason, there is a bunch of their cheap €29 fares on sale now on the route ( Trainline’s excellent low fare calendar is a very handy tool )   Journey time is 7 hours. Extra €10 snags you a seat on 1st class.

6. Barcelona to Madrid by €9 with Ouigo Spain

Low-cost, high speed rail service revolution comes to spain.

Last summer ( 2021) Ouigo brought their unique low-cost train services to Spain. From May 2021, Ouigo started offering a 5 times a day, daily return service between Barcelona and Madrid. The service also serves the cities of Zaragoza and Tarragona.

Simple search on Ouigo website, reveals a bunch of the bargain €9 fares on the Barcelona to Madrid route for dates in June and July 2021. Ouigo applies low cost airline dynamic pricing so the sooner you book, the better the fares so keep that in mind.

Worth noting that for the basic €9 fare, passengers can bring a small bag/ handbag and a carry on cabin sized luggage. If you have a rucksack or suitcase, there is an extra €5 fee.

7. Stockholm to Gothenburg with Flixtrain for €12.99

If Sweden is on your itinerary and you are planning to travel between the two main cities, Stockholm and Gothenburg, have a look at Flixtrain who offer fares for as little as €12.99/135 kronor between Stockholm and Gothenburg. To give you a comparison, main operator in Sweden SJ offer fares of 194 kronor/ €18.60 so you make a big saving.

8. Berlin to Frankfurt for €9.99 with Flixtrain Germany

Flixtrain also operates on a number of routes in Germany and is the main competitor to Deutsche Bahn. Frequency is less and they operate on a handful of routes but their fares are much cheaper.

To give you an idea, fares with Flixtrain cost as little as €4.99 from Hamburg to Berlin ( Journey time 2 hours 39 minutes ) €9.99 Berlin to Stuttgart ( Journey time 5.56 hours ) and €9.99-Berlin to Frankfurt ( 4.09 hours )

9. Deutsche Bahn Länder ticket/ Regional day tickets

Unlimited train travel across any of germany’s 16 federal states for as little as €22.

If you are visiting Germany, especially with your partner or a group of friends, another brilliant deal is the Lander regional tickets which offer you unlimited travel within the state for as little as €22. This ticket is valid only on local and regional trains and excludes the faster ICE/IC trains. You can travel with up to four fellow passengers per ticket for as little as EUR 3 per additional passenger.

The tickets are valid from Monday to Friday from 09:00 until 03:00 on the following day.

We used this ticket when visiting Munich last year for a day trip to Zugspitze, beautiful Lake Eibsee and Garmisch Partenkirchen.

The other great thing worth remembering is that you can buy these tickets on the day from any Deutsche Bahn ticket machine in the train station.

10. Paris to Vienna for €60 with Nightjet train service

Night trains in europe a great way to save money on accommodation plus time if you are on tight itinerary.

If you are on a tight budget and travelling between countries, I would highly recommend looking into booking an overnight sleeper train to help you save money on 1 nights accommodation and also you are not wasting the whole day in a train.

For example you can travel from Paris to Vienna on the Nightjet service. It leaves Gare de l’Est at 6.58pm and reaches Vienna at 10.12am in the morning.

The basic fare for a seat in a 6 seat compartment carriage is €60. From the picture above, as you can see, not the most comfortable seat to be cooped up and try and sleep.

I f you are on a tight budget, it will get you from A to B. If you splurge on a couchette , you pay an extra €20 which might be worth the investment if it means getting a decent night sleep.

I’ve taken the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Edinburgh and also the Helsinki to Kolari ( Prices start from €49 for private cabin and with shower, €69 ) overnight train on my way to the 7 Fells Hostel in Finnish Lapland- ( Read more about my trip to Finnish Lapland here ) great way to travel and the journey itself is an experience that will remember.

Other great services on Nightjet train worth keeping an eye include the Munich to Zagreb service ( leaves Munich at 23.20pm and reaches Zagreb at 8.32am) -booking in advance, you get a seat in the compartment for as little as €29.90 or for an extra €45 on top, you can get a sleeper bed.

11. Buy a Eurail pass

The first entry on my first Interrail pass from 2012: ICE 36, Copenhagen to Hamburg, The journey begins…

• Latest Posts

Hi I am Kash aka the BudgetTraveller I'm the Luxury Hostels guy and for the last 14 years are sharing ways of how you can travel in style on a budget. Say hello to me here or on Instagram/Twitter. Lets connect!

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