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I LOVE TRAINS.
I mean, what’s not to love? Taking the train is (usually) relaxing, environmentally friendly, and you don’t have to weigh your luggage or focus on driving. Plus, there something nostalgic about it, isn’t there? A nod to older times, when there was a closer exchange between time and distance travelled. On a train, you have the time to look out, take in the scenery, perhaps read a book or have a good old ponder about your trip.
You can work (if you don’t always need WiFi), you can people watch. With company, you can play a game of cards, or go to the drinks trolley for a little something.
Of course, not all trains are so romantic. In the UK (where I live), they’re not famous for being great. But the rest of Europe is pretty well connected by rail, and there are some gorgeous train trips that you can make across the continent.
Looking for a little inspiration for your next one? Read on to discover some of the great train trips of Europe.
The Efficient One: Eurostar from London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Beyond
If you follow my blog, you’ll know it’s not surprising that I start with the Eurostar.
Since services began operating in 1994, the Eurostar has become one of the most important piece of transport infrastructure in Europe. Just the Channel Tunnel, which connects London to mainland Europe, took a good six years to complete. It’s currently the longest undersea tunnel in the world (which probably explains why you can never connect to the WiFi properly).
From London St Pancras, you can take the train to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, with other stops in popular city break destinations like Bruges, Lille and Rotterdam. There are even seasonal Eurostar services to the French Alps.
Eurostar trains themselves are fast, comfortable (even fancy), with power sockets, luggage racks and generous leg room. Prices start around £40 for a one-way standard ticket from London to Paris, but the cost can really vary depending when you book and for which dates.
For a bit more of that je ne sais quoi, you can upgrade to Premier and also enjoy refreshments on the house (well, not really on the house because you pay extra, but you get it).
I’ve written extensively about the Eurostar before, so to explore the routes on offer and how much you’re likely to pay for them, read my guide on Eurostar destinations.
The Scenic One: the Glacier Express, Zermatt to St. Moritz
Known as the “slowest express train in the world”, Switzerland’s Glacier Express is among Europe’s most scenic train trips. It takes eight hours to cover the 300km between Zermatt and St. Moritz, which just so happens to be the perfect speed to take in the stunning panoramas of the Swiss Alps and the Matterhorn.
The route comprises 291 bridges and 91 tunnels, with route highlights including the Rhine Gorge (known by many as the Swiss Grand Canyon), and the Landwasser Viaduct, the surreal and gravity-defying bridge pictured above.
The train itself is comfortable, with large windows from which to enjoy the views, and a dining car serving up traditional Swiss cuisine. There are first-class cabins as well as standard class, and the route can be booked all year-round, though the scenery is at its most appealing during the summer.
Prices start around £160 per person for a second-class cabin, so it’s not super cheap, but it does cover a lot of ground. It does get booked up, so if it sounds up your street, make sure to book in advance on the Glacier Express.
The Crazy Expensive One: the Belmond Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, London to Venice
Think £160’s expensive? Wait till you see the price tag for this one.
Belmond are the experts of luxury train travel, servicing famous trips like the Eastern & Oriental Express, and South America’s first sleeper train (the Andean Explorer).
In Europe, their most popular offering is the Belmond Venice Simplon Orient Express. Charting a route from London to Venice via Paris, Zurich and the Alps, it’s a scenic journey promising mountain views, shimmering lakes and rural alpine villages. But there’s more.
This trip is luxury of the highest order (and once you see the price tag, you’ll know why). Packages include a four-course dinner with wines paired by an expert sommelier. A three-course lunch, dedicated steward service and free reign to roam the opulent British Pullman train. The train is made up of 1920s and 1930s carriages, restored to their former glory. Think art deco, antique fixtures and furniture, and a bar car complete with live piano music.
The price tag? Around £5,000 per night, and that’s per person based on two sharing. Often, it’s more. For this princely sum? One night of opulent accommodation (I should hope), wine included with lunch and dinner, dedicated steward service and complimentary transfers. Oh, and the train journey. But you should know that the real Belmond train is from Paris to Venice – the part from London to Paris is on… you guessed it, the Eurostar!
Sold? Find out more at belmond.com.
Not your cup of tea but still fancy the fancy?
If you’d like to make a smaller splash (but still splash), the Belmond also run a number of day events aboard the British Pullman. These usually include drinks and meals along the train, which makes a journey around the English countryside. These events, which range from Murder Mystery Lunches to afternoon tea (with champagne of course, darling), cost more like £400-500, but that’s for two people. Bargain!
Another worthy mention is the other Orient Express, La Dolce Vita, which takes scenic journeys around Italy. These are still pricey, but are much more affordable than the Belmond. On the Dolce Vita Orient Express, £3000 should get you a three-day trip, for example, and that includes lush accommodation and Italian food on board. On the Belmond, for comparison, that usually doesn’t cover one overnight voyage.
The Adventurous One: Montenegro Express, Belgrade to Bar
Fancy train not up your street? Well, I’ve got just the ticket, if you’ll pardon the pun.
The Balkans don’t always spring to mind when thinking of seamless European train travel. But travellers willing to brave the sometimes slow and unreliable trains will be rewarded. The Montenegro Express, running from Belgrade in Serbia to Bar in Montenegro offers the chance to glide through some of Europe’s most beautiful and less explored paths.
The trip stretches over 11 hours, crossing through the Dinaric Alps, over more than 430 bridges, occasionally offering glimpses of the Adriatic Sea. Costing around 20 euros for the journey, this is some of the best pound-to-view value you’ll get on a train.
Still, it’s worth mentioning that a lot of locals prefer buses, since they’re faster and more reliable. This trip is best for flexible plans, not if you have a time and a place to be. Or if you get hot easily.
The train itself is old, with unreliable air-conditioning. These are the same trains that serviced this line when the dictator Tito opened it in 1976! If you have ever ridden an overnight train in Egypt or India, you may have some idea of the experience.
But it is beautiful, unusual and economic. In true old-time style, you can’t buy tickets online, but in person at a train station in Belgrade, Bar or Podgorica. Trains are rarely fully booked, so you should be able to travel the same day as you purchase your ticket, though for extra security you could always arrive with a day or two in advance.
Train blogging royalty Seat 61 summarises the view in a YouTube video from around 10 years ago – before watching, be warned know that the train does hit a horse around 2 mins 40 seconds in.
The Spectacular One: Bergen Line, Oslo to Bergen
Norway is well known for both its efficient public transport and dramatic scenery of fjords, forests, mountains and lakes. Where better then, to find one of the great train trips of Europe?
The Bergen Line was built in 1909 and runs from the Norwegian capital Oslo over the Norwegian Highlands to Bergen, the country’s second biggest city. The journey takes around seven hours and sees passengers travel higher than any other European railway journey, to an elevation of more than 1220 metres.
One of the major stops on the route Myrdal. This is where travellers can find the Flam Railway, a separate railway journey which also happens to be one of the most steep and spectacular in the world. The Flamsbana descends nearly 865 metres to the shore of the Aurlandsfjord, offering mind-bogglingly beautiful scenery, including waterfalls, deep glacial valleys and fjords.
Operated by Norway’s main railway operator, Vy, trains on the Bergen Line are comfortable and modern, with a café car, plenty of luggage storage and lots of leg room. Bicycles can be brought on board too.
You can find more information and book your tickets on the Bergen Line at Vy.no/en. Surprisingly, tickets start around £20 per person for a non-changeable allocated seat. £70 could get you a seat in a compartment. Not bad, right?
Want to stop along the way? Visit Norway have an interactive page showing some of the highlights on the route, or you can watch a sample below.
The British One: Caledonian Sleeper, London to Scotland, and beyond
While the Eurostar takes Brits to mainland Europe, the Caledonian Sleeper connects London to the UK’s far north, travelling to destinations in Scotland including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William.
Depending on how far into the Scottish Highlands you wish to go, the journey can take anywhere from 7–13 hours, with some guests bedding down in cabins for the overnight journey. The surreal experience of going to sleep in southern England and awaking in the remote and wild Scottish Highlands is a truly unique experience.
Both the railway line and the trains themselves have undergone significant refurbishment in recent years, and accommodation onboard ranges from simple seats for budget-conscious travellers, up to club cabins and suites. These include facilities including ensuite bathrooms, beds and breakfast.
The Club Car serves up haggis and Scottish whiskey to accompany you through the countryside, but don’t worry – there are other dishes and drinks available too.
It greatly pains me to say this – but I did not have the best experience taking the Caledonian Sleeper overnight from Edinburgh to London. Fear not though, it does not dull my enthusiasm for the routes or the train. The seats, starting around £50 for the London-Edinburgh route, still offer great value and comfort, not to mention connections to some of Scotland’s most beautiful destinations. I just may not book an overnight cabin if I have work the next day. You can book tickets on sleeper.scot.
Did you know?
A lot of people don’t realise that the Caledonian Sleeper runs regularly during the day as well. So if you’re coming from London and want to save some cash and time, you can take a regular LNER train from London to Edinburgh (or vice versa), which is closer to four hours instead of seven, then hop on the Caledonian Sleeper to get around other parts of Scotland in style – avoiding the pricier sleeping option all together.
Training around Europe
As the first continent to properly industrialise, it’s hardly surprising that Europe has some of the best choices when it comes to railway journeys. The above are just a few to get you in the train mood and see the variety on offer, but travellers really are spoiled for choice here.
The important thing is to research your journey ahead of time, so that there are no big (bad) surprises on your route. If you’re not confident taking the train on your own, you can always consider joining a group tour like the ones that Byway offer. They’re more expensive, but usually include accommodation and sightseeing options as well as the train journey, so you really can sit back and enjoy the ride. They’re far from the only one that offer railway journeys around the world, and as rail tourism makes a comeback, I reckon we can expect to see more.
Europe’s rail network is for the most part modern, safe, efficient, and green. So, what are you waiting for? Get planning your next railway journey, and then let me know know how it went in the comments!
If you’ve made it down to here…
I’d love to know: what are your favourite train journeys in Europe? Why?
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