Train travel can be an efficient and economical way to explore Europe, offering flexible options with some routes opening booking three months ahead while others selling out completely. Planning early will guarantee the best rates and more options!
Live out your aristocratic fantasies through luxury train tours such as ones onboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, with its Art-Deco elegance of wood panelling and brass fixtures, or hop aboard Belmond Royal Scotsman for an epic scenic journey past medieval castles and picturesque lochs and glens.
Spain
El Transcantabrico in Spain boasts elegantly furnished saloons and vintage ambience for an unforgettable Europe holiday by train, taking passengers through breathtaking countryside scenery while giving them a taste of what awaits them on this themed tourist train. You’ll be mesmerised as you watch it pass before your eyes.
San Sebastian and Bilbao both offer unforgettable experiences that won’t easily forget, from Art-Nouveau beauty in San Sebastian to Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum and Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum. After exploring, return to your train for an included gourmet wine-paired dinner and sleep soundly in a wood-panelled suite complete with a regency sofa and massage shower-cum-sauna.
As soon as it’s time to leave the train, listen carefully for arrival announcements. Some stations sound similar and you don’t want to miss your train travel in Europe! Therefore, it is advisable to start packing your luggage as soon as the stop begins; this will help ensure a swift and safe exit.
Switzerland
The best train tour Europe routes combine urban sophistication with high-alpine adventure. Switzerland’s Grand Train Tour encases itself in brilliant blue lakes, skirts high-flying peaks, and glides past verdant valleys carpeted in wildflowers for an unparalleled train experience.
European train journeys allow visitors to discover picturesque mountain vistas in opulent towns and cities, such as Zermatt and St. Moritz ski resorts. In winter months, this ride may also take them across glaciers and frozen lakes.
One of the most thrilling rail journeys Europe has to offer, the train winds its way across some of Switzerland’s most stunning landscapes, beginning on the historic Mount Rigi Cogwheel Railway (dating back to 1871). Next up on the Europe train journeys is the GoldenPass Panoramic for a scenic train ride through Rhine Gorge – commonly known as Switzerland’s Grand Canyon – and Lake Geneva. For an extra special experience, guests may opt to spend a night on luxury Excellence Class coaches featuring bar areas, personal travel guidance services and premium multi-course meals.
Turkey
A train that travels around Europe usually provides a comfortable and convenient means of travelling across the continent. Many travellers use trains for Europe as their primary mode of transport during scenic journeys, multi-country adventures or river cruise rail excursions. Many opt to travel Europe through train.
Many European trains provide dining cars that provide traditional fare at an additional fee; however, some passengers prefer bringing their own food or alcohol aboard for convenience.
As soon as you are planning to get onboard a train around Europe, be sure to book in advance. Most luxury trains Europe routes begin accepting bookings three months in advance, though this varies between routes. Sign up for Rail Europe’s free alert service or visit Man in Seat 61 website/blog for tips, schedules, route descriptions and route descriptions; child, youth and senior fares can often be purchased instead of adult tickets – often at significantly cheaper rates! Also keep in mind cultural norms around eating loudly, talking on phones and storing luggage, among others, can differ significantly between countries.
England
Luxury train tours in England provide the ideal way to discover its scenic landscapes and historic cities, from North Pennine viaducts and hills, picturesque cobbled streets of York and London’s royal splendor – there is plenty to see and explore when taking a train across Europe.
Reviving the glory days of 1930s rail travel, The Northern Belle offers an indulgent and intimate experience. Step aboard unique carriages equipped with plush seating and silver serviced dining as you glide past glistening countryside landscapes that span green mountains, picturesque lakes and historic villages.
Scotland is filled with rugged scenery to be explored by train, from its dramatic clifftop peaks of Kyle of Lochalsh to Arisaig’s serene shores and Arisaig’s sweeping shores. You may wish to hop off at Edinburgh for a day trip and discover its main highlights such as Edinburgh Castle and Royal Mile or Pitt Rivers Museum’s collection of anthropology exhibits. Additionally, Stratford-upon-Avon must also be visited as it holds Shakespeare’s birthplace and school along with Gothic splendour of his church and cathedral.