In Europe, railroads serve a variety of purposes. Train convey a sense of timelessness missing from the mundane experience of traveling, thanks to their magnificent terminals, rich histories, and memorable destinations. As demand for more environmentally friendly travel grows and new possibilities emerge, including a recent wave of night trains, traditional lines have supplemented high-speed services.
We’ve put up a Europe rail travel guide to help you get the most out of your rail journey, no matter where you start. Here are some of the book’s most memorable trips.
1. From Paris to Berlin by Train
High-speed trains and a wide variety of slower choices link two of Europe’s most renowned destinations. From Paris to Brussels and on to Cologne, a three-country excursion would let you go by the space-age architecture of Liège-Guillemins station. The cathedral in Cologne is so near the station that you can’t help but stop there before boarding the ICE German fast train to Berlin, which takes less than five hours. Deutsche Bahn allows you to buy individual tickets for every leg of your journey, allowing you to explore more than the immediate surroundings of the station buildings in each city. A direct high-speed link between Paris and Frankfurt is also viable.
2. The Nightjet service from Amsterdam to Vienna.
At 7 pm or 7.30 pm every night, Austrian Railways operates the Nightjet service from Amsterdam, which leaves every evening. Passing via Cologne and Koblenz, the train will continue south-east across Germany and reach Austria at Passau. Arriving in Vienna at 9.19 a.m. gives you plenty of time to sleep in and have breakfast. Eurostar service from London and ferries to Amsterdam or Harwich to Hoek van Holland may easily be coupled with this rail route, as can other ferries.
3. A journey through the interior of Corsica takes you from Bastia to Ajaccio.
It is a narrow-gauge railway that runs from Ponte Leccia to Ajaccio, Bastia, and Calvi, providing stunning views of the island’s magnificent and rocky landscapes. Although just three and a half hours long, the travel from Ajaccio to Bastia is best done as a multi-day excursion that includes an overnight stay. Ferries from mainland France, such as Toulon, Marseille, and Nice, connect with Corsica, making it an appealing train-and-ferry destination for visitors from the United Kingdom.
4. Dublin to Madrid by train ferry
There is a direct route from Dublin to the continent’s other major cities. After a brief detour to Wicklow, the single-track line heads inland and ends up at the county town of Wexford, situated on the banks of the Slaney River estuary. To get to the port of Rosslare, where boats to Bilbao depart twice weekly, take a short train ride. After that, you’ll have a five-hour train ride to Madrid. Visit Burgos’ magnificent cathedral, Valladolid, the historical capital of Spain, and the Roman aqueduct and Alcázar stronghold in Segovia.
5.From Venice to Palermo by Train
The stunning places of interest throughout this trip, from the top to the bottom of Italy, are well-known. Bologna and Florence may be reached in under 90 minutes by fast Frecciarossa trains from Venice. You’ll be in Rome in about an hour and a half. The southern part of Italy may be seen from here. Take a train to Sicily for one of Europe’s most unique rail experiences. From Calabria’s Villa San Giovanni, you and your horse-drawn carriage take a particular boat to Messina, Sicily, where you may take a leisurely four-and-a-half-hour journey inland to Palermo’s bustling nightlife. To get to the Sicilian capital through the ship, several daily and nightly intercity and overnight trips are available.
