Top 10 Rail Journeys

We take a look at some of Europe's best train journeys, from Switzerland's world-famous Glacier Express to the little-known narrow-gauge line that trundles across Asturias in northern Spain.
  • The ground-breaking Semmeringbahn has been whisking passengers through the beautiful Austrian mountains ever since 1854, making it Europe’s oldest alpine railway. Beginning in Gloggnitz, to the south of Vienna, the line climbs over 455 metres and passes through an impressive series of tunnels and double-decker viaducts as it burrows through the high mountains. It is a monumental feat of engineering, and – in our opinion – a very deserved recipient of its UNESCO World Heritage status.
    Features on: On the Trail of the Habsburgs rail journey >
  • The Douro Valley may be best known as the birthplace of Port wine, but it is also home to a rather wonderful railway which clings to the sliver of land between the river and the steep hills above. If you’re catching the train from Porto, we recommend settling into a seat on the right-hand side and waiting patiently (the ‘real’ views begin about an hour into the journey). You will be rewarded with an excellent panorama of this timeless valley, with its silver-green olive groves, half-forgotten villages and neatly striped vineyards.
    Features on: Porto & the Douro Valley walking holiday; Cities, Palaces & Wine rail journey >
  • When it comes to memorable rail journeys, there are few to rival the route from Myrdal to Flåm. The fact that this world-famous railway descends some 886 metres over the course of just 20 kilometres makes for a thrilling experience, further enhanced by the thundering waterfalls, deep ravines and innumerable tunnels that it passes on the way. Even when you reach the end of the line, the scenery is just as spectacular – the village of Flåm sits at the head of Aurlandsfjord, one of Norway’s most picturesque fjords.
    Features on: all Inntravel rail journeys in Norway >
  • Amid the lush green hills, secluded beaches and colourful fishing ports of Spain’s Costa Verde trundles a very special train. The Cercanías Asturias does not offer a particularly fast nor luxurious mode of transport, but it does provide a delightful means of exploring northern Spain: with no fewer than 100 stops, there are plenty of opportunities for jumping off and enjoying an impromptu coastal walk, some time at the beach, or even a tasty seafood lunch, and the decidedly leisurely pace is perfect for soaking up the sumptuous views outside.
    Features on: Slow Train through Asturias rail journey >
  • The Glacier Express is not just one of the most panoramic train journeys in Europe, but anywhere in the world, and there is no time of year when its mind-boggling beauty cannot be appreciated. We happen to think the route is at its most dramatic during the winter months, when the rolling meadows, silent forests, deep lakes and traditional villages are blanketed with snow, and the surrounding peaks glisten in the sunlight.
    Features on: The Glacier Express rail journey >
  • Take this slow, metre-gauge railway along the Bay of Biscay for a feast that's both visual and gastronomic. Travel from vibrant Bilbao with its relaxed pintxos (Basque-style tapas) to the beautiful coastal city of San Sebastián, where you can enjoy Michelin-starred gastronomy in elegant Belle Epoque surroundings. From here, you can continue along the Basque Coast to the French border – and be whisked on by the French railways to magnificent Bordeaux, where the world’s best wines await.
    Features on: Flavours of Bilbao, San Sebastián & Bordeaux rail journey >
  • Travel by local train across Puglia and you’ll discover Baroque splendour, conical-roofed trulli houses, and coastal castles. As you progress through the region from south to north, watch as outside your window the scenery shifts from sun-soaked olive groves and vineyards to vast red earth plains and the Adriatic coast. The frequent local trains that criss-cross Puglia also take in Alberobello, one of Italy’s most iconic villages and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the lovely coastal towns of Barletta and Molfetta.
    Features on: Puglia from City to Coast >
  • The Nordland Railway between Trondheim and Bodø is the longest – and one of the most spectacular – in Norway, and weaves through great forests, past narrow fjords, and alongside rivers famous for their salmon. About four-fifths of the way through the journey, you cross the Arctic Circle and continue through the majestic Saltfjellet mountains. After 739 kilometres of remarkable scenery, not to mention 293 bridges and 154 tunnels, you finally reach the coast at Bodø.
    Features on: Grand Norwegian Explorer rail journey >
  • Nestling in the foothills of the great, often snow-capped Sierra Nevada, where almond orchards coat the lower slopes, there are few Spanish cities with a location to rival Granada. Travelling here by rail from Córdoba, you can make the most dramatic of entrances: the last section of the line between Antequera and Granada is particularly scenic – pass through vineyards with sweeping open views, across the plains and towards the mountains of Tejeda, Almijara, and Alhama.
    Features on: A Trail of Three Cities rail journey >
  • A personal favourite of Inntravel’s rail specialist, Kylie, the Bernina Express is a narrow-gauge railway which weaves from St Moritz in Switzerland to Tirano in Italy, and is named after the Piz Bernina mountain that towers above the route. With an incredible 55 tunnels, 196 bridges and ever-changing views – think green valleys, snow-capped mountains, pine forests, glaciers, and waterfalls – this is a truly spectacular way to cross the Alps, and perhaps the most scenic train journey of them all...
    Features on: Engadine, a Swiss Winter Wonderland >
 

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