Best Train Rides in Europe: 9 Scenic Routes Worth Planning a Trip Around

🇪🇺 This guide is part of our comprehensive Europe Travel Guide.

Traveling by train through Europe is one of those things that looks good on paper and turns out even better in practice. I've done a handful of these routes now — the Glacier Express through the Alps, the Rhine Valley through vineyard country — and the scenery genuinely makes you forget you're sitting in a carriage for hours.

Europe's rail network connects almost everything, but a handful of routes stand above the rest purely for the landscape outside the window. These are the best scenic train rides in Europe — with real prices, booking advice, and what to actually expect.

Best Train Rides in Europe at a Glance

1. Glacier Express — Switzerland

The Glacier Express runs between St. Moritz and Zermatt through the heart of the Swiss Alps — roughly 8 hours of high alpine scenery, crossing 291 bridges and passing through 91 tunnels. The panoramic windows are designed to give you uninterrupted views of the alpine landscape, and the route climbs to 2,033 metres at the Oberalp Pass.

Book it: glacierexpress.ch — second class from CHF 152, reservation CHF 43 required. Book months ahead in summer; shoulder season (May, October) is cheaper and less crowded.

2. Bernina Express — Switzerland to Italy

The Bernina Express runs from Chur (or St. Moritz) across the Alps to Tirano in northern Italy — and then by Bernina Express bus on to Lugano or Milan if you want the full cross-border itinerary. It crosses 196 bridges and 55 tunnels, including the famous Landwasser Viaduct, which curves through open air at 65 metres above the valley floor.

The descent from alpine Switzerland into the Mediterranean landscape of northern Italy — from snow and conifer to palm trees and vineyard terracing — happens in under four hours and feels cinematic.

Book it: rhb.ch — Chur to Tirano from CHF 66 second class, reservation ~CHF 13. Connection to Milan from Tirano takes about 2.5 hours.

3. Bergen Railway — Norway

The Bergen Railway connects Oslo to Bergen in about 6.5 hours across Hardangervidda — one of Europe's largest mountain plateaus. The route peaks at Finse (1,222 metres), passes frozen lakes, and descends through the valley into Bergen's harbour. It's one of the most rewarding long train journeys in Europe for sheer variety of landscape.

Pair it with the Flåm Railway from Myrdal — you can break the journey, drop into Flåmsdalen via a near-vertical descent with seven waterfalls visible from the carriage, then pick up a ferry through the Sognefjord.

Book it: vy.no — Oslo to Bergen from ~NOK 499 (≈€44). Book 2–3 weeks ahead for the best fares.

4. Flåm Railway — Norway

Technically a branch of the Bergen Railway, the Flåm Railway deserves its own entry. The 20km descent from Myrdal to Flåm drops 863 metres in under an hour, passing through carved tunnels and past the Kjosfossen waterfall. It's short, but consistently rated one of the most scenic train rides in Europe.

Book it: visitflam.com — from Myrdal to Flåm ~NOK 350 (≈€30) one way.

5. West Highland Line — Scotland

The West Highland Line runs from Glasgow to Mallaig in about 5.5 hours, crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct — yes, the one from Harry Potter. The railway passes through open highland moorland, alongside lochs, and into the remote northwest coast. It's one of the only routes where the scenery gets better as the train empties out.

No reservation surcharge. Regular ScotRail service using standard tickets.

Book it: scotrail.co.uk — Glasgow to Mallaig from ~£55 return. The Jacobite steam train runs the same route in summer (Fort William to Mallaig, ~€40 return) if you want the steam locomotive experience.

6. Rhine Valley Line — Germany

The Rhine Valley Line between Koblenz and Mainz runs through 65km of riverside landscape — castles on cliffs, vineyard terracing, and small wine villages. It takes about 1.5 hours on a regional train and requires no special booking or reservation. It's easily done as a day trip from Frankfurt, Cologne, or Munich.

Book it: DB regional train — from ~€20 with a Deutschlandticket (€58/month, covers all regional rail).

7. Odontotos Rack Railway — Greece

Running from Diakopto on the Corinthian coast up to Kalavrita in the mountains, the Odontotos is a narrow-gauge rack railway that climbs through a dramatic gorge, crossing 50 bridges and passing through hand-carved tunnels. The journey takes about an hour each way. It's quirky, genuinely scenic, and almost nobody outside Greece knows it exists.

Book it: odontotos.com — ~€14 return.

8. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express — Luxury Sleeper

If you want the classic luxury sleeper experience, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express runs from London to Venice with original 1920s carriages, a proper dining car, and private cabin service. It also runs other routes including Paris to Istanbul and Vienna to Venice.

It's expensive — from £2,000 per person — but it's genuinely a different category of train journey.

Book it: belmond.com

9. Mocanița Steam Train — Romania

The Mocanița is a narrow-gauge steam train running through the Vaser Valley in Maramureș, Romania. It runs at slow pace through dense forest, stopping at villages unreachable by road. The coal-fired locomotive produces actual steam clouds through the valley. It's about 2 hours each way and costs almost nothing.

Book it: Runs from Vișeu de Sus — check local operators for seasonal schedules, ~€10.

How to Book Train Rides in Europe

Point-to-point tickets — best for 1–2 routes. Book direct via national operators (SBB for Switzerland, DB for Germany, Vy for Norway, ScotRail for Scotland). Book early for the cheapest fares.

Eurail Pass — worth it if you're covering 4+ countries in 3–4 weeks. Covers most routes above except the Bernina and Glacier Express reservation fees. eurail.com

Omio and Rail Europe — useful for cross-border routes where booking direct is complicated (e.g. Zurich to Vienna, or connecting to Milan from Tirano).

FAQs: Best Train Rides in Europe

What is the most scenic train ride in Europe? The Glacier Express and Bernina Express in Switzerland are consistently ranked highest for scenery — alpine passes, viaducts, and 360° panoramic windows. Norway's Bergen Railway is the best long-distance scenic train journey.

What is the best luxury train ride in Europe? The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is the benchmark — original 1920s Art Deco carriages, private sleeper cabins, and a full dining experience from London to Venice. Prices start from £2,000 per person.

Which is the best train to travel Europe on a budget? The Rhine Valley Line is free with a Deutschlandticket (€58/month). Scotland's West Highland Line needs no reservation surcharge. Norway's Bergen Railway is scenic and relatively affordable at ~€44 booked in advance.

What is the most beautiful train trip in the world? Many travel writers point to the Bernina Express (Switzerland to Italy), the Bergen Railway (Norway), or the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (India) as the top three globally. In Europe, the Bernina Express — with its descent from the Alps into the Italian landscape — is hard to beat.

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