The best European train journeys to take this year

In recent years, trains have found new fans as travellers seek more affordable, sustainable and flexible modes of transport, and reconsider their need for privacy, space and comfort. A fresh enthusiasm for rail has led to much-needed investment in infrastructure and innovation, with ambitious plans afoot for 2025. Among them, Austria’s state railway will introduce its brand new Nightjet fleet to existing routes and Belmond launches the Britannic Explorer in July – the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales.

Ten years ago the romance of railways appeared to be fading as a mass cull of European sleeper trains gave way to budget airlines and high-speed rail.  However, with climate change an ever-growing concern, travellers are drifting back to the rails, partly in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions and embrace the joy of slow travel – with the world’s most beguiling landscapes as a backdrop. In 2023, Interrail experienced a record year of sales, while night trains continue to undergo a renaissance.

From Scandinavian sleeper trains to a romantic ride through Istanbul, here are 12 of the best European train trips to book this year.

Stockholm, Sweden to Narvik, Norway

Duration: 18 hours overnight
Price: From 980 SEK (70 GBP) one-way or 1,264 SEK (90 GBP) for a six-person couchette

The night train to Narvik in Norway sets off just after 6pm from Stockholm Central Station, taking a little over 18 hours to travel up the backbone of Sweden and more than 100 miles into the Arctic Circle. While the route is popular year-round, it’s best experienced in winter, when passengers mill about in base layers and boots, unwrapping slabs of smoked salmon and making friends in the dining car. Over steaming bowls of reindeer stew and mash, passengers see black forests flit by the window, the golden lights of ski resorts, and snow shovelled into peaks. Seats are wide and reclining, but it’s better to reserve a comfortable couchette or a private cabin with an en-suite shower if your budget allows. In the morning, passengers disembark at the town of Kiruna in Swedish Lapland for cross-country skiing and to chase the Northern Lights, while those remaining on the train to Narvik are privy to the grand finale of Norway’s fjords, twisting around the cliffs below.

Oslo to Trondheim, Norway

Duration: Eight hours overnight
Price: Twin sleeper compartment from 1,691 NOK (120 GBP) for two

Departing Oslo just before 11pm, this plush sleeper train offers passengers a smooth ride in warm, comfortable berths, with trackside views of the Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park’s mountains and rivers that thrash at every bend. Ride the train in winter and you’ll witness ice-fringed farmhouses, frozen lakes and possibly a spritz of the neon Northern Lights. However, for around eight weeks between May and July, Norway experiences the natural phenomenon known as the Midnight Sun, when the sun stays above the horizon, the landscape bright from 3am. During this time, passengers will see cyclists out in tandem, hikers appearing on the hillsides and anglers thigh-deep in waders – all before 5am. The train arrives into the city of Trondheim at 6.30am, where it’s worth spending a few days wandering its colourful, cobbled streets and discovering why this gastronomic haven – home to three Michelin-starred restaurants – is fast becoming a key culinary destination.

Brussels, Belgium, to Venice, Italy

Duration: 19 hours
Price: One-way tickets from 109 EUR (90 GBP); couchettes from 139 EUR (116 GBP); private compartments from 149 EUR (124 GBP)

In May 2023, Belgian-Dutch collective European Sleeper launched the inaugural Good Night Train, which took passengers from Brussels to Berlin via Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Sourcing old rolling stock (coaches built in the mid 1950s), the concept has attracted everyone from families with young children to tourists from Tokyo and older European couples who have given up flying. Its low prices – seats start from 49 EUR one way – have been a welcome relief to passengers wanting to travel by rail but unable to afford the often eye-watering prices. Since launching, European Sleeper has expanded with routes through Dresden, Prague, Innsbruck, Bolzano and Venice. The rail group recently introduced a dining car on certain routes, but otherwise, an attendant serves sandwiches, crisps and instant noodles, along with an ample breakfast box in the morning. Dine before boarding or pack a few goodies for the ride.

Cannes, France to Ventimiglia, Italy

Duration: One hour 30 minutes
Price: One-way tickets from 14.30 EUR

Known for its glitz, glamour and curving beaches, the French Riviera is home to one of the world’s most glorious train rides. Nothing more than a regular commuter service, this double-decker train departs multiple times a day, taking just over 90 minutes from Cannes to Ventimiglia on the Italian border. Sit upstairs on the right for views of the ocean fizzing its way up the shore, bronzed men playing volleyball and yachts bobbing about in the harbour. On board, you’ll find a mixed crowd of students reading Kindles and and grandmas with baguettes in their baskets and tiny dogs curled at their feet. There’s graffiti on the windows and gum under the seats, but it’s in keeping with the spirit of the ride. On the approach to Cagnes-sur-Mer, look left towards pink villas lined with cypress trees, and purple flowers pouring down balconies, before a lovely long stretch of the Ligurian sea sparkles towards Nice. Consider hopping on and off this train to explore the towns in between before arriving in Ventimiglia for a sundowner and a stroll around its markets.

The GoldenPass Express from Montreux to Interlaken, Switzerland

Duration: Three hours and 15 minutes
Price: Single tickets from 76 CHF (68 GBP)

One of Europe’s newest tourist trains, the GoldenPass Express has revolutionised train travel through the Alps. Previously passengers had to travel by metric gauge between Montreux and Zweisimmen in Switzerland and change trains to complete the journey to Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland. Today, a single elegant locomotive pulls passengers around mirror-like lakes and flower-filled meadows, thanks to revolutionary technology that permits the train to change the gauge of its wheels and the height of its coaches mid-journey. Setting off from the shores of Lake Geneva, this service is an ideal way to spend an afternoon, nursing a glass of wine (or three) as the train takes three hours to circle valleys, vineyards and green-tinged glaciers before drawing into Interlaken. Tickets can be purchased up to two months before departure.

Bernina Express from Chur, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy

Duration: Four hours 30 minutes
Price: One-way second-class tickets from 78 EUR (65 GBP)

A route so stunning it’s been designated a Unesco heritage site, the Bernina Express makes a mockery of its name as it glides at an average speed of 20mph, giving lovers of slow travel an indulgent ride from Chur – the oldest city in Switzerland – down to the lovely little town of Tirano, in northern Italy. The fire-engine red train snakes along a narrow-gauge track through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges, most of which are anchored into limestone rock faces high above the churn and slosh of rapids and emerald-green rivers bringing minerals down from the mountains. With panoramic windows and wide comfortable seats, it’s largely a tourist service that allows passengers to sit back and take in the villages wedged into hillsides, meadows dotted with bell-ringing cows, and many a spectacular twist and turn. On a sunny winter’s day, expect crisp snow twinkling in the light as powder falls from feathery pine branches. In summer, the ride is just as beautiful, with lush meadows, rivers gurgling through woods and the track lined with purple aster.

The Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, Finland

Duration: 12 hours
Price: Twin cabin from 219 EUR (184 GBP)

The Santa Claus Express is the ultimate family-friendly train, taking passengers from Helsinki to the capital of Finnish Lapland where they get to meet the big man at Santa Claus Village. While two daytime services cover the 500 mile journey to the edge of the Arctic Circle, the sleeper train is the preferred option at Christmas – picture the platform rammed to the edges with snow-suited and booted children glancing eagerly towards headlamps coming into the station. The fabulous double-decker has ample en-suite compartments, and children under the age of four travel for free. Once on board it’s wise to dump bags then bolt to the dining car for the signature dish of meatballs, mash and lingonberry jam before the car gets crowded. Departing just before 7:30pm, the train begins the 12-hour journey north, passing conifers sagging with snow and lakes that gleam like ink. Snowflakes twirl under the orange glow of streetlights and little faces watch for the Northern Lights, which have been known to appear on occasion. A slow and steady journey, it’s easy to fall into restful sleep until the train pulls into Rovaniemi just in time for breakfast.

Vienna, Austria to Hamburg, Germany

Duration: 12 hours 30 minutes overnight
Price: Cabins start from 79.90 EUR (67 GBP) one way; twin compartments start from 134.90 EUR (113 GBP)

As European sleeper trains undergo a renaissance, Austria’s state railway ÖBB has been leading the charge with its night service that started in 2016. These trains have allowed passengers to save money on hotels and reduce their carbon footprint while bringing back the joy of slow travel. The carriages were repurposed from Germany’s Deutsche Bahn into sleepers, with many feel a little dated. However, at the end of 2023, ÖBB launched a new fleet of high-tech carriages featuring mini cabins which resemble Japanese-style capsule hotels. Passengers are assigned a cabin with a key card to open the door, along with two lockers: one that fits a small wheelie bag and a smaller one for shoes. Once on the move, you climb into your cabin, pull the door around and don’t talk to anyone until morning – unless you’re travelling with a companion in which case you can open an adjoining hatch and whisper through it over a bottle of wine. For more comfort and space, the Vienna-Hamburg, Vienna-Rome and Hamburg-Innsbruck routes also feature upgraded compartments with lovely bunk beds and en-suite bathrooms.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from Venice, Italy to Paris, France

Duration: 24 hours overnight
Price: Cabins from 4,207 EUR (3,530 GBP), including transfers and meals; suites from 8,640 EUR (7,250 GBP) including bespoke amenities

It’s possible to travel by regular train from Venice to Paris, but the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express by Belmond is a class above the rest. It’s ideal for dreamers who long for the chance to wear elbow gloves at dinner while a pianist plays Moon River in the bar. Contrary to popular belief, the Orient Express wasn’t a single train but a regular commuter service with numerous sets of rolling stock. Gone are the days of luxury trains for commuters, but Belmond has strung together vintage carriages, polished them up and created a setting that makes for a glamorous one-night ride that allows passengers to wake under damask covers as Venice’s lagoons twinkle past the window. Book one of the 1920s-inspired grand suites, complete with marble bathrooms, double beds and a living room with private dining service. Here, Dyson hairdryers, Guerlain products and plenty of Veuve Cliquot champagne make for a luxurious escape.

Belgrade, Serbia to Bar, Montenegro

Duration: 10 hours
Price: One-way tickets from 28 EUR (23.46 GBP)

Completed in 1986, this 300-mile line connecting Belgrade to Bar is one of the most overlooked and beautiful train rides in Europe. A pet project of Yugoslavia’s former president Josip Broz Tito, the railway sweeps through 254 tunnels and clacks over 435 bridges, offering passengers ten hours to take in distant hills, valleys and teal rivers. Once across the border and into Montenegro, the train runs through the Durmitor and Bjelasica mountain ranges, where passengers can peer down onto plunging canyons, luminous green waters and clouds casting shadows on the slopes. On the approach to Bar the train skims the edge of the Adriatic and warm, salty sea air drifts through the windows. Opt for a summer ride on the daytime Tara train, otherwise much of the latter scenery passes by in darkness, or take the Lovcen sleeper train to wake up and sip tea as the best bits unwind. Tickets can’t be bought online, but can be bought from Belgrade station or through discoverbyrail.com, which will deliver them to your hotel in Belgrade.

Tickets can’t be bought online, but can be bought from Belgrade station or through Andy Brabin of discoverbyrail.com who delivers them to your hotel in Belgrade.

Istanbul to Ankara, Türkiye

Duration: Four hours 30 minutes
Price: Tickets from 434 TRY (10 GBP)

By day or by night, the journey from Istanbul to Ankara is a treat. For romantics, the Ankara Ekspresi departs Istanbul’s Söğütlüçeşme railway station at around 11pm, when passengers make up their berths then gathering in the warmth and charm of the dining car, where fairy lights trim the windows and Turkish classics play on a loop. Squeezing through Istanbul’s nooks and crannies, the domes of mosques outlined through the fading light, the train runs along the backs of houses and apartments, blinds half down, the blue light of TVs glowing through the darkness. Over a bowl of hot çorba (lentil soup), passengers gaze into the guts of the city until the train swings out and along the edge of the Marmara sea, when most turn in for the night. By day, the high-speed trains make short work of the 275 mile distance, whisking passengers along in under five hours.

Britannic Explorer, a Belmond Train

Duration: Three nights
Price: Twin suite cabins from 5,800 GBP per passenger

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the world’s first passenger train journey, which ran between Stockton and Darlington in Durham – transforming the face of British tourism in the process. In homage to the wonder of exploring the British countryside, Belmond is launching its newest train in July 2024, marking the first luxury sleeper in England and Wales. Departing from London Victoria, there are three routes through Wales, the Lake District and Cornwall. Off-board excursions include wine tasting overlooking St Michael’s Mount near Penzance in Cornwall, guided open-water swimming in Cumbria and scenic hikes around the fells. Designed to reflect the landscapes outside the windows, each suite is decorated in soft sage green with a double bed that converts to seating during the day. The highlight on board will surely be the dining car, where celebrated British chef Simon Rogan (of L’Enclume) will serve farm-to-fork-plates made from the best of British ingredients.

Read more: an epic 46-hour journey on board the Kerala Express