10 Best Train Routes in Europe (2026)
Scenic Alpine crossings, high-speed corridors and one steam-hauled cameo - ranked by landscape, engineering and value, with real distances, journey times and current fare ranges.
In brief
For pure scenery, take the Bernina Express (Switzerland to Italy) or Flåmsbana (Norway). For speed, the Eurostar (London - Paris) and Spanish AVE connect city centres faster than flying once you add airport time. For value, the West Highland Line in Scotland and Germany's ICE Sparpreis fares from EUR 17.90 are the cheapest scenic options on this list.
- -Five of the ten routes are in Switzerland, Norway or Italy - the densest scenic-rail belt in the world.
- -Mandatory seat reservations apply to the Glacier Express, Bernina Express panorama coaches, all French TGVs, Spanish AVE and Italian Frecciarossa.
- -Book 60 to 90 days ahead on Eurostar, AVE and ICE to lock the lowest advance fares.
The 10 best routes, ranked
Ranked on a weighted blend of landscape, engineering significance, frequency and value. Fares are typical 2026 ranges; live prices fluctuate by date.
Bernina Express
Switzerland to Italy - Chur - Tirano
- Distance
- 122 km
- Duration
- ~4 hours
- Operator
- Rhaetian Railway (RhB)
UNESCO World Heritage line. Climbs to 2,253 m at Ospizio Bernina - the highest railway crossing in the Alps that doesn't use a rack system. Crosses the Landwasser Viaduct and the open-air Brusio circular viaduct.
Season: Year-round; panoramic carriages run daily.
Fare: From CHF 32 (regular) / CHF 66 (panorama seat reservation).
Glacier Express
Switzerland - Zermatt - St. Moritz
- Distance
- 291 km
- Duration
- ~8 hours
- Operator
- Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn / RhB
Marketed as the slowest express train in the world. Crosses 291 bridges and 91 tunnels, including the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 m. Shares the UNESCO Albula stretch with the Bernina Express.
Season: Year-round; reservations mandatory.
Fare: From CHF 159 + CHF 49 mandatory seat reservation.
Flåmsbana (Flåm Railway)
Norway - Myrdal - Flåm
- Distance
- 20.2 km
- Duration
- ~1 hour each way
- Operator
- Vy / Flåm Utvikling
Drops 866 m in 20 km - one of the world's steepest non-rack railways. Passes 20 tunnels and the Kjosfossen waterfall stop. Connects to the Bergen Line at Myrdal.
Season: Year-round; busiest May to September.
Fare: NOK 600 round-trip (~EUR 52).
West Highland Line
Scotland (UK) - Glasgow Queen Street - Mallaig
- Distance
- 264 km
- Duration
- ~5 h 20 min
- Operator
- ScotRail
Crosses the 21-arch Glenfinnan Viaduct (1901), made famous as the Hogwarts Express. Runs along Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and the western seaboard. The seasonal Jacobite Steam Train uses the Fort William - Mallaig leg.
Season: ScotRail year-round; Jacobite April to October.
Fare: From GBP 49 single (advance fare).
Eurostar
UK to France / Belgium / Netherlands - London St Pancras - Paris Gare du Nord
- Distance
- 492 km
- Duration
- ~2 h 16 min
- Operator
- Eurostar
High-speed service through the Channel Tunnel at up to 300 km/h. City-centre to city-centre with no airport security queues. Direct Eurostar trains also run to Brussels, Amsterdam and Lille.
Season: Year-round; book 90 days ahead for cheapest fares.
Fare: From EUR 52 one-way if booked in advance.
Centovalli Railway
Switzerland to Italy - Locarno - Domodossola
- Distance
- 52 km
- Duration
- ~2 hours
- Operator
- FART / SSIF
Crosses the 'hundred valleys' between Lago Maggiore and Lake Orta on 83 bridges and through 31 tunnels. Often used as part of a Swiss-Italian round trip combining boat, train and the Gotthard line.
Season: Year-round; autumn foliage peaks mid-October.
Fare: CHF 32 one-way; covered by Swiss Travel Pass.
Cinque Terre Express
Italy - La Spezia - Levanto
- Distance
- ~13 km
- Duration
- ~25 min end-to-end
- Operator
- Trenitalia
Stops at all five Cinque Terre villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso). Trains run every 15 to 30 minutes in season. The simplest way to village-hop without driving the closed coastal road.
Season: Daily; Cinque Terre Card needed for unlimited rides.
Fare: EUR 5 single; EUR 18.20 day pass (low season).
AVE Madrid - Barcelona
Spain - Madrid Atocha - Barcelona Sants
- Distance
- 621 km
- Duration
- ~2 h 30 min
- Operator
- Renfe (plus Iryo and Ouigo Espana)
One of Europe's busiest high-speed corridors, served by three competing operators since 2022. Trains run at 310 km/h. Onboard Wi-Fi, café car and station-to-station lounges in Madrid and Barcelona.
Season: Year-round; promotional fares from EUR 19 with Ouigo.
Fare: From EUR 19 (Ouigo) to EUR 130 (Renfe AVE Premium).
Rauma Line
Norway - Dombås - Åndalsnes
- Distance
- 114 km
- Duration
- ~1 h 30 min
- Operator
- Vy
Skirts the Romsdalen valley below the Trollveggen rock face - Europe's tallest vertical wall - and crosses the spiral Kylling Bridge. Connects with the Dovre Line for a full Oslo to Åndalsnes journey.
Season: Year-round; daily summer 'Rauma Railway Tourist Train'.
Fare: From NOK 249 (~EUR 22) one-way.
ICE Berlin - Munich
Germany - Berlin Hbf - Munich Hbf
- Distance
- 623 km
- Duration
- ~3 h 55 min
- Operator
- Deutsche Bahn
Inter-City Express trains at up to 300 km/h on the upgraded VDE 8 line, opened December 2017. Runs through Thuringia and crosses the Saale-Elster Viaduct - the longest railway bridge in Germany.
Season: Year-round; Sparpreis fares from EUR 17.90.
Fare: From EUR 17.90 (advance) to EUR 150 (flexible).
How to book European trains
Three booking paths, in order of how often we use them:
- Operator websites (sbb.ch, vy.no, eurostar.com, renfe.com, bahn.de) - the cheapest fares with no markup. The Swiss Travel System site (sbb.ch) is the canonical source for the Glacier and Bernina Expresses.
- Aggregators (Trainline, Omio) - one cart for cross-border journeys, in your own language and currency. Add a small booking fee (typically 1 to 5%) versus the operator.
- Journey Finder Route Finder - compare trains, buses, flights and ferries side-by-side before you commit, then click through to the operator or aggregator at the same price.
Cheapest-fare windows: Eurostar releases 180 days out, German ICE Sparpreis 180 days, Spanish AVE 60 days, French TGV InOui 90 days. Prices climb sharply in the final 14 days before departure.
Eurail and Interrail vs point-to-point
The Eurail Global Pass (non-EU residents) and Interrail Global Pass (EU residents) start around EUR 285 for 4 travel days in 1 month, second class. Both are the same product under the hood.
A pass typically pays off when:
- +You take three or more long-distance trains in two weeks.
- +You travel mostly in Switzerland, Germany, Austria or the Czech Republic, where reservation surcharges are low or zero.
- +You want flexibility to change plans en route.
A pass doesn't pay off if your itinerary is mostly French TGV, Spanish AVE or Italian Frecciarossa - reservation fees of EUR 10 to EUR 30 per train often equal advance-purchase point-to-point fares.
Best train routes in Europe: FAQ
The questions we get most often about Alpine scenic trains, high-speed booking strategy and accessibility on European rail.
Continue Planning Your Trip
Intelligent tools designed to simplify the complex.