Europe’s railways have rarely inspired as much excitement as they have in recent years. Train companies, eager to capitalize on this newfound enthusiasm, have been racing to add new destinations, revive old ones or simply provide more seats on popular routes. Others have gone for luxury charters aimed at recreating the opulence of train travel in the past.
With travelers now spoiled, the selection below focuses on some constants: tried and tested routes that are easily accessible and offer the kind of beautiful scenery that has been a source of delight to travelers for decades, or even a century. Most of them run daily and come at no extravagant cost, yet still have special details that will make your journey comfortable, scenic and memorable.
Austria
The Transalpin from Zurich to Graz, Austria, is one of only a handful of trains with the Swiss Federal Railways’ first-class panorama car. Its high, curved windows rise above the seats to reveal sweeping views of the Alps. In good weather, you can spend most of the nine-and-a-half-hour journey (it runs only during the day) gazing at a rolling landscape of mountains, meadows, clear lakes and peaceful villages.
Crossing nearly all of Austria, the train stops at popular mountain resorts, which have increased their variety of year-round activities, like hiking, mountain biking, water sports and farm stays, to complement traditional winter sports.
The dining car serves schnitzel, knödel and other local dishes with Austrian wines, and will deliver your meals to your seat in first class. There are breakfast options served with fluffy Kaiser rolls starting at 6.60 euros (about $7.15), mains at €11.40 and a seasonal menu with vegan and vegetarian options.
Graz, Austria’s second largest city, has a pleasant historic quarter on the banks of the River Mur and is a good starting point for a Central European adventure, thanks to good onward connections to Vienna, Prague, Budapest and beyond.
Tickets from the Austrian Federal Railways start at €40 in second class and €60 in first. Look for train numbers EC163 or 164. You can buy a €3 reservation, making sure to pick both the first-class and the panorama car options, to secure a seat with a view.
The Gotthard Railway, one of Switzerland’s main Alpine gateways to Italy, combines dramatic views with spectacular engineering feats. To make the most of the scenery, board the Treno Gottardo, a direct service from Basel or Zurich to Locarno. The train travels through the original Gotthard Tunnel from 1882 at above 3,000 feet. It spends about 10 minutes in the tunnel, allowing travelers plenty of time to take in the views on either side. You may be tempted to stop and explore the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, at the southern end of the route, before heading on to Milan or Venice on direct trains.
South of Lake Lucerne, the train climbs a series of bridges and spiral tunnels to reach snowy peaks before descending to Locarno on the palm-tree-lined shores of Lake Maggiore. The lake, with blue waters bordered by steep slopes, straddles Switzerland and Italy, and its tiny islands are home to elegant palazzos and lush gardens.
Tickets to Locarno start at 32 Swiss francs ($37) for rides departing from Basel or 24 francs from Zurich. They can be booked on the Südostbahn website.
Italy
The trips from Milan or Rome to Sicily are among the longest direct train routes you can embark on in Europe. Though perhaps slightly too great a distance to travel by day, it can be a comfortable length for night trains.
Two trains that once ran this route, the Freccia del Sud, or Southern Arrow, and the Treno del Sole, or Sunshine Train, played a role in the large-scale migration of Italians from the rural south to the industrial north after World War II.
Today’s travelers can order dinner or go to bed shortly after boarding and wake up to southern sunshine and coastal views. The highlight comes around breakfast time, when the train cars are loaded onto Europe’s last passenger train ferry (complete with tracks) to sail across the Strait of Messina to Sicily. The final leg of the journey is a scenic coastal ride to Palermo or Syracuse.
Tickets from Trenitalia to either Milan or Rome start at just under €50 for a couchette in a basic four-person compartment. Three-sleeper and single cabins with a private bathroom are more expensive. All fares include breakfast.
Scotland
Shortly after leaving Glasgow, this line turns north, traveling between glistening lochs, and heads into untamed highland wilderness. After three hours, trains reach the Corrour station, set in a vast moorland accessible only by foot or rail. Corrour has a cafe and many walking routes. The station is famous for a scene in the 1996 film “Trainspotting,” in which Ewan McGregor’s character sits surrounded by its mountains and rants about how unbearable it is to be Scottish.
Further on, Fort William is the ideal stop for a hike up Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain, or a ferry to the Isle of Skye to explore its castles and dramatic shores. And before reaching Mallaig, trains cross the Victorian-era Glenfinnan Viaduct, popular with filmmakers and seen, most recently, in Netflix’s “The Crown.”
The local carrier ScotRail runs several trains daily. One-way tickets start at around 20 pounds ($26). ScotRail offers travel passes for a set price if you plan to stop along the journey.
France
Named after the blue waters of the Mediterranean, this train trip from Marseille to Miramas takes under two hours. The route owes its popularity to its first section — to the fishing town of Martigues — which skirts white cliffs directly along the sea. It recently underwent critical work to ensure its safety and keep it from closing.
The best approach for this day trip, leaving from the heart of Marseille, is hopping on and off the train along the coast to enjoy local attractions. From L’Estaque station, you can embark on a walking tour of sites that inspired painters like Paul Cézanne and Georges Braque. A seaside trail from Niolon to Cap Méjean takes you through a succession of calanques, rugged limestone coves resembling miniature fjords. Calanques on the Côte Bleue are not as unspoiled as in the national park south of Marseille. But a tiny port and an imposing railway viaduct towering over the blue waters, like in Méjean, add their own character.
The port of Sausset-les-Pins is a short walk from the train station and has several spots for dining on the water. And in Martigues, a bus can take you to the center of town, where canals are lined by pastel-colored houses.
Tickets from the French national railway company SNCF start at €13.20. With a day pass for the Bouches-du-Rhône département, which includes Marseille, you can hop on and off as many times as you like for €20.
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