Btw I have spent hours trying to make the text below stay within the format I set when I created this post, but I can't make Blogger publish the edited/updated version in IE, Chrome or Firefox!
Some of the most fabulous destination towns and cities in Europe are also blessed with easy access to journeys by train that can compete with more typical attractions for wow factor status.
Some of the most fabulous destination towns and cities in Europe are also blessed with easy access to journeys by train that can compete with more typical attractions for wow factor status.
So as an alternative to museums and galleries, head for the station and make spontaneous journeys of a lifetime that don’t require an itinerary
The journeys listed below have the following in common:
1: They commence at stations near to the town/city centres
2: Trains depart at regular intervals during the day – at least hourly on the routes journeys marked* and every two hours on the routes marked with a **
3: Are used by trains that don’t have to be reserved in advance, you can hop on board as long as you have a ticket
4: The views from the train are fabulous
5: You won’t be on the train in each direction for more than two hours (ish), so making a day trip is easy.
6: Ticket prices won’t break the budget - the typical costs for the journeys is less than €20, so they can be bought at the station just before you head off on a day to remember!
2: Trains depart at regular intervals during the day – at least hourly on the routes journeys marked* and every two hours on the routes marked with a **
3: Are used by trains that don’t have to be reserved in advance, you can hop on board as long as you have a ticket
4: The views from the train are fabulous
5: You won’t be on the train in each direction for more than two hours (ish), so making a day trip is easy.
6: Ticket prices won’t break the budget - the typical costs for the journeys is less than €20, so they can be bought at the station just before you head off on a day to remember!
And in many instances the final destinations of the trips will also be a delight.
Mountains:
Munich – Fussen/Garmisch **
There are regular trains from Munchen hbf to multiple destinations in the Bavarian Alps. Once the trains are passed Buchloe you’ll soon be travelling through spectacular mountain passes and wishing that these journeys were your daily commute.
Journey time = Fussen; 2hr 10mins; Garmisch, 1hr 25mins
Innsbruck – Garmisch **
As I said on my guest post for GotSaga, Innsbruck is a great base for exploring by train.
The city is located where two of the most spectacular long distance European railway routes; (1) Munich – Verona and (2) Zurich - Salzburg cross, but even better than these is the route that winds its way over the mountains and across the border to Garmisch in Germany.
The city is located where two of the most spectacular long distance European railway routes; (1) Munich – Verona and (2) Zurich - Salzburg cross, but even better than these is the route that winds its way over the mountains and across the border to Garmisch in Germany.
A picture postcard day out at any time of year.
Innsbruck - Brenner *
A contender for Europe’s most spectacular commuter route, it’s also a stress free way of seeing the infamous Brenner Pass.
Apart from grabbing a bite to eat there’s little to do in Brenner itself, except for catching a train on to Italy (see below). But the journey there and back is great way of spending a morning or afternoon.
Journey time = 1hr 25 mins (you may have to change trains in Mittenwald (connections are guaranteed)
Innsbruck - Brenner *
A contender for Europe’s most spectacular commuter route, it’s also a stress free way of seeing the infamous Brenner Pass.
Apart from grabbing a bite to eat there’s little to do in Brenner itself, except for catching a train on to Italy (see below). But the journey there and back is great way of spending a morning or afternoon.
Journey Time = 40mins
Verona - Bolzano*
I’ve cheated a bit here because there are two different train services that head north from Verona on arguably Europe’s most spectacular express train route. The Regionale (REG) trains have cheaper ticket prices than the alternative EC express trains, but they only operate at hourly intervals in the afternoons.
Two good reasons for not taking the EC trains; they're much more expensive and require a reservation.
The REG trains also break another rule, as they take 2hr 10mins to reach Bolzano, but you won’t want the journey to end!
And yes Verona is beautiful, but getting into the mountains you can see from the city by train is a must.
Journey Time = 2hr 10mins
Journey Time = 2hr 10mins
Salzburg - Zell Am Zee**
This route offers the easiest access to spectacular views of the Austrian Alps from Salzburg, as the train follows the River Salzach as it carves its way through the mountains.
This route offers the easiest access to spectacular views of the Austrian Alps from Salzburg, as the train follows the River Salzach as it carves its way through the mountains.
The trains that depart every hours and have Innsbruck as a final destination, travel along the east bank of the journey before crossing over to the west at Bischofshoffen, so simply sit on one side going there and the other coming back.
Journey Time = 1hr 37mins
Bilabao - San Sebastian/(Donastia)
Yes the journey takes more than two hours, but for virtually the entire journey your jaw will be dropping as you pass through a mountain landscape that’s a world away from the beaches of Spain.
Yes the journey takes more than two hours, but for virtually the entire journey your jaw will be dropping as you pass through a mountain landscape that’s a world away from the beaches of Spain.
You’ll be on the Euskotren, the narrow gauge railway that departs from Axturi station in Bilbao and Amara station in San Sebastian. (The railway uses Donastia, the Basque name for San Sebastian)
Journey Time = 2hr 38mins
Lakes:
Milan - Colico*
Colico is on the eastern shore of Lake Como and can be reached by local trains Milano (Centrale) station that are heading for Tirano.
This route gives the best views of any of the Italian lakes that can be seen from a train. Many people head for Lecco, but carry on to Colico to see the best of the scenery. Colico is on the eastern shore of Lake Como and can be reached by local trains Milano (Centrale) station that are heading for Tirano.
Journey Time = 1hr 27mins
Basel - Berne - Interlaken*
There a numerous must see destinations that are within easy reach of Basel by train, but the simplest and fastest journey that guarantees a fix of stunning Alpine scenery is this one.
There a numerous must see destinations that are within easy reach of Basel by train, but the simplest and fastest journey that guarantees a fix of stunning Alpine scenery is this one.
Once the train
is past Berne, you’ll be speeding along the southern shore of beautiful Lake
Thun (Thunsee), so if you’re staying in Berne itself you’ve got no excuse for not making
this journey.
If you’re
travelling from Basel sit on the right of the train as you face the direction
of travel, the train will reverse direction in Bern station.
Journey time = 1hr
58mins (from Basel); 53mins from Berne
Zurich - Luzerne*
Not one but two
spectacular lakes surrounded by mountains can be seen on this journey that
provides the fastest access from Switzerland’s biggest city, Zurich, to the heart of The
Alps.
Sit on the left of the train, as you face in the direction of travel, when you depart from Zurich hb station, the train will initially head north for a short time before turning south to run along the shore of the Zurichzee.
Journey time = 45/50mins
Rivers:
Koln - Koblenz*
South of
Koln/Cologne the River Rhine flows through a spectacular valley lined with
vineyards and dotted with fairytale castles. On both side of the valley there
are railway lines that hug the river, providing a near continuous supply of
spectacular views for hours.
Take the slow
train (there’s no need to rush) from Koln hbf to Koblenz on route RE8 or RB27
to Koblenz via Troisdorf sit on the
right of the train when your facing in the direction of travel, you’re going to
heading south on the east bank of the river.
From Koblenz you
can travel back to Cologne/Koln on the opposite back on trains on route RE5.
These trains commence their journeys in Koblenz so when you board you can
guarantee you can be sat on the right to make the most of the views.
Journey time = 1hr
38mins
Due to a rare
quirk of the German rail timetable, it’s easier to make this journey on
Mon-Fridays, the hourly Regional Express (RE) trains that depart from Frankfurt(Main) hbf, don’t operate at weekends.
Luxembourg - Trier - Koblenz*
Once the train
is past Mainz you’ll be travelling on the west bank of the Rhine river, so sit
on the right to make the most of the spectacular views.
Then head back
to Frankfurt (Main) on the opposite bank of the river, on the hourly trains
that travel via Weisbaden.
Journey time = 1hr 47mins
The capital city is packed with attractions that make it a U.N.E.S.C.O World Heritage site, but getting out of the city by train is a great idea.
To see the best
of the incredible Moselle River valley, you’ll need to change trains in Trier
to travel on to Koblenz, but this is no hardship as Trier is near the top of
any most beautiful towns in Germany list.
Journey time = 2hrs
travel time, plus the wait for the connection at Trier
As you’ve probably worked out by now, if you ever spend time in or near Koblenz then some day trips by train are a must!
Dresden - Bad Schandau*
The railway line
to the south of Dresden hugs the west bank of the River Elbe, so sit on the left
of the train as you face the direction of travel when the train departs.
Don’t take the EC
express trains, it’s highly they’ll already be packed with other travellers
heading to Prague from Berlin, but if you board the local trains you can
guarantee a view across the stunning river gorge.
Journey time = 46 mins
Coasts:
Paignton - Exeter*
The multiple delights of South Devon are a constant lure for holiday makers and it’s impossible to stay in the area and be unaware of the wonderful journey by steam train between Paignton and Kingswear (Dartmouth).
But a cheaper
and even more spectacular option from a scenery point of view, is to take a
regular local train to Exeter from Paignton or Torquay.
For much of the
journey there’s nothing between the train and the sea apart from a beach and
there’s also great views to be had over the estuary of the River Exe.
Journey time =
55mins
Napoli - Sorrento*
Italy’s Amalfi coast is world famous for its resort towns that seemingly cling to the cliffs between the mountains and the sea. Driving along the coast is not for the faint-hearted, but regular trains shuttle between Napoli and Sorrento and the views over the sea for most of the journey are incredible.
Don’t head for
the main Napoli Centrale station, the trains that are termed the ‘Circumvesia’
depart from their own city centre station, Napoli, (Porta Nolana) station
Journey time =
60mins (average)
Nice - Cannes and/or Menton
There aren’t many French journeys on this list, as few local trains outside of Paris offer a stress-free regular interval service, but fortunately for visitors to the French Riviera, the railway line along the coast between Cannes and Menton is an exception!
Twice an hour
during the day local trains travel in both directions on a Cannes – Antibes –
Nice – Monaco – Menton route with amazing views down to the sea.
Journey
times; Nice – Menton = 35mins; Nice – Cannes = 41mins
Bridges:
Edinburgh - Dundee*
The spectacular
Forth Bridge is a world famous monument to Scottish engineering and can be seen
from many of Edinburgh’s numerous viewpoints.
Instead of
admiring it from a distance why not take one of the trains that depart from
Waverley and Haymarket stations to Dundee.
You’ll soon be at
the handsome city on the river Tay and you’ll have travelled over not only The
Forth Bridge, but The Tay Bridge too. The views from both from either side of
the train are incredible and the journey between the bridges is also charming.
Journey time = 1hr 18mins
Koebenhavn - Malmo*
Considering the
length of the journey it’s comparatively expensive to travel by train from the
Danish capital, Copenhagen to Malmo in Sweden, but that’s because in effect you’ll be
paying a levy to travel the length of arguably Europe’s most impressive
engineering achievement – the Oresund Bridge.
Looking down
from such a great height on a train on to the sea below is awe-inspiring.
Journey time = 37minsCities:
Venezia - Padova*
I’ll admit you’ll
need to use your imagination on this journey more than most, but if you sit on
the right of the local train as you face the direction of travel; (avoid the more expensive ‘Freccia’ trains)
when the train departs Venezia (St Lucia) station, you’ll immediately find yourself
seemingly gliding across the lagoon to the mainland.
Journey time =
23mins
You won’t find the journey I take every time I travel to/from my day job in any guide books of London, but trains that give great views of the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye; Festival Hall, the bridges over the Thames, St Pauls, Borough Market; Southwark Cathedral and The Shard just couldn’t be missed off any best journeys in Europe list!
Journey time = 8mins
