10 of the most scenic rail routes in Europe

Rail routes have long been romanticised, perhaps due to the nostalgia for a time gone by.

The commercialisation of planes in the late twentieth century meant rail was no longer the primary route of travel – but it is still one of the easiest ways to get around Europe.

Many European train routes offer up some stunning scenery. From passing by Norwegian fjords to winding through Germany’s Black Forest and seeing the sparkling seas of Montenegro’s Adriatic Coast, there’s certainly still some romance left in rail journeys.

Below, we’ve rounded up the most scenic rail routes in Europe to explore this year.

Offenburg to Konstanz in Germany

Journey time: 2 hours and 17 minutes.

Also known as The Black Forest Railway (or Badische Schwarzwaldbahn in German), the picturesque line passes through Hansel and Gretel-style villages, dense foliage and lush scenery as it winds its way through Germany’s Black Forest. Donaueschingen is a good place to stop along the way as it’s the birthplace of the Danube – one of Europe’s longest rivers.

From €24 (£21.50) for a one-way journey, bahn.com/

London, UK to Istanbul, Turkey

Journey time: 3 to 4 days (add on more if you want to properly explore along the way).

While the original Orient Express is no longer in service, you can still follow its route. Eurail suggests going from London to Paris in France, Munich in Germany, Zagreb in Croatia, Belgrade in Serbia, Sofia in Bulgaria and Istanbul in Turkey. The trip will take around three to four days to complete, but we recommend setting aside a week or two to take in all the cities along the way and add on day trips – Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes is the ideal day trip from Zagreb.

From €168 (£150) for a three days in one month global pass from Interrail, interrail.eu/

Bergen to Oslo in Norway

Journey time: 6 hours and 30 minutes.

The Bergen Line (or the ‘Bergensbanen’) runs for 308 miles and was built on some of Europe’s most inhospitable terrain – which is why the route took 34 years to complete. Now, one of the most beautiful train routes in Europe, the railway climbs to 1222 metres above sea level and offers four daily departures. Operating throughout the year – even during the freezing Norwegian winter – expect to pass stunning fjords, lakes and forests as you wind your way across the country. Myrdal makes a great pit stop as you can get the train from Myrdal down to Flåm for some more scenic sights.

From 779 KR (£72) for a one-way journey, vy.no/

Moscow, Russia to Oslo, Norway

Journey time: 11 days

A new rail route from German company Lernidee Trains & Cruises, this 11-day Arctic adventure takes guests from Russia’s Moscow, via St. Petersburg and Murmansk, to Norway’s capital of Oslo. After launching its inaugural journey this year, the Murmansk & Beyond route has two trips lined up for 2020 and four for 2021, taking guests up through Russia to the Arctic Circle before crossing the Norwegian border and finally flying to Oslo.

From €3,550 per person for 11 days, trains-and-cruises.com/

Vienna, Austria to Ljubljana, Slovenia

Journey time: up to 7 days

This self-guided journey takes you from Austria’s elegant capital city, through the winding Austrian countryside to Salzburg – the setting for The Sound of Music. After gorging on Wiener schnitzel and discovering the charming lakes nearby, make your way across the border to Slovenia and on to Bled – where you’ll find the picturesque Lake Bled. From Bled, head to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana to discover the charming city.

From £40 per person for three train trips, thetrainline.com/

Glasgow to Mallaig in Scotland

Journey time: 5 hours and 30 minutes

Scotland’s West Highland Line takes you past lochs, moors and dramatic mountains. For any ardent Harry Potter fans the train also travels across the Glenfinnan Viaduct between Fort William and Mallaig – the bridge used in the Harry Potter movies to transport the Hogwarts Express.

From £37 for a one-way journey, scotrail.co.uk/

Bar, Montenegro to Belgrade, Serbia

Journey time: 11 hours.

With two daily trains in each direction, this day-long rail journey promises 435 bridges, 254 tunnels and a host of dramatic and aesthetically pleasing scenery. The route winds along Montenegro’s Adriatic coast before passing through Serbian mountains and can be split into multiple parts, with alluring stops like Montenegro’s capital of Podgorica and Serbian delights like Prijepolje and Požega.

From €24 (£21.50) for a one-way journey, tickets can be bought at the station.

Chur, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy

Journey time: 4 hours

Starting in either Chur or Landquart, this is the train journey of your wildest summer Alpine dreams. The highest railway on the Alps will take you past glaciers and stunning mountains before descending into Italy’s Tirano. The railway line between Thusis and Tirano has UNESCO World Heritage status thanks to its stunning Alpine panorama.

From 79 CHF (£64) for a one-way journey, rhb.ch/

Levanto to La Spezia in Italy

Journey time: 30 minutes

A constant contender to the Amalfi Coast for the title of Italy’s most scenic spot, the Cinque Terre is formed of five colourful, ancient villages that wind along its eastern coastline. While you can hike between the villages, the Levanto to La Spezia journey stops at all five villages and passes by olive groves, tumbling cliffs and abundant vineyards.

From €3.60 (£3.21) per person for a one-way journey, thetrainline.com/

Paris, France to Moscow, Russia

Journey time: 38 hours and 55 minutes

The second-longest rail route in Europe (Moscow to Nice takes the crown as the longest), this train leaves once a week on a Thursday evening and arrives in Moscow on the Saturday morning. During the trip you’ll pass through Luxembourg, Germany, Poland and Belarus before crossing into Russia – so expect to see plenty of stunning scenery as you make your way east. The sleeper carriages are modern and during the trip you can expect to taste a bit of each country you pass through with a Polish buffet and Russian dining available.

From £329.66 per person for a one-way journey, russianrailways.com/