One of the joys of a rail tour through Europe is experiencing how different countries do train travel. Let’s look at some of the top countries (and regions) where train journeys are a highlight of the trip, and what to expect in each.
France – Fast Trains & City Connections
French TGV
France is synonymous with high-speed rail. The French TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) was one of the first world-famous bullet trains and still impresses today. These sleek trains zip between cities at up to 320 km/h (200 mph), making cross-country travel extremely fast. For example, the TGV can whisk you from Paris to Lyon in just about 2 hours, or Paris to Marseille (over 750 km) in about 3.5 hours. The network radiates from Paris to all corners of France and beyond – you can take direct TGVs or high-speed connections from France into Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the UK (via Eurostar).
City-center convenience: The beauty is you can have a morning croissant in Paris and lunch on the French Riviera. Over 200 French cities are connected by TGV or intercity trains. Paris has multiple major stations (Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, etc.), each serving different regions, so you’re never far from a rail link. Even secondary towns have reliable regional TER trains.
Scenic routes: While TGV lines are built for speed (often using tunnels and viaducts to cut through terrain), there are still scenic rides to be found. One famous route is the Train des Merveilles from Nice into the Alps, or the Côte Bleue line along the Mediterranean west of Marseille. And if you prefer leisurely sightseeing, local trains in Provence or Normandy trundle through vineyards and along coastlines that TGVs bypass. By flying, you’d miss relaxing on a train through the Loire Valley chateau country or rolling past Burgundy’s green hills.
Reservations & passes: Do note France’s high-speed trains require seat reservations, even for pass holders, and often have limited allocation for rail passes (meaning passholders must still pay a small fee and during peak times trains can “sell out” for pass use). Book those as early as possible. But if you do have a Global Pass, France is a high-value country to use it given ticket prices can be steep last-minute (e.g. Paris-Nice might be €100+ short notice). With a bit of planning, France’s rail system will be the backbone of any European train adventure – fast, modern, and far-reaching.
(Insider tip: when in Paris, give yourself time to navigate between stations if transferring. For instance, coming from London on Eurostar (Gare du Nord) and connecting to a TGV at Gare de Lyon requires a cross-city RER metro ride. Also, don’t forget to validate (“composter”) paper tickets in the little yellow machines at French stations, if you have a regional ticket!).
Italy – Scenic Routes to Venice, Rome & Florence
Italian fast train
Italy combines efficient high-speed trains with romantic regional lines, making it a rail traveler’s delight. The country’s main north-south spine is covered by Le Frecce high-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca), operated by Trenitalia, along with Italo trains on major routes. You can zip between Italy’s iconic cities in mere hours. For example, the Rome to Florence route (approx. 260 km) takes as little as 1 hour 29 minutes on the fastest Frecciarossa trains. Continue on and you’ll reach Venice from Florence in about 2 hours by high-speed rail, crossing the causeway right into Venice’s Santa Lucia station on the Grand Canal. In around 3 hours 45 minutes you can go all the way from Rome to Venice – a journey that used to take the Venetians weeks by horse and cart!
While the high-speed network connects major hubs (Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples, etc.), Italy’s regional trains are where you find some real scenic gems. Winding through Tuscany, you can catch glimpses of rolling vineyards and hilltop villages (try the slow train from Florence to Siena for postcard views of the Chianti region). Along the Ligurian coast, the Cinque Terre Express hops between cliffside villages with jaw-dropping sea views – a far better experience than trying to drive those narrow, car-limited roads. In the north, routes like Bolzano to Verona pass the dramatic Dolomites. And down south, the train from Naples to Sicily (yes, the train goes onto a ferry!) offers a unique adventure crossing the Strait of Messina.
Italy’s trains are generally comfortable and reasonably punctual (though perhaps not as strictly on-time as Swiss or German trains). Seat reservations are required on the fast Frecce trains (and come included with your ticket by default). Regional trains don’t have reserved seating – it’s open seating, and tickets often need to be time-stamped in a station machine before boarding.
Tips in Italy: Take advantage of the affordable prices – booking in advance, you might find Florence to Venice for €15 or Rome to Milan for €30 on a promo fare. Also, note that Italy has two competing operators on major routes (state-run Trenitalia and private Italo). They’re both good – sometimes one is cheaper at a given time. Check both if you’re price-sensitive. Finally, embrace the Italian habit: bring along some snacks (a wedge of Parmigiano, perhaps) and a small bottle of wine on your train picnic, and enjoy la dolce vita as the scenery rolls by!
Switzerland – The World’s Most Scenic Rail Journeys
Swiss train in the Alps mountains in Switzerland around Ospizio Bernina
If any country can claim to have the world’s best train rides, it’s Switzerland. Despite its small size, Switzerland packs in an astonishing variety of landscapes – and their rail system lets you see it all up close. Swiss trains are exceptionally punctual, clean, and integrated (the network is so extensive that even villages high in the Alps have train or cable car links).
What truly sets Switzerland apart are its panorama routes. These are trains specifically geared toward sightseeing, often with special panoramic coaches featuring huge windows. The routes have names known to railfans worldwide: Glacier Express, Bernina Express, GoldenPass, Jungfrau Railway, and more. These journeys are not about speed – they’re about jaw-dropping alpine scenery. For example, the Glacier Express (dubbed the “world’s slowest express”) takes ~8 hours to crawl from Zermatt to St. Moritz, crossing 291 bridges and 91 tunnels in the high Alps. You’ll traverse narrow mountain valleys, loop through spirals, and climb over 2,000 meters in altitude. The Bernina Express route, a UNESCO World Heritage line, is often praised as the most beautiful train journey in Europe – it goes from icy glaciers at 2,253m (Bernina Pass) down to palm trees at Tirano, Italy, in just a few hours, with scenery that leaves you speechless.
Even ordinary Swiss intercity trains are a pleasure, gliding along crystal-blue lakes and majestic peaks. A trip from Zurich to Lucerne takes you past Lake Zug with mountain backdrops. The GoldenPass from Montreux to Lucerne offers golden vineyards and shimmering lakes. In winter, special snow-covered landscapes make trains like the Jungfraubahn to Jungfraujoch (Europe’s highest railway station) a once-in-a-lifetime experience (though pricey).
Swiss rail travel is seamlessly integrated with other transport – the Swiss Travel Pass covers trains, postal buses, boats, and even some cable cars. It’s easy to transfer from, say, a train to a lakeside ferry to continue your journey by water. Facilities are excellent: stations have lockers, shops, and often picturesque surroundings (many Swiss stations themselves look like storybook chalets).
Scenic tip: Make reservations for the named panorama trains (Glacier, Bernina, etc.) especially in summer, as they are popular. But note that you can often travel the same routes on regular regional trains without reservation – the experience is similar, just without the tourist trappings or commentary. For example, the route of the Bernina Express can be done on the standard regional trains that locals use, hopping on and off at tiny stations in the Alps.
Switzerland isn’t cheap, but the sights are worth every franc. As the official tourism board says, “Switzerland's panorama train routes are among the most beautiful in the world, passing through majestic mountain scenery, idyllic valleys, crystal-clear lakes and glaciers”. If you’re a train lover or nature lover, Switzerland will spoil you.
Germany – Efficient, Reliable, and Well-Connected
Train at Dusseldorf Railway Station
Germany is the powerhouse of European rail, with one of the most extensive and efficient networks. Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German railway, runs everything from high-speed intercity expresses to rural branch lines. If your vision of German trains is all about punctuality and engineering, you’ll find a lot of that – though recent years have seen some delays creep in, the system still moves millions daily with great success.
High-speed and intercity: Germany’s flagship trains are the ICE (InterCity-Express) trains – white aerodynamic trains that zip up to 300 km/h on key routes. They connect major cities like Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, and Stuttgart. For example, Berlin to Munich now takes as little as 4 hours on the fastest ICE line (down from over 6 hours in the past). These ICE trains are very comfortable, often with Wi-Fi, dining cars, and at-seat electrical outlets. One nice feature: some ICE trains have a family compartment or quiet zones – you can choose a quiet car if you want silence, or a family area if you have kids. There are also IC (InterCity) and EC (EuroCity) trains, which are slightly older or a bit slower, connecting secondary cities and international routes (like Munich to Zurich, or Hamburg to Copenhagen).
The German rail network is incredibly well-connected: you can reach almost any town by train or with one connection. Frequent local trains (RegionalBahn or RegionalExpress) fill the gaps between big hubs. For instance, after your ICE from Berlin to Frankfurt, you might take a regional train to the Rhine Valley town of St. Goar – no problem, connections are timed and on a single ticket. The system is integrated so that even short 5-minute connections often work (though some travelers prefer a buffer in case of minor delays).
Reliability: Generally high. Trains are safe, clean, and usually prompt. In recent years, construction and high demand have led to more delays than Germans are used to – but compared to many countries, it’s still very good. As one Reddit user quipped, “From an outsider’s perspective, DB looks solid… a crucial part of Germany’s transport”. And it’s true: Germans rely on trains heavily. If a train is late, you’ll even get a certificate to give your employer if it made you late to work!
International reach: Germany borders 9 countries, and has train connections to all of them. You can take direct trains from Germany to France, Switzerland, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and more. This makes it a central piece of any Europe rail tour. For example, the high-speed Thalys trains run from Cologne to Brussels and Paris. ICE International trains run from Frankfurt or Cologne to Amsterdam (and onward to Brussels/London via Thalys/Eurostar). If you’re doing a grand circle of Europe, chances are you’ll go through Germany or use a German-run train at some point.
Experience: Riding an ICE at full tilt is exciting but also smooth – you barely feel the speed. Meanwhile, wandering into the dining car (try the pretzel roll sandwiches or a German beer) while countryside rolls by is a joy. Also, many German trains have large windows and pass scenic areas like the Rhine Gorge (the Mittelrhein route between Koblenz and Mainz, for example, is gorgeous with castles atop vineyards). In Bavaria, local trains give you views of the Alps (Munich to Füssen for Neuschwanstein Castle is a pretty ride). So it’s not all business – you can find scenery and romance in German train travel too.
Lastly, Germany often pioneers rail innovations – they’re testing hydrogen-powered trains on some rural routes, and night trains are making a comeback via Austrian Railways partnership (e.g. a Nightjet sleeper from Munich to Rome). So, efficient as it is, German rail can still surprise you with variety.
Eastern Europe – Underrated and Affordable Routes
When people think of European trains, the West often gets the limelight – but Eastern Europe offers incredible rail adventures, usually at a fraction of the cost. “Eastern Europe” is a broad term, but here we include countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, the Balkan nations, and others in Central/Eastern Europe. Many of these countries have older train systems – don’t expect bullet trains – but that’s part of the charm. You might ride a clattering Soviet-era carriage one day and a modern air-conditioned train the next. Either way, you’ll likely pay less than in Western Europe, and you’ll see landscapes and cultures many travelers miss.
Affordability: Train tickets in Eastern Europe tend to be very cheap by Western standards. For example, an all-day trip across Poland might cost the equivalent of $20. A seat on the scenic Belgrade to Bar (Montenegro) line? Under $30. In Romania, a 10-hour train from Bucharest to the Moldovan border can be under $15. This means you can cover long distances on a backpacker budget. Rail passes (Interrail/Eurail) are valid in many of these countries too, but often point-to-point is so cheap it’s not worth using a pass day.
Prague to Budapest train
Scenic hidden gems: Eastern Europe has some stunning train routes, often unsung. One legendary journey is the Belgrade (Serbia) to Bar (Montenegro) line, known as the “Montenegro Express.” This 11-hour odyssey takes you from Serbia’s capital down to the Adriatic Sea, crossing 254 tunnels and 435 bridges through the Dinaric Alps. The engineering is awe-inspiring (it includes one of Europe’s highest railway bridges, the Mala Rijeka viaduct). You’ll rumble through mountain gorges and catch views of isolated villages – scenery that rivals Switzerland, at a fraction of the price (just don’t expect Swiss-level punctuality). Another example: the Bucharest to Istanbul overnight train, lovingly called the Bosphorus Express. For around £30 (about $40) you get a bed on a train that travels from Romania, across all of Bulgaria, and into Turkey by morning. It’s like a mini-Orient Express (minus the luxury) and one of those “step back in time” experiences – border checks at midnight, chatting with fellow passengers from everywhere, and waking up to the mosques of Istanbul at dawn.
Other highlights include Prague to Budapest (passing the Danube and hills of Slovakia), Sofia (Bulgaria) to Thessaloniki (Greece) through rural Balkans, and Budapest to Split (Croatia) in summer (direct overnight trains to the Dalmatian coast). Even the simpler routes, like Warsaw to Kraków or Bratislava to Vienna (just an hour and very cheap), are efficient ways to explore Eastern cities.
Older trains & tips: Many Eastern European trains are older models – expect cabins with six seats (some potentially without air-conditioning in summer, so carry water). Night trains often have couchette cars that are basic but serviceable. Security is generally fine – I’ve found Eastern European hospitality means people will watch out for each other. Still, lock your compartment door at night and keep valuables secure (common sense anywhere). Also, check schedules locally: some rural routes have limited departures, and night train schedules can change seasonally. A local station ticket agent or the Deutsche Bahn online planner (which includes most European timetables) are good sources.
Finally, while there may be fewer high-speed lines, Eastern Europe is investing in rail too. Newer trains and faster connections are coming. But don’t be afraid of the slower pace – part of the joy here is relaxing as the Carpathian Mountains, rolling plains, or Balkan coastlines unfold outside your window. It’s rail travel like it used to be, and it’s wonderful.
