Great Train Ride Trips in Europe

Central Europe by Train

Lazienki Park Tomasz Szymanski/shutterstock
Fly into: Budapest Fly out of: Warsaw
Total Duration: 10 days

This itinerary gives the flavor of Central Europe. There's plenty to see, including castles in Bratislava and Krakow, bathhouses in Budapest, and libraries in Warsaw. It's best and most easily undertaken by train.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • Architecture
  • Shopping
  • Nightlife
  • Great Train Ride
  • History

Central European Art Capitals: Berlin, Dresden, and Prague

Prague Castle clu/istockphoto
Fly into: Berlin Fly out of: Prague
Total Duration: 8 days

This itinerary—ideal for train travel—hits three of central Europe's artiest capitals. You'll see the modern treasures of Berlin, the Baroque beauty of Dresden (Saxony's capital), and the time-honored splendor of Prague.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • Great Train Ride
  • Architecture
  • History
  • Art and Culture

Classic Trips: Austria and Switzerland

Innsbruck column Austrian National Tourist Office/ Diejun
Fly into: Vienna Fly out of: Zurich
Total Duration: 13 days

The hills are alive in this itinerary! Experience the charms of Vienna and Zurich along with the classic mountainside towns of Innsbruck, Interlaken, and Luzern. The route is easy to follow by rail.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • Art and Culture
  • Natural Beauty
  • History
  • Great Train Ride

Classic Trips: From Paris to Amsterdam by Train

Grand Place at Night Belgian Tourist Office NYC/USA
Fly into: Paris Fly out of: Amsterdam
Total Duration: 10 days

This itinerary moves up the coast from the City of Light to the city of nightlife. Along the way you'll see Delft's bandbox charm, the beers of Brussels, and the medieval delights of Brugge. Traveling by train is the best way to go.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • Great Train Ride
  • Food and Wine

Classic Trips: Helsinki to Moscow

St. Isaac's Cathedral Allen Furmanski/shutterstock
Fly into: Helsinki Fly out of: Moscow
Total Duration: 12 days

This classic northern trip starts in Helsinki's saunas and castles, then heads east to St. Petersburg. There you'll explore the Hermitage before traveling to the busy streets of Moscow, where the trip ends. Try this trip in summer, when the days seem to stretch forever. Both St. Petersburg and Helsinki have festivals celebrating the season.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • History
  • Architecture
  • Great Train Ride

The Best of Central Europe: Prague, Vienna, and Budapest

Prague Old Town Nikada/istockphoto
Fly into: Prague Fly out of: Budapest
Total Duration: 9 Days

These are the pillars of Central Europe. Prague is the centerpiece, beautifully preserved, walkable, and full of mysterious cobblestone side streets. Vienna is the stately big brother, officious, Hapsburgian, and old-school, from the desserts to the Opera. Budapest is still the scruffy upstart, 20 years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the vibrant nightlife and traditional bathhouses make it the most foreign and inscrutable of the three.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • History
  • Art and Culture
  • Great Train Ride

The Best of England and France

Blenheim Palace shutterstock
Fly into: London Fly out of: Paris
Total Duration: 14 days

On this trip, you'll experience some of the best churches, architecture, and mystical sights that England and France have to offer. Kick off the trip in London before seeing the great cathedral at Canterbury and Stonehenge. Then cross the English Channel and head to France, where you'll spend time seeing abbeys and grand châteaux, as well as spending time in Paris.

    This Trip's Top Experiences:

  • Natural Beauty
  • Food and Wine
  • Great Train Ride
  • Architecture
  • Art and Culture

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