The Most Scenic Train Journeys in Europe: 10 Fantastic Trips for 2025
There is something magical about a train journey – a way of traveling that combines comfort, culture, and unforgettable landscapes. Whether you are seeking luxury or authentic experiences, Europe’s railways offer some of the world’s most breathtaking routes.
Sometimes the magic lies within – meeting fellow travelers, enjoying a meal in a dining car, or sleeping in a private compartment while steel wheels glide along the tracks beneath you. Other times, the magic lies outside, in the landscape the train passes through – an adventure, an experience, an insight into the heart of a nation.
Here are some of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe – some well known, others lesser known, some luxurious and expensive, others true bargains. From landscapes of mountains and villages to alpine passages and iconic bridges, the continent offers some of the world’s most scenic train journeys. If this list of Europe’s top ten has inspired you to slow travel elsewhere, check out the best experiences globally in Lonely Planet’s Amazing Train Journeys.
Route: Settle to Carlisle
Best part: Admiring the Ribblehead Viaduct, one of the great views in northern England, preferably while a steam train thunders across.
Distance: 117 km (73 miles)
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes
England’s Settle-to-Carlisle line has long been synonymous with the fight to preserve beautiful and historic railway routes. But this is not a heritage line – it is an active part of the British rail network and is served by regular mainline trains. The route is also known for its steam specials, which add extra charm to the journey.
Whether you enjoy the scent of steam or the sound of modern diesel trains, the views from the carriages are among the most spectacular in England.
Route: Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol
Best part: Holding your breath as you cross the gravity-defying Pont Gisclard.
Distance: 63 km (39 miles)
Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes
Since 1910, the small, sunflower-yellow carriages on the Ligne de Cerdagne have rattled and clattered through the rolling forests and jagged mountains of the Pyrenees. This route, also known as Le Train Jaune, is not merely a means of transport but an iconic part of French railway history.
Route: Belgrade to Bar
Best part: Gliding over the 499-meter-long, 198-meter-high Mala Rijeka Viaduct, one of the world’s highest railway bridges.
Distance: 476 km (296 miles)
Duration: 12 hours
This dramatic route takes you from Serbia’s vibrant capital, Belgrade, through an untouched, mountainous landscape to Montenegro’s beautiful Adriatic coast. Along the way, the train passes through more than 250 tunnels and over 400 bridges – an engineering feat that makes the journey an experience in itself.
Route: Chur to Tirano
Best part: Admiring the astonishingly turquoise Lago Bianco from the route’s highest station, Ospizio Bernina (2,253 m).
Distance: 156 km (96 miles)
Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes
The Bernina Express in Switzerland is one of the world’s most famous panoramic train journeys. The route offers views of glacier-clad mountains, rushing waterfalls, emerald-green lakes, and dense forests. With large panoramic windows, you get an uninterrupted experience of the beauty of the Alps.
