The Most Beautiful Train Trips in Europe from the Netherlands
The 7 Most Beautiful Train Trips in Europe from the Netherlands
There are too many beautiful European train trips to count on one hand, but we’ve selected our 7 favorite train routes through Europe that you can easily take on your own.
Of course, you can book your trip through a travel agency. But you can also arrange it yourself—it’s actually quite easy—whether you’re in the Netherlands or already there. Check out the most beautiful international train trips in Europe and tips for booking.
Train Journey Through the Scottish Highlands: the West Highland Line
This journey through the Scottish Highlands is even known as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. The West Highland Line is a breathtaking route that takes you through the stunning and varied rugged Scottish landscape.
Rocks, deep lakes, mountains, and valleys alternate in the wild, quintessentially Scottish landscape. Here you can spot roe deer, red deer, many birds of prey, and, of course, the long-haired Coo, the Scottish Highland cow.
The train journey goes from Glasgow to Fort William and from there on to Mallaig in northwestern Scotland. You’ll pass by very small, remote stations with no roads nearby. The trip from Glasgow takes about 5 hours.
It takes you past stunning “glens” (valleys) and, of course, past Loch Ness and Scotland’s highest mountain, or “Munro,” Ben Nevis, all the way to Mallaig. But Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park are also well worth a visit.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct on this route was used in the Harry Potter movies for the Hogwarts Express. This stunning part of Scotland can only be reached by train, traveling along the west coast to the north of Scotland.
Corrour is one of the most remote stations in England and appears in the movie *Trainspotting*.
The route is also beautiful in winter!
Practical Tips for Traveling by Train in the Scottish Highlands
The Eurostar will take you from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to London in 4 to 5 hours. From London St. Pancras, you’ll transfer to London King’s Cross. From there, you can take a train to Edinburgh or Glasgow. On average, the entire trip through the Scottish Highlands takes about 5.5 hours. You can buy tickets at NSInternational.nl, Eurostar, or Thalys. The earlier you buy your tickets, the cheaper they’ll be. Be sure to compare providers, as prices may vary.
You can buy tickets for the Scottish train from Scotrail. On average, there are 3 trains per day that run on the West Highland route. Tickets generally go on sale 12 weeks before the travel date, and the price depends on when you book.
The Caledonian Sleeper: From London, you can also take the overnight train to the Scottish Highlands from Euston Station. They offer various types of compartments.
You can book an audio tour of the West Highland Line for your trip through Geotourist.
Get off at Ardlui near Loch Lomond for challenging hiking trails and stunning views
Get off at Corrour for beautiful hikes through the wilderness or to go swimming in one of the lakes.
At Falls of Cruachan on the Oban line, you can take a guided tour of the hydroelectric power plant inside Ben Cruachan, the“Hollow Mountain.”
From Mallaig, you can take the ferry to the Isle of Skye and other Scottish islands
The Rhine Valley Train Route Through Germany
One of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe is right nearby and offers a stunning panoramic route: in Germany, it winds through 65 km of UNESCO-designated landscape. The route runs from Cologne via Bonn and Koblenz to Mainz (and back).
You’ll pass dozens of medieval castles, beautiful villages and towns, vineyards, and, of course, the Rhine in the background. Stop along the way, and be sure to take your time at your final destination, the city of Mainz, where you can also enjoy wonderful cycling and hiking.
Practical Tips for the Rhine Valley Train Ride, One of Europe’s Most Beautiful Train Journeys
The Rhine Valley route takes about 2 hours in total
Take a seat on the Rhine side for the best view
From the Netherlands, you can take the train to Cologne from Amsterdam, Utrecht, or Arnhem.
Make sure you take the train via Koblenz; otherwise, you’ll miss the most beautiful part of the route
You can buy your ticket at NSInternational.nl, from Deutsche Bahn, or through Trainline. Of course, you can also take this trip with a Global Pass or Interrail ticket.
In addition to the Intercity, you can also choose to take a regional train. The trip takes a little longer, so you can enjoy the ride even more. You can take this train using the affordable German D-card.
Stop along the way in the many charming towns and visit the numerous castles
Train through Scandinavia to the North Cape
This stunning route takes you via Copenhagen to Malmö and Stockholm. It’s already a magnificent journey past Norrköping and Linköping, Åsnen National Park, and Lake Åsnen. From there, you’ll continue—partly by bus—on to Tromsø. Tromsø is located right in the middle of the circle surrounding the magnetic North Pole. This makes the city one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. The final destination, Kirkenes, is the easternmost point of the journey.
You can take a 3-day boat trip through the Norwegian fjords to Kirkenes. Havila Voyages has Norway’s newest and most sustainable ships.
Practical Tips for Taking the Train to the North Cape
From the Netherlands to Sweden by train
From Hamburg or Berlin, you can take the SJ Euronight overnight train to Sweden. You can choose to buy “nonstop tickets” or not.
In addition, you can take a night train operated by the Swedish railway company Snälltåget from Berlin via Hamburg and Copenhagen to Malmö and on to Stockholm.
You can also take the ICE International or the Intercity Berlin via Hamburg to Copenhagen. From there, you can transfer to a train operated by Swedish Railways or Öresundståg and continue on to Malmö or Stockholm.
Train Tickets Sweden–Norway: From Stockholm to Narvik and the North Cape
There are several railway companies in Sweden. Check the SJ website for routes and destinations.
From Stockholm, take the Stockholm–Luleå–Narvik sleeper train (the Arctic Circle Train). It runs year-round. You can also take the Inlandsbanan, a rural railway line through the Swedish countryside. From Narvik, the only option is a bus to Tromsø.
You can also travel to Sweden with a Eurail or Interrail ticket.
You must buy tickets in advance on the website or at one of the stations. You cannot buy tickets on the train in Sweden. If you are under 26 or over 65, you are often eligible for a discount. Click here for more information about tickets.
You can also take the high-speed train from Stockholm to Oslo (Norway). You can buy tickets on Omio. From Oslo, you can continue your journey to Nordkapp in Norway on the VY.
Another option is to travel from Stockholm to Nordkapp via Narvik. This involves taking a night train to Narvik (almost 19 hours) and then taking the VY train from Narvik to Nordkapp. If you want to travel along the coast, your only option is to take the bus.
The Bernina Express: A Train Through the Swiss Alps
This is certainly one of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe. Switzerland is a wonderful place to travel by train anyway. The most famous route is the Bernina Express. It’s no surprise that this route is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It crosses the Bernina Bridge over deep gorges. But the rest of Switzerland is also a wonderful place to explore by train. Here, we highlight the most beautiful scenic routes through the Swiss Alps.
Practical Tips for Traveling by Train in Switzerland
The Bernina Express is one of the most beautiful train journeys in Switzerland.
The rearmost compartment offers the best view—and photos—on curves, and the seats on the right side have a slightly more spectacular view.
The Bernina Express is included in your Interrail pass; you only pay extra for your seat reservation.
If you’re on a tighter budget, you can also take the regular train service—a different train, but the same route.
The Jungfraubahn goes to the Jungfraujoch, the massive mountain that is home to Europe’s highest train station.
The GoldenPass Line runs from Montreux to Lucerne, over the Brünig Pass. Montreux and Lucerne are beautiful cities.
The Gotthard Panorama Express runs from Lucerne to Lugano. Part of this route takes you by hybrid boat across Lake Vierstadtersee to Fluëlen. From there, you continue by train to Lugano, a beautiful city on Lake Lugano near the border with Italy.
Along the coast of Northwest Spain: train from San Sebastián to Bilbao
This beautiful train route in Europe goes from charming San Sebastián to Bilbao, home to the magnificent Guggenheim Museum. From Bilbao, continue on to Torrelavega—and from there, take a short bus ride to Santillana del Mar. One of Spain’s most beautiful towns, featuring the Altamira Caves with their prehistoric artifacts (visit the replica) and stunning beaches. Then on from Torrelavega to Llanes, a charming coastal town with impressive cliffs. On to Oviedo—the capital of Asturias—with a stunning medieval center. From Oviedo, continue on to Santiago de Compostela.
Practical Tips for Traveling by Train in Northwest Spain
From the Netherlands, you can take the TGV to Paris and then continue on the TGV to Hendaye on the Spanish border. From there, transfer to the Basque railway, Euskotren, heading toward San Sebastián.
From Bilbao, you’ll continue your journey on the Spanish railway company Renfe.
You can take the bus from Torrelavega to Santillana del Mar
You can travel from Oviedo to Ferrol on a narrow-gauge train. From there, take the Spanish intercity train to Santiago de Compostela.
It’s recommended that you stay at least one day at each stop along the way to really take in the towns.
Train Through Norway: The Bergen Line
This stunning train ride through nature takes you from Oslo to Bergen, right through the Hardangervidda, Scandinavia’s highest mountain plateau. It’s a magnificent, vast nature reserve and also Norway’s largest national park. The entire trip takes about 6 hours, and there are plenty of opportunities to get off the train. For example, in Geilo, where the trail through the Hallingskarvet Mountains begins. In winter, this is a popular ski resort.
Halligskarvet National Park is stunning, with high mountains and sweeping valleys. The highest railway station is Finse, located at 1,220 meters above sea level in the Hardangervidda mountain region. This village is accessible only by train. In the summer, Finse also serves as a wonderful starting point for the Rallarvegen, one of Norway’s most beautiful cycling routes. From Myrdal, you’ll transfer to the train heading toward Flam for a steep descent toward the fjords. The final stop, Bergen, is often called the “capital of the fjords” and is well worth the visit.
Practical Tips for Traveling by Train Through Norway: The Bergen Line
You can take the train from the Netherlands to Oslo via Hamburg, and then either via Gothenburg or via Stockholm.
You can buy tickets from Amsterdam to Hamburg from NS International or Deutsche Bahn.
You can buy tickets from Hamburg to Gothenburg from Deutsche Bahn.
You can find tickets and showtimes on VY. Buy a ticket at the box office!
In any case, the best way to reach these five colorful fishing villages in Liguria, Italy, is by train. It’s practically impossible to get there by car. However, it’s also fun to walk—at least part of the way. The Cinque Terre Express is a beautiful route that stops at all five UNESCO villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. During the summer months, the villages are very crowded and overrun with tourists. It’s best to visit outside of the summer months.
Practical Tips for the Cinque Terre Express in Italy
The train route operates from mid-March through early November
You can buy a one-way ticket or a pass that gives you access to all trains for one to three days.
You can buy your ticket online through the Cinque Terre Express app or at Trenitalia
From Milan, there is an intercity train every 2 hours to Monterosso or Levanto; from there, you can transfer to the Cinque Terre Express
Watch the sunset in Manarola
Would you like to take a train trip through Italy this fall? Then be sure to check out the “Treno del Foliage” in Piedmont
Would you like to let someone else handle the planning of your train trip? Then check out Better Places. They’ll organize a sustainable train trip for you in collaboration with small-scale and local travel agencies throughout Europe.
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
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If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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