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On the train from Rome and Naples to Sicily

The Best Rail Holidays in Europe

Save 5% on all of the rail journey adventures offered by our partners, including our pick of the best trips !

By Simon Harper Simon Harper
| Last Updated: 22 days ago
UKItalySwitzerlandHoliday Ideas
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Experiencing the best of Europe on an organized rail holiday can be a fabulous and easy travel adventure:

  • You don't need to look at a boring and confusing timetable to plan a route.
  • Or seek out the optimum ticket
  • Also no need to figure out if you need seat reservations, or how to get them.
  • You don't need to work out where to stay, or track down a good room rate- all of the holidays include accommodation!
  • No need to add up the budget, you can see the full cost.
  • Plus you can access support in circumstances, such as a booked journey being disrupted.
  • You can choose to travel solo, with friends or family -or join a group tour.

Hence ShowMeTheJourney has teamed up with multiple rail holiday specialists with excellent online reputations, who all offer a great alternative to crawling through (ahem) all of the info we have produced.
Collectively these partners offer 100s of rail based holidays, all of which can be accessed from this page.
Though to make things easier, ShowMeTheJourney has cherry-picked the 66 holidays which we would most like take, and presented them below - in the anticipation that you will agree that they have a wow factor!

Unless where stated the use of → indicates a journey by train.
Click on each description to see the minimum cost, details of what's included and the accommodation options.
Use the Contents Menu to jump direct to your preferred location.

Save money with ShowMeTheJourney promotions

How to use the ShowMeTheJourney promo code when booking a Swiss Travel Centre holiday on a PC or laptop Booking a Swiss Travel Centre holiday on a PC or laptop
How to use the ShowMeTheJourney promo code when booking a Swiss Travel Centre holiday on a mobile phone Using the promo code when booking a Swiss Travel Centre holiday on mobile

ShowMeTheJourney users can save money on all of the rail holiday packages put together by both the Switzerland Travel Centre and by flight-free travel specialist, Byway.

Save on Switzerland Travel Centre holidays

This is done by entering promo codes in the respective boxes which will be encountered along the respective booking paths - see above on how to enter the code of AFFSMTJSWISS to save 5% when booking the Switzerland Travel Centre Holidays.

Save on Byway holidays

How to enter the ShowMeTheJourney promo code when booking a holiday with Byway Place the code in the referral code box on the Passenger Details screen when booking with Byway

See above on how to enter the code of JOURNEY50 to save £50 on first time bookings, when booking the selected, 'marked' holidays below, which are provided by Byway.
Terms and conditions:

  • Valid for first time customers
  • Discount code expires on 31/03/2025

Save on Euroventure holidays

Euroventure has emailed ShowMeTheJourney with this message;

A 5% discount will be given to ShowMeTheJourney's users if they quote ´SHOWMETHEJOURNEY´ in the comments box on any enquiry with us, either a custom quote request - or booking a set trip, including all of the Euroventure holidays that have been featured below.

Circular Tours from London

Experience multiple countries flight-free on amazing looping routes which leave from, and arrive in, London.

Book a European Cities by train holiday
Europe City Highlights 11 Days: London → high speed train to Amsterdam → Berlin → scenic journey to Prague → Vienna → scenic journey to Zurich → London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
Edinburgh station has a fantastic location
Grand Tour Of Europe 40 Days: London → Dublin → Belfast → Glasgow → Edinburgh → Brussels → Paris → Zurich → Milan → Rome → Innsbruck → Prague → Berlin → Amsterdam → London. Includes two ferry crossings. No night trains. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
See Bruges on a Charms Of Europe rail holiday
Charms Of Europe #1 7 Days: London → by high speed train to Paris → by high speed train to Luxembourg → high speed to Brussels and on to Bruges → by high speed train to London: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
See Cologne on Charms Of Europe rail holiday
Charms Of Europe #2 14 Days: London → Eurostar to Paris → by TGV to Luxembourg → scenic journey to Cologne → by high speed train to Bruges → Lille → Eurostar to London: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Locarno
Mountain Lakes 9 Days: London → high speed trains to Basel → scenic journey to Locarno → Lugano → Lecco on Lake Como → high speed trains to London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
See Krakow on the Pan European holiday
The Pan-European (slow paced) 57 Days: London → Brussels → Amsterdam → Berlin → Krakow → Prague → Munich → Vienna → Bratislava → Budapest → by bus to Belgrade → by bus to Zagreb → Ljubljana → Venice → Rome → Florence → Milan → Nice → Barcelona → Paris →London: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Venezia Santa Lucia station is the flat roofed building to the right
The Whole Hog: 6 weeks 43 Days: London → Amsterdam → Berlin → Krakow → Prague → Vienna → Bratislava → Budapest → by bus to Zagreb → by bus to Ljubljana → by bus to Venice → Florence → Rome → Milan → Nice → Barcelona → Paris → London: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Gorgeous Budapest-Keleti station
The Whole Hog: 5 weeks 36 Days: London → Amsterdam → Berlin → Vienna → Bratislava → Budapest → → by bus to Zagreb → by bus to Ljubljana → by bus to Venice → Florence → Rome → Milan → Nice → Barcelona → Paris → London (not Krakow and Prague): Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Florence on a Whole Hog Rail Holiday
The Whole Hog: 4 weeks 29 Days: London → Amsterdam → Berlin → Vienna → Bratislava → Budapest → by bus to Zagreb → by bus to Ljubljana → by bus to Venice → Florence → Rome → Milan → Paris → London (not Krakow, Prague, Nice and Barcelona): Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Budapest on a Whole Hog rail holiday
The Whole Hog: 3 weeks 22 Days: London → Amsterdam → Berlin → Vienna → Budapest → by bus to Zagreb → by bus to Venice → Florence → Rome → Milan → Paris → London (not Krakow, Prague, Bratislava, Ljubljana, Nice and Barcelona): Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
How to travel by Nightjet
Europe's Imperial Cities 17 Days: London → by Eurostar + sleeper train to Berlin → scenic journey to Prague → sleeper train to Budapest → Vienna → sleeper train to Amsterdam → by Eurostar to London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
Book a European Cities by train holiday
A round trip to Prague 13 Days: London → by high speed trains to Zurich → Vienna → Budapest → Prague → scenic journey to Berlin → by high speed trains to Brussels → by Eurostar to London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!

Scenic Journey Holidays

These holidays are based around a sequence of beautiful journeys of a lifetime by train.

On the train journey between Oslo and Bergen
The Bergen Line and Flåm Railway 12 Days: London → Cologne → Hamburg → Oslo (by overnight ferry from Kiel) → Bergen including a return trip on Flamsbana to Flåm → Oslo → Hamburg by overnight ferry to Kiel) → Osnabruck → Amsterdam → London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
The West Highland Line 6 Days: London → Glasgow → ride the full length of the West Highland Line to Mallaig and then back to Fort William → by Caledonian Sleeper train to London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
From one of the Semmering Railway viaducts
By Sleeper to Austria 10 Days: London → Amsterdam to connect into a sleeper train to Vienna → on the Semmering Railway to Graz → across Austria to Innsbruck and on to Salzburg → on the Arlberg Railway to Zurich → London via Paris. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
Descending from the Semmering Pass
Austria's Scenic Railways 12 Days: London → Zurich via Paris → on the Arlberg Railway to Innsbruck → Salzburg → on the Enns Valley railway to Graz → on the Semmering Railway to Vienna → on the Arlberg Railway to Zurich → Paris → London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
Portugal's Douro Line 17 Days: London → to Nîmes by high-speed train via Paris → by high-speed train to Madrid → Salamanca → by bus to Porto → a day trip along the full length of the Douro line → Vigo → Santiago de Compostela → San Sebastian → Bordeaux → to London by high-speed train via Paris. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!

Swiss Holidays arranged by the Switzerland Travel Centre

Simplify the glorious journeys by train and cable car to Swiss peaks, by booking holidays or mountain excursion packages.

Save money when booking rail based holidays in Switzerland
Save 5% on Swiss Rail Holidays Packages put together by the Switzerland Travel Centre include reservations, tickets and a choice of...
All of the Grand Tours include a ride on the Luzern - Interlaken Express
Swiss Rail Holidays: Grand Tours Additional details on what's included on each holiday, plus links to useful info!
Lauterbrunnen is included on the four holidays featured below
Swiss Rail Holidays: Themed Holidays Discover more about these holidays - see videos and images captured on our Swiss rail adventures and...
To Jungfraujoch on the Best Of Switzerland holiday
Book to Jungfraujoch The round trip from Grindelwald/Wengen to Europe's highest station, travel with the cogwheel train and/or the Eiger Express gondola!
Book a round trip to Gornergrat on ShowMeTheJourney
Book to Gornegrat Travel on the amazing journey to Europe's highest open air station!
Book to Pilatus Includes a journey on Europe's steepest railway and the cable car route on the other side of the mountain!
Book to Mt Titlis with ShowMeTheJourney
Book to Titlis The round trip from Engelberg to Titlis with 3 different cable cars including the ride on the Rotair revolving cable car with 360° views. Plus a return trip on the Ice Flyer glacier chairlift!

To and from Switzerland

Yet more trips of a lifetime in the country with more scenic railways than any other! However, these holidays also include travel to and from Switzerland by train.

The Luzern to Interlaken Express takes a spectacular route passing four lakes
The Swiss Explorer 15 Days: London → Paris → Zurich → Lucerne → Interlaken → Bern → Lausanne → Geneva → Paris → London; Use the referral code: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Things worth knowing about travelling on The Glacier Express
The Glacier Express: Two Weeks 15 days: London → Paris → Zurich → St Moritz → the full Glacier Express route to Zermatt → Interlaken → Geneva → Paris → London: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Travel the length of the delightful Centovali Railway
Classic Switzerland 13 Days: London → Cologne → Lucerne → the Gotthard route to Locarno → by the Centovali Railway to Domodossola and on to Montreux → the Golden Pass route to Bern → Mainz → though the Rhine Gorge to Cologne then on to London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
(Better Than) The Bernina Express 9 Days: London → Basel → Lugano → by bus and ferry to Varenna on Lake Como → by the Bernina Railway and the Albula Railway to Chur → Zurich → Paris → London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
Crossing the Landwasser Viaduct on the Samedan to Chur train
The Rhaetian Railway with The Glacier Express 8 Days: London → Turin → Lecco on Lake Como → by the Bernina Railway and the Albula Railway to Chur → to Brig on the Glacier Express and on to Bern → Paris → London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
Looking down on Andermatt from a train heading to Oberalp
Golden Pass, The Glacier Express and Lucerne 8 Days: London → Genveva → by the Golden Pass route to Interlaken → to Brig and by the Glacier Express to Chur → Lucerne → through the Rhine Gorge to Cologne → London: Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!

Across Europe By Train

These wonderful trips are end-to-end holidays which pass through multiple countries.

See Dubrovnik on an 80 Day rail holiday
Around Europe: includes ferry & bus journeys 80 Days: Tallinn → Helsinki → Stockholm → Oslo → Copenhagen → Berlin → Amsterdam → Brussels → Paris → Zurich → Munich → Prague → Krakow → Bratislava → Budapest → Ljubljana → Zagreb → Split → Dubrovnik → Sarajevo → Belgrade → Budapest → Vienna → Venice → Rome → Nice → Barcelona → Seville → Faro → Lisbon → Porto: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
On the train from Rome and Naples to Sicily
Mediterranean Wanderer: includes ferry and bus journeys 36 Days: Chania (on Crete) → by ferry to Athens → by train and ferry to Sorrento → Catania → Rome → La Spezia → Nice → Montpellier → Barcelona → by ferry to Palma: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
See Berlin on an Iron Curtain rail holiday
The Iron Curtain 8 Days: Berlin → Prague → Vienna → Budapest: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Berlin Hbf
Amsterdam, Berlin and Prague 8 Days: Amsterdam → Berlin → Prague: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Budapest on a Whole Hog rail holiday
London to Budapest 15 Days: London → by Eurostar to Amsterdam → Berlin → scenic journey to Prague → Vienna → Budapest: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
A London to Barcelona Rail Holiday
London to Barcelona 8 Days: London → by Eurostar to Paris → by TGV train to Barcelona: Quote SHOWMETHEJOURNEY in the comments box to receive a 5% discount!
Author

Simon Harper

I wanted to share my passion for train travel and explain how anyone can take the fantastic journeys I have taken.

ShowMeTheJourney

This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.

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