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On the train from Rome and Naples to Sicily

The Best Rail Holidays in Europe

Our pick of the best rail journey adventures from the 100s of holidays by train offered by our partners!

By Simon Harper Simon Harper
| Last Updated: about 1 month 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.

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.

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

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
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
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
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
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)
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)
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)
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!
Only pay reservation fees to travel on The Glacier Express
Highlights of Switzerland 11 days: private transfer from Zurich airport to Lucerne → to Interlaken with an excursion to Jungfraujoch → to Lausanne with a stopover in Geneva → by private transfer to Zermatt → the full journey on the Glacier Express and on to Zurich
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

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
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
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

Guided Tours

For either all or most of these group tours, a guide will show the way and help make the most of these trips.

Save 5% on an escorted rail tour of Switzerland
Ultimate Switzerland Made Easy on an Escorted Tour! Save 5% on the small group 12 day tour that includes all of Switzerland's most spectacular railways!
Guided Tour from London to Budapest
London to Budapest (the long way round) 15 Days: London → Paris → Amsterdam → Berlin → Prague → Vienna → Budapest
Paris to Barcelona guided tour by train
Paris to Barcelona (the long way round) 13 Days: Paris → Interlaken → Rome → Rapallo (on the Italian Riviera) → Nice (with day trip to Monaco) → Barcelona
See Mostar on the Balkan Rail Adventure holiday
Balkans Rail Adventure 16 Days: Ljubljana with opportunity to visit Lake Bled → Zagreb → by train + bus to Sarajevo → scenic rail journey to Mostar → by bus to Dubrovnik and on to Podgorica → by bus + scenic train to Belgrade → by bus to Skopje → by bus + train to Bitola with a tour of Heraclea → by bus to Ohrid → by bus to Pristina
The top tier Trenitalia train - the Frecciarossa 1000
Colosseum To Coast (luxury tour) 7 Days: Rome → by high speed train to Naples and on to Sorrento → day trip to Capri → tour of the Amalfi Coast
Northern Italian Lakes (luxury tour) 9 Days: Stresa on Lake Maggiore → by the Centovali Railway to Locarno → train to Lake Como resort → by train to Milan and then on to Verona → day trip to Lake Garda → by train to Venice
Join the group on a backpacking tour of Europe by train
The Whole Of Europe (backpacker adventure) 29 Days: London → Amsterdam → Berlin → Prague → Budapest → Vienna → Venice → Rome → Florence → Nice → Barcelona Paris → London (also available as 2 x two week holidays)

Around the UK and Ireland

Make the most of the the stunning locations in the UK and Ireland and the often beautiful railway routes which link them.

UK and Ireland Grand Tour: includes ferry and bus travel 21 Days: London → Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia → by train and fast ferry to Dublin → Belfast → Portrush → by fast ferry and bus to Edinburgh → scenic journey to Inverness → scenic journey to York → London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
Exploring Cornwall by train
Cornish Escape 8 Days: London → by the Night Riviera sleeper train to Bodmin and on to Padstow → by bus and train to St Ives → by bus and train to Falmouth → London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
The island of Ireland: includes ferry travel 15 Days: London → by train and fast ferry to Dublin → Cork → Killarney → by four trains to Galway → Belfast via Dublin → by overnight ferry to Liverpool and on to London. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
The Giants Causeway on the Ireland Express By Rail holiday
Island Express By Rail 8 Days: Dublin including a guided day tour by road to Wicklow and Kilkenny → Belfast including a day trip to the Giants Causeway → Dublin
Passing a sea loch near the end of a journey to Oban
Highlands Highlights 14 Days: London → by Caledonian Sleeper train to Glasgow, then along the West Highland Line to Oban → by bus to Fort William → by bus to Inverness → by train on the Highland Main Line to Pitlochry → Edinburgh → to Glasgow and on to London by the Caledonian Sleeper. Use the referral code JOURNEY50 to save £50!
To Edinburgh by train on a day trip from Glasgow
Edinburgh, York and London 5 Days: Edinburgh → York (the location of the National Railway Museum) → London
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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