Rail Pass Itinerary: Popular Cities

London → Amsterdam → Berlin → Prague/Praha → Vienna/Wien → Venice/Venezia → Roma/Rome → Geneve → Barcelona → Paris → London

This suggested routing enables you to visit many of the most popular cities in Europe by taking as few trains as possible.
Though taking the minimum number of trains means that additional reservation fees can’t be avoided, but despite those fees, using rail passes on this trip can be great value for money - particularly if you opt to go 1st class.

The itinerary is also a continuous loop, so you can follow this itinerary if you want the start and finish point of your entire trip, to be in any of the cities where each day concludes.

The specific departure and arrival times of the included trains are correct according to the European rail timetable, but they can be confirmed prior to departure on the Eurail and Interrail apps.

If you use a 10 days of travel within two months InterRail Global Pass OR a 10 days within 2 months Eurail Global Pass you can take breaks between your days of train travel.
You can then spend some time in some fabulous destinations including Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Barcelona and Paris.

OR our Concierge rail travel planning service, could help you plan a similar itinerary.

Most of the journeys are clickable, so you can access more useful info about each individual train ride including:

(1) All you need to know about the stations where you will be joining and leaving the train.

(2) What to expect when on board each train, such as catering facilities and tips for how to manage your luggage.

(3) Insights for scenic journeys - what to look out for, which side of the train to sit on for the best of the views etc.

Plus if you click the station buttons on the journey guides, you will also usually* find:
(1) Lists of overnight accommodation with easy access to the station and with high user ratings;
(2) Links to destination guides to help you make the most of each location.
*Just the big cities, for now.

Depart: London St. Pancras International at 11:04
Arrive: Amsterdam Centraal at 16:20

OR

Back ups if the reservations are sold out on the direct train;

Train 1:
Depart: London St. Pancras International at 09:01
Arrive: Bruxelles-Midi at 12:05](/train-travel-info/journeys/from-london-to-bruxelles-brussels-by-train/)

Train 2:
Depart: Bruxelles-Midi at 12:49 - by a new ECD train, on which rail pass users don't have to reserve.
Arrive: Amsterdam - Schiphol at 14:48

Train 3:
Depart: Amsterdam - Schiphol at 14:53 by Sprinter train
Arrive: Amsterdam Centraal](/train-travel-info/countries/netherlands/cities/amsterdam/rail-stations/amsterdam-centraal-amsterdam-cs/) at 15:09.

Depart: Amsterdam Centraal at 10:00 or 12:00 - there will be a daily choice of deparrtures
Arrive: Berlin Hbf at 15:51 or 17:51

Seat reservations are now mandatory on this train when travelling between June 1st and Sep 1st amd cost €6.50 in 1st class and €5.20 in 2nd class.

They can be booked online on Rail Europe without booking fees.

OR you can also book the reservations online with Eurail or InterRail - though you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation, per person.

The optimum alternative schedule avoiding the payment of these fees, is:

Train 1:
Depart: Amsterdam Centraal at 10:00
Arrive: Hengelo at 11:51

Train 2:

Depart: Hengelo at 12:34
Arrive: Bielefeld at 14:47

Train 3:

Depart: Bielefeld at 15:39 by ICE train
Arrive: Berlin Hbf at 18:16

Depart: Berlin Hbf at 09:16 or 11:16 - there is a choice of late morning departures
Arrive: Praha Holseovice at 13:14 or 15:14
OR
Arrive: Praha Hl (Nadrazi) at 13:24 or 15:24.
(The final destination of the train that departs at 09:16 is Budapest).

If you don’t reserve, seats aren’t guaranteed on these trains, particularly if you have a 2nd class pass, so try to avoid making this journey on a Friday or Saturday.

If possible sit on the left of the train when boarding, in order to make the most of the river valley views after Dresden.
Check the location of your where you’ll be staying in Praha/Prag, as either Holseovice OR hl. Nadrazi stations may be the most convenient for your onward travel in the city.

Travelling June 1st to Sep 1st

Seat reservations are now mandatory on this train when travelling between June 1st and Sep 1st amd cost €6.50 in 1st class and €5.20 in 2nd class.

They can be booked online on Rail Europe without booking fees.

OR you can also book the reservations online with Eurail or InterRail - though you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation, per person.

The optimum alternative schedule avoiding the payment of these fees, is:

Train 1:
Depart: Berlin Hbf at 09:16 by EC train
Arrive: Bad Schandau at 11:51

Train 2:

Depart: Bad Schandau at 12:48
Arrive: Decin at 13:16

Train 3:

Depart: Decin at 13:57
Arrive: Praha Holseovice at 15:14
OR
Arrive: Praha Hl (Nadrazi) at 15:24.

Depart: Praha Hln at 08:40 or 10:40
Arrive: Wien Hbf at 12:49 or 14:49
These trains will be heading to Graz.

Note that if you do opt to leave the train from Berlin at Holseovice station when arriving in Praha/Prague, you will need to head to this different station, hl. Nadrazi, when departing from the city.

Seat reservations are optional on the trains which take this route.
First class pass users have the option to trade up to travel Business Class.

The best of the views will be on the left of the train.

Depart: Wien Hbf at 06:24 or 12:24
Arrive: Venezia St Lucia at 14:14 or 20:04.

The best of the views will be on the left of the train when travelling south, )

The best of the views will be on the left of the train when travelling south,

There are three options for booking the reservations fees; €10 in 2nd class and €15 in 1st class, which are now payable on these Railjet trains to Italy.

Depart: Venezia St Lucia at 09:26 or 10:26 or 11:26
Arrive: Roma Termini at 13:25 or 14:25 or 15:25

All three of these departures are by the very smart Frecciarossa 1000 trains; first class reservations will be seated in Executive Class.

This journey requires a connection at Milano Centrale station, but the transfer between trains is all on one level, as the arrival and departure can be accessed by the main concourse.

Monday to Friday

Train 1:
Depart: Roma Termini at 13:05
Arrive: Milano Centrale at 16:30

Train 2:
Depart: Milano Centrale at 17:05
Arrive: Geneve at 21:31

Saturday and Sunday

Train 1:
Depart: Roma Termini at 09:05
Arrive: Milano Centrale at 12:15

Train 2:
Depart: Milano Centrale at 13:05
Arrive: Geneve at 17:31

Train 1:
Depart: Geneve at 11:30
Arrive: Lyon –Part Dieu at 13:20 / 13:26

Reservations are not available on the TER trains which take this route

Train 2:
Depart: Lyon –Part Dieu at 14:35
Arrive: Barcelona Sants at 19:33

Depart: Barcelona Sants at 09:28
Arrive: Paris Gare De Lyon at 16:15.

Depart: Paris Gare Du Nord at 11:02
Arrive: London St Pancras International at 12:30.

You don't have to take this specific train from Paris to London, you can book reservations for any departure on your travel date

On this routing reservations are required when taking these trains:

• London to Amsterdam = €43 in 1st class; €38 in 2nd class
• Amsterdam to Berlin from June 1st to Sep 1st = €6.50 in 1st class; €5.20 in 2nd class
• Berlin to Prague from June 1st to Sep 1st = €6.50 in 1st class; €5.20 in 2nd class
• Vienna to Venice = €15 in 1st class; €10 in 2nd class
• to and from Rome = €13 in 1st class; €13 in 2nd class
• Milan to Geneva = €13 in 1st class; €11 in 2nd class
• Lyon to Barcelona = €13 in 1st class; €13 in 2nd class
• Barcelona to Paris = €35 in 1st class; €25 in 2nd class
• Paris to London = €38 in 1st class; €35 in 2nd class

It's a good idea that you book the reservations and therefore confirm that you will be taking the required trains, prior to booking accommodation.

These reservations can be booked online on Rail Europe without booking fees.

Or you can also book the reservations online with Eurail or InterRail - though you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation, per person.

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