Europe’s railways rarely inspire as excitement as they have in recent years. Train companies, who are willing to benefit from this new enthusiasm, are struggling to add new destinations, revitalize the old ones or simply provide more positions on popular routes. Others have gone to luxurious maps aimed at recreate the luxury of the train trip in the past.
With travelers who are now broken, the following option focuses on some constant: proven and proven routes that are easily accessible and offer the kind of beautiful landscape that has been a source of enjoyment for travelers for decades or even a century. Most of them run daily and do not come without excessive cost, but they still have special details that will make your trip comfortable, graphic and unforgettable.
Austria
Transalpin from Zurich to Graz, Austria, is one of the only handfuls of trains in the first -class Swiss federal class car. His tall, curved windows climb over the seats to reveal sweeping views of the Alps. In good weather, you can spend most of the nine and a half hour trip (runs only during the day) by looking at a rolling mountain landscape, meadows, clear lakes and peaceful villages.
Crossing almost all of Austria, the train stops in popular mountain resorts, which have increased their varieties throughout the year, such as hiking, mountain biking, water sports and farm to complement traditional winter sports.
The dining room serves Schnitzel, Knödel and other local dishes with Austrian wines and will deliver your meals to your first grade. There are breakfast options served with Kaiser fluffy rollers starting at 6.60 euros (about $ 7.15), the network at € 11.40 and a seasonal menu with Vegan and vegetarian options.
Graz, Austria’s second largest city, has a pleasant historic district on the banks of the Mur River and is a good starting point for a central European adventure, thanks to good connections to Vienna, Prague, Budapest and beyond.
Tickets from Austrian Federal Railways Start from € 40 to second grade and € 60 in the first. Look for the EC163 or 164 train numbers. You can buy a € 3 reservation, making sure you choose both first -class options and panoramic cars to secure a view with a view.
Gotthard Railway, one of Switzerland’s main alpine gates in Italy, combines dramatic views with spectacular engineering achievements. To make the most of the landscape, board the Treno Gottardo, an immediate service from Basel or Zurich in Locarno. The train travels through the original Gotthard tunnel from 1882 to over 3,000 feet. It spends about 10 minutes on the tunnel, allowing travelers enough time to take views on both sides. You may be tempted to stop and explore Ticino’s Italian canton on the southern end of the route, before heading to Milan or Venice on immediate trains.
South of Lucerne Lake, the train rises a series of bridges and spiral tunnels to reach snowy peaks before they go down to Locarno on the coast of Lake Maggiore. The lake, with its blue waters with steep slopes, describes Switzerland and Italy and its tiny islands host elegant palaces and rich gardens.
Locarno tickets start from 32 Swiss francs ($ 37) for walks departing from Basel or 24 francs from Zurich. Can be held in the Südostbahn website.
Italy
Travels from Milan or Rome to Sicily are one of the largest immediate train routes you can start in Europe. Although perhaps slightly very long to travel the day, it can be a comfortable length for night trains.
Two trains that once ran this route, the Freccia del Sud, or the southern arrow, and the Treno del Sole or the Sunshine Train, played a role in the Italian large -scale migration from the rural south to the industrial north after World War II.
Today’s travelers can order dinner or go to bed shortly after boarding and wake up with southern sunshine and coastal views. The focus comes around breakfast, when train cars are loaded on Europe’s last ferry (complete with pieces) to sail to Messina in Sicily. The final leg of the journey is a picturesque coastal walk to Palermo or Syracuse.
Tickets from Trenitalia In Milan or Rome it starts just under € 50 for a Couchette in a basic apartment of four. The three three -vehicle cabins with a private bathroom are more expensive. All fares include breakfast.
Scotland
Shortly after leaving Glasgow, this line turns north, traveling between glittering oblique and heading to wild Highland desert. After three hours, the trains arrive at Corrour Station, placed in a huge stupidity that is only accessible on foot or rail. Corrour has a cafe and many hiking routes. The station is famous for a scene in the 1996 movie “Trainspotting”, in which Ewan McGregor’s character sits surrounded by the mountains and thunderstorms for how unbearable it is to be Scottish.
Further, Fort William is the ideal stop for a hiking up to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland or the ship on the Isle of Skye to explore its castles and dramatic coasts. And before they arrive at Mallaig, the trains cross Victorian Glenfinan Viaduct, popular with filmmakers and saw, more recently, at Netflix’s “The Crown”.
The local carrier Scotch It runs a lot of trains everyday. One -way tickets start at about 20 pounds ($ 26). Scotrail offers travel passes for a specified value if you plan to stop along the trip.
France
It was named after the blue waters of the Mediterranean, this train journey from Marseille to Mirama lasts under two hours. The route owes its popularity to its first section – to the fishing town of Martigues – which skirts of white rocks directly along the sea. He recently underwent critical work to ensure his safety and close it.
The best approach for this daily trip, leaving from the heart of Marseilles, goes up and out of the train along the coast to enjoy local attractions. From the L’Estaque station, you can start a tour of locations that inspired painters such as Paul Cézanne and Georges Braque. A seaside trail from Niolon to Cap Méjean takes you through a succession to Calanques, rough limestone tumors that look like tiny fjords. Calanques in Côte Bleue are not as virgin as in the National Park south of Marseilles. But a tiny harbor and an imposing railway voyage that is in the blue waters, as in Méjean, add their own character.
The port of Sausset-Les-Pins is located a short walk from the train station and has many spots to eat in the water. And in Martigues, a bus can take you to the city center, where the channels are lined with pastel colors.
Tickets by the French National Railway Company Sncf Start at € 13.20. With one passage For the bouches-du-rhône département, which includes Marseilles, you can carry and turn off as many times as you want for € 20.
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