Travelling Europe by train isn’t the cheapest or fastest option – but it might be the most rewarding. There’s something uniquely peaceful about watching the landscape roll by, country after country. And with a few smart moves, you can make the experience even better.
Our most important advice: book your tickets in advance (see box). Also, as delays are common on the rails, try to avoid connections with less than 20 minutes between trains. A little breathing room can save a lot of stress. While most trains have an onboard restaurant, bringing your own food is almost always cheaper – and tastier.
When booking in the daytime, opt for a window seat, as it can make all the difference on a long journey. For the best views, it’s worth looking up which side of the train faces the scenery on your route.
Lastly, travel overnight to save time and money. Night trains let you skip a night’s accommodation and wake up in a new city. Book a couchette or sleeper cabin for a surprisingly comfortable way to cover long distances. No surprise that our tips include two night trains.
Booking tickets
Train tickets, even more than flights, get more expensive the longer you wait. Plan your route ahead of time and check happyrail.com or a local provider (such as Deutsche Bahn) to see what's available – some trains only open up three months in advance. It's also worth paying a little extra for flexible tickets, especially when you have a transfer en route. If your train is delayed or your plans change, you'll be glad you did.
Rookie Level [Amsterdam – Innsbruck]
Summer holidays in the Netherlands have a lot to offer – except a proper mountain hike. But snowy summits might be closer than you think.
On any day of the week, you can board the 7 PM Nightjet train at Amsterdam Central and wake up the next morning in Innsbruck, the heart of the Austrian Alps. The route is served by new-generation carriages offering both regular couchettes and private mini-cabins that give the train the feel of a capsule hotel on wheels. In the morning, you wake up with a view of rocky mountain ridges, while a coffee and a small breakfast is served to your bed.
At 9 AM, you get off in Innsbruck, immediately surrounded by rugged peaks towering over the city. From the train station, you can get to several trails within 20 minutes, a lot of them being just a walk or a bus ride away. Some hikes lead to mountain cottages where you can spend the night for a small price, while the city itself also offers plenty of inexpensive accommodation.
- Cost: Prices for a couchette or a mini-cabin start at 60 euros; regular seats start at 35 euros.
- Duration: 14 hours.
- Booking tips: Book through NS International or ÖBB, and if you’re travelling with a friend, book together to land couchettes in the same compartment. Assigned mini-cabins? No problem: they come with a divider that opens right up.
Intermediate Level [Amsterdam – Barcelona]
What if the vibrant streets of Catalonia’s capital weren’t just a destination at the end of a crammed cheap airline flight, but rather an excuse to take a scenic journey across France with a taste of Paris on the way?
This voyage requires a bit more bravery, but if it calls your name, book a Eurostar train from Amsterdam Central to Paris, departing no later than 9.10 AM. In Paris, take a fifteen-minute ride on a local train from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon. The train runs underground, so consider other modes of public transport if you wish to see a bit more of the city.
Board a TGV train to Barcelona at 2.42 PM and watch the French countryside unfold beyond the window. Admire the view of medieval churches, winding country roads and picturesque French villages nestled among grassy hills. After catching a glimpse of the Alps halfway through the route, you can enjoy a ride along the Mediterranean coast. You arrive at the city centre around 9.30 PM, just in time to catch your breath and dive straight into Barcelona’s nightlife.
- Cost: Prices start at 74 euros. The Eurostar train can get expensive, especially if you book closer to the date. Try looking for indirect connections to Paris, which can end up being a lot cheaper.
- Duration: 12 hours 20 minutes.
- Booking tips: Book the first part on Eurostar’s website. Book the second part of the route via SNCF and pick the upper-deck seat for the best views.
Boss Level [Amsterdam – Sicily]
This is probably the most epic train journey you’ll ever make in Europe. The trajectory takes you all the way through France, Switzerland and the full length of Italy. And the best part? The entire train rolls straight onto a ferry to cross to Sicily. Yes, really.
Take a day train to Milan, then a sleeper train to Sicily. Or wait for the Amsterdam-Milan European Sleeper that starts in 2027 and gets you there overnight – leaving you a full day to explore Milan before continuing south. With the luggage storage service at Milan’s central station, you can make the most of your holiday. Make sure to stay on the train after the ferry – the route to gritty, sun-baked Catania hugs the coastline, treating you to some of the island’s most beautiful beaches from your window.
Just like its destination, the train ride is cinematic, timeless and for the seasoned traveller. Once you’ve arrived, you can enjoy some of Italy’s best food and culture. If you’re considering making this trip, don’t wait too long: the Italian government is making plans for a 13.5-billion-euro bridge project, which would eventually replace the ferry crossing.
- Cost: Prices start at 250 euros.
- Duration: 2 days.
- Booking tips: Book the day train to Milan and the night trainto Sicily via Trenitalia. Or wait for the night train to Milan, which runs from 2027 and starts at 50 euros.