Europe’s Most Beautiful Train Rides Roll Along the Mediterranean, Past Fjords, and Across the Highlands

Trains are the most relaxing way to travel, especially in Europe where cities are well-connected. Forget schlepping to the airport, emptying your bag at security, squeezing into your narrow seat. When you take the train, you can arrive 30 minutes before departure, carry on an entire picnic, and enjoy plenty of legroom. Take a night train across Europe and you’ll save time and money—your transportation doubles as a hotel.

Flying is inevitable for covering long distances, but consider swapping your short-haul flight for a train ride that’s both scenic and much more environmentally friendly. These 9 beautiful European train trips, from the Scottish Highlands to the Swiss Alps, carve through some of the continent’s prettiest landscapes.

Cinque Terre Express, Italy

The Cinque Terre have to be seen to be believed: five villages of ochre, yellow, and pink houses pressed into cliffs on the Ligurian coast. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are the five “terre” that make up UNESCO World Heritage site Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre, also a protected marine area. The train, which runs between the terminal at La Spezia and the terminal at Levanto, takes you between the five towns in about 20 minutes.

A note about crowds: Outside of winter, the five towns that make up Cinque Terre are heaving with tourists. An estimated 4 million people packed into a single square kilometer in 2024, and given that 2025 was Rome’s Jubilee Year, last year’s tally is expected to be even higher. So, how can you avoid the crowds in Cinque Terre while still enjoying its stunning views and quaint towns? We’ve got a few tips.

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Semmering railway, Austria

The Semmering railway, one of the oldest railway lines in Europe, was the first to be recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Work on the railway started in 1848, and the line received the UNESCO nod exactly 150 years later. UNESCO tends to get this kind of thing right: The railway was a marvel of engineering back then, and the line’s 16 viaducts and 15 tunnels have stood the test of time. Jump on at Vienna to get to Semmering, the small town at one end of this route. The journey slices through 41 kilometers (25 miles) of fir-laden mountain passes in eastern Austria, treating passengers to jaw-dropping views of Alpine valleys. The Semmering railway is one of the scenic trains included in a Eurail pass. Avid trekkers can also hike 13 miles of the route, between Semmering and Payerbach stations.

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La Balagne Line of U Trinichellu, Corsica, France

Trinicellu, “The Little Train” in Corsican, is the nickname for the three old-fashioned railway lines that run around the island. La Balagne (Balagna) is the route that shuttles you along the rugged northwest coast of the island from L’Île-Rousse (L’Isola Rossa) to Calvi, stopping in beach towns along the way. Gaze out the windows at the sparkling Mediterranean on one side, with craggy pine forests on the other.

In addition to the marked stops on the route, you’ll see in-the-know riders asking the conductor to stop near more secluded beaches (wear sneakers, as they’re often accessed by a rocky descent). Tickets are available for a single ride or as a hop on, hop off pass, so you can take a day to test all of the beaches on this coast.

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Le Train de la Rhune, Basque Country, France and Spain

No need to decide between Spain and France for your next trip. The Basque Country, a region with memorable landscapes, straddles the two countries, and Train de la Rhune allows you to have the best of both worlds. The Rhune rises 2,969 feet out of the Pyrenees mountain range along the border between France and Spain.

The vintage “little Rhune train” has charming wooden railway cars dating from its 1924 inception. It runs from late March to mid-November, climbing past wild grazing ponies, small copses of trees, and occasional hikers. At the end you’re rewarded with a view of a patchwork quilt of green fields joining all seven Basque provinces on either side of the border.

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Belgrade, Serbia, to Bar, Montenegro

This old-school train, built in the mid 1970s when the two countries were part of Yugoslavia, runs between Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, and Bar on the Montenegrin coast. The train crosses 435 bridges over deep gorges, winds its way through imposing mountain passes and small towns that look like frontier outposts, and hugs bright, teal-blue lakes and rivers. This scenic train ride is referred to as the Montenegro Express, but it’s anything but; the 296-mile ride takes between 11 and 12 hours. Of course, you don’t have to go the entire way; the prettiest scenery, both mountains and a slice of the Adriatic, is at the Montenegrin end.

Train expert The Man in Seat 61 says, “Going southbound [Belgrade to Bar] the sleeper train Lovcen is actually a good train to take as it’ll be light in the morning for much of the year, whereas the southbound daytime train Tara covers the best sections in darkness during winter. Northbound [Bar to Belgrade], the day train Tara is best for scenery all year round.” Note that the daytime train runs only mid-June to mid-September.

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Rhodope Narrow Gauge Railway, Bulgaria

Step back in time on Bulgaria’s last operational narrow-gauge railway, running 78 miles between the small towns of Septemvri and Dobrinishte in western Bulgaria. The railway connects remote mountain villages, so it’s a humdrum commuter train for locals, but the peaceful views of farmland, gorges, and woods are a draw for tourists. Note that the 8:55 a.m. train from Septemvri and the 2:40 p.m. from Dobrinishte have a dining car.

Fun fact: The highest train station in the Balkans is Avramovo, at 4,158 feet above sea level, and this train delivers you there, where you can alight for a quick photo op before jumping back on to continue the journey.

Related: Feel Like You’re in a Snow Globe on These Scenic Train Rides

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Flåmsbana, Norway

Do you know any other trains that stop so passengers can get close to a huge, roaring waterfall? Kjosfossen waterfall is just one of the highlights of the Flåm Railway line, which takes you from one of Norway’s most picturesque fjords all the way up to the mountain station of Myrdal, 2,844 feet above sea level. It’s regularly voted one of the most beautiful train trips in the world; it is certainly one of its most vertiginous, with 80 percent of the journey running on a gradient of 5.5 percent. Passengers can ride this train round trip between Flåm and Myrdal, or connect at Myrdal to the Bergen Line, one of the world’s most spectacular winter train rides.

Photo by Andrea Michael Badrutt

Bernina Express, Switzerland

Riding Switzerland‘s Bernina Express is beautiful whatever time of year you take it. If you go in summer, you’ll be threading your way through sunny green Swiss meadows, but on a winter trip you’ll see the landscape transform into a snowy wonderland. This cheery red train is equipped with massive windows so you can soak in the scenery, but here’s a top tip: If you don’t mind swapping the fancy decor of the Bernina Express for a train with regular size windows, you can take one of the regional trains along the same route; if you buy a regular-priced point-to-point ticket, you can even hop on and hop off (as long as you don’t backtrack).

The Bernina Express starts (or ends) in Tirano in Italy, snakes round the iconic Brusio spiral viaduct, and climbs toward the mountains. After hitting the summit more than 6,560 feet above sea level, you slither down through the desolate Bernina Pass and dramatic Alpine valleys before arriving in Chur, Switzerland.

Photo by Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock

Sarajevo to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar’s Stari Most (Old Bridge) may be packed with travelers, but this lovely train ride is less so. Come in spring, summer, or fall to to enjoy verdant views as the train winds its way around rolling hills, taking you past deep gorges and emerald lakes. And although the journey alone makes the trip worth it, the train also connects two of the most fascinating cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Explore Sarajevo’s layers of history, from the Latin Bridge, where Franz Ferdinand’s assassination ignited World War One, to the Tunnel of Hope, used to transport supplies during the siege on the city in the Bosnian War. The capital is also known for its delicious food, excellent coffee—popular cafés include Gallery Boris Smoje and Kamarija—and mix of architectural styles.

Courtesy of ScotRail

West Highland Line, Scotland

Two trains run over the majestic Glenfinnan Viaduct, featured in the Harry Potter films. Potter fans tend to flock to the Jacobite Express, but travelers have complained of run-down carriages and dirty windows. The alternative, at a fraction of the price, is one of the most attractive train rides in the U.K.—ScotRail’s West Highland Line.

This train runs from Glasgow all the way to Mallaig, up in the Highlands across from Skye. On arrival in Mallaig, you can continue the journey by getting a ferry to the Isle of Skye, which has miles of hiking trails through fairy-tale landscapes. Depending on the season, you’ll see rolling green mountains shrouded in mist and deciduous and evergreen trees blowing in the wind, or bare trees backed by snowy peaks, all interspersed with lochs.

This article was originally published in 2024 and most recently updated on January 27, 2026, with current information. Sophie Friedman contributed to the reporting of this story.