Steam Trains, Sleepers, and Underwater Tunnels: The 7 Most Iconic Train Rides in Europe

How to book: Book in advance — fares start around $50 one-way and the London–Paris route sells out fast on weekends and school holidays. US passport holders now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom, so apply before you book your tickets.

While frequent travelers don’t bat an eye at the idea of riding the Eurostar any longer, this is not your average train trip. This high-speed train takes you directly from London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and beyond — with Germany now on the network too, following Eurostar’s merger with Thalys in 2023. For 23.5 miles of your trip, you are actually under the English Channel at a depth of 246 feet. No, you can’t see fish bobbing around if you look out the window, but it’s still quite thrilling. The tunnel under the Channel, also known as the Chunnel, was completed in 1993 and the Eurostar has been operating since November 1994, expanding its destination offerings ever since. Frankfurt and Geneva direct are coming in the early 2030s, which means one booking will soon cover an even wider stretch of Europe. Eurostar trains leave from London’s St Pancras International station several times daily.

How to book: Book a high-speed ICE 3 between Frankfurt and Paris six to eight weeks out for the best fares — prices climb the closer you get to your travel date.

Not only does Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway company, offer passengers an extensive railway network and notoriously reliable and punctual trains, but it also breaks speed records. The ICE 3 (ICE stands for InterCity Express) is Deutsche Bahn’s fastest train. Inside Germany, the ICE 3 runs at 186 mph, but as soon as it enters France and hits the high-speed rail line between Strasbourg and Paris, it can reach a top speed of 205 mph — making it the fastest train in all of Europe.

How to book: Window seats sell out fast, especially in summer — reserve as far in advance as possible through the Glacier Express website.

Even though it’s known as the slowest express train in the world, the Glacier Express is likely the most celebrated train route in all of Europe and the best way to see Switzerland. The scenic ride between Zermatt and St. Moritz started in 1930 and has been going strong ever since, attracting tourists eager to see the beauty of the Alps from the comfort of a train car with panoramic windows and a glass ceiling. The alpine landscape will have you glued to the glass panes for the entire eight-hour trip, but the moment every passenger waits for is the crossing of the Landwasser Viaduct — a six-arched limestone bridge standing 213 feet above the Landwasser River, its final arch leading directly into a tunnel bored through a sheer rock face. For the best view, sit on the left side of the train if you’re traveling from Zermatt to St. Moritz. It’s the most well-known stretch on this route despite the fact that the train crosses another 290 bridges during the trip, through 91 tunnels, over the 6,670-foot Oberalp Pass. If you want to make the most of the journey, book Excellence Class, which gets you a guaranteed window seat, a five-course meal, and sommelier service for the duration of the trip.

How to book: Tickets through Vy, Norway’s state railway — early morning departures fill fast in summer, so get your seat secured well ahead of time.

The train journey between Oslo and Bergen is one that will take you through a compilation of all of Norway’s most beautiful natural features: lakes, valleys, fjords, and the vast Hardangervidda — Northern Europe’s largest mountain plateau, home to Europe’s biggest wild reindeer herd. The route also crosses the continent’s highest mainline railway, reaching 4,058 feet above sea level at Finse, a station so remote it’s only accessible by train or on foot. Because the trip between the two cities runs around seven hours, there’s a café on board where you’ll find hot dishes, pastries, and refreshments. Grab a cup of coffee and a waffle with brown cheese, and enjoy the combination while looking out the window. For the best views, sit on the right side of the train traveling from Oslo. The train makes several stops along the way and if you have the time and want to divide the trip into sections, Visit Norway has made a list of the best things to do at each of these stops, including ziplining, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and more. The Bergen Railway is just as beautiful in summer as it is in winter, so don’t fuss about the weather.

How to book: LNER tickets go on sale up to a year in advance — the cheapest fares start around $50 and disappear fast. Caledonian Sleeper rooms can also be booked a year out and sell out well ahead of peak dates.

The Flying Scotsman, which ran between London and Edinburgh, was and remains the most famous steam train in the world. It entered service in February 1923 and its career ended in January 1963, so your chances of riding it today are nil — the locomotive now lives at the National Railway Museum in York. But a few modern trains have stepped in to make that same journey, and they’re worth knowing about. If speed is the priority, LNER runs high-speed trains between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley in around four hours — fast enough to give the shuttle flights serious competition. If you’d rather sleep your way between the two capitals, the Caledonian Sleeper departs London Euston six nights a week, pulling into Edinburgh in the early hours of the morning. Book a private room, order a single malt from the Club Car, and wake up in Scotland.

How to book: Tickets through Trenitalia — sleeper compartments on the Sicily routes sell out in peak summer, so reserve early.

Trenitalia, Italy’s national railway operator, runs affordable and comfortable sleeper trains called InterCity Notte from the north, all the way along the two coasts, to the very south of the country — even to Sicily. And it’s the InterCity Notte trains that go all the way to Sicily that are incredibly special. To cross the Strait of Messina and get from the tip of the Italian boot to the island of Sicily, InterCity Notte trains board a ferry at Villa San Giovanni. Yes, the train actually goes on a boat. The crossing itself takes around 20 minutes — long enough to go up on deck, get a coffee, and watch Sicily come into view across the water — though the full loading and unloading process takes closer to an hour. Passengers can stay in their compartments or head up to the ferry’s deck while the train makes the crossing; most go up. On the northbound journey from Sicily, the ferry crosses in the early hours of the morning, which means you can watch the sun rise over the strait with a coffee in hand before the train rolls back onto the mainland and continues toward Rome or Milan. Apparently, nothing stands in the way of an Italian train and its destination.

How to book: The Jacobite runs seasonally — confirm dates and availability before planning travel around it, as the service can sell out weeks ahead in peak summer.

Almost as legendary as the aforementioned Flying Scotsman, the Jacobite is a steam train more commonly known as the Harry Potter Steam Train for its role as the Hogwarts Express in the films. While you can ride the Jacobite, it won’t take you to a school of witchcraft and wizardry; instead you’ll travel between the Scottish towns of Fort William and Mallaig, a round-trip journey of 84 miles through some of the most dramatic scenery in the Highlands. The most thrilling moment of the trip is the crossing of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, a curved 21-arch structure built in 1898, 100 feet above the River Finnan, that became famous worldwide through the Harry Potter films. Once in Mallaig you’ll get to wander for over an hour before boarding the train back to Fort William.