Many travelers dream about amazing train trips across Europe, just like we did (and still do). And there are many options to travel Europe by train.
You can either choose to compile your own DIY itinerary, which can be difficult and time-consuming.
Make sure that you’re seeing all the worthwhile destinations, without boarding the wrong train or seeing hotel bookings fall through, you can choose to follow the guidance of an experienced travel guide.
In this article, we collected some of the most memorable guided train tours in Europe, organized by travel agencies who have experience with train holidays in Europe and frequently organize guided European train tours.
So, find out which are the very best and coolest rail holidays you can book with a professional travel guide… here they are!
1. Glacier Express - Paris to Budapest
What can you expect of the Glacier express guided tour?
See the best scenery and charming towns of Europe in 12 days!
This guided European train tour starts in Paris and takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe. It’s called the Glacier Express, because that particularly scenic train journey is included in this trip.
This entire trip is traveled by train and you can count on your professional guide during the entire trip. For each destination, a guided orientation walk is included, so you get to know the destinations during an afternoon or evening walk with guide.
Let’s see what you get during this train holiday:
The journey begins in Paris, the city of love and romance. You get to spend 2 days in Paris to explore the city.
On the third day, you board the iconic TGV to Lausanne in Switzerland, a charming and beautiful town where you can relax and enjoy the scenery.
Next stop: Zermatt, home to the massive Matterhorn. Yes, the one on the Toblerone pack!
Free time is included to explore the town or engage in some Alpine hiking.
Now it’s time for the most scenic ride of them all: the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Chur. This train ride is super impressive and you don’t want to doze off during this part of the journey. The Glacier Express has windows all over the place, even the roof is made out of glass, so you won’t miss a thing!
Then, you and your small travel group continue to Munich in the German region of Bavaria, which is also a stunning area to explore. Optionally, you can pay a visit to a local brewery.
Next stop: Salzburg, which is famous for its appearance in ‘The Sound of Music’. Again, you get the chance to get involved in optional activities and spend some free time in the city.
Vienna is your next stop. You only have 1 day to explore Vienna, so choose your activities well, because there’s a lot to see and do in Vienna!
And then you’re off to the last destination in this European train journey: Budapest, another one of our favorite cities in Europe. Since this is where the tour ends, you’re free to book a few extra nights in this amazing city.
Specifics of the Glacier Express tour
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Duration 12 days
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Borders crossed 5
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Comfort Standard
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Travel Style All rail
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2. Continue further East - Paris to Sofia
Destinations on this trip
What can you expect from the Paris to Sofia tour?
If you liked the first itinerary, but have more time to spend and explore more of Eastern Europe, you can extend your stay!
The Paris to Sofia European Explorer starts off with the exact same itinerary, but then continues for 9 more exciting days.
When the other travelers ended their voyage in Budapest, you keep venturing!
After exploring Budapest, you catch an overnight train to Sibiu and continue your journey to the charming town of Sighișoara in Romania, where you get a few free hours to explore this medieval city.
Next stop, Brasov. Romania is an interesting travel destination with a rich history, and so is Brasov. The city isn’t too far from Bran Castle, which plays a major role in the Dracula story. Or you can use your day to explore the city, before traveling to Bucharest.
You get some time to explore the city or join an optional activity in the city.
The next destination in the train trip across Europe is the town of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria, which is one of the oldest cities in the world. The area has some amazing views and ancient villages you get to visit!
Last stop in this journey: Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. There’s one day to spend in Sofia, but you can always choose to book a few extra nights to further explore the city and its surroundings!
Specifics of the Paris to Sofia tour
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Duration 21 days
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Borders crossed 7
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Comfort Standard
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Travel Style Mostly rail
Check out these other amazing routes in Europe by train:
3. Europe’s Finest Cities - Barcelona to Berlin
Destinations on this trip
Barcelona – Spain
Avignon – France
Paris – France
Luxembourg
Brussels – Belgium
Amsterdam – The Netherlands
Berlin – Germany
What can you expect from this Barcelona to Berlin tour?
Explore the most interesting and the finest cities in Europe during this 15-day train holiday in Europe.
This tour brings you from one beautiful city to the next and it combines the very best cities in one magical trip. That’s why it’s called: Europe’s finest cities!
During this guided train holiday, you get to explore the most interesting capitals and cultural cities most travelers have on their bucket lists.
So let’s see what’s included in this train vacation!
The journey starts in Barcelona, a cultural and foodie highlight in Spain. There’s one day in Barcelona before the trip starts, so you get the chance to book a few optional excursions and activities.
After that, you’ll travel into France, to the charming city of Avignon. It’s a beautiful train ride past the Mediterranean and through vineyards and lavender fields. You don’t want to fall asleep during this leg of the journey!
Don’t forget to visit the iconic ‘Pont ‘d Avignon’ before heading to Paris the next day. The city of love asks for an extra day and you get it too! There are quite a few optional activities you can do in Paris, like a food tour or a visit to one of the countless museums. On top of that, there are plenty of fun day trips from Paris that are worthy of your time.
The next stop is Luxembourg, a tiny country, wedged between Belgium, France, and Germany, for a quick stopover before heading into Belgium to visit its capital: Brussels.
In Brussels, you get one extra day to use as you like. You can either choose to take a day trip to a nearby city or explore the capital itself during a tour of Brussels or maybe even a beer tasting tour!
Prepare for Amsterdam, because it is one of the highlights of this trip for most travelers. You’ll stay in Amsterdam for 3 days, which gives you enough time to explore every part of this interesting city.
The last stop on this epic European train tour, is Berlin. Both Amsterdam and Berlin have a lively nightlife, so make sure you don’t skip on exploring these! But Berlin obviously has a lot more to offer! You can also book a few extra nights in Berlin if you want more time to explore the city.
Specifics of this Barcelona to Berlin tour
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Duration 15 days
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Borders crossed 5
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Comfort Basic
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Travel Style All rail
4. Explore Italy by train - Venice to Sicily
Destinations on this trip
Venice
Assisi
Spello
Gubbio
Rome
Naples/Pompeii
Mt Vesuvius/Sorrento
Amalfi
Positano
Civita
Pollino National Park
Tropea
Reggio Calabria
Catania
Syracuse
Palermo
What can you expect from this Italy tour?
Italy is a country that speaks to the imagination of many. The food, the history and culture, the scenery, and of course: the people.
If you interchange the rail travel with just a few boat crossings and an occasional bus, this is what you get: an epic trans-Italian journey!
This guided train tour starts in Venice, the romantic city of gondolas, canals, and bridges. You get an extra day to explore the city or engage in some optional activities. If you need more time in Venice, make sure to arrive a few days early in order to do so!
The second stop is Assisi, one of the holy cities of Italy with a lot of cathedrals, museums, and piazzas. A short train ride brings you to Spello, a beautiful medieval town, before heading to Gubbio, another ancient town in the countryside of Umbria.
More history and ancient buildings coming up, because your next stop is Rome, a bucket list city for millions of travelers. For that reason, you get an extra day in the city!
And we’re not even half-way through the journey yet! Other highlights of this Italian train holiday are: Pompeii, Cinque Terre, with stops in Positano and Amalfi, Sorrento, … and more.
This journey offers beautiful stops in National Parks, which show the real beauty of Italy and take you off the tourist trail, into an ancient Italy most tourists skip.
This journey ends on the island of Sicily, in the city of Palermo.
Specifics of this Venice to Sicily tour
Useful articles to help you plan your own perfect train trip:
5. The beauty of Scandinavia - Copenhagen to Tromsø
Destinations on this trip
Copenhagen – Denmark
Malmo – Sweden
Gothenburg – Sweden
Vrango Island – Sweden
Oslo – Norway
Trondheim – Norway
Bodo – Norway
Lofoten Islands – Norway
Tromso – Norway
What can you expect from this scandivania trip?
Scandinavia offer the raw and wild beauty you can only find in the North of Europe. Some destinations North of the Arctic Circle make a presence on many bucket lists. This European train holiday has some of those interesting and magical destinations in its itinerary!
If you dream about discovering Scandinavia by rail, this might be the ideal train trip for you!
Let’s see where it will take you!
This itinerary starts with a citytrip in Copenhagen, Denmark. Arriving a few days early gives you more time to explore this interesting city and its surroundings. You could even plan an entire weekend in Copenhagen, if you like!
Soon, you leave Denmark and cross the border into Sweden to visit Malmo and Gothenburg, 2 cool cities in the South of Sweden. During this trip, you cross the iconic Oresund Bridge, which connects Denmark and the Scandinavian peninsula.
The next day, you can join a day trip to Vrango Island, where you can stroll on the beautiful beaches and test a floating sauna.
Your next destination is Olso, another thriving capital with a warm and welcoming vibe. In and around Oslo, there’s a lot to see and do: island hopping, checking out fjords, Viking museums, … You won’t get bored during the extra day in the city.
The next leg of your train trip across Scandinavia takes you up North to Trondheim, also known as the city of kings. Trondheim is usually underrated, but it’s such a beautiful place to visit, it won’t leave you disappointed!
Time for a sleeper train! This next train brings you even further North. When you wake up, you’ll notice the landscape becoming more and more wild and barren.
The city you arrive in the morning is Bodø, which is pretty near the stunning Lofoten Islands. You travel to Lofoten islands the same day, so there’s not too much time for Bodø! Make sure to book the optional trip from Bodø to the Maelstrom, a cool tide effect in the fjord.
You get to spend one day on the Lofoten Islands, so make it worthwhile! One of the optional activities is the fjord cruise, which supplies you with majestic views you won’t easily forget.
The last stop on this journey is Tromsø, far North of the Arctic Circle. This is the place to be for watching the northern lights.
Specifics of this Scandinavia tour
6. Complete Europe Explorer - Barcelona to Rome
Destinations on this trip
Barcelona – Spain
Avignon – France
Paris – France
Luxembourg
Brussels – Belgium
Amsterdam – The Netherlands
Berlin – Germany
Krakow – Poland
Prague – Czech Republic
Cesky Krumlov – Czech Republic
Vienna – Austria
Budapest – Hungary
Bled – Slovenia
Venice – Italy
La Spezia – Italy
Cinque Terre – Italy
Florence – Italy
Rome – Italy
What to expect from this Barcelona to Rome trip?
This train journey is a massive one and it lasts for 36 days. So, if you have the time… this one is simply epic!
Visit the very best and most beautiful cities in Europe in little over a month! There’s aren’t many countries that aren’t included in this itinerary! It has a little bit for every type of traveler, and you’ll get to explore tons of different cultures and see some awesome scenery along the way.
I won’t get too elaborate about the exact itinerary, but I’ll sum up the destinations included in this train trip shortly.
Start off in Barcelona, Spain, an absolute traveler highlight. If you want to stay a little longer in Barcelona, make sure to be a few days early in order to do that.
After Barcelona, you’ll visit the pretty city of Avignon, before heading to Paris. Then Luxembourg and Brussels are next. Amsterdam will probably cause you a few sleepless nights while you’re out in the city’s nightlife before heading to Berlin in Germany.
Then, you’re off to Krakow in Poland, which has a rich history and some interesting optional activities. Prague is another traveler highlight with a vivid nightlife.
After visiting all these top European cities, you might need some rest, and the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov lends itself for that. Visit a castle or stroll through the ancient town before catching a train to Vienna in Austria, a city we fell in love with!
The next stop is Budapest, another city we love a lot. You’ll spend 2 days in Budapest before continuing your trip into Slovenia, to the picturesque village Bled.
The last country in this trip may just as well be the highlight of you trip, because it’s Italy!
Four major highlights form the itinerary for this stunning country. The first one is Venice, one of the most unique cities in the world. You’ll be in Venice for 3 days, before traveling to Cinque Terre, or more specifically: La Spezia, a town wedged between steep cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other.
Then Florence is your next stop before ending your memorable trip in the ancient city of Rome.
What a trip!
PS. This rail holiday includes an overnight sleeper train!
Want to travel even longer? Check out the same trip which starts in Madrid, before going to Barcelona. Extra stops in this journey are: Madrid, Cuenca, and Valencia. Trip duration is 43 days!
Specifics of this complete Europe explorer tour
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Duration 36 days
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Borders crossed 11
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Comfort Basic
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Travel Style Mostly rail
Conclusion - The most epic guided train tours in Europe
These are 6 of the most epic train holidays in Europe, where a professional guide leads the way. You can rest assured that every detail is taken care of and you only have to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery.
Accommodations for these trips are basic to standard and the purpose of these train holidays is to have an epic experience while seeing as much as possible of the beautiful continent that Europe is.
Let me help you choose between all these amazing trips!
- You want to see as many top cities as possible during your trip? The complete Europe explorer is the one you should consider! If you have the time for it!
- Not enough time for an extended trip, but still want to see the coolest cities? Then you should choose: Europe’s finest cities from Barcelona to Berlin.
- Are you in for more stunning scenery and natural landscapes, with a few cities along the way? Why not try the Glacier Express from Paris to Budapest?
- Got a few extra days to spare? Travel further East, all the way to Sofia in Bulgaria.
- Or would you rather visit one region at a time? The guided rail tours through Italy and Scandinavia are perfect for that purpose
We hope you found the ideal train holiday in Europe in this list. Enjoy your trip!
