Visiting the Best European Destinations By Train

Traveling through Europe by train is an iconic way to enjoy this historical continent and visiting the best European destinations by rail is much simpler than it may appear in the age of low budget Euro airlines. Guests to the continent looking to cut down on the carbon footprint of their vacation or capture a little of the romantic magic of international train travel recounted so famously by authors such as Agatha Cristie can easily do so with little fuss. 

Thanks to the European Union's Schengen agreement, traveling around Europe is practically seamless, with not even so much as a visa check necessary when taking trains or planes between 26 countries. Now or when an application for ETIAS becomes necessary in 2021, Non-EU citizens can enjoy the magic of Europe with relatively little paperwork.

The following article will give you a complete introduction to the potential of European rail travel and help you take full advantage of the Schengen area. Let's explore just where a European rail tour could take you in just 1-2 weeks:

Paris, France

One of Europe's best-served cities by train has to be Paris. This is an unmissable destination for any Europhile or Francophile and is in fact the most visited city in the world in terms of foreign tourists.

There's no lack of sights to enjoy in the famous City of Lights. There's the Louvre, featuring some of Europe's most notable works of art, the Tuileries gardens and the magnificent Champs-Élysées. It's quite simply the perfect place to begin or end your European rail journey. 

The Best Sights to See on a Trip to Paris

• The Eiffel Tower

• The Tuileries Garden

• Notre Dame

Bruges, Belgium

Just a couple of hours from Paris is Brussels, where the majority of tourists head on their trip through Belgium. However, if you want to explore a little more of what makes Belgium a truly special country, tourists are recommended to travel an extra hour into the countryside to Bruges.

Bruges may not be a big city but it is certainly an impressive place to visit in a short time. Filled with majestic cobbled streets, quaint canals, plazas and architecture dating back to the Medieval era, this is a perfect location to step back in time in history and enjoy a steadier pace of life.

The Best Sights to See on a Trip to Bruges

• Burg Square

• Belfrey of Bruges

• Markt

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Another classic European destination is within a couple of hours of Paris and Brussels; the beautiful and canal-lined city of Amsterdam. Like Paris, this is the perfect spot for culture vultures to enjoy some of Europe's best art galleries like the Rijksmuseum, as well as the opulent 17th-century architecture found throughout the city. 

Amsterdam is also a great place to enjoy alternative forms of transport such as canal tours and cycling. There are more than 840,000 bikes in use in the city and you'll find extensive cycle-routes throughout its streets. 

The Best Sights to See on a Trip to Amsterdam

• Van Gogh Museum

• Rijksmuseum

• Royal Palace Amsterdam

Berlin, Germany

Berlin is one of central Europe's biggest cities and naturally is easy to reach by train in under a day's travel time from almost any other major city in Mainland Europe. It is therefore well worth a visit on your European rail tour.

It's safe to say that Berlin has a bit of everything. It boasts classical architecture, great food, even better beer, some of the best nightlife to be found in the EU, as well as beautiful river views and modern landmarks like the Fernsehturm. You won't want to miss a trip here on your vacation.

The Best Sights to See on a Trip to Berlin

• The Reichstag

• Berlin Fernsehturm

• Brandenburg Gate

Warsaw, Poland

Just under 6 hours from Berlin by train, is one of the unsung gems of any Eurotrip: Warsaw. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991, Poland has rightfully captured the imagination of many travelers from overseas.

The modern city of Warsaw is a tribute to modern Poland, with impressive glass towers dominating the 21st-century skyline. It is also quite literally a tribute to the golden era of Polish culture in the 16th century with its stunning recreated old town and museums dedicated to numerous contributions to the arts and science Poland has made over the centuries. 

The Best Sights to See on a Trip to Warsaw

• Warsaw Old Town

• Fryderyk Chopin Museum

• Palace of Culture and Science

Prague, Czech Republic

No visit to Europe is really complete without a trip to Prague and fortunately, it's less than a day's travel from Warsaw. Since the end of Communist rule in the early 90s, Prague became a favorite for tourists from Western Europe and it's easy to see why.

With its imposing 9th castle on the hill, the scenic river paths around the Vltava and its winding, Bohemian, medieval streets it shows none of the same scars of the interwar years or subsequent Soviet influence that you'll see in Warsaw or Berlin. Beyond the time-capsule nature of the city, there much else to enjoy with its many top quality restaurants and highly prized local beer.  

The Best Sights to See on a Trip to Prague

• Charles Bridge

• Old Town Square

• Prague Castle

Vienna, Austria

Vienna is one of the "jewels in the crown" of old Europe and is just a short rail journey from Prague. Austria's capital is perhaps one of the grandest cities you'll find on the continent and is a great place to bookmark your travels. 

With years of investment thanks to the successes of the Hapsburg dynasty and contributions from some of Europe's most ingenious imperial architects, this is a city that will dazzle you with its many palaces and tall churches and cathedrals. This is also one of the best places in Europe to enjoy coffee cultures, with Viennese coffee houses providing a cup of joe unlike any other.      

The Best Sights to See on a Trip to Vienna

• Schönbrunn Palace

• Vienna State Opera

• The Hofburg

It's possible to visit all these places quite easily using the European rail network, especially with a pass from Interrail. If your time in Europe is short, it is still easier than you might think to squeeze in a lot of destinations even if travelling by train. So sit back, enjoy the view and marvel at some of the best cities in Europe in a more sustainable, comfortable manner.