Six best European rail itineraries
Clients only have two weeks or less? Limited time needn’t be a factor with these train holidays that still manage to cram several European highlights into one neatly packaged flight-free tour.
Interest in train holidays is increasing, not least for environmental reasons, and they’re becoming more mainstream, with Sunvil and Explore among operators adding itineraries in recent years.
“We see already that rail is becoming very important. France, one of the largest countries in Europe, has banned air travel domestically if you can do it by rail. Paris to Nice is something like 50 minutes so what’s the point [of going by air]?” says Enrico Soresini, chair of the Association of European Rail Agents.
But although there’s currently a lot of talk about flight-free holidays, the extra time and expense often involved can be prohibitive. Encouraging clients to embrace the concept means giving them a different mindset; presenting their break as a touring holiday with overnights in interesting cities. Some may choose to fly in one direction, still reducing their carbon footprint but bringing destinations such as Greece and Turkey within viable range.
Here are some of the holidays that are feasibly flight-free in under two weeks, travelling from and to London but with regional UK rail extensions available.
Northern Italy
“We can combine high-speed routes with local branch lines to help travellers reach most places efficiently and cost-effectively,” says Maria Cook, general manager at rail tour specialist Ffestiniog Travel.
She notes that the BBC’s Great Continental Railway Journeys series featuring Michael Portillo helped highlight European train travel, adding that more people are recognising its advantages: “The train takes you to the heart of cities and towns, reducing transfer costs; you avoid busy airports and long queues, and if you want to travel with low carbon impact, the train is the eco-friendly option.”
Book it: Ffestiniog Travel’s adaptable nine-day Northern Italy by Train itinerary costs from £1,795pp. It incorporates overnight stays in Paris both ways, two days each in Turin and Milan, a Lake Como day trip and a night each in Verona and Venice. Accommodation with breakfast, a Milan transport pass and Venice waterbus pass are included. ffestiniogtravel.com
Stockholm via Brussels and Hamburg
Sunvil launched its first train holidays in 2020, noting increasing demand for “slow travel”. It offers France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Denmark and Sweden itineraries.
Sales and marketing manager Rachel Jelley says: “Not only is travel by train environmentally friendly but also it’s fun. There’s a feeling of adventure while criss-crossing Europe, changing trains, feeling close to the locals. Our itineraries are very flexible and open a new world of independence and freedom not normally associated with package holidays.”
Book it: On Sunvil’s latest tailor-made holiday to Sweden, clients travel from London to Brussels and on to Hamburg where, from September, they take a 10pm sleeper train, arriving at Stockholm at 10am the next day. The round- trip costs from £1,399pp including five nights’ bed and breakfast in Stockholm. Clients can overnight in Hamburg or other cities en route. sunvil.co.uk
Paris, Luxembourg and Bruges
Phil Cabra Netherton, managing director of Euroventure Travel, recommends the operator’s Charms of Europe tour for those tight on time. “This one-week trip visits three countries on the doorstep from London and is very popular with couples and travellers who don’t wish to fly, which we are seeing more and more of,’ he says.
“All trains on this route include seat reservations and can be upgraded to first class, with accommodation options ranging from backpacker hostels all the way through to five-star hotels.”
Book it: The Charms of Europe one-week package from Euroventure Travel includes three nights in Paris and two each in Luxembourg and Bruges. It costs from £739pp based on hostel accommodation. euroventure.com
Istanbul via Milan, Venice, Zagreb, Belgrade and Sofia
Explore’s new escorted London2Rail tours, introduced last year, are selling well, with an average 10 passengers per group. London to Istanbul is proving the most popular, and nearly 40% of these passengers extend down to Cappadocia. London to Bordeaux is the second favourite, with around half extending to Morocco. Clients typically choose to fly home.
“This is a truly immersive way to travel, not a race to get to your destination so the holiday can start, but rather an appreciation of the journey,” says Hannah Methven, Explore’s sustainability expert.
Book it: Explore’s one-way escorted Istanbul Rail Adventure is a fast-paced take on the classic Orient Express tour visiting Venice, Zagreb and Belgrade. Highlights include crossing the Venetian lagoon and a steam train through the Serbian mountains. At £2,245pp, it includes 13 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast plus all excursions. A flight home would add around £172pp. explore.co.uk
Swiss Alps via Strasbourg
Escorted touring specialist Great Rail Journeys believes going flight-free has various advantages. “Travelling by rail means your holiday can start right from the moment you set foot onboard, as travellers can sit back and enjoy the breathtaking views around them from the comfort of their seat,” says head of marketing Michelle Cording, adding that the operator’s UK and Europe rail tours are capped at 25 passengers.
Book it: An eight-day escorted Wengen and the Jungfrau Express holiday with Great Rail Journeys costs from £1,470pp including accommodation and most meals. Following an overnight in Strasbourg, passengers continue to Basel and the Swiss mountains. Based in Wengen, they then visit Gimmelwald, Mannlichen and Grindelwald. greatrail.com
France multi-centre
Our nearest neighbour is an obvious choice for flight-free travel yet clients may not have considered a multi-centre. Anna Davies, marketing manager for Railbookers says: “With a seamless rail network just a couple of hours away from the UK, it could not be easier to reach and discover France by rail. From the picturesque French Alps and the Riviera, to Bordeaux’s stunning vineyards and Provence’s lush lavender fields, your customer’s next holiday to France has plenty to tick off their bucket list.”
Book it: Railbookers suggests a week’s Grand Avignon and Nice holiday with a Monaco side trip from £1,299pp with accommodation and first-class travel. It also has an 11-day Gastronomic Capitals of France itinerary linking Paris, Dijon, Lyon and Bordeaux. railbookers.co.uk
More no-fly options
- Fred Holidays’ new no-fly rail holidays include the four-day Ypres and Flanders Fields; 11-day Mallorca by Rail & Sea; and 12-day Imperial Cities by Rail, visiting Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Nuremburg. fredholidays.co.uk
- Rail Discoveries has a 10-day Rome & Sorrento tour taking in the Amalfi coast and Pompeii. raildiscoveries.com/travelagents
- A three-night round-trip from London on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express costs from £3,450 with Kirker. kirkerholidays.com
- Eurostar’s train and hotel packages include Amsterdam and skiing in the Alps. eurostar.com
- Leger has several European itineraries combining coach with scenic rail, and a Great Highland Railways by Self Drive option in Scotland. leger.co.uk
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