A tour of Europe by train is the promise of a journey full of discovery, beautiful landscapes, cities rich in culture, and unforgettable encounters. In this article, we give you practical advice and itineraries for a tour of Europe by train.
How to prepare for a train tour of Europe?
Preparing your itinerary for a tour of Europe by train also involves choosing the right tickets, the right duration and other practical questions: we explain everything!
Which train ticket to choose?
There are two ways to organize your European rail tour: buy your tickets individually, or buy a global Interrail pass right here. The Interrail pass is a rail pass allowing all European citizens, without age limit, to travel by train in Europe. The Interrail Global pass, which allows you to travel by train through 33 European countries over a period ranging from 4 days to 3 months. Please note that it is not possible to travel in your country of residence, except to cross the border in either direction. The global pass costs between €200 and €700, depending on the duration of the trip. The Interrail pass is valid for 11 months from the date of purchase, and is activated on your departure date. You can choose between a limited pass, which is less expensive but for which you choose not only the duration of the journey, but also the number of days during which you can travel on the rail network, and the unlimited global Interrail pass, which allows you to travel without limit over the desired period.
So, is it better to opt for an Interrail pass or for tickets purchased individually? It all depends! If you already know the exact itinerary of your European rail tour, with the dates of each journey, then buying train tickets individually and directly from the local rail company will generally prove less expensive, especially if you buy these tickets well in advance. The advantage of the Interrail pass isn't necessarily the sliding scale of fares, but rather its flexibility: it allows you to travel freely by train, even at the last minute, and takes the hassle out of managing each journey individually. All you have to do is book each of your journeys individually on the Rail Planner app on the day you want. A quick reservation on the app is usually all you need, but TGVs and night trains sometimes require an extra charge.
Ideal duration for a tour of Europe by train
Interrail passes allow you to travel between 4 days and 3 months. However, for a successful tour of Europe by train, we recommend traveling for at least two weeks. Three weeks to a month is ideal.
How do I plan my Europe rail tour?
To plan your Europe rail tour itinerary, you can either follow our pre-established routes below, or organize your own. To do so, remember to :
- Define your "must-sees" - those cities you absolutely must see if you don't want to fly.
- Set your budget, as some cities are more expensive than others and may not fit into your budget.
- List your friends who live abroad - now's the time to pay them a visit!
- Think regionally, as time won't necessarily allow you to see all the regions of Europe. In Western Europe, the most popular cities for a European rail tour are Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, London and Barcelona. In Central Europe, they are Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Ljubljana. In Southern Europe, choose Rome, Florence, Venice, Madrid and Lisbon. Eastern Europe is generally less well connected to the rail network, but you can still organize a tour there by including a few buses in your trip, for example to Vilnius, Riga or Talinn.
What's the budget?
The budget for a tour of Europe by train depends entirely on the length of your trip, the way you travel and the region you choose. However, here are some estimates:
- For 2 weeks: allow around €1,200 if you travel economically, and €2,000 if you're an average consumer.
- For 3 weeks: you should expect to pay around €1,500 if you're traveling economically, and €3,000 if you're an average consumer.
- For 1 month: expect to pay around €2,500 for budget travel and €4,000 for average consumption.
- For 2 months: expect to pay between €4,000 and €5,000 for budget travel and €8,000 for average consumption.
Our itinerary tips for a tour of Europe by train
Below, we've put together several itineraries for a tour of Europe by train, depending on the length of your trip, starting in Paris, but you can also do it from Belgium or Switzerland without affecting the tour.
2-week European rail tour itinerary
For a 2-week tour of Europe, you can organize your trip as follows:
- Day 1 : departure from Paris to Brussels, Belgium, a 1.5-hour train ride away (see our article What to do in Brussels in 2 or 3 days? )
- Days 2 and 3: visitAmsterdam, in the Netherlands (be sure to read our article on What to do and see in Amsterdam in 2 or 3 days)
- Days 4 to 6: visit Berlin, Germany over 3 days, for example.
- Days 7 and 9: visit Prague, Czech Republic (What to do and see in Prague in 2 or 3 days : itinerary tips).
- Days 10 to 12: visit Vienna, Austria (What to do and see in Vienna in 2 or 3 days : itinerary tips).
- Days 13 and 14: visit Munich, Germany, then return to Paris.
3-week European rail tour itinerary
If you'd prefer a 3-week tour of Europe by train, you can take the following itinerary:
- Days 1 and 2: Depart Paris for Brussels, Belgium, on a 1.5-hour train, then visit Brussels.
- Days 3 to 5: Visit Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Days 6 to 9: Berlin, Germany.
- Days 10 to 12: Prague, Czech Republic.
- Days 13 to 15: Vienna, Austria.
- Days 16 and 17: Budapest, Hungary (What to do and see in Budapest in 2 or 3 days : itinerary tips)
- Days 18 and 19: Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Days 20 and 21: visit Venice, Italy, then return to the point of departure (What to do and see in Venice in 3 days : itinerary tips).
One-month European rail tour itinerary
For a month-long European rail tour that takes in all of Europe's most beautiful cities, consider the following itinerary:
- Days 1-3: Depart Paris for Brussels (1 hr. 30 min. train ride) and visit Brussels, Belgium.
- Days 4 to 6: Visit Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Days 7 to 10: Visit Berlin, Germany.
- Days 11 to 14: Prague, Czech Republic.
- Days 15 to 18: Vienna, Austria.
- Days 19 to 22: Budapest, Hungary.
- Days 23 to 25: Zagreb, Croatia.
- Days 26 to 28: Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Days 29 and 30: Venice.
2-month European rail tour itinerary
For a 2-month Europe by Train itinerary, you'll have even more time to visit each city as follows.
- Days 1 to 4: Depart Paris for Brussels (1 h 30 by train) and visit Brussels, Belgium.
- Days 5 to 8: Visit Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Days 9 to 13: visit Berlin, Germany.
- Days 14 to 18: Prague, Czech Republic.
- Days 19 to 23: Vienna, Austria.
- Days 24 to 28: Budapest, Hungary.
- Days 29 to 32: Belgrade, Serbia.
- Days 33 to 36: Sofia, Bulgaria.
- Days 37 to 40: Bucharest, Romania.
- Days 41 to 44: Zagreb, Croatia.
- Days 45 to 48: Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Days 49 to 52: Venice, Italy.
- Days 53 to 56: Visit Florence, Italy (What to do and see in Florence in 2 or 3 days : itinerary tips)
- Days 57 to 60: visit Rome, Italy (How to visit Rome in 3 days? Itinerary tips).
