The 10 most scenic train journeys in Europe

Some train journeys are not a way to get somewhere, they are the destination. You board for the window, not to arrive. Europe has a handful that keep every promise, and a few overrated ones you can skip without regret.

Here is my pick, sorted by region, with the figures that matter and a frank verdict on each.

The stars of the Swiss Alps

The Glacier Express (Zermatt to Saint Moritz)

The most famous, and for good reason. 291 kilometres across the Alps, 291 bridges and 91 tunnels, all in around 8 hours. People call it the slowest express in the world, and that is a compliment. The panoramic carriages with their big curved windows are superb, but book the valley side for the best views. A budget tip: the regular Albula line runs the same scenery for a fraction of the price, without the panoramic car or the lunch service.

The Bernina Express (Chur to Tirano)

My favourite, and the most accessible. It links Chur in Switzerland to Tirano in Italy in about 4 hours (2h15 from Saint Moritz), with 196 bridges and 55 tunnels. The Albula and Bernina line is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its standout feature: it is the only alpine train to cross the Alps without a base tunnel, thanks to spectacular spiral loops. And it crosses into Italy, ideal for carrying on to Lake Como.

The cross-border journeys

The Centovalli Express (Locarno to Domodossola)

A small line between Switzerland and Italy, through the valley of the Hundred Valleys, past bridges, gorges and perched villages. Recently refurbished carriages, a short ride and few tourists. A real find for anyone who wants the drama without the Glacier Express crowds.

The Gotthard Panorama Express

It links central Switzerland to Italian-speaking Ticino, pairing a boat trip across Lake Lucerne with the crossing of the old Gotthard tunnel. A good way to connect Lucerne to Lugano while taking your time.

The far north: Norway in the lead

The Flam Railway (Flamsbana)

A shot of pure intensity. It drops 866 metres over just 20 kilometres, in about an hour, from Myrdal station down to the fjord. Waterfalls, sheer cliffs, a photo stop at the Kjosfossen falls. It is short and dear per kilometre, but the gradient is among the steepest in the world for an adhesion railway.

The Bergen line (Bergensbanen)

Oslo to Bergen, 471 kilometres in about 7 hours, including the crossing of the Hardangervidda plateau, the largest mountain plateau in Europe. Opened in 1909, it runs through 182 tunnels. This is the one I would recommend first to anyone who wants a great wild crossing with no panoramic surcharge: a regular ticket does the job.

The Rauma line (Dombas to Andalsnes)

Only 90 minutes, but a rare concentration of scenery: the train skirts the Trollveggen, the tallest vertical rock face in Europe, before reaching the Romsdal fjord. Perfect as a companion to the Bergen line.

The south and west, more off-radar

The Douro line (Porto to Pocinho)

Leaving from Porto’s Sao Bento station, about 175 kilometres in 3h30 along the Douro river, among the terraced port vineyards. The final stretch, the finest, hugs the water at the very edge of the banks. Cheap, authentic, best done in spring when the vines turn green.

The West Highland Line (Glasgow to Mallaig)

In Scotland, about 5h20 through the emptiest Highlands in western Europe, including the Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous by the cinema. Lochs, peat bogs and deer beside the track.

The Semmering Railway (Austria)

One of the first mountain railways in the world, built in 1854 and a UNESCO site. Stone viaducts, tunnels and curves carved into the rock between Gloggnitz and Murzzuschlag. A nineteenth-century feat of engineering still in service on a regular line.

The summary table

Sharing your photos live, even in the mountains

On these lines you spend the ride with the phone in hand: photos, videos, stories. Mobile coverage is surprisingly good on most alpine and Scandinavian routes, except in the tunnels, which are many on the Glacier Express or the Bergen line.

The catch is that many of these journeys change country. The Bernina crosses into Italy, so does the Centovalli. You switch from one network to another in the middle of the mountains, and on-board wifi is often absent on regional lines.

With a eSIM for Europe, one card covers the whole continent. You share your photos of the Landwasser Viaduct live, then those of Lake Como an hour later, with nothing to change.

And keep it in mind for Scotland: the United Kingdom sits outside EU roaming since Brexit, as does Switzerland, the Balkans and Turkey. On the West Highland Line, your EU plan does not work. A travel eSIM covering the whole continent avoids the surprise bill.

Orange is the service used by more than 300 million customers: 200+ destinations covered, round-the-clock human support 24/7 and 100 percent refunded if you never use your eSIM.