The art of train travel in Europe: A guide for the discerning explorer

From the UK, London’s St. Pancras International is the gateway to train travel in Europe. This Victorian Gothic masterpiece of glass and iron invites you to step onto the Eurostar and glide into the heart of Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam in plenty of time for a lingering lunch.

The journey to Paris Gare du Nord is smooth and efficient, delivering you into the 10th arrondissement in as little as 2 hours and 16 minutes. From here, it's just a short Metro ride to your boutique hotel near Place Vendôme, ideally placed for a stroll in the Tuileries Garden, a memorable afternoon exploring the Louvre or a refined evening of opera at Palais Garnier.

Amsterdam beckons in under four hours, the journey gliding through Belgium's patchwork of lush fields to arrive at Centraal Station. Choose the city-centre INK Hotel Amsterdam - MGallery Collection as an atmospheric base for a trip woven with history, art and café culture. And Brussels, a mere two hours from London, offers an escape to a storied city of rich medieval history with a contemporary European heart. 

The real magic, however, lies in the connections beyond these capital cities. From Paris, the TGV network radiates across France and into neighbouring countries. You can reach Bordeaux for a wine country sojourn or Lyon, gateway to the Alps and Provence, in two hours. Marseille's Mediterranean shores in three. Or head to the mountain grandeur of Switzerland - Geneva and Zurich are just four hours away. 

Berlin, via Brussels or Amsterdam, takes eight hours – an afternoon's unhurried travel to the German capital that delivers you to historical sites including the Brandenburg Gate and world-class museums like the Neues.

Some European train journeys are experiences unto themselves: routes where the window is a frame for living art; where each curve in the track reveals a marvel of natural or architectural beauty.

Threading between Zermatt and St. Moritz across 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels, the Glacier Express earns its title as the world's slowest express train. Over eight languorous hours, passengers recline in panoramic coaches, watching the Matterhorn pierce azure skies, glacial valleys shimmer and Alpine villages cling to impossibly steep mountainsides. It’s Switzerland distilled to its essence: precision, beauty and drama in perfect proportion.

This line traces the Ligurian coast, tunnelling through cliffs before emerging to reveal the five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore tumbling down hillsides toward turquoise waters. At each station, you’re invited to disembark to wander medieval lanes and sip limoncello overlooking terraced vineyards before continuing southward. Seeking more coastal discovery? Embark on a breathtaking journey of Southeastern Europe with MGallery. 

France's Train Jaune (yellow train) is a sun-coloured narrow-gauge line weaving through the wild beauty of the Catalan Pyrenees. Running between Villefranche-de-Conflent and Latour-de-Carol, it climbs dramatically from medieval fortresses to high mountain plateaus, offering sweeping views of pine forests, rocky gorges and snow-brushed peaks. Consider pairing this experience with a trip from Paris through Western France. 

The Semmering Railway sweeps through eastern Austria’s alpine passes before moving southward. This 1850s line with UNESCO World Heritage status is a feat of rail engineering, climbing through mountain terrain with each curve revealing another vista of forested peaks and valley villages. Begin in Vienna, where the refined Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna - MGallery Collection places you a few minutes' walk from the Konzerthaus and Akademietheater. Then continue your cultural journey on the Semmering Railway's Vienna-Graz route, a languid two and a half hours winding through the very same landscapes that have inspired composers and painters through the ages. For a beautifully scenic alternative, consider the Vienna-Prague route via the Wachau Valley, a journey through Danube valleys, Bohemian forests and storybook towns with castle-topped hills.

While train travel in Europe is appealing year-round, each season paints the continent in a different light. 

April and May see Europe emerging from winter's slumber. The south beckons first: in Provence and the Côte d’Azur, wisteria drapes ancient stone and the delicate scent of almond blossoms fills the air. Central Europe warms gradually, making April perfect for Prague, Vienna or Budapest. The Alps remain snow-capped at altitude while valleys burst with wildflowers – an ideal period for Switzerland's Golden Pass Line from Lucerne to Montreux.

June to August sees Europe's railways at their busiest, but also their most rewarding. Scandinavia entices, with services from Copenhagen fanning across Denmark and into Sweden, the light barely fading through June's white nights. The Bernina Express crosses the Alps from Chur in Switzerland to Italy's Tirano, its summer timetable offering the fullest experience of glacial landscapes and subalpine lakes. Consider starting or ending your trip at the Art Deco Rotary Hotel Geneva - MGallery Collection, a heritage hotel by tranquil Lake Geneva and an ideal base for wherever your explorations may take you. 

Keep in mind that Mediterranean routes require booking well ahead. Alternatively, consider exploring Eastern France from Paris down to the French Riviera. 

September and October are perfect for train travel in Europe, with fewer crowds, more attractive prices and the golden glow of autumnal hues. Eastern Europe rewards autumn exploration, pairing especially well with a journey through Central Europe first. Start at the elegant Hotel Papadopoli Venezia - MGallery Collection in Venice, then meander to Ljubljana in neighbouring Slovenia, an ideal base for a day trip to nearby Lake Bled through forests ablaze with colour. Romania's trains, slow and rustic, are another option, conveying travellers through Transylvanian landscapes of haunting beauty.

December transforms European cities into enchanted realms. And railways will whisk you to the magical atmosphere of Christmas markets: Vienna to Budapest, Dresden to Prague, Strasbourg to Basel. Planning a memorable ski trip? Train travel to ski resorts in Europe is far more relaxing than driving through mountain passes: St. Anton, Chamonix, Zermatt – all welcome guests arriving by rail from major cities, with boutique hotels like Park Hotel Grenoble and Hotel Royal St. Georges Interlaken offering ideal city stops and wellness breaks along the way.