Scenic Routes

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Why Go The GoldenPass Line offers one of Switzerland’s most graceful rail journeys. Rather than icy drama, it delivers vineyards, alpine meadows, chalets, waterfalls, and big skies — a gentle, storybook introduction to the Alps. A Little Background Developed in stages in the early 20th century, the line linked Lake Geneva with central Switzerland, opening mountain regions without extreme gradients. It remains one of the country’s most elegant routes. What to Expect on the Tra

Pointe du Roc, Granville Why Go This is one of the most satisfying rail journeys you can take directly from Paris . Over a few unhurried hours, suburbs dissolve into farmland, apple orchards, and hedgerows, before the train crests a hill and the sea appears below. Granville  feels bracing, real, and refreshingly untouristy. A Little Background Granville prospered as a fishing and shipping town, later becoming a seaside retreat. The railway connected it firmly to Paris, allowi

Why Go Most travellers rush between Bologna  and Florence  on a 90-minute high-speed train, spending the entire journey inside tunnels. The historic Porrettana Line does the opposite. It climbs steadily into the Apennines, crosses wooded ridges and mountain valleys, and descends gently into Tuscany — restoring the sense of place  that fast rail removes. This is one of Italy’s most rewarding examples of choosing the right  train, not the fastest one. A Little Background Opened

Why Go This journey leads into a France many visitors never see. Leaving Paris behind, the landscape grows steadily wilder — river gorges, volcanic cones, open plateaus — until you reach Le Puy-en-Velay , one of the country’s most dramatic and spiritual towns. A Little Background Le Puy has been a major pilgrimage centre for over a thousand years and is the traditional starting point of the Via Podiensis Camino route. Its cathedral rises improbably from volcanic rock pinnacle

There are few places where train travel feels quite as magical as it does along the Cinque Terre coast. In just a handful of minutes, the railway threads its way through tunnels carved into cliffs, emerging suddenly into postcard views of pastel villages, terraced vineyards, and the deep blue Ligurian Sea. It’s a journey where the train isn’t just transport—it’s part of the experience. Travelling the Cinque Terre by train is also the only sensible way to do it . Roads are nar

Italy’s great train journeys aren’t always long. Some unfold quietly, revealing their beauty mile by mile — and the route from Milan  to Tirano  is one of the most rewarding. In just over two and a half hours, this regional train carries you from Italy’s fashion and financial capital into alpine foothills, vineyard-covered valleys, and small mountain towns — all without tunnels, high speeds, or distractions. It’s slow travel in the best sense of the word. Why Take the Milan–T

The Aubrac Line doesn’t try to impress you — and that’s its strength. Running from Clermont-Ferrand  to Béziers , this is one of France’s most quietly powerful rail journeys. Here, the drama lies in space . Wide plateaus. Empty horizons. Tiny stations where the train feels like an event rather than a routine. Why This Is One of France’s Most Underrated Train Journeys The Aubrac region is sparsely populated, agriculturally rooted, and deeply traditional. The railway crosses la

From France’s food capital to Alpine lakes and peaks The train ride from Lyon  to Annecy  may be short, but it delivers one of the most satisfying landscape shifts in France. In under two hours, you leave behind riverbanks, bouchons, and Renaissance streets — and arrive in a world of turquoise water, alpine air, and snow-dusted peaks. This is a journey that feels effortless , yet quietly spectacular. There’s no need for high speed here. The regional TER train slows just enoug

September is one of the best months to explore the Cinque Terre. The summer crowds have thinned, the weather is still warm enough for swimming, and the hiking trails are quieter. This UNESCO-listed stretch of Ligurian coastline—made up of five pastel-painted villages clinging to the cliffs—is best experienced without the peak-season bustle. Arriving by train is the simplest and most sustainable way to visit, as cars are restricted and parking is scarce. The Cinque Terre Expre