For decades, modern travel has largely been a race against the clock. Airlines have promised faster connections, highways have shortened distances, and even vacation itineraries comprising just a few days have packed in as many destinations as possible.
But now, a different kind of travel—one that invites travelers to slow down—is gaining steam. Train travel is experiencing a renaissance as more travelers seek scenic, immersive ways to explore a destination that allows them to kick back and simply enjoy the view outside. Instead of treating transportation as merely a means to get from one place to the next, rail journeys are increasingly becoming a part of the travel experience itself.
A May 2026 survey conducted by EF Go Ahead Tours found that 93% of North American travelers are increasingly considering train tourism, while 78% are interested in incorporating trains into their guided vacations or tour experiences. Scenic views ranked as the top reason for the interest in train travel, followed by comfort and the opportunity to enjoy a unique travel experience.
The shift reflects a broader change in what travelers value. Getting somewhere quickly still matters, but, increasingly, so does enjoying how they get there.
Across Europe and North America, railways are offering travelers a different perspective on familiar destinations—from crossing the Alps on historic mountain railways to connecting major cities without setting foot in an airport.
For those looking to experience the resurgence firsthand, these seven destinations prove that train is one of the best ways to see the world.
1. The European Alps
Best for dramatic mountain scenery and iconic scenic railways
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Few landscapes seem better suited to train travel than the Alps. Snow-capped peaks, deep valleys, mountain villages, and dramatic passes unfold outside the window, while railways tackle terrain that would otherwise be difficult—and, in some cases, nearly impossible—to cross.
The region's trains are engineering feats in their own right, climbing steep mountainsides and winding through tunnels carved into the landscape. A multicountry train itinerary through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy brings together five of the region's scenic railways. Travelers can climb toward Germany's highest peak aboard the Zugspitze Cogwheel Train, cross the Alps on the Arlberg Railway, and travel between Switzerland and Italy on the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway. The Gotthard Panorama Express adds another dimension, pairing a vintage paddle steamer across Lake Lucerne with a panoramic train journey through the heart of the Alps. The result is a trip with scenery between stops that can be just as memorable as the destinations themselves.
2. Switzerland
Best for bucket list train journeys
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Switzerland has built much of its reputation as a travel destination around its mountains for sports like hiking, skiing, and cycling, but its railways are among the country's greatest attractions, too. An extensive rail network connects Alpine resorts, lakeside towns, and remote mountain villages, while several routes have become internationally recognized experiences in their own right. The best known is the Glacier Express, often called the "world's slowest express." Over a span of approximately six and a half hours, the train winds through the Swiss Alps, crossing 291 bridges and passing through 91 tunnels.
The UNESCO-listed Rhaetian Railway offers another spectacular look at Switzerland's mountainous terrain, with routes that showcase both the country's dramatic landscapes and the remarkable engineering required to traverse them. A week in Switzerland by train must include travel through St. Moritz, Zermatt, and Interlaken. For travelers with limited time, seeing Switzerland by train transforms the journey from simply a way to get between mountain towns into an experience all its own.
3. The Swiss and French Alps
Best for high-altitude adventures
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The Alps don't stop at Switzerland's borders, and some of the region's most dramatic rail journeys cross between Switzerland and France. Here, the experience is defined by elevation. Trains climb from lakeside towns into high mountain terrain, carrying passengers toward glaciers, peaks, and some of Europe's highest-altitude destinations. A trip from Lucerne to Chamonix by train brings together several distinctly different rail experiences. The GoldenPass Express travels through the Swiss countryside, while a rack railway climbs to the Jungfraujoch, home to Europe's highest train station at 11,332 feet.
Farther west, the Mont-Blanc Express heads toward Chamonix, with glaciers towering in the distance, offering another perspective on one of Europe's most recognizable mountain ranges. The journey also includes one of Switzerland's more unusual rail experiences: the aptly nicknamed Chocolate Train, which leads to a visit to the Cailler chocolate factory. Together, the routes show how train travel can transform an Alpine vacation from a series of mountain stops into an experience shaped by the journey between them.
4. London, Paris and Venice
Best for the romance of classic European rail travel
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Few forms of transportation carry as much cultural nostalgia as the great European train journey. Long before budget airlines made weekend city-hopping commonplace, railways connected the continent's capitals and inspired an era of glamorous travel immortalized in literature, film, and popular culture. Relive the Belle Époque era with a journey that follows the route of the storied Orient Express across London, Paris, Lausanne, Milan, and Venice. The sights and cultural experiences along the way recapture the comfort, glamour, and romance that made this route—and the era of grand rail travel—so enduringly iconic.
5. Italy's Classic Cities
Best for seamless city-hopping
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Train travel doesn't always mean traveling slowly. In Italy, rail offers one of the most efficient ways to connect the country's most popular destinations. High-speed trains link city centers directly, eliminating much of the time and hassle associated with flying or driving between major stops. Venice, Florence, and Rome are among the country's most visited cities, and train travel makes the journey between them remarkably simple. Travelers board Italy's flagship high-speed service in Venice, travel through the Apennines and into Tuscany, and continue from Renaissance Florence to Rome—all in just over three and a half hours. It's an example of how rail can change the rhythm of a multicity vacation and turn the experience into one continuous journey across the country.
6. Central Europe's Former Imperial Capitals
Best for history, culture and multicountry travel
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Some of Europe's most fascinating cities are remarkably close together—and rail remains one of the easiest ways to connect them. Berlin, Prague, and Vienna each tell a different chapter of Central European history. Together, they offer a journey through imperial legacies, Cold War history, architecture, music, and some of the continent's most distinctive urban cultures. EuroCity and Railjet services connect the three former imperial capitals, allowing travelers to move between Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria without relying on short-haul flights. Travelers looking to extend the route can continue to Budapest, adding another former imperial capital to the journey. It's a reminder that train travel can make multicountry travel feel less fragmented—transforming several destinations into one connected experience.
7. The Pacific Northwest
Best for scenic rail travel closer to home
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Europe may dominate the popular imagination when it comes to great train journeys, but North America has its own compelling rail landscapes. The Pacific Northwest combines dramatic mountains, sprawling coasts, evergreen forests, and three of the region's most distinctive cities—Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. The Amtrak Cascades route connects them by rail, offering views of landscapes including Mount St. Helens and the San Juan Islands along the way. A day trip to Mount Rainier adds another opportunity to experience one of the region's defining landscapes. For American travelers in particular, the Pacific Northwest is a reminder that a scenic rail vacation doesn't require crossing the ocean.
What the return of train travel means for travelers
The renewed interest in train tourism reflects something bigger than nostalgia. For a growing number of travelers, how they get somewhere is beginning to matter almost as much as where they're going. A slower pace, often with a drink in hand with a travel companion by your side as the scenery passes by, is increasingly viewed as a travel highlight—a chance to actually watch a country, city, or landscape unfold by rail.
Whether that means retracing a historic European rail corridor, crossing the Swiss Alps, or riding a coastal route through the Pacific Northwest, travelers are increasingly discovering that getting there doesn't have to be separate from the vacation. Sometimes, it may be the best part.
This story was produced by EF Go Ahead Tours and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
