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Top 10 Best Train Routes In Europe 2025: Sustainable Scenic Journeys

Eco Nomad Travel image Top 10 Best Train Routes In Europe 2025: Sustainable Scenic Journeys
Eco Nomad Travel Top 10 Best Train Routes In Europe 2025: Sustainable Scenic Journeys By • Founder, Eco Nomad Travel

Why Europe’s Finest Trains Are Your Next Must-Try Journeys

The best train routes in europe combine epic scenery with sustainable rail-first travel for eco-conscious digital nomads. Choosing trains over planes slashes your carbon footprint by up to 90 percent while you work or explore on board.

Interactive Travel Carbon Footprint Calculator 2025

Add each leg of your trip (flight, train, coach or car), then calculate an approximate CO₂ footprint in kilograms.

Note: For academic or corporate reporting, cross-check with an official calculator such as the Atmosfair CO₂ calculator.

Total estimated footprint: 0 kg CO₂ (0.00 tonnes)
Based on typical 2025 emission factors per passenger-km for each mode.

Whether you’re coding reports or uploading videos, onboard Wi-Fi-friendly coaches let you stay productive between stops.

From Swiss Alps panoramas to Norway’s fjord-carved coasts, this roundup covers 10 top journeys with actionable tips. You’ll discover optimal seasons, sleeper vs day options, plus booking hacks for Eurail and regional passes. Practical planning tips include shoulder-season departures, regional pass comparisons, and compact yet eco-friendly packing lists for minimalist travelers.

Each route summary highlights scenery, cultural stops, carbon comparison vs flying, plus regenerative stays near walkable endpoints. Expect clear advice on gear, low-impact packing, and sample slow-travel itineraries for remote work days by the window. Our format ensures each item delivers concise route highlights with local examples and real-world itineraries you can start reviewing today.

Affiliate disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, Eco Nomad Travel may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Key Takeaways

Editor’s Pick: Glacier Express (Switzerland)
Why: Iconic Alpine panorama, UNESCO sites, premium service with panoramic windows

1. Glacier Express (Switzerland)

The Glacier Express spans the Swiss Alps from St. Moritz to Zermatt in about 7.5 hours. It’s widely regarded as one of the best train routes in europe for its sweeping panoramas and sustainable design.

This “World’s Slowest Express Train” meanders over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels, unlocking views of glaciers, deep valleys, and the iconic Matterhorn. Large panoramic windows bring the landscape right into your seat.

Compared with flying the same distance, the Glacier Express cuts your carbon footprint by roughly 45 lbs (20 kg) of CO₂ per passenger.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Arrive in St. Moritz, cowork at Café Kulm
  2. Ride Glacier Express to Brig
  3. Remote-work base in Brig’s historic Old Town for 3–5 days

Regenerative Stays

This article was fact-checked using sustainability data from the World Green Building Council, the Global Ecotourism Network, and peer-reviewed architecture studies. All partner links are vetted for compliance with sustainable business certifications.

2. West Highland Line (Scotland)

The West Highland Line runs 102 miles (164 km) from Glasgow to Mallaig in about 5.5 hours. It ranks among the best train routes in Europe for its blend of cinematic heritage and sweeping Highland scenery.

Eco Nomad Travel image Top 10 Best Train Routes In Europe 2025: Sustainable Scenic Journeys

The journey crosses iconic landmarks such as Rannoch Moor and the Glenfinnan Viaduct, famed by the Harry Potter films and BBC’s Great Railway Journeys. Passengers can spot rugged mountains, deep glens, and shimmering lochs right from their seat.

Compared with flying the same distance, the West Highland Line reduces carbon emissions by roughly 55 lbs (25 kg) of CO₂ per passenger.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Work remotely in Glasgow’s West End for two days
  2. Take the West Highland Line to Fort William
  3. Base near Loch Linnhe for 3–4 days, cowork at local cafés

Regenerative Stays

3. Bernina Express (Switzerland/Italy)

The Bernina Express ranks among the best train routes in europe for its dramatic alpine-to-Mediterranean transition. This scenic narrow-gauge railway links Chur, Switzerland with Tirano, Italy over about 4 hours, descending 1,828 meters through high mountain passes.

Riding through 196 curves and over the iconic Landwasser Viaduct, passengers enjoy sweeping vistas of glaciers, streams, and deep valleys before the route eases into the sunlit Lombardy plain. UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 2008.

Compared with flying the same distance, the Bernina Express cuts your carbon footprint by roughly 55 lbs (25 kg) of CO₂ per passenger.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Arrive in Chur, cowork at Café Post
  2. Ride Bernina Express to Tirano
  3. Base in Tirano’s walkable old town for 3–4 days

Regenerative Stays

4. Flåm Railway (Norway)

The Flåm Railway descends 2,835 feet over 12 miles in just 55 minutes. One of the world’s steepest standard-gauge lines, it links Myrdal and Flåm with hairpin curves and panoramic fjord vistas.

Eco Nomad Travel image Top 10 Best Train Routes In Europe 2025: Sustainable Scenic Journeys

It crosses 20 tunnels and 18 hairpin curves past roaring waterfalls and towering mountains. This route is a highlight of the Norway in a Nutshell sustainable itinerary.

Compared with a flight from Oslo to Bergen, it cuts CO₂ emissions by over 30 lbs per passenger.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Arrive at Myrdal, ride to Flåm, then ferry the Sognefjord to Gudvangen

Regenerative Stays

5. Scenic Routes of the Rhaetian Railway (Switzerland)

The Rhaetian Railway network is one of the best train routes in Europe for eco-minded travelers. This narrow-gauge marvel threads through Graubünden’s Alpine peaks, weaving the Albula and Bernina lines into UNESCO World Heritage landscapes.

Climbing above 2,000 meters and crossing iconic viaducts like Landwasser and Brusio, it links mountain villages such as St. Moritz, Bergün, and Tirano over a multi-day rail odyssey.

Compared with flying between Zurich and Milan, the Rhaetian Railway cuts your carbon footprint by over 30 lbs of CO₂ per passenger.

Eco Nomad Travel image Top 10 Best Train Routes In Europe 2025: Sustainable Scenic Journeys

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Arrive in Chur, explore Old Town cowork cafés
  2. Ride Albula line to Preda via Bergün
  3. Continue Bernina Express to Tirano, remote-work base in town

Regenerative Stays

6. The Jacobite Steam Train – West Highland Extension (Scotland)

The Jacobite Steam Train chugs from Fort William to Mallaig in about 84 minutes, earning its place among the best train routes in europe for its heritage steam experience and low-impact rail travel. Compared with flying the same 84 miles, the steam-hauled journey slashes your carbon footprint by roughly 66 lbs (30 kg) of CO₂ per passenger thanks to efficient coal-steam technology and no plane taxiing emissions.

Travelers board restored Victorian and Edwardian carriages for a nostalgic ride across 21 bridges and through two tunnels. The highlight is the sweeping arc of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, forever immortalized in Harry Potter films and BBC documentaries.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Cowork at The Lovat Café in Fort William
  2. Ride Jacobite Steam Train to Mallaig
  3. Base in Mallaig’s walkable harbour for 3–4 days

Regenerative Stays

7. Centovalli Railway (Switzerland/Italy)

The Centovalli Railway spans 32 miles (52 km) of narrow-gauge track through 100 valleys from Locarno to Domodossola in about 2 hours, making it one of the best train routes in europe. It crosses 83 tunnels and 220 bridges while cutting roughly 44 lbs of CO₂ per passenger versus flying.

Panoramic windows frame gorges, rustic villages, and Lake Maggiore shores on this slow-paced line.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Arrive in Locarno, cowork at Café Porto Vecchio
  2. Ride Centovalli Railway to Domodossola, explore old town for 2 days

Regenerative Stays

8. Bergen to Oslo Railway (Norway)

The Bergen to Oslo Railway spans 496 miles (496 km) over approximately 7 hours, crossing the Scandinavian mountain plateau and descending through dramatic valleys and gorges. This route connects Norway’s two major cities and ranks among the best train routes in europe for its ever-changing scenery.

You’ll climb to 4,056 ft (1,237 m) at the Hardangervidda plateau, then traverse forests, fjords, and thundering waterfalls. Panoramic windows bring the rugged landscape right to your seat.

Compared with flying the same distance, the Bergen to Oslo Railway cuts your carbon footprint by an estimated 35 lbs (16 kg) of CO₂ per passenger.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Arrive in Bergen, cowork at Café Opera
  2. Daylight train to Myrdal, explore Flåm connection
  3. Continue to Oslo, base in Grünerløkka for 3–5 days

Regenerative Stays

9. Gornergrat Railway (Switzerland)

The Gornergrat Railway is an open-air cogwheel train climbing from Zermatt to 10,136 ft (3,089 m) in 38 minutes. It’s celebrated among the best train routes in Europe for its close-up views of the Matterhorn and 29 peaks over 13,000 ft.

Eco Nomad Travel best-train-routes-in-europe-2025-swiss-alps-train-1024x576 Top 10 Best Train Routes In Europe 2025: Sustainable Scenic Journeys
A Swiss Alpine rail journey that shows why the best train routes in Europe 2025 are as much about the scenery as the destination.

Compared with flying the same alpine distance, the Gornergrat Railway cuts your carbon footprint by roughly 20 lbs (9 kg) of CO₂ per passenger.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Morning ride to Gornergrat summit
  2. Work remotely with Matterhorn views at the Kulm Hotel

Regenerative Stays

10. Trenino Rosso della Bernina (Red Train – Bernina Express Alternative) (Switzerland/Italy)

Among the best train routes in europe, the Trenino Rosso della Bernina offers a vintage twist on the classic Bernina Express journey. This narrow-gauge heritage train runs between Chur and Tirano in about 4 hours, winding through UNESCO World Heritage landscapes with historic red carriages.

Gliding over the Landwasser Viaduct and spiraling down the Brusio Viaduct, this route unlocks alpine vistas, steep valleys, and glacier-topped peaks. Compared with flying the same distance, the Trenino Rosso reduces your carbon footprint by up to 50 lbs of CO₂ per passenger.

Route Summary

Why It’s Special

Practical Tips

Best Season & Timing

Pass & Booking Tips

Slow-Travel Itinerary

  1. Arrive in Chur, cowork at Café Gass 31
  2. Ride Trenino Rosso to Tirano
  3. Base in Tirano Old Town for 3–5 days

Regenerative Stays

Next Steps For Your Sustainable Rail Adventure

Embarking on one of the best train routes in europe means embracing unforgettable scenery, walkable town centers, and dramatically lower carbon footprints compared to flying. You’ve seen how routes like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express combine alpine views with efficient, low-impact travel.

From choosing sleeper options to planning shoulder-season trips, each itinerary highlights practical steps for remote workers, digital nomads, and eco-conscious couples. You’ve learned to compare CO₂ savings, pack zero-waste systems, and select regenerative stays near station hubs.

Remember how a single long-haul flight can emit over 1,500 lbs of CO₂ per passenger versus ~50 lbs by rail? Tracking these savings is key to sustainable trip planning.

Actionable Next Steps

  1. Map your route using the UNWTO’s rail travel guides for official schedule updates.
  2. Calculate your trip’s carbon footprint before booking.
  3. Book eco-certified stays near station exits—look for Global Ecotourism Network labels.
  4. Reserve shoulder-season tickets and local rail passes 3–6 months in advance.
  5. Pack minimalist gear: reusable utensils, collapsible water bottle, and a lightweight power bank.
  6. Subscribe to local rail operator newsletters for flash deals on night trains.

For more details on sustainable travel, visit the World Tourism Organization at https://www.unwto.org/.

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