Review of the Year 2024
20/12/2024 · By Dave Riley, CEO
From all of us at Great Rail Journeys, we wish you a wonderful festive period. Take a look back at 2024 and get a glimpse at our new holidays for 2025.
Read moreEurope is a beautifully diverse continent, home to the dramatic landscapes of the Scottish Highlands as well as the sun-drenched shores of the Mediterranean. And with train lines connecting much of what's in between, an escorted holiday with Great Rail Journeys offers a relaxing and scenic way of exploring its different countries. Travel with people who share your interests and enjoy similar activities, as we bring to life unique towns and cities from Scandinavia to Sicily, through engrossing excursions, hand-picked hotels, comfortable travel, and meals bursting with local flavour.
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Our exclusive 2025 tours - perfected over more than 50 years - reveal the very best of beautiful Europe, from journeying between the spellbinding peaks of Switzerland on iconic trains to basking beside the white-washed villages of Italy and uncovering the elegance of central Europe's imperial cities. To experience the delights of Portugal, Germany, France and everywhere in between, download our new brochures now!
Here are some of our customer favourites for experiencing Europe by Rail
The historic lakeside town of Desenzano, set on the southern shores of Lake Garda, is our charming base. With a peaceful harbour, a characterful old town and an efficient rail service, we are perfectly placed for exploring. This delightful holiday includes a cruise to enchanting Isola del Garda to visit the opulent Villa Borghese-Cavazza and a...
Enjoy Switzerland's warm hospitality and astounding landscapes from traditional hotels in historic Chur and idyllic Täsch. Soak up dramatic scenes of soaring mountains and glaciers on journeys aboard two iconic trains. Cross the Alps on the amazing Bernina Express, admiring glacier views enroute, and bask in views of alpine valleys and...
Experience traditional Italy on a relaxing all-inclusive, fly-rail holiday to the unspoilt heel of southern Italy. Based in a spa hotel overlooking the beautiful coast of Monopoli, just 50 meters from a gorgeous white sandy beach, we explore the undiscovered region of Puglia, dotted with historic ports, white-washed villages and unique ancient...
Experience the best of the Swiss Alps in ultimate luxury, where majestic mountains, picturesque landscapes and unspoiled nature align. On this magnificent all-inclusive holiday, you'll wake up in a delightful five-star hotel in the enchanting village of Grindelwald. Nestled in a green valley beneath the immense Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains...
Experience magnificent mountain landscapes and sparkling alpine lakes on this fantastic holiday to Switzerland. Discover the Swiss Alps on the world-renowned Bernina Express and Glacier Express from our bases in Chur and Brig, traditional alpine towns surrounded by mountains. Enjoy a private aperitif on the terrace of the lakeside 10th-century...
Based in the exquisite fortress town of Sirmione, set on a picturesque peninsula overlooking Lake Garda, and staying in an elegant spa hotel, this captivating holiday includes some fabulous excursions. Join us as we glide through Venice's turquoise canals on an unforgettable gondola ride - passing Venetian palazzos, intriguing architecture and...
Experience the breathtaking beauty of the Romantic Rhine River from the North Sea to the Swiss Alps. As we cruise through France, Germany, and the Netherlands bound for Switzerland, we admire stunning forested valleys, charming half-timbered towns, and incredible cities along the enchanting riverbanks. Sail through the spectacular scenery of the...
Explore the beautiful towns and landscapes of the Austrian Alps based in an all-inclusive hotel in St Johann, where dinner and drinks are included each evening. Marvel at views of Austria's tallest mountain on a journey across the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and discover Mozart's hometown of Salzburg with a singing tour guide. Travel through...
Lose yourself in scents and colours on this flower-filled cruise through scenic Belgium and the Netherlands. Walk among floral displays at Keukenhof Gardens, visit poignant war sites, and explore the quaint streets of Amsterdam, Bruges, and Ghent. Cruising aboard our luxurious ship, we step ashore at ports along the way to visit Ypres...
Astonishing mountains and serene alpine lakes provide the extraordinary setting for this incredible holiday as we travel in First Class all the way, including on the iconic Bernina Express and Glacier Express. Stylish St Moritz and tranquil Zermatt provide idyllic bases for exploring the jaw-dropping Swiss Alps. Admire the captivating Palü...
From the charming seaside town of Roses, discover the glistening Catalan coast and ride into the Pyrenees, taking in the stunning scenery of France and Spain on this relaxing holiday. Experience the delightful Núria Valley Rack Railway on a journey through a peaceful valley and ride the Little Red Train from Rivesaltes to Axat in France's...
Beautifully scenic Scandinavian rail journeys convey us from the ancient Viking capital of Trondheim to wintry Kiruna in Swedish Lapland, as we enjoy many opportunities to be dazzled by the ethereal Northern Lights. Admiring amazing landscapes, the fantastic Nordland Railway carries us across the Arctic Circle to Bodø. From here, we explore the...
The adventure often starts as we depart London St Pancras, beginning our journey towards mainland Europe. Travelling by rail has always had romantic connotations, and as we pass rural villages that seemingly haven't changed in centuries and coast through cosmopolitan cities, it's hard to deny that trains offer a different perspective.
With freedom to move around the carriages as you please, make new friends or just wallow in the luxury of time to sit back and read a book, feel yourself unwind a little more with each passing mile before arriving in the heart of your destination, relaxed and ready to explore.
Great Rail Journeys by name, Great Rail Journeys by nature. On nearly every holiday we run, relaxing, impressive or once-in-a-lifetime rail journeys are par for the course. Whether it's the 180-mile trip the Glacier Express makes through the mountains of Switzerland, an experience aboard the steepest railway line in the world - the Flåm Railway in Norway, or a beautifully-restored journey on the Jacobite Steam Train through the Scottish Highlands, we know all of the best rail experiences to be had across Europe.