There is a retro glamour to the notion of traveling by rail, but many of Europe’s train cars are anything but retro. A first-class ticket can buy travelers a private sleeper car and gourmet meals. Premier Trains are ultra-modern and may be equipped with bars, restaurants, reclining seats and magazines. There are still the classic railway cars on many routes, some with beautiful architectural details and color schemes. While the transit time of train travel may be slower than that of flying, the advantage is the journey, through small towns and capital cities where, upon disembarking, you are typically already in the center of town.

One favorite train is The Royal Scotsman, which shuttles people from Edinburgh through the Scottish Highlands as they partake of tea served in bone china. The panoramas between Lake Geneva and Zurich are the main attractions on The Golden Pass, which follows an 8-hour route through unspoiled wilderness and enchanting villages. The famed Orient Express carries passengers in Art Deco style from Venice through exotic Eastern European locales such as Istanbul, Krakow, Bucharest and Prague, and also connects to Rome and Paris. The Trans-Siberian Railway offers epic views of mountains and valleys. The full journey from Moscow to Beijing can take 150 hours, but there are many shorter trips offered.

The abundance of rail service gives tourists many options. If you only plan to travel between two or three cities, you can book individual tickets for your routes. If you want greater flexibility and options, compare the benefits of the various rail passes, such as Eurail Global, Eurail Select, Single Country, Multiple Country, Rail and Drive and rail package trips sold through tour operators. Possible discounts are available for students, seniors, youth, frequent travelers and low season itineraries. Some routes have first-class and second-class options.

One benefit of traveling by rail is that you can customize your journey. Rather than rushing through a series of cities and their greatest hits, you can opt for rides such as the Chocolate Train, which travels from Montreaux to Gruyères and includes a chocolate factory tour and plenty of samples. Norway’s Flam Railway has routes that stop frequently to allow passengers to catch sights and snap photographs of waterfalls, mountain farms and rushing rivers.

Frequent rail travelers name the Bernina Express, Madrid to Oviedo, Barcelona to Florence, Venice to Munich, Zurich to Milan, Scotland’s Kyle of Localsh, Glasgow to Fort William, Bratislava to Stary Smocovic, Venice to Vienna, Florence to Assisi, Cologne to Trier, London to Windsor, Luzurn to Interlaken, Berlin to Prague and, in Wales, the railway up Mt. Snowdon as among their favorite and most scenic routes.

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