Europe's most scenic railways

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 6 min read

Some train journeys are about getting somewhere quickly. Others are the point of the trip entirely. Europe has a remarkable concentration of both: railway lines built through mountains, along fjords, through gorges and across moorland that happen to be the most dramatic scenery the continent offers. This guide covers the rides that are genuinely worth booking for the view alone.

The Glacier Express, Switzerland

Switzerland's most famous scenic train runs from St Moritz or Davos to Zermatt (or the reverse), taking about eight hours and crossing 291 bridges and 91 tunnels en route. The name is a small irony — it is one of the slower trains in the country — but the scenery makes the pace irrelevant. The route climbs to the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 metres, the highest point on the Swiss main rail network, and passes through the Andermatt valley, the Rhine Gorge (sometimes called the "Swiss Grand Canyon") and the Matter valley approaching Zermatt.

The Glacier Express runs on standard rail infrastructure — this is not a heritage railway — and uses panoramic carriages with large windows for exactly this purpose. Dining is available on board. Reservations are required and must be booked separately from the fare. Full detail is in the Glacier Express guide.

The Bergen Line, Norway

The Oslo to Bergen railway is consistently rated among the most spectacular main-line journeys in the world. The route climbs from sea level in Oslo to the high mountain plateau at Finse (1,222 metres, one of the highest railway stations in northern Europe) before descending steeply to Bergen on the west coast. The journey takes about six and a half hours, and the central section crosses a stark, treeless plateau that in winter becomes one of Europe's great arctic landscapes.

The connecting Flåm Railway branches off at Myrdal and descends 866 metres in 20 km to the fjord village of Flåm — a 55-minute ride down one of the steepest conventional railways in the world. The combination of the Bergen Line main journey and the Flåm branch is one of the most popular tourist rail experiences in Scandinavia. See the Bergen Line guide and the Oslo to Bergen route guide for practical details.

The West Highland Line, Scotland

Running from Glasgow Queen Street to Mallaig via Fort William, the West Highland Line crosses some of Britain's wildest landscape: the edge of Rannoch Moor, the Great Glen, and the coast of the Rough Bounds of Knoydart. The most famous moment is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, a 21-arch curved viaduct over a Highland valley — familiar to many from the Harry Potter films, where a steam locomotive crosses it. The journey takes about five and a half hours to Mallaig.

The scenic section continues beyond Fort William: the last leg to Mallaig passes Loch Shiel, Arisaig beach and the Sound of Sleat. No reservations are required on ordinary service trains, though the Jacobite steam excursion that runs in season does require advance booking. Full practical details are in the West Highland Line guide.

The Bernina Express, Switzerland

The Bernina Express runs from Chur or Davos to Tirano in Italy, crossing the Alps on the Rhaetian Railway — a UNESCO World Heritage railway. The highlight is the Bernina Pass at 2,253 metres, the highest crossing of the Alps by any adhesion railway (no rack and pinion), which means the train climbs and descends on its own wheel-to-rail grip alone. The descent into Italy through the Brusio spiral viaduct — a full circle of track that the train curls around as it loses height — is one of the most extraordinary pieces of railway engineering in Europe. Total journey time is about four hours.

Like the Glacier Express, reservations for the panoramic coaches must be booked separately. The Bernina route is part of the same Rhaetian Railway network and often combined into a round trip through the Alps.

The Flåm Railway, Norway

Already mentioned as a branch of the Bergen Line, the Flåmsbana deserves its own entry. At 20 km long with a gradient of up to 5.5%, it is a remarkable piece of engineering that descends through twelve tunnels and past the Kjosfossen waterfall — where the train stops briefly so passengers can photograph the cascade — to the village of Flåm at the end of the Aurlandsfjord. It takes about 55 minutes downhill and slightly longer going up. Few rail journeys deliver so much drama in so short a distance.

The Cinque Terre coast, Italy

The Italian Riviera section between La Spezia and Levanto carries ordinary regional trains that hop between the five Cinque Terre villages — Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso — through a series of tunnels and brief coastal views. It is a practical local service rather than a dedicated scenic railway, but the glimpses of terraced vineyards, clifftop villages and the Ligurian Sea between tunnels are striking. The local pass for unlimited travel on this short stretch is very affordable.

The Bernese Oberland routes, Switzerland

Switzerland's mountain railways extend well beyond the Glacier and Bernina Expresses. The Jungfrau Railway climbs to the Jungfraujoch at 3,454 metres — the highest railway station in Europe — while the Golden Pass Line connects Lucerne, Interlaken and Montreux through the lake and mountain heart of the country. These are rack-and-pinion or narrow-gauge operations rather than high-speed services, and their entire purpose is the landscape rather than the destination.

Practical notes for scenic journeys

• For panoramic-car services like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, a reservation is required and worth paying for — without it you may end up in a standard carriage with smaller windows.
• On ordinary scenic lines like the West Highland Line or Bergen Line, no reservation is needed, but trains can be crowded in summer.
• Morning light (travelling westward on the Bergen Line, for example) makes for better photography than direct afternoon sun on the wrong side of the carriage.
• For rail passes and reservations on European scenic railways, see the seat reservations guide.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the most scenic train journey in Europe?

There is no single answer, but the Bergen Line, the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express are consistently in the top tier. Each offers something different: the Bergen Line for raw mountain wilderness, the Glacier Express for Alpine grandeur, and the Bernina Express for engineering drama combined with scenery.

Do scenic trains in Europe require advance booking?

It depends on the service. The Glacier Express and Bernina Express require reservations for the panoramic cars and should be booked weeks or months ahead in summer. The Bergen Line and West Highland Line run as ordinary train services — no reservation needed, but popular in peak season. Always check whether reservations are required or simply advisable.

Is the Glacier Express worth the extra cost?

The panoramic-car reservation adds a meaningful cost on top of the rail ticket, and the journey is long. If you have the time and a tolerance for a full day on a train, most people find it exceptional. If you are short on days in Switzerland, the Bernina Express covers similar terrain in half the time.

Can I do scenic train journeys with a rail pass?

Most European scenic lines accept Interrail and Eurail passes, though reservation fees usually apply. Switzerland's mountain railways (the rack lines to Jungfraujoch, for example) operate outside the standard pass system and require full-price tickets regardless of what pass you hold. The Bergen Line is pass-valid with no reservation needed.