Two weeks is the sweet spot for a European rail trip: long enough to see three or four genuinely different regions, short enough that you are not living out of a suitcase for a month. The hard part is choosing a route that flows well by train rather than fighting the geography. These five itineraries are built around real rail corridors, not wishful thinking about connections that barely exist.
How to use these itineraries
Each route below assumes roughly 13–15 nights, with two or three nights in most stops and one long travel day where a genuinely long journey or an overnight train is unavoidable. All are doable on point-to-point tickets, but all also suit an Interrail or Eurail pass, since they involve five or more train journeys and cross several countries. See our guide to Interrail vs Eurail if you are unsure which pass applies to you, and our two-week Interrail route for a single flagship loop if you would rather not choose between five.
On the busiest high-speed corridors — Eurostar, TGV, Renfe AVE, Trenitalia Frecciarossa — seat reservations are compulsory, pass or no pass, and they are worth booking as early as you can once dates are fixed. Regional and many German or Swiss intercity trains do not require reservations at all. Our guide to seat reservations explains which is which.
1. The capitals loop: London–Paris–Amsterdam–Berlin–Prague–Vienna
The classic first-timer's route, and still one of the best, because every leg is a genuine high-speed or fast intercity connection with no awkward gaps.
- London to Paris — Eurostar, about 2h15.
- Paris to Amsterdam — Thalys/Eurostar high-speed service, around 3h20.
- Amsterdam to Berlin — direct ICE, roughly 6h30.
- Berlin to Prague — direct EuroCity train, about 4h.
- Prague to Vienna — RailJet, around 4h.
Spend two nights in London, three in Paris, two in Amsterdam, two in Berlin, two in Prague and two in Vienna, with the extra day or two as a buffer for a slower city or a day trip. This route touches six countries and needs reservations only for the Eurostar and Thalys legs; the German, Czech and Austrian trains generally do not require one. It is also the easiest route on this list logistically — every city has excellent onward transport, covered in our Paris Metro guide and Berlin public transport guide.
2. The Alps: Munich–Innsbruck–Zurich–Interlaken–Milan–Verona
For travellers who want scenery over city-hopping, an Alpine loop delivers some of the most dramatic rail journeys on the continent, with shorter travel days that leave time to actually get outside.
- Munich to Innsbruck — around 1h50 through the Bavarian and Tyrolean Alps.
- Innsbruck to Zurich — roughly 3h30, via Austria's western rail corridor.
- Zurich to Interlaken — about 2 hours, gateway to the Bernese Oberland and the Jungfrau region.
- Interlaken to Milan — via the Gotthard Base Tunnel, around 3h30–4h, one of Europe's great engineering journeys.
- Milan to Verona — a short high-speed hop, about 1h15.
Base yourself in Interlaken for three or four nights if you can, using it for day trips into the mountains rather than treating it as a single overnight. Swiss trains rarely need reservations and run with famous punctuality, though Milan–Verona on Trenitalia's Frecciarossa does require one. This loop pairs well with our guide to high-speed trains in Europe for booking the Italian legs.
3. The south: Barcelona–Valencia–Madrid–Seville–Lisbon
Iberia rewards a rail trip more than most people expect, thanks to Spain's excellent AVE high-speed network and Portugal's slower but scenic lines.
- Barcelona to Valencia — AVE, around 3 hours.
- Valencia to Madrid — AVE, about 1h40.
- Madrid to Seville — AVE, roughly 2h30, on the route that launched Spanish high-speed rail.
- Seville to Lisbon — this is the awkward leg: there is no direct train, so most travellers take a long-distance coach (around 6–7 hours) or fly. It is the one place on this itinerary where flying door-to-door genuinely competes.
Every Spanish AVE leg requires a reservation and fares rise sharply as trains fill, so book the Spanish legs as early as you can once your dates are set — see our Spain by AVE guide. Allow two to three nights per city; Seville in particular deserves at least two full days. If the Seville–Lisbon gap puts you off, an alternative version of this route swaps Lisbon for Granada and Córdoba, both easy AVE or regional hops from Seville.
4. Deep Iberia: Madrid–Córdoba–Granada–Barcelona–Girona
A variant for travellers who want more of Spain and less driving between disconnected stops. This route stays entirely on the AVE and regional network, with no coach legs required.
- Madrid to Córdoba — AVE, under 2 hours.
- Córdoba to Granada — regional or AVE-adjacent service, around 2h30.
- Granada to Barcelona — a longer AVE journey of about 6h30, or split it via Madrid for more frequent departures.
- Barcelona to Girona — a short regional hop, about 40 minutes, useful as a quieter final base near the Costa Brava.
This is a good option if you want fewer, longer stays: three nights in Madrid, two in Córdoba, three in Granada, four in Barcelona and a final two in Girona. Reservations are compulsory on every AVE leg; regional trains between Córdoba and Granada generally do not need one.
5. The east: Vienna–Budapest–Bratislava–Krakow–Warsaw
Central and Eastern Europe's rail network has improved substantially, and this loop covers some of the continent's most underrated cities without ever needing a night train.
- Vienna to Budapest — RailJet, around 2h30.
- Budapest to Bratislava — a quick, easy hop of about 2h30, often done as a day trip in reverse.
- Bratislava to Krakow — this leg usually involves a change, commonly via Katowice or Vienna again, totalling roughly 6–7 hours.
- Krakow to Warsaw — fast EIP Pendolino service, about 2h20.
Fares across this region are generally lower than Western Europe's, and trains are comfortable if occasionally slower than the map suggests once you factor in a change. Spend a night in Bratislava even though it is a short hop from Budapest — the old town rewards a full day. This route also works well extended westward into Prague, or eastward as far as the Baltic states.
Which itinerary should you choose?
If this is your first European rail trip, the capitals loop is the easiest to execute and forgives mistakes — trains are frequent and rarely fully booked outside summer weekends. Choose the Alps route if scenery matters more to you than ticking off cities. Choose Iberia (either version) if you want warm weather and don't mind Spain's stricter reservation culture. Choose the east if you want lower costs and cities that feel less thoroughly discovered.
Packing and logistics for a two-week rail trip
Two weeks of city-hopping by train works best with a single bag you can carry up stairs and stow overhead — most European trains have limited luggage racks and no hold, unlike a flight. Our guide to luggage on European trains covers what is realistic to bring. If a leg involves an early departure after a late arrival, check whether left-luggage facilities are available at the station so you are not dragging bags around a city for a full day; see left luggage at train stations.
Frequently asked questions
Is an Interrail pass worth it for two weeks?
Usually yes if you are making five or more journeys across several countries, which all five itineraries above do. If you are only travelling within one country — Spain alone, for example — point-to-point advance tickets are often cheaper than a pass, since AVE advance fares can undercut pass-plus-reservation costs.
Do I need to book every train before I leave home?
Not necessarily, but you should book any leg that requires a compulsory reservation (Eurostar, AVE, TGV, Frecciarossa, most cross-border high-speed trains) as early as possible, since seats and the cheapest fares sell out first. Regional and many German, Swiss or Central European intercity trains can usually be booked a day or two ahead, or even bought on the day.
Can I do one of these routes in ten days instead of two weeks?
Yes, by dropping one stop and shortening the others to one or two nights each. The capitals loop and the Alps route compress most easily; Iberia and the east are better with the full two weeks, since travel days eat more of a shorter trip.
What happens if I miss a connection?
On tightly timed itineraries, build in at least an hour's buffer between an international arrival and a connecting departure where possible. If a delay does cause a missed connection, see our guide to what happens when you miss a train connection for your rights and realistic options.
Sources and further reading:
- Interrail and Eurail official sites for pass rules and current prices.
- National operator sites: SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB, Renfe, Trenitalia, CP, PKP.