Rail away in Europe

The high-speed ICE train hits more than 300km/h in Germany.

There s just something special about travelling by train. The rhythmic sounds and motion, the scenery that whizzes by, the other travellers you meet along the way, and pulling into the heart of a city make train travel anywhere a unique experience. With its dense network of railways and high number of frequencies, train travel in Europe is both easy and convenient. Various countries such as France, Germany and Spain also offer extensive high-speed train networks, making it possible for travellers to reach their destinations even quicker. If you re planning to explore the continent, the hardest part lies in planning an itinerary as there s just so much to see and do in Europe. For the first-time visitor to Europe, this could be a pretty daunting exercise. My advice is to be selective. Instead of trying to see as much as possible, choose a few places and concentrate on these, allowing yourself sufficient time to immerse yourself. Here are five itinerary ideas for train travel in Europe:

Bucket list

Riesling from the Schloss Vollrads in Rheingau, Germany.

Wine regions

Europe is home to some of the most famous wine regions in the world such as Rioja, Bordeaux, Tuscany and Rheingau. If you have plenty of time, why not plan an itinerary around the theme of wine regions? The wine regions are most often than not home to not only wineries but a multitude of historical, cultural and culinary attractions. For instance, Tuscany in Italy is home to the Chianti wines but also world-famous cities like Florence, Siena and Pisa.

UNESCO World Heritage sites

Mountains and the coast

There are many stunning railway routes that hug the European coastline such as the Cinque Terre in northwestern Italy, or traverse imposing mountain ranges such as the French and Swiss Alps. Whichever you choose, you re guaranteed amazing panoramas and charming towns and villages to explore.

The railway hugs the Cinque Terre coast.

Festivals

Or why not make Festivals your theme? Join in the fun at La Tomatina near Valencia. revel in the splendor of the Carnavale in Venice. cheer on your favourite horse at the Palio in Siena, celebrate King s Day in Amsterdam, soak up the jazz at the Montreux Jazz Festival or join in the merry-making at the Oktoberfest in Munich. Europe s excellent train connections will ensure you don t miss the fun!

Once you ve scribbled down your ideas, start planning your rail journey. Voyages-sncf, formerly known as Rail Europe, is Europe’s leading rail ticket agency. And to reveal just how easy travel by train in Europe is, Voyages-sncf has created this fun video.

I already have a few ideas of how I would get that ticket off the sliding doors (at 0:42 seconds) but hey, heading to Voyages-sncf is most definitely #TheEasyWay!

Note: This post is brought to you as part of a campaign created and managed by  iambassador  and Voyages-sncf. As always all opinions are my own.