Europe has a lot to offer in winter: over-the-top Christmas markets, snow-covered villages, stunning alpine views, and some of the best ski resorts in the world (to name a few). But the best way to take it all in, in my humble opinion? That’s got to be by train. I live in Italy, and I take a cross-country European train at least once a month – trust me, once you try it, you’ll never look back.
Skip the long airport lines, swerve the travel chaos and settle in for a completely relaxing (and ridiculously scenic) holiday experience – there’s no better way to see this beautiful continent at Christmas. From ultra-glam carriages departing Paris to cosy sleeper trains that carry you into the Arctic Circle, and festive rides completely decked out for Christmas, these journeys invite you to step aboard, grab a glühwein and settle in to glide past candlelit towns, frosted lakes and snow-packed mountain peaks. Here are the best wintery train journeys to book this Christmas.
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Clara Hogan is a travel writer based in Italy, who takes a European train every month. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by experts. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
