Views from a train

#TRAINholiday company Railbookers shares its top picturesque routes in Europe:

Swiss lakes and mountains – In the summer months, verdant pastures roll from the edge of the tracks into the horizon, and in the winter, the country unfolds. Travel from Montreux to Interlaken on the Golden Pass Line. Rise up over Lake Geneva, gaze at the Swiss Riviera, plunge through a mountain tunnel and coast through resorts such as Gstaad and Châteaux d'Oex. Perhaps stop-over in Interlaken and take a trip to Europe's highest railway station at the summit of Jungfraujoch.

Norway in a nutshell – This is a route with no off season: snow-dusted in winter, set ablaze by autumn hues, verdant and sleepy in the spring and sparkling in the summer. Norway in a nutshell combines the Bergen Railway, the Flam railway, the Aurlandsfjord, the Nærøyfjord, and the Stalheimskleiva road. Hard to pronounce, easier to enjoy, the route is possible in a day but turning it into a holiday with a night or two in Oslo is worthwhile. From Oslo, it’s full steam ahead over the Flam railway, descending deep into the fjord along the world's steepest regular-track railway line. You drop hundreds of feet in an hour as the panorama shifts from mountains to waterfalls.

London to Fort William – Arrive at Euston after work, doze off after a dram of whiskey and wake up the next morning across the border. It is civilized, time-effective and harks back to a different, more romantic era. Fall asleep through London’s suburbia and wake up seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the sun glinting through the blinds and deer bounding past the window. After exploring Fort William, the treat begins. Often voted one of the world's most picturesque rail journeys, you will catch glimpses of crofter's cottages, tiny churches, the pristine coastline, and mountain panoramas, before crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct famous for its starring role in the Harry Potter films.

Germany's Rhineland – Catch the train from London to Brussels and change onto a high speed train to Cologne before moving on into the German countryside. Board a train winding down the Rhine Valley through greenery to Koblenz, abundant with palaces, churches, and fountains. Cruise down the river or take a daytrip to historic Rudesheim, before heading up the Moselle. The tracks trace the river bank along the Moselle Stretch from Koblenz to Trier, Germany's oldest city.

Munich to Verona, via the Brenner Pass –Combine some of Europe's most stunning cities with rail travel as scenic as anything the continent has to offer. The Bavarian capital of Munich plays host to every delightful Alpine cliché imaginable. There are fast trains that will take you from here to the Austrian skiing capital of Innsbruck, but why sacrifice scenery in favour of time when you are on holiday? Skirt around the bases of the Alps, meander past lakes and glide through the resort town of Garmsich-Partenkirchen on the regional train instead. Lap up the mountainous views before taking to the tracks once more, this time past the vineyards and mountains of the Brenner Pass to Verona.

Railbookers has offices in London, Los Angeles, and Auckland. www.railbookers.com

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Picture Credit: www.railbookers.com