Amy Chen
Rich, ancient, and incredibly diverse, the nations of Europe offer a vast array of sights, climates, cultures, and cuisines. These ten trips show the full reach of the European rail system; feel free to mix and match parts of them to create your ideal vacation.
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Photo Caption: First-class train seats in a "quiet car" aboard a TGV train to Paris.
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Best time of year: Spring or fall
Ideal passes: Second-class Eurail France
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Best time of year: Summer
Ideal passes: Point-to-point tickets or Eurail Benelux Pass (more convenient, though more expensive)
Arrive in: Amsterdam Schiphol
Depart from: Read the full itinerary
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Photo Caption: A bicycle leaning against a house in Bruges, Belgium. Photo by dracisk/Frommers.com Community
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Best time of year: Spring; arrive on a Sunday or Monday so you can ride the Semmering Pass weekend train
Ideal passes: Second-class point-to-point tickets (cheapest) or first-class 6-day, three-country Eurail Select Pass (most comfortable and flexible)
Arrive in: Milan
Depart from: Vienna
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Photo Caption: This is a view of the Municipality of Brienz in the district of Interlaken in the canton of Berne in Switzerland
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Best time of year: Summer
Ideal passes: Point-to-point tickets
Arrive in: Prague
Depart from: Budapest
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Photo Caption: Colorful exterior of a shop in Prague
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Best time of year: Summer
Ideal passes: Point-to-point tickets or 5-day Eurail Scandinavia Pass
Arrive in: Copenhagen
Depart from: Stockholm
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Photo Caption: The Tivoli Lake at Christmas time in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen.
Duration: 14 days, 13 nights
Best time of year: Spring or fall
Ideal passes: First-class 6-day, five-country Eurail Select Pass, plus Eurostar tickets
Arrive in: London
Depart from: Vienna
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Photo Caption: Dining al fresco at night in Avignon.
Duration: 15 days, 14 nights
Best time of year: Spring
Ideal passes: First-class 6- or 8-day, four-country Eurail Select Pass (most comfortable, and only a little more expensive than second class)
Arrive in: Brussels
Depart from: Venice
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Photo Caption: Brunelleschi's dome topping the Duomo has crowned the Florentine skyline since 1436.
Duration: 15 days, 14 nights
Best time of year: Spring or fall; note that the Hotel Elipsos train from Milan to Barcelona runs only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Ideal passes: First-class three-country Eurail Select Pass (5 or 6 days, depending on the side trips you take), plus Eurostar ticket
Arrive in: London
Depart from: Barcelona
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Photo Caption: Tourists and Parisians alike enjoy refreshments beneath the arcaded cafes and bars of the Place des Vosges.
Duration: 15 days, 14 nights
Best time of year: Spring or fall
Ideal passes: First-class 5-day, four-country Eurail Select Pass, plus Eurostar tickets
Arrive in: Rome
Depart from: Berlin
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Photo Caption: They're mobbed at almost any hour, but the Spanish Steps are still a must for visitors.
Read the expanded feature.
Photo Caption: First-class train seats in a "quiet car" aboard a TGV train to Paris.
Best time of year: Spring or fall
Ideal passes: Second-class Eurail France
Best time of year: Summer
Ideal passes: Point-to-point tickets or Eurail Benelux Pass (more convenient, though more expensive)
Arrive in: Amsterdam Schiphol
Depart from: Read the full itinerary
Read the expanded feature.
Photo Caption: A bicycle leaning against a house in Bruges, Belgium. Photo by dracisk/Frommers.com Community
Best time of year: Spring; arrive on a Sunday or Monday so you can ride the Semmering Pass weekend train
Ideal passes: Second-class point-to-point tickets (cheapest) or first-class 6-day, three-country Eurail Select Pass (most comfortable and flexible)
Arrive in: Milan
Depart from: Vienna
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Photo Caption: This is a view of the Municipality of Brienz in the district of Interlaken in the canton of Berne in Switzerland
Best time of year: Summer
Ideal passes: Point-to-point tickets
Arrive in: Prague
Depart from: Budapest
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Photo Caption: Colorful exterior of a shop in Prague
Best time of year: Summer
Ideal passes: Point-to-point tickets or 5-day Eurail Scandinavia Pass
Arrive in: Copenhagen
Depart from: Stockholm
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Photo Caption: The Tivoli Lake at Christmas time in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen.
Best time of year: Spring or fall
Ideal passes: First-class 6-day, five-country Eurail Select Pass, plus Eurostar tickets
Arrive in: London
Depart from: Vienna
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Photo Caption: Dining al fresco at night in Avignon.
Best time of year: Spring
Ideal passes: First-class 6- or 8-day, four-country Eurail Select Pass (most comfortable, and only a little more expensive than second class)
Arrive in: Brussels
Depart from: Venice
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Photo Caption: Brunelleschi's dome topping the Duomo has crowned the Florentine skyline since 1436.
Best time of year: Spring or fall; note that the Hotel Elipsos train from Milan to Barcelona runs only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Ideal passes: First-class three-country Eurail Select Pass (5 or 6 days, depending on the side trips you take), plus Eurostar ticket
Arrive in: London
Depart from: Barcelona
Read the expanded feature.
Photo Caption: Tourists and Parisians alike enjoy refreshments beneath the arcaded cafes and bars of the Place des Vosges.
Best time of year: Spring or fall
Ideal passes: First-class 5-day, four-country Eurail Select Pass, plus Eurostar tickets
Arrive in: Rome
Depart from: Berlin
Read the expanded feature.
Photo Caption: They're mobbed at almost any hour, but the Spanish Steps are still a must for visitors.