Travelling by train is one of the easiest ways to discover all the amazing sights and sounds of Europe. If you’re ready for an adventure, here are the three best European interrailing routes.
Abundant in history, natural beauty, and cultural wonders, Europe is a dream to explore. To see as much as possible with limited time, you should check out the best European interrailing routes.
From traversing the Alps that cut their way through the middle of the continent to marvelling at the glittering lights of Paris, walking the historic streets of Berlin to eating the best pizza in the world in Naples, Europe has something for everyone.
So, if you’re ready for an adventure, pack your rucksack, buy your train ticket, and check out these European interrailing routes.
The World Bucket List’s top tips for the best European interrailing routes
An inter-railing trip can be tricky to put together, so we have provided five top tips to help you along the way:
- First of all, plan your route. Europe is extremely well connected by train and has a range of routes. See what cities and countries you want to visit, and plan accordingly.
- Ensure you purchase the correct pass, which covers the places you want to visit and lasts for the amount of days you intend to travel.
- We would recommend that you book accommodation for each city in advance. This is especially prudent during peak and summer seasons.
- Keep on top of train schedules so that you don’t miss your intended train for your next destination.
- We would also recommend that you create a budget for your trip, with perhaps a budget for each city to ensure that you pace yourself throughout the entire trip.
Discover the cities – for history and culture
Europe is known for its historic cities, period architecture, and vibrant culture. If you want to make the most of all these things, you should plan your European interrailing routes around the cities.
Set apart from the rest of the continent by the English Channel, London is a great place to begin your European adventure. From London, hop on the Eurostar to Paris, the City of Love. Wander the city streets and check out the famous Eiffel Tower.
Read more: With Paris on your trip, check out our article on the top 10 best hidden gems in Paris, ranked
From Paris, head to the historic northern European city of Brussels before making your way to stay in Amsterdam. While you’re here, wander along the canals, visit the museums, and eat some pancakes.
From Amsterdam, head east to Berlin and discover one of the most historic cities in Europe. From Germany, head into Poland, making your way to Krakow, stopping at Warsaw if you fancy.
Now, continue south to Budapest to explore the Paris of the east. After some time in Hungary, make your way to the Austrian capital of Vienna before heading further north to Prague.
From Prague, continue north to Munich (visit for Oktoberfest, if you can!). Then, make your way into Italy, stopping off at major cities like Milan, Florence, Rome, and Venice.
After some time in Italy, make your way along the southern coast of France, stopping off at Monaco for a glimpse at the lives of the rich and famous before making your way into Spain.
Stop off at the Spanish capital, Barcelona, then head to Madrid before concluding your interrailing route in Lisbon.
Here’s your route:
London > Paris > Brussels > Amsterdam > Berlin > Krakow/Warsaw > Budapest > Vienna > Prague > Milan/Florence/Rome/Italy > Monaco > Barcelona/Madrid/Lisbon
Europe’s cheapest cities – one of the best European interlining routes on a budget
If you want to see as much as possible while spending as little as possible, then plan your interrailing route around the cheapest cities in Europe.
Heading from north to south, start your interrailing route in Warsaw, where an average hotel will cost you around £40/€45. Next, visit Krakow, where the average hotel will also cost around £40/€45.
Next, make your way to Prague. Here, accommodation costs around £73/€86. Bratislava is next, the capital of Slovakia. The average price of accommodation here is around £45/€53.
From Bratislava, make your way into Hungary to visit Budapest. The average accommodation price here is around £43/€50 – significantly cheaper than the French capital to which it is often compared!
From Budapest, make your way into Croatia, visiting the incredible city of Zagreb. Average accommodation is priced at £48/€56.
Next, discover the historic Sarajevo, where the average accommodation price is around £39/€45. Now, make your way to the Serbian capital of Belgrade, with the average accommodation costing around £33/€39.
Before we reach the end of your interrailing route of the cheapest cities in Europe is Sofia in Bulgaria. Here, accommodation will cost you around £33/€39. The final stop on your budget adventure of Europe is Bucharest, Romania. Accommodation costs around £38/€44.
Here’s your route:
Warsaw > Krakow > Prague > Bratislava > Budapest > Zagreb > Sarajevo > Belgrade > Sofia > Bucharest
The gems of Northern Europe – a Scandinavian escapade
While Northern Europe is known for its hefty prices, it’s a true gem to discover and well worth a visit. Discovering Scandinavia is certainly one of the best European interrailing routes.
Start in Copenhagen, Denmark, a waterside city with an authentic European feel. There are a multitude of places to stay in Copenhagen and, from there, you can make your way into Norway, visiting the capital city of Oslo. Discover the unique way of life in this chilly city and visit the phenomenal Oslo Fjord.
Next, make your way to the fantastic and authentic Norwegian city of Bergen. Explore Fløibanen and Fløyen, check out the fish market, and discover the city’s fantastic musical history.
Finally, make your way back through Oslo to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Closing out your interrail route of Northern Europe, visit the Old Town, the ABBA Museum, and the city’s fantastic Viking Heritage.
Here’s your route:
Copenhagen > Oslo > Bergen > Stockholm
NEXT: If Europe is indeed your next spot, why not add to the trip by reading our article on the Europe Bucket List: 15 things to do in Europe before you die, while you can also get some further inspiration on our article on the top 5 best backpacking Europe routes, ranked
Your questions answered about the best European interrailing routes
Read our article and still want to know a bit more before you go and plan your European interrail route? Not to worry, for we have you covered in this section! Here, we have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about this topic for your assistance.
What is the best time of year to go interrailing Europe?
Summer is often the obvious choice, due to holidays and the heat. However, both Spring and Autumn would be the best. These are off-peak seasons while most parts of Europe will still have pleasant weather.
Is 3 weeks enough for interrailing?
Three weeks is often regarded as the perfect time to spend interrailing! This gives you a lot of time to go from city to city, and extra time to spend in those cities.
Is 2 weeks interrailing enough?
2 weeks is also enough time to interrail. However, it will be a more condensed trip, so it may be better to include less cities and less travel time to maximise the trip.
How much money do you need per day interrailing?
This will of course vary between cities and countries, however generally speaking anything between 50-100 euros per day should be enough.
