Unearth The Voyage
Ready to wrap your winter in snow-dusted scenery, twinkling market squares, and the gentle rhythm of rails? These Christmas train journeys turn the season into a moving postcard, where each window view feels like a scene you want to step into. You get the comfort of a warm seat, the romance of old-world stations, and the thrill of arriving right where the festive lights glow brightest. Keep your scarf handy and your camera charged, because the magic starts the moment the train departs.
Bernina Express — Alpine Panorama & Festive Views (Switzerland to Italy)
Settle into the Bernina Express and watch winter fold out in broad white pages. The wide windows frame glaciers, spiraling viaducts, and frozen lakes that sparkle like sprinkled sugar. You glide from Chur or St Moritz toward Tirano, passing peaks so close you feel their chill through the glass.
As the train climbs the Bernina Pass, snowfields spread in soft curves and pines gather like carolers along the route. You cross stone masterpieces that loop and arc with storybook grace. Each tunnel exit reveals another alpine tableau, quiet and glittering under a pale sun.
At Christmas, the scenery pairs perfectly with market wanderings in St Moritz and Tirano. You can sip mulled wine, nibble nutty turrón, and browse stalls of carved wooden toys. The journey feels slow enough to savor and fast enough to thrill, a four hour glide through a living snow globe.
Glacier Express — Slow Train Through Winter Wonderland (Zermatt to St Moritz)
Slide into a plush seat and let the Glacier Express do its unhurried magic. The route links Zermatt and St Moritz across 291 kilometers of snowy drama. Panoramic windows deliver endless white ridgelines, frosted hamlets, and rivers etched with ice.
That legendary slow pace is a gift at Christmas. You have time to linger over a hot chocolate, watch sunlight skip across frozen lakes, and point out tiny chapels tucked in winter meadows. Bridges rise, valleys deepen, and mountains assemble like a nativity of peaks.
Pair the ride with Zermatt’s festive markets under the Matterhorn’s watch. You can savor raclette, cinnamon sweets, and spicy glühwein between strings of lights. The whole day feels like an intimate snow theater where you are front row, wrapped in warmth while winter performs outside.
Espresso Monaco Christmas Train — Holiday Rails Across the Alps (Italy and Germany)
Board a vintage carriage and you will feel time ease back a few decades. The Espresso Monaco Christmas Train links Italian and German holiday destinations with old world swagger. Brass details gleam, wood panels glow, and winter slips by in a hush of snow and steam.
This route threads Alpine valleys where farmhouses puff chimneys into cold blue skies. Inside, the rhythm is gentle and the mood deliciously nostalgic. You can warm your hands around coffee, share biscotti, and watch the mountains arrange themselves like folded paper.
Arrivals are half the fun, because markets await with roasted chestnuts, gingerbread hearts, and handmade ornaments. The carriages feel like a cozy drawing room rolling between storybook towns. By the time you step onto a lantern lit platform, you are ready for music, lights, and a swirl of festive scents.
Rome to Munich Christmas Market Express — Cross Country Festive Route
Start in Rome with espresso and a scarf, then settle in for a northbound sweep toward Munich. The seasonal express slices through Lazio, skirts Verona and Bolzano, and ascends into Alpine hush. Landscapes shift from ochre hills to silver valleys, like turning pages in a winter atlas.
Onboard, you can plan market stops, circle gift ideas, and reserve appetite for gingerbread. The windows deliver vineyards asleep under frost, rivers coiling beneath iron bridges, and castles perched like story guards. Each station feels like a chapter marker in a festive tale.
Munich greets you with the glow of the Christkindlmarkt, mugs of steaming glühwein, and brass bands lifting carols into the night. Detour back to Verona for pandoro or linger in Bolzano’s wood scented stalls. The journey is a ribbon of rail tying Italy’s warmth to Bavaria’s twinkle.
Vienna to Prague Christmas Market Train — Central Europe Festive Trail
Between Vienna and Prague, winter turns the countryside into a quiet stage. The train glides past bare vineyards, sleepy villages, and river bends that catch glints of pale sunlight. It is an easy four hours, just enough time to exhale and watch the season breathe.
Vienna’s imperial squares sparkle with chandeliers of light and stalls perfumed with vanilla and cloves. Prague’s medieval lanes answer with spires, wooden toys, and choirs that rise like breath in the cold. Riding between them, you get a moving intermission of hush and snow.
Pack a thermos, a good scarf, and room in your bag for ornaments. You can sample sachertorte in Vienna, then taste trdelník by Prague’s tree. The route feels like a friendly handshake between two grand cities, delivered on rails with comforting ease.
Berlin to Dresden — Classic German Holiday Rail
From Berlin’s buzz to Dresden’s historic glow, this two hour hop is a perfect festive day trip. The train slides past forests pruned by frost and villages resting under soft white roofs. You lean back, sip something warm, and let anticipation build with every mile.
Dresden’s Striezelmarkt greets you in a sweep of lights, carved pyramids, and the scent of buttery stollen. Craftspeople turn wood, metal, and straw into gifts that feel timeless. Carol melodies skim the air as steam curls from mugs of spiced wine.
Because the route is quick, you can wander deep and still be back by evening. Shop, snack, and climb for views of church domes rising above the square. The return ride feels like wrapping a present, sealing the day with a gentle ribbon of rails.
European Sleeper to Berlin — Night Train to Christmas Lights
Board after dinner, tuck into a snug berth, and let the European Sleeper carry you through the night. There is a special hush to overnight travel in winter, a feeling that the world is wrapping itself in blankets. Outside, moonlit fields drift by like silver parchment.
Morning arrives with Berlin on the horizon and the promise of markets in full glow. You can step out refreshed, find coffee, and wander to Gendarmenmarkt or Alexanderplatz before the crowds. The city feels like a stage opening its curtains just for you.
Sleeping on the move saves daylight for exploring and adds a whisper of adventure. Pack wool socks, a good audiobook, and hunger for flaky pastries. By evening you will be laden with treats and stories, ready to slide back aboard and repeat the dream.
London to Lille and Brussels — Eurostar Christmas Hop
When time is tight, the Eurostar turns Christmas markets into an easy hop. Depart London St Pancras, settle into a smooth seat, and watch the Channel slip quietly below. In a few hours you are stepping into French or Belgian squares strung with warm light.
Lille charms with cozy stalls, a Ferris wheel, and hot maroilles tart. Brussels answers with Grand Place grandeur, waffles dusted like fresh snow, and chocolate shops perfuming the lanes. The journey is swift, the payoff instant, and the atmosphere deliciously festive.
Travel light so you can roam, nibble, and collect small treasures without fuss. With trains landing near city centers, you maximize cheer and minimize logistics. The ride back feels like a satisfied sigh, carrying home a pocket of twinkling memories.
Northern Belle Christmas Train — Festive Rail Charm (UK)
The Northern Belle turns a day out into a sparkling occasion. Step into carriages dressed in marquetry, soft lamps, and holiday garlands. As the train glides past hedgerows and church spires, a seasonal menu arrives with steaming courses and clinking glasses.
This is less about distance and more about delight. You sit back in vintage elegance while the countryside scrolls by like a painted frieze. Service feels warm and unhurried, perfect for toasting friendship and winter’s glow.
Stops vary, but the spirit is consistent: historic towns lit with fairy lights, market strolls, and time for photos beside polished brass. Bring a smart coat and a generous appetite. By the return leg, you are floating on dessert and carols, the whole day wrapped in velvet nostalgia.
Swiss Holiday Rail Network — Scenic Stations to Christmas Markets
Switzerland makes holiday planning easy by letting trains do the heavy lifting. Stitch together Zurich’s city sparkle, Lucerne’s lakeside calm, and Interlaken’s mountain drama in one seamless rail loop. Connections are frequent, stations are tidy, and timetables run with clockwork grace.
Between hops, you can wander markets under cathedral towers and sip spiced cider by wooden chalets. The Voralpen Express adds rolling hills and mirror like lakes to your itinerary. Snow frames everything with postcard clarity, from village rooftops to serrated peaks.
Travel light and flexible, leaving room for serendipity and sweets. Step off when a town calls your name, step on when your toes tingle for warmth. By week’s end you will have a pocket full of tickets and a head full of alpine glitter.
