10 Bucket List Rail Trips Worth Planning This Year

Some trips are nice. Others stay with you forever.

If this is the year you finally take that dream holiday, make it one that turns the journey into part of the adventure. Rail travel offers something flights and road trips simply can’t: sweeping scenery, effortless connections, and the ability to see multiple destinations without the stress.

Here are 10 bucket list rail trips worth planning this year, all available through Railbookers.

1. The Best of Switzerland

Switzerland is the gold standard of scenic rail travel. Picture panoramic trains gliding past snow-capped peaks, turquoise lakes, and storybook alpine villages. Routes like the Glacier Express and journeys through Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt turn the act of travelling into a highlight of the trip itself.

If breathtaking mountain scenery is on your bucket list, Switzerland belongs at the top.

2. Norway in a Nutshell®

Few rail journeys feel as dramatic as Norway’s fjord country. This iconic route combines scenic trains with fjord cruises and mountain landscapes that look almost unreal. From Oslo to Bergen and beyond, you’ll experience cascading waterfalls, towering cliffs, and charming villages.

It’s one of Europe’s most unforgettable combinations of rail and nature.

3. Canadian Rockies and Lake Louise Explorer with Rocky Mountaineer

If you’ve ever dreamed of glacier-fed lakes and jagged peaks, this is the trip. Travel through Banff, Lake Louise, and Vancouver aboard a luxury rail experience with glass-domed coaches designed for viewing the landscape. Every mile delivers dramatic mountain scenery.

This is bucket list rail travel in its boldest form.

4. Alaska Adventure with Alaska Railroad

Wildlife, glaciers, and vast wilderness define this American rail journey. Travelling between Anchorage, Denali National Park, and Seward, you’ll see landscapes that feel untouched and expansive. Rail allows you to sit back and absorb it all without navigating remote roads.

If raw nature is what inspires you, Alaska delivers.

5. Grand Rome, Florence and Venice

Rome, Florence, Venice, and beyond. Italy’s high-speed trains connect iconic cities with ease, making it simple to combine ancient ruins, Renaissance art, coastal beauty, and world-class cuisine in one seamless trip. You can explore multiple regions without the hassle of driving or flying between them.

Italy by train is efficient, scenic, and endlessly rewarding.

6. Complete Scotland by Rail

From Edinburgh’s historic streets to the sweeping landscapes of the Highlands, Scotland feels cinematic when seen by train. Rolling green hills, misty lochs, and dramatic coastlines unfold outside your window. Rail travel makes it easy to connect cities and countryside in one smooth journey.

For travellers craving history and rugged scenery, Scotland checks every box.

7. Paris and the French Riviera

Start in Paris, then glide south to the Mediterranean coast by high-speed train. Along the way, you’ll trade city boulevards for seaside glamour in Nice and the Côte d’Azur. It’s a perfect balance of culture, cuisine, and coastal relaxation.

Few rail holidays combine elegance and scenery so effortlessly.

8. The Great Cities of Spain

Barcelona, Madrid, Seville. Spain’s AVE high-speed trains make exploring the country surprisingly easy. You’ll move between architectural masterpieces, historic plazas, and vibrant culinary scenes without worrying about logistics. Each city offers a completely different personality.

Spain by train is colourful, dynamic, and incredibly smooth.

9. Dublin, Cork, Killarney, and Galway

Dublin, Cork, Killarney, Galway. Ireland’s rail network connects lively cities with lush countryside and dramatic coastal views. Between stops, you’ll experience rolling green landscapes and charming towns that feel straight out of a postcard.

It’s an ideal way to explore Ireland without navigating narrow rural roads.

10. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

For those who want something truly iconic, this legendary luxury train belongs on the ultimate bucket list. Vintage carriages, impeccable service, and classic European routes turn the journey into an event. It’s less about getting somewhere and more about experiencing old-world glamour in motion.

If you’re going to splurge once in your life, this is the way to do it.

Why Rail Trips Belong on Every Bucket List

Rail holidays combine scenery, comfort, and connectivity in a way few other travel styles can match. You arrive in the heart of each destination. You skip the stress of airports and car hire. You see more landscapes in one journey.

And when planned through Railbookers, your trains, hotels, and key sightseeing are seamlessly coordinated so you can focus on the experience instead of the details.

If this is the year you finally take a trip you’ve always dreamed about, make it one where the journey is just as unforgettable as the destination.