Win a copy of Platform Europe + an Interrail Pass! (closed)

I study Architecture in Milan and the human-lived territory is my research subject. I love exploring Europe by train, towing my bike on it. I drop down in a station and reach another city by cycle, crossing the countryside. My favourite train route is the one that let me cross the Alps via Switzerland through Gotthard till the hearth of Germany and Europe (Frankfurt /Leipzig /Berlin). 

My next trip on my wishlist would be to reach the Dolomites by train, starting from Normandy, where I live.

The idea is to cross France and then the Alps, taking regional trains and making a few stops in transit cities, before arriving in the mountains of the Dolomites to fully enjoy the scenery and the alpine atmosphere.

My trip is planned for three weeks, allowing me to truly immerse myself in the local culture at each stop.

When my son was 2 (he’s now 27) we would spend hours snuggling on the sofa looking through a book called ‘Train journeys of the world’.  It was my favourite ‘down time activity.  My dream was to do the train trip described on page 50 from Bregenz to Vienna. I loved being a mother of a young child but it was also a wonderful escape to imagine going on a very long train ride by myself through beautiful scenery! 

My favourite one where from coppenhagen to stockholm , the landscape where just mind boggling. I really want to go to laponie but it takes quite a lot of time from brussels , i will enjoy this slow travel of 40h

We’re celebrating the release of Platform Europe, the latest book written by our longtime friend Bart Giepmans. Bart is an author, travel journalist, photographer and a passionate advocate for exploring Europe by train.

He is a true champion of slow travel and spends much of the year discovering Europe by rail, embracing historic stations, meaningful encounters and the stories found along the tracks. He wrote and photographed most of the journeys featured in Platform Europe!

😍Win a copy of Bart’s beautiful book AND a FREE Interrail Global Pass (7 days in 1 month)!

Participation is open to all persons 16+ living in Europe. The giveaway ends on 28 April 2026 at 12 pm CET. Five winners will be randomly selected and contacted via the community DM on 28 April 2026. The winners will receive 1x Interrail Global Pass for 7 travel days within 1 month (2nd class) and 1x Platform Europe book. The book will be shipped free of charge.

📄 Read the full Terms & Conditions, here.

How to enter the giveaway

Whether you are an experienced rail traveller or still dreaming about your first trip:

💬 Tell us your favourite slow travel train route – or the train journey that's next on your wishlist – and why.

Share your answer in the comments below to enter the giveaway👇

We’re celebrating the release of Platform Europe, the latest book written by our longtime friend Bart Giepmans. Bart is an author, travel journalist, photographer and a passionate advocate for exploring Europe by train.

He is a true champion of slow travel and spends much of the year discovering Europe by rail, embracing historic stations, meaningful encounters and the stories found along the tracks. He wrote and photographed most of the journeys featured in Platform Europe!

😍Win a copy of Bart’s beautiful book AND a FREE Interrail Global Pass (7 days in 1 month)!

Participation is open to all persons 16+ living in Europe. The giveaway ends on 28 April 2026 at 12 pm CET. Five winners will be randomly selected and contacted via the community DM on 28 April 2026. The winners will receive 1x Interrail Global Pass for 7 travel days within 1 month (2nd class) and 1x Platform Europe book. The book will be shipped free of charge.

📄 Read the full Terms & Conditions, here.

How to enter the giveaway

Whether you are an experienced rail traveller or still dreaming about your first trip:

💬 Tell us your favourite slow travel train route – or the train journey that's next on your wishlist – and why.

Share your answer in the comments below to enter the giveaway👇

I love the train views in the south of France on the way to Spain when I can see mountains in the distance and mudflats with flamingos on out of the window.

My favourite slow travel train route in Europe was definitely on Sicily, from Catania to Messina to Palermo. Beautiful views of the sea and the Etna!

My dream journey is to go from Munich to Istanbul by train! That's the train journey that's next on my wishlist.

From Lviv to Odessa. The trains were good, with a little charm. The people were also kind, with a lot of charm. I hope to take it again in better times.

I love the London to Narvik route. The thrill of racing to make train connections. And the fact you can leave London at 9am and be in time ro arrive in Hamburg to get a sleeper train to Stockholm, all using one day of your pass. I love how the landscape changes and you experience sleeper trains along the way. My next wish list is to do London to Istanbul again. 

Jag gillar att precis ha startat tågresan -när man sitter i stolen och tittar ut genom fönstret och låter tankarna fara iväg med de förväntningar man har på resan. Man tittar människorna på tågstationerna och gissar deras yrken, vad de väntar på, vart de ska resa, vem de är lika (lookalike). Tågresan som lockar fram den egna fantasin är den bästa tågresan.

My favorite train route, is the one connecting Bucarest and Sofia. The train travels through national parks, offering breathtaking views. And it is quite a slow travel, as the train rides with a maximum speed of 50km/h, but at least you have enough time to enjoy this beautiful ride 

One of my most memorable train journeys was the Sveg-Mora stretch of Inlandsbanan in Sweden. It was a cosy ride in a single motor coach around the Easter holidays. Certainly not luxurious, but the views were gorgeous and there was a festive atmosphere. 

My favourite would be any train in Switzerland through the mountains, the trains are frequent and well maintained a joy to use.

Luzern'den Interlaken'e giden tren yolunu çok seviyorum. Luzern'den hareket eden tren, göl kıyısı boyunca sakin bir şekilde yolculuğuna başlıyor. Bir tarafta Luzern Gölü'nün masmavi suları uzanıp kıvrılırken, diğer tarafta gölün etrafında yükselen dağlar huzurlu bir manzara oluşturuyor.
Tren Brünig Geçidi'ne doğru tırmanırken, yılın hangi zamanı olursa olsun, mevsimlerin değişimini adım adım hissedebiliyorsunuz. Yolculuğun en unutulmaz anlarından biri, Lungern köyü ve gölünün manzarasıdır; İsviçre'nin özünü tek bir karede yakalayan bir sahne.
Tren alçalırken, uzakta Brienz Gölü'nün turkuaz suları beliriyor. Göl kıyısını takip eden tren, ahşap evlerle dolu şirin köylerden geçerek sonunda Interlaken'e varıyor.

My favorite train route is the one from Bavaria to Venice, because it goes right through the Alps. You get to see so many amazing mountains and really beautiful parts of Italy along the way.

Railing along the mighty Rhine river is always a delight. Travelling from Cologne to Ahrweiler certainly was a slow trip, with nice views!

My next journey in May 2026 is to Austria via Paris for some walking in the Tyrol.

Favorite trip to date: snelltaget night train Malmo to Are.  Funky vintage wagons, decent dining car, beautiful scenery, to meet the inlandsbanen up to Gallivare - itself a lovely ride. 

My favourite route is between Dresden and Prague because you follow the river Elbe and later the Moldau. Wonderful views! A couple of years ago I enjoyed these views from a MÀV restaurant car. An experience I’l never forget.

My first Interrail was from London Waterloo to Madrid in 1990, and I’ll never forget the acres and acres of Sunflowers on the way towards Bordeaux, - all bright Yellow and all facing exactly the same direction, - astonishing !  :)

It was a time when me and my friend group decided to go on an adventure together, interrailing through mountains of Austria and Switzerland, that I have decided to spilt up from the group for a little bit and explore some things on my own.

My destination became a train from Austrian Salzburg to Hallstatt - a magnificent cottage-like city in Austria, that was one of the models for Disney’s Arendelle. The train ride was absolutely stunning - especially when we entered the lake area, where Hallstatt is located.

I will also never forget a kindness of a stranger who, after we left the train, lent me some coins as I was not aware I would need them to buy a ticket to get to the city. Thank you stranger!

It’s one of my favorties, as Hallstatt was one of my dream places to go to and I got there with a beautiful trainline and a traveller’s kindness.

Have a great day!

Congrats with the release of the book, Bart! 📘

Slow traveling through Europe is the best, I can really recommend the train ride from Berlin to Prague, where the train rides along the Elbe. Book a place on the left side of the train and enjoy the view!  

The best thing about traveling by train is watching the nature outside of the window. It is so different than in The Netherlands 🇳🇱 Next time, I would really love to take the train through Norway to the most northern train station in Europe 🇳🇴

In Europe: Zürich to Vienna further to slovenia and Venice

Asia: Japan Fuji express

I really enjoyed my first winter trip to Switzerland - especially the train ride from Montreux to Andermatt was amazing. Winterwonderland at its best ❤️

My favorite journey with slow or regional trains is the left side of the Rhine between Mainz and Bonn. 
From the train you can see like 20-30 castles (my favorite castle is the Burg Pfalzgrafenstein because it’s in the middle of the Rhine) and you have a beautiful view at the Rhine and the hills / mountains of the Pfalz. In August / September you can see a lot of grapevines. 
 

I‘m always so happy when I take this train :D