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

My favorite is my last March trip from Pisa to Santa Margherita  Liguria trip including Cincue Terre

I’ve done so many trips by train, I can’t even point out my favourite one. So I’ll tell you about one of my favourite night Tran journeys. The “IC Adria” starts its journey in Split, Croatia. We enjoyed the weather and the sea on this beautiful summer day in 2024. In the evening, we were headed to the small train station near the sea. Our train was the only one in sight and ready for boarding. After checking in with our attendant we were happy to see that the ac was working. A few moments later we left the city and headed north. The scenery was absolutely stunning. The view on the Adriatic Sea was spectacular and the vast Croatian countryside was breathtaking. At this point we were about to enjoy another perk of this train, the dining car. The Hungarian railways are providing a world class dining experience. And I can tell you, with a nice meal, a cold beer and these views it couldn’t get any better. As it got dark we went to bed and slept through until we were deep in Hungary. We met in the dining car (again) to enjoy a nice fresh breakfast (even included in the fare). It was delicious and got even better as be could enjoy views of lake Balaton. Only the weather wasn’t as nice as in Croatia. To finish this incredible journey we arrived in majestic Budapest Keleti station. If you’re looking forward to an european rail adventure during summer season I can really recommend this train!

The trip from Cusco to Lake Titicaca was amazing, beautiful landscapes, winding through the middle of busy towns, and reaching over 4000 feet elevation.

I have always dreamed of going on the Trans Siberia railway - but will there be a safe democratic Russia to travel through before I get too old to make the trip?

A Dream Fulfilled on Rails: From Croatia’s Turquoise Paradise to Slovenia’s Peaks

For me, train travel is more than a physical teleportation from one point to another; it is the pure joy of watching the world transform before your eyes through the train window. It is the freedom to meditate, to read, or to learn the "international language of smiles" in a compartment filled with strangers who, for a few hours, become your companions.

My favorite slow-travel route is the one that took me through the heart of the Balkans, a journey I added to my bucket list on New Year’s Eve, and one that remains forever tattooed on my soul.

Why this route?

It all began with a promise to discover authenticity. After a stop in Budapest, I woke up in Zagreb, seeking vegan flavors and medieval streets, before being carried away by the train toward Split. The Zagreb-Split segment is worth every second: the landscape shifts into endless forests and rivers of an unreal turquoise blue, as if nature had spilled its gems right outside my train window. These are glimpses of the Plitvice magic seen in motion, preparing you for the meeting with the sea.

From Split, the journey continued by water to Supetar and then to the "Pearl of the Adriatic": Zlatni Rat beach in Bol. If I were to draw Heaven, it would probably look exactly like this. But slow travel means not stopping at the first beautiful destination. With the bittersweet regret of leaving but the excitement of the new, I headed toward Slovenia.

Slovenia is where the mountains take your breath away. From the mystic coolness of the Postojna Cave to the perfect mirror of Lake Bled and the quiet elegance of Ljubljana, I felt a perennial friendship form between these places and my soul.

Why do I want to repeat this experience?

I returned home through Budapest, waking up in a sleeper car already in Romania, feeling as though I had lived a beautiful dream I never wanted to end. I want an Interrail Pass because there are still many "stops" to be made, cultures to understand, and landscapes to admire at the rhythm of the train’s heartbeat. I want to prove that a "simple person like me" can become a citizen of all Europe, carrying the pride of their roots and the curiosity of a restless explorer.

My first slow train journey completely changed how I see travel. Instead of rushing from one place to another, I got to really experience the journey... watching landscapes pass by, taking my time, and feeling more connected to everything around me. For me, the perfect route would be one that goes through mountains, small towns, and beautiful nature, with stops that invite you to explore and stay a little longer.

This perspective started when I traveled with Interrail for the first time without my parents. I spent several weeks traveling alone, and that experience made me fall in love with traveling. It gave me a sense of freedom and independence that I had never felt before.

One of the highlights was visiting the Balkans. It felt like the perfect region, especially for young people — diverse, welcoming, and full of character. My favorite place was Slovenia, with its incredible landscapes and peaceful atmosphere. I definitely want to go back there someday, and ideally again by train.

I had the chance to take twice the night train from Stockholm to the Artic Circle, first to Abisko and the Swedish Lapland, then to Narvik and the beautiful Lofoten archipelago, my 2 top travels ever!

Bit odd to get the newsletter about this and the email concerning all my data that has been stolen within 5 minutes from each other 🤷🏻‍♀️

My son (11) and myself have been going to the Balkans every summer since 2019, the night train from Zurich to Zagreb is one of the most beautiful wake up calls we have experienced. Eating breakfast whilst winding through the mountains between Austria and Slovenia, belly, eyes and heart full.

My favourite journey was the Bernina express and glacier express. Both beautiful journeys through the mountains of Switzerland. A lot of nostalgia for me and i love hiking. My next dream destination is norway Oslo to bergen (flåm) to lofoten. Still on my bucketlist🤞🏻

Fra England to Scotland 

On my wishlist is to travel to Sicily by train and make several stops in Italy on the coast on the way! 

My favourite long train Journey was Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Bolzano/ Bozen. This was a very scenic and memorable journey for me. The motorway bridges visible from the train seemed to wind through the mountains and were suspended high above green valleys & rivers with picturesque Austrian/ Italian style lodges dotted all around in the breathtaking landscapes. My dream train ride is doğu express

I would like to travel to Norway again with the night train 

Le rêve serai de partir le long de la mer Adriatique : au départ de Lecce ses splendeurs baroques , remonter la côte amalfitaine, sous un soleil printanier le tous en train jusqu'à la cité historiques de Dubrovnik. C'est un voyage entre terre et mer qui célèbre l'histoire commune de la Méditerranée, ainsi que de la construction Européenne. Avec un pays fondateur de l'UE et le dernier à y être rentré. 

I really liked the FEVE tour in north Spain. You stay near the coast and travel slow enough to see a lot!

I’d love to take a slow train journey down to the south of Spain. Just sitting by the window, watching the scenery change, passing little towns and landscapes, and really enjoying the journey instead of rushing. It feels like the perfect way to travel and truly unwind.

My favorite trip is my honeymoon through the Europe from Milan to Bodo, across Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway ! Exciting!

My favourite route is from Uppsala to Rome. It was easier to travel 40 years ago. Now there are way too many train changes.

I love the feve train in northern Spain! Its extreamly cute and lovely. When you go further eastwards you might be alone all the way and the staff exited to have guests^^ 

I really enjoyed the "Bernina Express" journey between Chur and Tirano in the panoramic window train.

I am currently considering trying north to south direction, Gdansk to Ljublana. Two of my favorite cities and to actually experience the slow impact of distance between them.

My most enjoyable Interrail trip so far was probably the one from Copenhagen to Stockholm. I loved the tranquility that emanated from the landscape.

This year I would love to explore more of southwestern Europe, especially southern France, Spain, and Portugal.

My favourite slow travel route so far is the line between Lake Bled (Slovenia) to Nova Gorica. After a week of hiking in the Julian Alps, this scenic route offered me a slow and beautiful way to say goodbye to the pretty mountain views. Along the way, you come across many small town train stations. Once in Nova Gorica, I had to step off the train to walk across the border with Italy to continue my journey from Nova Gorizia (the Italian side of the city). Within a few hundred meters, you’ll see the architecture of the houses change completely.

i would love to take some of the slow trains along the north coast of spain :)