A train holiday means: seeing a lot of the area, sitting comfortably and no long waiting times. Take a night train and travel from A to B while sleeping or opt for a day trip and enjoy the most beautiful views in the mountains, along the coast or through the undiscovered inland. Planning a vacation? Take a look at the options for a holiday by train! There is often more possible than you think and it doesn’t have to be expensive! Whether you prefer to interrail, take the night train or go on a bicycle train holiday: you are guaranteed to experience something new!
Elongated meadows, deep forests, blue lakes and white mountain peaks: from the train you have a different view every moment. Forget the long waiting times for suitcases or when checking in and out, because you can board the train in no time. You sit comfortably and have enough space! What are you waiting for? Book the tickets for your train holiday!
A unique experience
2021 was the European Year of the Train, in which more awareness for train travel was created. All kinds of initiatives were started and project groups were put together throughout the year. An action plan was eventually rolled out there to stimulate train traffic over longer distances and national borders in particular. In the coming years, the railways will be much improved and you will soon be able to easily travel by train to Rome, Prague, and even the Côte d’Azur! But various connections are also being set up towards Scandinavia, making a train holiday in all corners of the world a good option!
You can actually travel to any destination by train. However, some places are a lot easier to get to by train than others. To get inspired? We have listed a few suitable destinations for a train holiday:
The cultural city of Berlin is always worth a visit. Dive into the World War II museums, admire the art at the East Side Gallery or visit the Reichstag from where you have beautiful views of the entire city. You can travel from Amsterdam to Berlin in 6 hours by train, which is practically as long as by car!
When you say port city, you definitely say Antwerp! But Antwerp has more: a historic city center with the Cathedral of Our Lady and the Grote Markt, and plenty of activity along the Scheldt. If you want to escape the bustle of the city for a while, the Kalmthoutse Heide and Zilvermeer nature reserves are highly recommended! Did you know that you can travel from Amsterdam to Antwerp in less than 2 hours by train? And then the station is also a gem to look at!
Prefer to stay a little closer to home? Go for cozy Cologne! You can travel to this city in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2.5 hours both during the day and at night. Visit the famous cathedral, walk in the botanical gardens and reserve a table at one of the atmospheric restaurants. Cologne is a good choice for a weekend trip by train. Experience it yourself!
You can also reach Brussels in no time by train: from Amsterdam you can read, work, listen to music or look outside in about 2 hours and 45 minutes and you are there! Known of course for Manneken Pis, the Atomium and politically because of the European Union. But the city also has plenty of lesser-known places that are worth a visit, such as the comic book museum and the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken with countless (exotic) flowers and plants.
Perhaps one of the hippest cities in Germany: Hamburg. Although there is no direct train connection from Amsterdam, with 1 transfer you can easily travel to Hamburg in just over 5 hours. The river Elbe meanders through the city, you will find one vegan hotspot after another and you can admire the old harbor warehouses. Planning a longer train holiday? Then Hamburg is the ideal stopover to continue your journey towards Scandinavia!
Vive la France! The direct connection from Amsterdam to Paris makes the capital of France an attractive destination for a train holiday! The journey will take you about 3.5 hours and in addition to being a great holiday spot, it is also a good base for going on holiday by train. The city is surrounded by regional parks and beautiful forests, through which, for example, the Seine flows!
Besides a train holiday where you travel during the day, you can also take a night train! For example, go on holiday to Zurich in Switzerland by train! In the evening you enter the Netherlands and in the morning you enter Switzerland. This way you are rested and you still have the whole day ahead of you to enjoy the holiday!
Prefer a little further into France? From central Paris you can reach the rest of the country by train. You can travel from Amsterdam to Lyon in just over 6 hours: that’s even faster than directly by car! Along the way you will cross the most beautiful natural areas, such as the Morvan Regional Natural Park. In Lyon, be sure to visit Presqu’île, an island located between the Rhône and Seine rivers. Hike up the Fourvière and admire the city from this mountain.
Have you always wanted to visit London? Experience the convenience of the train! In just over 4 hours you will be in the heart of London and you will find yourself in a holiday atmosphere. Discover the highlights throughout the city or venture out into the region, where you can admire the spectacular South Downs National Park or visit Oxford, for example.
The southwestern French city of Bordeaux is also a perfect destination for a train holiday. Again, you can get there faster by train than by car! From Amsterdam you are in Bordeaux in 7 hours, again with only a change in Paris. Bordeaux is known as a cycling city, is famous for its wine and is also quite close to the rugged coast. The city is also immediately recommended for a bicycle train holiday!
Are you considering a train holiday to Northern Europe? Then you will soon pass Copenhagen. From Amsterdam you travel in more than 10 hours to the Danish capital. Along the way you will stop in Hamburg and Odense, suitable stops for a train holiday in Scandinavia!
How do you plan a train holiday?
Go Interrail!
Ever heard of Interrail? This is a pass that allows you to easily travel all over Europe on rail and ferries. Go on a tour of Italy, discover the beauty of Slovenia or go to Lithuania, Estonia and Finland? It’s all up to you! With an Interrail train holiday you can choose from destinations in 33 countries.
Interrail offers different types of travel passes, so you can choose the one that best suits your holiday by train. Do you want to dive all the way into one country? Then go for the One Country Pass. More in for a trip through different countries? Then you can take the popular Global Pass. Choose how many days you want to travel by train and within which period you want to do that. From 7 days within 1 month to 3 months every day: the options are endless.
A train holiday with Interrail is very flexible. You can buy the pass 11 months before departure and only need to indicate later which days you want to travel by train and/or ferry. This way you can always change your schedule when you have found an even more fun route to discover Europe.
The travel passes are for sale for every European. Are you under 27 or over 60 years old? Then you get a discount. A train holiday with Interrail is also an interesting option for families! A maximum of 2 children up to and including 11 years old travel for free.
The main advantage of traveling by train is comfort. International trains have spacious seats – bye tight airplane seats -, you can stretch your legs to walk around and have a table. Have a nice game, put your laptop on it to watch a movie or possibly do some work. Add to that the fact that you often have beautiful views and you wonder why you don’t go on holiday by train more often!
Moreover, the train is more than once faster than, for example, the car. Take the French cities of Bordeaux and Lyon, or the night train to Zurich: all distances that take longer by car! In addition, a train holiday is relaxing because you avoid long waiting times at the airport and traffic jams in a crammed car.
In international trains you often have the option to bring a bicycle! A holiday on the rails can therefore be perfectly combined with exploring the area by bicycle. You can get on your bike from the train on your way to your overnight place, the center of the city or that beautiful viewpoint. No hassle with figuring out public transport at the destination!
Destinations such as Switzerland, but also Germany and France are very suitable for a bicycle train holiday. Check in advance to what extent it is allowed to take a bicycle on the trains. For example, you are only allowed to take a folding bicycle or bicycle with a disassembled front and rear wheel on the TGV. In other trains such as the Intercity Berlin, you can take an entire bicycle with you, provided you make a reservation for this. So there are more than enough possibilities for an adventurous bicycle train holiday. Where are you going?
Traveling by train is one of the most sustainable means of transport. But why is that so?
All Dutch trains run on wind power, so you travel CO2-neutral. This is also the case for more and more buses. The tram, metro and bus also emit a lot less CO2 per kilometer than the non-electric car, when you travel alone. If you are in a car with several people, the picture will of course change because the same emissions are divided among more people. But since the train does not emit any CO2, a train holiday always remains one of the most sustainable options!
Moreover, it can also be more pleasant for local residents when train traffic increases. Take the mountainous Switzerland, for example, where the winding mountain roads cause a relatively large amount of noise and emissions from accelerating and braking cars. A train that passes by a few times an hour can significantly reduce noise pollution.
Imagine: you are planning to go on a train holiday. How do you handle that then? We’ve put together a few handy tips!
Before the time has finally come, it is advisable to check how much luggage you can take on the trains with which you will travel. This is often 1 piece of hand luggage and 1 suitcase or travel bag, but this differs per carrier! If you are going on a train holiday with the TGV or Eurostar, you can, for example, take two medium-sized pieces of luggage with you in addition to your hand luggage.
Heading out in your own country? Find your sustainable holiday!
The best climate-neutral trips in unique places
Utrecht, Nederland
T: 0031 627 00 94 99
