One-week Northern Europe by train itinerary

Explore Northern Europe by train in just one week on this rail itinerary through five countries, travelling from Amsterdam to Bruges, Paris and through the Swiss Alps on the Bernina Express scenic train to Milan.

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Take a trip through five countries on this journey through Northern Europe by train – from the canals of Amsterdam and Bruges to the cosmopolitan cities of Paris and Milan, travelling through the Alps on board one of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys.

This one-week Northern Europe rail itinerary shows you which trains to take, how much they cost, how to book and what to see along the way. Take the trip in summer for Alpine flowers, sunset boat trips and picnics by the Eiffel Tower. Or try it in winter for Christmas markets, ice skating on Amsterdam’s canals and snowy mountain scenery.

One-week Northern Europe by train itinerary

Day 1: Amsterdam

Start your Northern Europe by train adventure with a full day in Amsterdam. Take a walk around the historic Canal Ring, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which has 50km canals and 1500 bridges, and is lined with gabled merchants’ houses and colourful flower boxes. Or cruise the canals to see some of the city’s waterside highlights on a boat trip.*

Museum-hop your way through world-class artistic treasures at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh* museums, or take a trip back in time at Rembrandt and Anne Frank’s houses. Relax in the green oasis of the 120-acre Vondelpark on a sunny day, where you can often see open-air music and theatre performances during the summer.

Or hire a bike and explore some of the city neighbourhoods away from the crowds, like cool De Pijp and the Albert Cuyp Markt, or Amsterdam-Noord with its redeveloped industrial buildings which are home to the EYE Film Insititute and NDSM Wharf.

Where to stay in Amsterdam: Dutch brand citizenM are known for their colourful style and quirky décor. Their Amstel Amsterdam* hotel is on the edge of the canal ring. It only has one category of room with king-sized beds, plus a lounge, café and bar.

Day 2: Amsterdam > Bruges

The next morning, take an early train across the border into Belgium and the pretty city of Bruges with its canals, cobbled streets and medieval towers. The journey takes just over 3 hours – catch the 08.10 high-speed Eurostar train from Amsterdam Centraal to Brussels Midi, then change onto the 10.29 InterCity train which arrives in Bruges at 11.26.

Spend the afternoon exploring Bruges. Visit the historic Grote Markt (market square) and climb to the top of the 13th-century Belfort belfry tower’s 366 spiral stairs for panoramic views out across the city rooftops. Or you can take a horse and carriage ride around the old town and check out Belgian and Flemish artworks at the Groeningemuseum.

Bruges is famous for its beer and chocolate. If the first takes your fancy, visit De Halve Maan for a brewery tour and beer-inspired lunch, and try some of the ‘t Brugs Beertje pub’s 300 different Belgian beers. Or if you prefer chocolate, Choco-Story* tells the story of chocolate-making, and you can taste quirky flavour combos at The Chocolate Line.

Where to stay in Bruges: Bariseele B&B* is located 10 minutes from the Grote Markt. It has three large en-suite rooms which each have a kitchenette with fridge, coffee maker, microwave and toaster. Rates include a tasty continental breakfast which can be served in your room. And it’s been certified by the eco-friendly Green Key scheme.

Read more: The ultimate weekend in Bruges 2-day itinerary

Day 3: Bruges > Paris

Finish your time in Bruges with a boat trip along its canals. It’s known as ‘Venice of the North’ (one of many!), with canals built in the Middle Ages as a trade link to the North Sea. Start from the Rozenhoedkaai (Quay of the Rosary) – probably the city’s most photographed spot – for a 30-minute canal tour past bridges, waterside houses and gardens.

Then take the 2 hour 40 minute train journey to Paris. First catch the 13.30 InterCity train from Bruges to Brussels Midi, which arrives at 14.28 (tickets on this route are valid on any train, so you could leave earlier and spend a few hours in Brussels). Then take the 14.43 high-speed Eurostar service from Brussels, arriving at Paris Gare du Nord at 16.09.

Spend the evening in Paris – you could climb the Montparnasse Tower to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour over a cocktail in the Skybar. Take a dinner cruise* along the Seine to see the city lights. Catch a performance at the Paris Opéra or cabaret at the Moulin Rouge. Or just feast on French food and wine in one of the city’s restaurants.

Where to stay in Paris: Le Relais Montmartre* is tucked away in a quiet street at the heart of Paris’ arty hilltop neighbourhood Montmartre, close to Sacré-Cœur Basilica and the Place du Theatre. Rooms are cosy, colourful and full of character, with floral prints and antique furniture. And there’s a peaceful patio where you can escape the crowds.

Read more: Paris on a budget: 17 ways to save money in Paris

Day 4: Paris

Today you have a full day to spend in Paris. You could climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe to admire the views, visit big-name museums like the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, browse book stalls along the Seine or admire the stained glass in Sainte-Chapelle, eat macarons from Ladurée or shop the boutiques of the Champs-Élysées.

Or why not try one of my free self-guided Paris walking tours? Explore the artistic history of Montmartre. Go back in time in the medieval Marais. Take a walk though the intellectual and bohemian neighbourhood of St Germain. Or follow in the footsteps of movie legends with a tour of Paris film locations, from black and white classics to blockbusters.

Or if you’ve already seen the city’s big-name sights, why not explore some of Paris’ unusual attractions? Take a walk along the Promenade Plantée or La Petite Ceinture, both former railway lines which are now parks. Or visit quirky museums dedicated to fairground rides, sewers and cheese, and discover Paris’ steampunk-inspired Métro station.

Read more: Things to do in Paris in spring, autumn and winter

Day 5: Paris > Chur

Next morning, take the 6-hour train journey to Chur in Switzerland. Catch the 09.47 high-speed TGV Lyria train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Zürich Hauptbahnhof, arriving at 14.26. Then change onto the 14.38 InterCity train which gets into Chur at 15.52.

Take an early evening walk around the car-free old town of Chur. Switzerland’s oldest city lies on the banks of the Rhine and is surrounded by vineyards and mountains. Climb up to the Haldenhüttli for the best view over the city then enjoy tasty local dishes like cheese fondue, barley soup or capuns (dumplings wrapped in a Swiss chard leaf).

Where to stay in Chur: The Hotel Stern Chur* is a traditional four-star hotel in a 360-year-old building with a cosy Weinstube (tavern) and rooftop terrace in summer. It has a good range of room categories, from budget R5 bedrooms to suites and apartments.

Day 6: The Bernina Express

Spend the next day travelling to Milan on board the Bernina Express – this is one of Europe’s most scenic train journeys and is a real highlight of the trip.

The Bernina Express runs through the spectacular scenery of the Swiss Alps, passing hilltop castles and mountain villages and crossing bridges and viaducts as it follows the River Plessur. After passing the swanky ski resort of St Moritz it climbs up into the Upper Engadin valley to its highest point at 2253 metres before descending back down to Tirano.

Catch the 08.17 Bernina Express train from Chur, which takes 4.5 hours, arriving into Tirano Rhätische Bahn station across the border in Italy at 12.49. Then cross the square to Tirano Trenord station where a local train will take you on to Milan for the evening. The train leaves Tirano at 13.08 and arrives into Milan Centrale at 15.40.

To ride the Bernina Express panoramic train, you need to pay an extra reservation fee on top of the ticket price (otherwise you’ll be in a normal train and have to change along the way). The fee is CHF 44 (€48) from June–October and CHF 40 (€44) the rest of the year.

Where to stay in Milan: Sina The Gray* is a five-star hotel overlooking the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade. Its rooms have subtle African-inspired touches to the décor, some with a private gym or Turkish bath. There’s also a terrace and bar.

Day 7: Milan

Then spend the final day of your Northern Europe by train trip shopping and sightseeing in the Italian fashion capital. Explore the lavish monuments of the centro storico, visit the museums in the huge Castello Sforzesco or shop the grand Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which is one of the world’s oldest and most glamorous shopping malls.

Then if you’re flying home, the Malpensa Express train connects the city’s Cadorna, Central and Porta Garibaldi train stations with Milan Malpensa airport, taking 43 minutes. Or you can pre-book a private transfer to the airport with Welcome Pickups.*

More time?

If you’ve got more time to spare, it’s less than an hour by train from Milano Central station to the lakeside town of Como. From there you can catch a ferry across Lake Como to visit glamorous waterside towns and villages like Bellagio, Varenna, and Menaggio.

You could also travel 3 hours south to Levanto where you can pick up the coastal train through Italy’s Cinque Terre. Or travel 2 hours 30 minutes east to Venice where you can add on my one-week Italy by train itinerary to make this into a two-week trip.

How much does it cost?

When you’re planning a European rail trip, you can either book individual tickets or get a railpass, which can be a better deal if you’re under 28, want more flexibility or are booking late. Here’s how the prices break down for the two different options on this route.

Individual tickets

Ticket prices vary depending on how early you book, with a limited number of cheap tickets available. So book as early as possible (on most routes you can book 3–4 months in advance) but beware these tickets are non-transferable so you’re tied to a specific train.

Using the cheapest fares (based on five different sample dates spread over the next few months), the cost of trains on this route starts at €350 per person:

• Amsterdam > Bruges: from €57
• Bruges > Paris: from €53
• Paris > Chur: from €121
• The Bernina Express: from CHF 52 (€56) + CHF 40/44 (€44–48) reservation fee
• Tirano > Milan: €19

The railpass option

There are also various rail passes available through InterRail (for European residents) and Eurail (for non-European residents), which cover individual countries or the whole region and are valid for different periods of time, varying from four days to three months.

The Northern Europe by train itinerary involves four travel days across two countries, so the best option is the Global Pass for 4 travel days within 1 month. This costs €283 for adults, €212 for youths (aged 12–27) or €255 for seniors (aged 60+) in second class.

As well as the pass, you also need to pay an extra compulsory reservation fee in some countries and for certain trains – usually high-speed trains, sleeper services or special services like the Bernina Express. For this trip, the extra fees come to €128/€132, broken down as below, meaning the overall railpass cost starts from €415.

• Amsterdam > Bruges: €24
• Bruges > Paris: €29
• Paris > Chur: €31
• The Bernina Express: CHF 40/44 (€44/48)

Reservations can be made at any train station for free, or online via Rail Europe* and the InterRail/Eurail reservations service for a fee of €2. This is except for the Bernina Express where reservations must be made through the Rhaetian Railway website.

I’ve recommended the quickest and easiest routes in this itinerary. But you can often avoid reservation fees by taking regional trains which usually don’t require reservations or advance booking – though they’re likely to be slower with more changes along the way.

How to book

There are a variety of websites where you can book European trains, but often the best deals are though the official railway company sites for each country. For this trip these are:

• Amsterdam > Bruges: NS International
• Bruges > Paris: B-Europe
• Paris > Zürich: SNCF Connect
• Zürich > Chur: Swiss Railways
• The Bernina Express: Swiss Railways (use Rhaetian Railway for seat reservation)
• Tirano > Milan: Trenord

You can also book tickets for European trains with Omio* or Rail Europe.* The advantage is they cover multiple countries, you can see prices in €, £ or $, use international credit cards and print or use mobile tickets, but they do charge a small booking fee.

Don’t want to do it yourself? You can also book this One-week Northern Europe by train itinerary* as a package through our partners Byway, the world’s first flight-free holiday platform, which includes travel and accommodation.

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