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Between sheer cliffs, isolated villages and waves that seem to brush the rails, certain railway lines turn a simple trip into a true travel experience. All across Europe, coastal routes let travelers admire spectacular scenery without leaving their seats. From Scotland to the Spanish fjords, and along the Italian coast, these lines attract both slow-travel enthusiasts and lovers of maritime panoramas. And France has its own railway journey capable of rivaling the finest European itineraries.

Trains that skim the ocean as closely as possible

In Scotland, the line linking Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh threads through some of the UK’s wildest landscapes. Stretching 133 km, it offers glimpses of both the country’s eastern and western shores. After leaving Inverness, the train first follows the Cromarty Firth before venturing into the Highlands. The final twenty minutes of the journey provide a particularly spectacular view of Loch Carron and the Applecross Peninsula.

Further south, Ireland also offers a celebrated coastal route. The line from Dublin Connolly to Arklow tracks the country’s east coast for around 80 miles. The most striking stretch is at Bray Head, where the rail line climbs along a sea cliff. This segment was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the renowned engineer of the Industrial Revolution. The journey then glides past beaches and the Murrough Wetlands, with the Wicklow Mountains forming a backdrop.

Germany also has a singular line: the connection to the island of Sylt. To reach this North Sea island, trains traverse the Hindenburg Dike, built in 1927 above the Wadden Sea. Since April 2026, high-speed ICE trains have for the first time been able to run on this stretch. The route becomes particularly awe-inspiring at high tide, when the waters envelop the tracks.

Spanish fjords and Italian coastlines

In northern Spain, the line from Ribadeo to Ferrol runs along part of the broad coastline of narrow-gauge railways that skirts the Cantabrian coast. Over nearly 150 km, the train snakes between cliffs, eucalyptus forests and the Galician rías, these large estuaries typical of the region. The route remains relatively little known despite its spectacular landscapes, notably around Ortigueira and Cape Ortegal. The journalist Nicky Gardner describes this journey in The Guardian as “a slow-travel adventure.” He also notes that “the waves crash on the right while a dense eucalyptus forest stretches to the left.”

In Italy, the Calabrian Ionian line offers another striking setting. Between Reggio di Calabria and Soverato, the rails almost continuously hug the coastline for about 160 km. On one side appear the dark peaks of the Aspromonte, on the other the Ionian Sea extending toward the Libyan coasts. According to Nicky Gardner, “no other railway line in Europe hugs the coast with such constancy.” The journey passes through a succession of capes, coves and Mediterranean villages, far from Italy’s major tourist routes.

The Train of Wonders, France’s route that rivals Europe’s finest rail journeys

France also has its own spectacular itinerary with the Train des Merveilles, which links Nice to Tende in the Alpes-Maritimes. Reopened in December 2025 after a year of works, this line climbs about 1,000 meters in elevation over roughly 100 km, spanning the Mediterranean and the Mercantour mountains.

The journey begins just a short distance from Nice’s beaches before quickly delving into the Alpine relief. Built from 1883 onward, the line crosses more than 100 bridges and viaducts and traverses nearly as many tunnels. Some of these are spiral tunnels that allow the train to gain altitude inside the mountain itself.

In The Guardian, journalist Annabelle Thorpe describes “one of Europe’s most spectacular rail journeys.” She also notes “jagged peaks that give the valley road the appearance of a slender ribbon.”

The train serves several perched villages such as Sospel and La Brigue, before arriving in Tende, perched at nearly 800 meters above sea level. The contrast between the azure coastline and the Alpine landscapes is one of the journey’s highlights. Annabelle Thorpe also notes that “it’s amazing to think we’re barely an hour from Nice—we feel as if we’ve been transported to a wholly different region of France.” All that remains is to book!