All travel writing

Transport

The Rail Renaissance: Europe's Best Trips Are on the Ground

City-to-city by train has quietly become the most civilised way to see two capitals in one week.

5 min read · Updated September 2026

The Rail Renaissance: Europe's Best Trips Are on the Ground

A short-haul flight costs you four hours door to door and every ounce of the morning. The same journey by train leaves from the centre and delivers you to the centre.

The result is a trip with two bases and no airport days.

Pair cities, not countries

Two cities three hours apart make a better week than four cities scattered across a continent.

Sleep near the station on the moving day

The only real rule of rail travel: on the day you move, stay within walking distance of the platform.

Velori earns a commission on some bookings made through partner links. It never changes what you pay.