The Guardian - Travel • Feb. 3, 2026, 7:15 a.m.

By travelling during the day on scenic routes, travellers can soak up spectacular landscapes before taking in Turin’s cultural heritage Is there a better sensation for a traveller than when a train speeds out of a tunnel? The sudden flood of light, that howling rush of air.

Clearly, it’s not just me who thinks trains are the new (old) planes, with 2025 having seen a 7% rise in UK train travel, and more Europeans than ever looking to hit the rails. It’s late December, and I’m heading out on a slow-train journey across the historic railways of the Swiss Alps and the Italian lakes.

It’s a trip of roughly 1,800 miles (2,900km), crossing five countries, almost entirely by scenic daytime trains. Continue reading...

Related