🌎 Europe

36 countries with railway stations.

Europe operates the world's most integrated international rail network, connecting 44 countries through a seamless web of high-speed, intercity, regional, and night trains. France's TGV reaches 320 km/h on dedicated high-speed lines, Germany's ICE links major cities with punctual intercity services, and the Eurostar tunnels beneath the English Channel to connect London with Paris and Brussels in under two and a half hours. Spain's AVE network is the longest high-speed rail system in Europe, while Switzerland's famously precise SBB timetable demonstrates that reliability and stunning mountain scenery need not be mutually exclusive. Cross-border travel is simplified by the Interrail and Eurail pass systems, which grant flexible access to rail networks across up to 33 countries on a single ticket. Night trains have undergone a significant revival, with operators such as Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) expanding Nightjet services across the continent, offering sleeper, couchette, and seat car options that allow travelers to cover long distances overnight without the cost and carbon footprint of a flight. The European Union's goal of doubling high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and tripling it by 2050 is driving substantial infrastructure investment. New lines are under construction or planned in Germany, Italy, the UK, and across Central Europe, promising further reductions in journey times between major cities. For travelers, Europe's rail network remains the most practical and sustainable way to explore the continent.

Europe's high-speed rail network spans over 9,000 km of dedicated lines across France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and beyond.

The Interrail and Eurail Global Pass grants access to 33 countries on a single, flexible ticket.

OBB Nightjet night trains connect 13 countries, with new routes being added annually through 2030.

The Eurostar connects London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in 2 hours 16 minutes via the Channel Tunnel.

Switzerland's SBB operates the world's most punctual major rail network, with over 92% of trains arriving on time.

Countries

🇦🇹

1,432 stations

🇧🇪

563 stations

🇧🇬

171 stations

🇭🇷

648 stations

🇨🇿

469 stations

🇬🇷

51 stations

🇩🇰

223 stations

🇮🇹

4,309 stations HSR

🇱🇻

6 stations

🇱🇹

81 stations

🇱🇺

62 stations

🇲🇪

18 stations

🇳🇱

414 stations

🇲🇰

14 stations

🇳🇴

653 stations

🇵🇱

436 stations

🇵🇹

154 stations

🇷🇴

133 stations

🇷🇸

66 stations

🇸🇰

111 stations

🇸🇮

64 stations

🇪🇸

4,420 stations HSR

🇸🇪

204 stations HSR

🇨🇭

22,002 stations

🇹🇷

3 stations HSR

🇧🇾

16 stations

🇦🇱

9 stations

🇧🇦

113 stations

🇪🇪

15 stations

🇫🇮

19 stations

🇫🇷

4,428 stations HSR

🇩🇪

6,782 stations HSR

🇭🇺

129 stations

🇮🇪

294 stations

🇺🇦

157 stations

🇬🇧

2,756 stations HSR

Major Stations

Station Country Connections
Zürich HB 🇨🇭 770
Milan 🇮🇹 778
Sierre/Siders 🇨🇭 777
Bern Hbf 🇨🇭 776
Bourg-en-Bresse 🇫🇷 778
Neuchâtel 🇨🇭 778
Geneva 🇨🇭 777
Basel SBB 🇨🇭 774
Sion 🇨🇭 778
Martigny 🇨🇭 778
Lausanne 🇨🇭 777
Dijon Ville 🇫🇷 778
Aigle 🇨🇭 776
Brussels 🇧🇪 778
Frutigen 🇨🇭 778
Göschenen 🇨🇭 777
Kerzers 🇨🇭 777
Mendrisio 🇨🇭 778
Cologne 🇩🇪 778
Évian-les-Bains 🇫🇷 778
Aachen Hbf 🇩🇪 778
Stuttgart Hbf 🇩🇪 778
Disentis/Muster 🇨🇭 778
Altdorf 🇨🇭 776
Bellinzona 🇨🇭 778
Givors Ville 🇫🇷 778
Cannes 🇫🇷 778
Visp 🇨🇭 777
Cagnes-sur-Mer 🇫🇷 778
Clermont-Ferrand 🇫🇷 778
Liège-Guillemins 🇧🇪 778
Liestal 🇨🇭 775
Locarno 🇨🇭 778
Ulm Hbf 🇩🇪 778
Thusis 🇨🇭 778
Lyon Part-Dieu 🇫🇷 778
Samedan 🇨🇭 775
Andermatt 🇨🇭 776
Mâcon Ville 🇫🇷 778
Mannheim Hbf 🇩🇪 777
Avignon Centre 🇫🇷 778
Augsburg Hbf 🇩🇪 778
Brunnen 🇨🇭 777
St-Maurice 🇨🇭 777
Nice Ville 🇫🇷 778
Thalwil 🇨🇭 773
Flüelen 🇨🇭 776
Konolfingen 🇨🇭 777
Leuk 🇨🇭 776
Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 🇩🇪 778

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the service. High-speed trains such as TGV, Eurostar, and AVE require seat reservations and are cheapest when booked weeks in advance. Regional and intercity trains in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland often allow walk-up travel without pre-booking, making them ideal for spontaneous trips.
Interrail is available to residents of European countries, while Eurail is designed for travelers from outside Europe. Both passes offer nearly identical coverage across 33 European rail networks and work in the same way — the distinction is purely based on the traveler's country of residence.
Night trains are excellent value when the overnight journey saves you a hotel night and allows you to arrive refreshed at your next destination. The OBB Nightjet network, Caledonian Sleeper in the UK, and Renfe Trenhotel in Spain offer comfortable sleeper cabins. Booking early is recommended, as berths sell out quickly on popular routes.
France has the most extensive high-speed network in Western Europe, with TGV lines radiating from Paris to Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Strasbourg. Spain has Europe's longest total high-speed network. Germany's ICE is rapidly expanding, and Italy's Frecciarossa connects Rome, Florence, Milan, and Naples at up to 300 km/h. Japan-comparable speeds are found on the Paris-Lyon corridor.
Yes, via the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam. From these hubs you can connect to the entire European rail network. The Channel Tunnel crossing takes approximately 35 minutes. Passport and immigration checks are completed before boarding at St Pancras, so there are no delays on arrival in France or Belgium.
For city-pair distances under 700 km, train is almost always faster door-to-door once airport check-in, security, boarding, and transfer times are factored in. Paris to Lyon by TGV takes 2 hours city-center to city-center. The equivalent flight, including airport procedures, takes 3.5 to 4 hours. Train also emits roughly 90% less CO2 per passenger than a comparable flight.