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Sam McLoughlin June 11, 2026

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There’s little wonder why so many of us visit Italy every year. It’s a destination that has it all: excellent food, balmy weather, vibrant culture, fascinating history, and beautiful landscapes.

And while most holidaymakers choose to fly to Italy, taking a scenic train route over the Alps can offer an entirely different experience.

Sure, flying might be quicker, but hopping on a train allows you to slow down, unwind, and admire the gradually changing landscapes – from idyllic farmlands to snow-dusted mountains to sun-drenched vineyards.

You can also make stops along the way to experience how cultures change and mingle, visiting places you otherwise wouldn’t, such as Switzerland’s southern, Italian-speaking regions. By the time you arrive in Italy, you’ll feel that you’ve truly travelled there, not simply been transported.

To offer some inspiration for your next adventure, we’ve partnered with Tailor Made Rail, a London-based tour operator specialising in independent, unescorted holidays, to explore three breathtaking routes through the Alps to Italy. As their name suggests, they offer rail holidays tailored to suit your preferences – with packages including transport and hand-picked hotels.

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1. The Gotthard Pass

The Gotthard Pass

The Gotthard Pass is one of Europe’s most iconic Alpine crossings. Some choose to drive through its famous switchback roads, but travelling by train is an unbeatable way to admire the majestic scenery.

The original Gotthard Railway over the Alps opened in 1882 and has since become a bucket-list experience for many travellers. It connects the dramatic, mountainous landscapes of central Switzerland with the sun-kissed southern regions before journeying on to Italy.

There are multiple ways to travel through this spectacular slice of the world. The classic route ascends scenic tracks, passing plunging valleys spanned by looming viaducts, before whisking briefly through the original Gotthard Tunnel into the Mediterranean-feeling, Italian-speaking canton of Ticino.

You can make this time-tested journey on a regular train; however, if scenery is a priority, you might want to climb aboard the Gotthard Panorama Express. This seasonal train (April-October) is specifically designed to showcase the alpine landscape, featuring large, curving windows. The experience also includes a cruise across glorious Lake Lucerne, boasting views of forested slopes and quaint villages.

Alternatively, you can take the high-speed route through the Gotthard Base Tunnel. At just over 57km, it’s the world’s longest railway tunnel. While this route offers less mountain scenery, it shaves off about an hour of travel time and gives you the chance to experience one of modern Europe’s greatest engineering achievements firsthand.

You can combine a rail ride through the Gotthard Pass with plenty of pit stops in the surrounding area. Tailor Made Rail’s Discover Ticino: Italian Switzerland adventure includes stays in two of Ticino’s best-loved destinations: Bellinzona and Lugano, where you can visit UNESCO-rated castles, stroll along fashionable lakeside promenades, and experience the region’s unique blend of Italian and Swiss cultures.

Or, if you prefer city-hopping, Tailor Made Rail’s Venice via the Gotthard Pass tour includes stops in both the Floating City and culture-filled Zurich.

2. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

If you’re searching for a rail adventure where the journey rivals the destinations, you can’t go wrong with hopping aboard the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which takes passengers from Paris’ tree-lined boulevards to Venice’s bustling canals.

It’s easy to see why this lavish experience is widely considered the trip of a lifetime. The opulent Art Deco carriages are works of art in their own right: their navy-blue exteriors gleaming with fresh polish, and the glitzy interiors are all lush fabrics, varnished wood, and tasteful fixtures, channelling a bygone era of luxury travel.

After staying overnight in a lavish cabin, breakfast is brought to you by sapphire-suited stewards and, come evening, a formal, multiple-course gourmet dinner is hosted in a 1920s-style restaurant car. Afterwards, head to the bar car, where you can sip champagne and deluxe cocktails served by barmen in white coats, while listening to the tinkling keys of a grand piano.

All the while, stunning scenery passes by the window. French countryside rises into the sky-scraping peaks of the Alps, before melting into the rolling, sun-bathed pastures of Northern Italy.

Tailor Made Rail offers a range of itineraries featuring this legendary journey. Their Classic Orient Express: London to Venice involves a Eurostar journey to Paris, where you can sample everything the City of Light has to offer – from exploring the historic streets of Montmartre to cruising along the Seine. And once you get to Venice, lively piazzas, gondola rides, and unique lagoon islands like Murano and Burano await.

Or, if you’d like to experience even more of Europe, Tailor Made Rail also offers Venice Simplon-Orient-Express itineraries featuring cities like Prague and Budapest.

3. Brenner Pass Route

Brenner Pass Route

If you love mountain scenery, Innsbruck should undoubtedly be on your travel bucket list.

Often dubbed ‘the capital of the Alps’, this charming Austrian city is tucked away amongst snow-capped peaks. It’s home to the Nordkette cable car, offering jaw-dropping panoramas of the surrounding landscape, and sports fans might remember it as host of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. But there are plenty more reasons to visit other than scenery and skiing.

Culture abounds in Innsbruck. History buffs can visit the ‘Golden Roof’, a striking monument built by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in 1500 for his wife, Bianca Maria Sforza, while foodies can sample culinary delights at the Markthalle market, which has operated on the banks of the River Inn since 1406. Crowd favourite dishes include Faschingskrapfen (warm doughnuts) and Tirol-style sausages.

One of our favourite ways to visit this high-altitude city is via train. Innsbruck is a key stop along the Brenner Pass rail route, which sets off from Munich in Germany, winding through the Alps to Verona in Italy.

This fabulous route offers a classic alpine crossing. Once leaving Munich’s city limits behind, passengers will be greeted by bucolic Bavarian countryside studded with quaint farmhouses. Upon entering Austria, the landscape becomes even more dramatic, with forest-cloaked mountains descending into narrow valleys bejewelled with glittering rivers. Keep your eyes peeled for picturesque medieval towns, dramatic Tyrolean castles, and the Europabrücke, a gigantic viaduct which was once Europe’s highest bridge.

For a truly diverse adventure, why not consider Tailor Made Rail’s Lake Garda via the Swiss Alps itinerary? It combines some of Western Europe’s most spectacular lakes – like Lake Geneva, Lake Garda, and Lake Maggiore – with two world-famous alpine railway journeys: the Simplon and the Brenner Pass routes. You’ll also get to spend a night in Munich, where you can admire neo-classical architecture and taste quality beers in fairy-lit beer gardens.

Final thoughts…

These routes offer so much more than a means of getting from one place to another; they provide a front row seat to some of Western Europe’s most stunning landscapes, vibrant cities, and fascinating cultures.

Each journey gives travellers a completely different experience. For example, if scenery on the go is your priority, you might like to hop aboard the Gotthard Panorama Express, while the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is perfect for seekers of luxury and refinement. As for those looking to linger in the mountains before making their way to Italy, the Brenner Pass route with a stop in Innsbruck should fit the bill perfectly.

Whatever route you choose, train journeys offer the chance to slow down, soak in the sights, and travel more sustainably – a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.

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Sam McLoughlin

Sam McLoughlin is a Senior Lifestyle Writer at Rest Less. He joined the editorial team in 2021 after completing his Master’s degree in English Literature, Culture, and Theory at The University of Sussex. He enjoys writing about careers, books, sports, travel, and pretty much anything that his editor will let him have a crack at, but his favourite part of the job is interviewing inspiring people – from activists and CEOs to later life career changers. In his spare time, Sam enjoys climbing, snowsports, and going to see live music.

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