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2 month summer itinerary

A community itinerary from Heather

As you get ready to travel again you may be wondering where a Eurail Global Pass can take you... The answer is, wherever you choose! Every trip follows a unique itinerary, so some of the best sources of inspiration are the maps and photos sent in by Eurail travelers like you.

 

This itinerary was sent to us by Heather, who traveled from Finland to 17 countries last summer! Her photos from 10 of those countries showcase some of Europe's biggest attractions. We've also added some travel tips to send you on your way.

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It may not be possible to travel all of Heather's itinerary this summer, due to current travel restrictions. Make sure to check our Coronavirus Information Center before you make any reservations or other bookings.

Heather's itinerary

''At this uncertain time I thought I’d share the highlights from my amazing 2-month-long trip around Europe last summer with Eurail... we did 17 different countries on the 2 month Global Pass and it was the best experience of my life ❤️.'' - Heather

 

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1. Germany

lubeck-germany

 

Lübeck

A historic trading town that forms the rail gateway to Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia. Its most known attraction also happens to be a gate - the red-brick Holstentor city gate (pictured above).

 

heather-byatt-germany-berlin-checkpoint-charlie

 

Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin

A 2h 40m journey, including a stop in Hamburg, will bring you to Germany's capital, Berlin. You'll want to stay in the city as long as you can, to discover its history, landmarks and nightlife.

Travel time:

4h13m

Transfer:

0

Reservation needed:

  • Berlin, Germany

    Berlin Südkreuz

  • 4h 13m

    Reservation optional

  • Prague, Czech Republic

    Prague Hlavni Nadrazi

2. Czech Republic

czech-republic-prague

 

 

Prague

Prague's incredible skyline can be a lot to take in. Thankfully it has enough high places to see it all from different angles. Try Letna Hill to see the Vltava River and its many bridges; Petrín Tower to view the old center and castle complex; or the Klementinum for a view like this, amongst the orange rooftops.

Travel time:

5h16m

Transfer:

1

  • Prague, Czech Republic

    Prague Hlavni Nadrazi

  • 4h 6m
  • Linz, Austria

    Linz Hbf

  • 1h 10m
  • Salzburg, Austria

    Salzburg Hbf

3. Austria

heather-byatt-austria-salzburg

 

Salzburg

There's no direct route from Prague to Salzburg, so why not stop off in some of central Europe's smaller cities... Discover characterful Český Krumlov in Bohemia, or Austria's thrid-largest city Linz, all before you enjoy Mozart's birthplace.

heather-byatt-austria-halstatt

 

Hallstatt

2 hours 30 minutes from Salzburg (via Attnang-Puchheim) is a view that is definitely worth the journey! Hallstatt is the most magical town of the Upper Austria lake district.

Travel time:

4h17m

Transfer:

2

Reservation needed:

  • Hallstatt, Austria

    Hallstatt

  • 2h 4m
  • Linz, Austria

    Linz Hbf

  • 1h 14m

    Reservation optional

  • Vienna, Austria

    Wien Hbf

  • 0h 59m
  • Bratislava, Slovakia

    Bratislava-Petrzalka

4. Slovakia

heather-byatt-slovakia-bratislava-castle

 

Bratislava Castle, Bratislava

You may want to break your journey in Austria's capital, Vienna, as you head east to the capital of Slovakia. Picturesque Bratislava has a lively historic center and a grand castle (pictured above) overlooking both the city and the Danube river.

5. Hungary

heather-byatt-hungary-budapest-széchenyi-baths

 

Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest

A journey of 3h 47m via Vienna will drop you into Budapest without needing to make reservations. Once there you can enjoy the Széchenyi thermal baths or a cruise on the Danube.

6. Slovenia

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Bled Castle, Lake Bled

An overnight journey, taking the daily EuroNight from Vienna at 1:40am, will bring you to Slovenia's most-famous spot in time for a lakeside sunrise. Lake Bled, with its iconic island and castle, is a perfect backdrop for outdoor summer activities, including swimming, hiking and SUP-ing.

A once daily night train, leaving Bled at 12:36am, will take you to Italy via Austria.

Travel time:

4h44m

Transfer:

1

Reservation needed:

2x

  • Bled, Slovenia

    Lesce Bled

  • 0h 55m

    Reservation required

  • Villach, Austria

    Villach Hbf

  • 3h 49m

    Reservation required

  • Venice, Italy

    Venezia S. Lucia

7. Italy

heather-byatt-italy-venice

 

Venice

The famous city of canals is built across more than 100 small islands.

heather-byatt-italy-rome-colosseum

 

Colosseum, Rome

A 3h 48m direct train from Venice (with reservation) will bring you to the geographic, political and cultural center of Italy.

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Pisa

Just under 3 hours from Rome is the famous Leaning Tower. It's just a 20 minute walk from the central train station.

Cinque Terre

 

heather-byatt-italy-cinque-terre-2

The Cinque Terre is a stretch of five historic seaside villages along the Ligurian coastline: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Monterosso, Vernazza and Corniglia. A Eurail Pass is perfect for exploring them... Arrive at La Spezia central station (about an hour from Pisa), then take the Cinque Terre train. It connects each of the 5 villages and is covered by the Eurail Pass!

heather-byatt-italy-cinque-terre

Travel time:

4h23m

Transfer:

2

Reservation needed:

  • La Spezia, Italy

    La Spezia Centrale

  • 1h 25m

    Reservation required

  • Genova, Italy

    Genova Brignole

  • 2h 28m
  • Ventimiglia, Italy

    Ventimiglia

  • 0h 30m
  • Monaco

    Monaco Monte Carlo

8. Monaco

heather-byatt-monaco-monte-carlo

 

The Japanese Garden, Monte Carlo

The tiny but wealthy principality of Monaco may not be included in our list of 33 Eurail Pass countries, but a Pass is still valid for travel there! Stop off for sun, sea and luxury.

9. Spain

heather-byatt-spain-barcelona

 

Sagrada Família, Barcelona

To avoid a long journey, it's best to stop off in one of the seaside towns of the southern coastline of France. Then take a direct train from Nîmes (France) to Barcelona in 3h 40m (reservation required). In the capital of Catalonia, you can enjoy Gaudí's fantastical architecture and relax at La Rambla or the beach.

Travel time:

3h10m

Transfer:

0

Reservation needed:

  • Barcelona, Spain

    Barcelona-Sants

  • 3h 10m

    Reservation required

  • Madrid, Spain

    Madrid-Puerta De Atocha

Transfer between stations in Madrid, then take the Renfe Trenhotel night train to Lisbon. It leaves at 21:50 daily and arrives in Lisbon at 7:20. You must reserve a seat or sleeper cabin in advance.

Travel time:

9h30m

Transfer:

0

Reservation needed:

  • Madrid, Spain

    Madrid Chamartin

  • 9h 30m

    Reservation required

  • Lisbon, Portugal

    Lisbon Oriente

10. Portugal

portugal-ericera

 

Ericeira

Our snapshot of Heather's 2 month itinerary concludes at the Atlantic coast in Ericeira, considered the surfing capital of Europe. It lies outside of Portugal's rail network, but can be reached in an hour by bus from Lisbon.

group-photo-travel-Maria Pereira

Join our community to keep up-to-date with even more itineraries, tips and Q&As from travelers just like you.

 

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For more itinerary inspiration you can find routes of all sizes, ranging from 2-months across Europe to in-depth single country tours, on our suggested itineraries page.

Eurail mobile Global Pass

 

To follow Heather's itinerary, or to add even more countries, then there is only one Pass for you - the Eurail Global Pass, with access to the rail networks of 33 countries in Europe.