Europe’s Most Scenic Local Train Rides (That Locals Use Daily in 2025)

🚞 Quick Take: Want stunning train views without the tourist crowds? These scenic local routes are part of daily life in Europe; but the views are anything but mundane!

📌 Save this list on Pinterest to plan your next rail adventure — or surprise someone with a scenic detour they’ll never forget!

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🌄 1. Montreux to Zweisimmen – Switzerland’s Golden Commuter Line

Most tourists know the GoldenPass panoramic train, but few realize that locals also use the Montreux–Zweisimmen line for daily commutes between villages. It winds past shimmering lakes, alpine chalets, and steep vineyards, and there are glass-roof coaches available even on regional services.

🔎 Check Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) schedules

🛤️ Route tip: Board the RER Vaud or RegioExpress (not the tourist-only panorama trains) for a budget-friendly option with the same views.
📍 Scenery: Lake Geneva, Château de Chillon, snow-capped Bernese Alps
💡 Hidden Hack: Sit on the right side (heading east) for optimal lake views. If you come from Zweisimmen or Gstaad towards Lake Geneva, the left hand side window seats will reward you the best.

Where to stay: Find lakeside hotels and cozy chalets in Montreux, Zweisimmen, Gstaad, or other locations along the route on
Expedia.

A retro travel poster–style image of a traveler sitting inside a train, gazing out a panoramic window at a sweeping view of a lake, distant snow-capped mountains, vineyards, a riverside village, and wildflowers in the foreground. The atmosphere is calm and inviting, blending features of Switzerland, Italy, Austria, and Spain.

Sometimes the best views in Europe aren’t on tourist trains, but on the everyday local routes—just sit back and let the scenery unfold outside your window.

🌊 2. Cinque Terre Local Line – Italy’s Coastal Secret

The Cinque Terre Express is marketed to tourists, but the Regionale trains between La Spezia and Levanto are how locals get to work, school, and the market. For just a few euros, you can hop between seaside villages through cliff-hugging tunnels and postcard vistas.

🔎 Check Trenitalia schedules

🚉 Route tip: Off-season trains are less crowded and just as scenic.
📍 Scenery: The Mediterranean Sea, colorful seaside towns, Ligurian cliffs, olive groves
💡 Hidden Hack: Use Trenitalia’s Regionale pass to explore all the five towns of the Cinque Terre in one day: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore

Where to stay: Book a sea-view room in Cinque Terre or Levanto via
Expedia for easy train access.

A vintage travel poster–style illustration of a local Italian train with passengers seated inside, traveling along the curved coastal tracks high above the Mediterranean Sea. The train hugs the dramatic Cinque Terre cliffs, with pastel-colored houses, lush terraces, and wildflowers under a sunlit sky.

The real Cinque Terre magic? Local trains winding right above the sea—where village life, breathtaking cliffs, and sparkling Mediterranean views all pass by your window.

🍇 3. Wachau Valley Rail (Krems to Melk) – Austria’s Wine Trail on Rails

While most visitors see the Danube Valley by boat, locals between Krems and Melk quietly ride one of Europe’s most poetic routes. Passing ancient abbeys, vineyards, and riverside castles, it’s a UNESCO heritage corridor most tourists miss.

🔎 Check ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) schedules

🚉 Route tip: Pair this journey with a Danube ferry return for a scenic loop. This way you can combine a beautiful river boat memory with a train journey through the best secrets of Central Europe.
📍 Scenery: Danube River, terraced vineyards, Melk Abbey
💡 Hidden Hack: Local bakery stops in Spitz and Dürnstein make this a delicious ride to balance the abundant offerings of wines.

Where to stay: Discover vineyard guesthouses and riverside hotels in Krems, Melk, or the Wachau Valley via
Expedia.

🏞️ 4. Bergen Line Local Segment (Voss to Myrdal) – Norway’s Fjord-View Gateway

The Oslo–Bergen line is legendary among scenic train enthusiasts, but the Voss to Myrdal segment is one that locals use for short hops between mountain communities. In 2025, electric trains glide effortlessly past icy rivers, waterfalls, and dramatic cliff faces — all without tourist pricing.

🔎 Check VY (Norwegian Railways) schedules

🚉 Route tip: Time your trip with Flåm connections for a seamless fjord-to-fjord transfer.
📍 Scenery: Nordic mountains and fjord valleys, snowy tunnels, alpine forests
💡 Hidden Hack: The 7:00 a.m. commuter train has few tourists and pure magic in morning light.

Where to stay: Book a mountain lodge or fjord-view hotel in Voss, Myrdal, or nearby on
Expedia.

🌾 5. Ronda to Algeciras – Andalusia’s Rural Treasure

This Spanish route through Grazalema Natural Park offers jaw-dropping gorges, white villages, and untouched olive groves, all from a tiny two-carriage local train. Used daily by locals and schoolkids, it’s one of Spain’s last great slow rides.

🔎 Check Renfe (Spanish Railways) schedules

🚉 Route tip: Ride in spring when wildflowers blanket the valleys.
📍 Scenery: Canyons, Moorish ruins, whitewashed towns
💡 Hidden Hack: Book a seat on the south-facing side for best views approaching Algeciras.

Where to stay: Explore charming hotels in Ronda, Algeciras, or white villages along the route with
Expedia.

🚉 Bonus: Finnish Lake Region Line (Tampere to Jyväskylä)

In summer, Finland’s Tampere–Jyväskylä VR train glides past dense pine forests, hundreds of lakes, and quiet wooden cottages. Though few guidebooks mention it, it’s beloved by locals heading to summer cabins.

🔎 Check VR (Finnish Railways) schedules

🚉 Route tip: Try the midday InterCity: faster and with big windows.
📍 Scenery: Forested ridgelines, numerous lakes left by glaciers, red saunas by the water
💡 Hidden Hack: Bring snacks, as the view pairs well with a thermos of coffee and Karelian pastries. In InterCity trains, you can also rely on the restaurant car for both of these Finnish necessities

Where to stay: Find lakeside cabins and city hotels in Tampere, Jyväskylä, or along the route on
Expedia.

📈 Why Local Trains Beat Scenic Tourist Routes

Tourist Train	Local Train
Expensive reservation fees	Standard commuter pricing
Crowded with groups	Locals, students, and nature
Fixed schedules	More frequent, flexible timing
Promoted online	Hiding in plain sight

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📌 Final Thoughts

Most travelers race between cities on high-speed trains. But if you slow down and hop on the trains locals use every day, you’ll discover Europe’s most breathtaking views from the quiet comfort of a regional carriage.

Planning your own scenic rail adventure?
Compare hotels and guesthouses on Expedia for the best locations along these routes.

Got a favorite scenic local line in your country? Share it with us — we may feature it in a future post!