Train travel fans like me are looking forward to 2023 with great excitement, marking all the new routes they want to travel at least once in their lives. The magic date in the European railway calendar was 11 December, when the winter timetable came into effect. While not matching the offerings of the summer timetable, the update announced new or reinstated routes and extended certain services, thus the possibility of experiencing adventures that radiate along the tracks throughout Europe in a thousand directions. Here are some of the most exciting train journeys to be experienced in Europe in the first half of 2023.
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A new night train from Vienna to La Spezia offers a new way to access Liguria's Cinque Terre © Julia Lav / Shutterstock
The night train from Vienna to La Spezia
Why it's exciting: from Vienna to an underrated Italian port city and the cheapest base from which to explore the Cinque Terre.
The Austrian capital is the hub of NightJet, the ever-expanding rail network operated by ÖBB (Austrian Railways), which is adding some eye-catching extensions. The Vienna-Milan route is being extended, not only to Genoa, but also to the Ligurian port city of La Spezia. La Spezia is much underrated, but it is only a few minutes by train from the spectacular hiking trails and colourful villages of the Cinque Terre and is a much cheaper and much less popular departure point and base than Monterosso, Vernazza, etc. To sip an espresso overlooking the Ligurian Sea after a night in a sleeper berth or to indulge in a stroll through the labyrinthine streets of the Cinque Terre before heading across the Alps, this route is surely one of the best train travel experiences to be had in Europe in 2023. Later this year, NightJet is also expected to introduce new state-of-the-art sleeping cars.
By train from Prague to Zurich via Basel, Leipzig and Dresden
Why it's exciting: it's an overnight trip through Germany eastern Germany, with breakfast overlooking the picturesque Elbe Valley between Dresden and Děčín, before ending up in one of the most beautiful capitals of central Europe.
Zurich is fast becoming an overnight rail hub on the level of Vienna. After a five-year absence, the Canopus night train operated by Czech Railways (České dráhy, or ČD) returns to connect the Swiss city with elegant Prague via Dresden and Leipzig. (It is an alternative to an existing night service, so you can choose between two options, but the Canopus has more types of cabins). Zürich is only four hours from Paris via the TGV Lyria service and is the starting point for countless scenic journeys in Switzerland, including the beautiful Gotthard Train Alpine view route to Lake Locarno in Canton Ticino.
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The North Wales Railway line, which has expanded its services for 2023, passes Conwy Castle © wcjohnston / Getty Images
Most frequent trains between Holyhead and London
Why it's exciting: travelling the land-sea stretch between London and Dublin has been difficult in recent times, but it is hoped that recent timetable changes will improve the more environmentally sustainable option for crossing the Irish Sea.
The line through North Wales is not new in any respect. In fact, this scenic route along the north coast is one of the oldest rail routes in the world: it was built between 1844 and 1850 to connect ferries arriving from Dublin with Irish Mail trains bound for London. Avanti West Coast has recently added four more departures, for a total of five connections per day. Avanti's poor service on this and other routes has been widely criticised in the UK in recent times. These additional trains are part of a plan to improve routes between London, the West Midlands and North West England and North Wales. The service is expected to improve further during 2023 with the introduction of more modern and comfortable trains. Highlights along the line include Conwy Castle, the Menai Strait to Anglesey and the stop at Llanfairpwll, delighting passengers at the sight of the sign with its very long Welsh name: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllllantysiliogogogoch. Transport for Wales offers other services along this line, including the iconic train to Cardiff with the best on-board restaurant in the UK. You can save money by buying a combined train+ferry ticket.
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The overnight train from Hamburg to Stockholm
Because it is exciting: Hamburg may be off the beaten track compared to the main routes, but with this convenient and efficient night train connection, Germany's second largest city offers a gateway to the elegant Swedish capital and Scandinavia's spectacular railway lines.
Direct night trains from Hamburg to Stockholm were inaugurated in September, but with a restriction. Due to some regulatory problems, most of the carriages of the Swedish national railway company SJ were not allowed to pass through Denmark. So the service has been operating since the launch with only four sleeping cars. Fortunately, the situation has since been resolved and passengers now have a choice of mixed or single-genre berths, berths for one, two or three, deluxe berths, or bargain seats for the Öresund Bridge overnight crossing. The line is also served by privately operated Snälltåget trains that also connect with Berlin, although departures are less frequent during the winter and the departure time from Hamburg is later.
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New high-speed trains to visit Spain
Why it's exciting: Iryo offers probably the most comfortable high-speed trains in Europe, complete with tempting dining options, while the beauty of the Spanish countryside whizzes by outside the window.
As with planes, the earlier you book, the less you spend with Iryo. It is a new high-speed company that wants to disrupt the Spanish railway scene. Already operating on the Madrid-Barcelona and Madrid-Valencia routes, by June 2023 Iryo trains will also serve Seville, Malaga, Cordoba and Alicante. Iryo trains are fast and comfortable, with carriages of four different classes, similar to the trains of the co-owned company Trenitalia. Meals on board are based on local ingredients used in the pintxos and tapas offered at reasonable prices. The long-term plan is to open cross-border routes, which will undoubtedly include more timetables and more high-speed wagon capacity to France.
Night trains departing from Istanbul's Sirkeci station
Why it's exciting: only a cold-hearted traveller wouldn't be thrilled to see the terminus of the Orient Express come to life again, and that could happen very soon. (As if Istanbul wasn't already an exciting destination).
In 2023, the night trains at Istanbul's Sirkeci station could come rattling back with new arrivals and departures. With international trains to Sofia and Bucharest departing from distant Halkali, and suburban trains now running underground to allow trans-Bosphorus travel, Sirkeci has become a neglected station, and even its tracks, on which European international services ran for decades, have been removed. The plan to restore passenger trains running along the oldest part of Istanbul, hugging the ancient Theodosian walls, aims to provide an eight-station service linking Sirkeci with Kazlicesme to the west. Next to the tracks, a bicycle path and pedestrian pavement are also planned. As of October, they still seemed far behind, but it is worth keeping an eye on the progress of the work during 2023. Rail Turkey is an up-to-date site on all matters relating to Turkish trains and will probably be the first to give any news. When (if?) this line eventually opens, it will reactivate the street-level platforms at Sirkeci and breathe new life into one of the world's most iconic stations.
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The GoldenPass Express is one of Switzerland's most amazing services and will offer new routes in 2023 © Mor65_Mauro Piccardi / Shutterstock
The direct train from Montreux to Interlaken in Switzerland
Why it's exciting: Switzerland's panorama trains offer breathtaking views of some of the world's most beautiful mountains, providing a unique travel experience.
These technological marvels run along marvellous routes, connecting the adventure capital of Interlaken with Geneva. The GoldenPass Express is one of the most mind-blowing trains in Switzerland. Running from Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva, it climbs high above the lake, then passes through spectacular Alpine landscapes, past luxury resorts such as Gstaad, before arriving in Zweisimmen. From December 2022, the train continues without changes to Spiez and Interlaken Ost. The GoldenPass Express is included for Swiss Pass holders at no extra charge, although reservations cost €16 (€12 in low season) and are quite crowded during the peak summer months.
The train from Chisinau, Moldova to Kiev, Ukraine
Why it is exciting: a glimpse of everyday life from Ukraine, where trains are a lifeline for the country.
Ukrainian trains partially continue to run, a symbol of resilience during the brutal Russian invasion. It will be quite some time before travellers outside Ukraine can once again take the train to the capital, but in the meantime we can celebrate the resumption of this service since last November, after a 24-year stop. Now dubbed the Victory Train, the route includes a stop at Ungheny station in western Moldova, from where it is possible to reach Iaşi, Romania, whose airport has served as a key departure point for displaced Ukrainians.
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Published in January 2023