Winter Train Trip Across Europe: A Multi-Country Route, Lessons Learned, and City-by-City Breakdown
- Adam Thompson
- Jan 12
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 18
This is the canonical master guide for our winter train trip across Europe. It provides the big-picture structure for the entire journey-why we chose this route, how we moved between countries by train, what actually worked in winter, and what we would do differently next time.
Every city guide and logistics post on this site connects back to this page. If you are planning a winter train trip across Europe, start here to understand the route and pacing first, then drill down into destinations and systems as needed.
What This Winter Train Trip Across Europe Covers
The full Spain → France → Germany → Belgium → UK route
Why trains were chosen over flights
How long we spent in each city (and why)
Lessons learned traveling Europe in winter
Links to detailed logistics and city guides
How This Guide Relates to the Logistics and Destination Hubs
This master guide provides the narrative and strategic foundation for the journey. The Europe Travel Logistics Hub explains how we moved between cities, while the Winter Europe City Guides Hub organizes each destination stop. Both exist to support this route overview.
Why This Trip Worked (and Why Winter Was the Right Choice)
We didn't start with a rigid itinerary. We started with constraints and goals:
Goals:
Visit family in Germany & Spain
Reunite with friends in Paris
Travel with my sister across Western Europe
Ski affordably later in Easter Europe
Experience cities without peak-season crowds
Constraints:
Winter weather
Budget discipline
Carry-on-only travel
Preference for trains over flights
Winter turned out to be an advantage:
Lower accommodation costs
Fewer crowds at major attractions
Christmas markets as built-in cultural experiences
Trains that felt calm rather than chaotic
The Big Picture Route
This journey unfolded in three intentional phases:
Phase 1: Establish a Base (Spain)
Valencia - one full month
Purpose: acclimation, cost control, routine building
Phase 2: Continental Europe by Train
Valencia → Barcelona
Barcelona → Marseille
Marseille → Lyon
Lyon → Strasbourg
Strasbourg → Würzburg
Phase 3: Western Europe & the UK
Würzburg → Paris
Paris → Brussels
Brussels → London
London → Edinburgh
Edinburgh → Manchester (departure)
This structure allowed us to move north gradually, managing climate changes, and avoid backtracking.
Why We Chose Trains Over Flights
We could have flown many of these legs faster-and sometimes cheaper. We still chose trains for four reasons:
City-center to city-center travel
No baggage stress (especially with winter gear)
Time regained (reading, planning, resting)
Continuity of experience (countryside, coastlines, transitions)
Some of the most memorable moments of the trip happened between cities-not inside airports.
How Long We Stayed (and Why)
City | Time | Why It Worked |
Valencia, Spain | 1 month | Budget reset, routines, language comfort |
Barcelona, Spain | ~25 hours | Architecture + viewpoints |
Marseille, France | ~21 hours | Harbor + literary history |
Strasbourg, France | ~46 hours | Christmas markets + walkability |
Würzburg, Germany | 5 days | Family, rest, regional travel |
Paris, France | 48 hours | Iconic highlights + nightlife |
Brussels, Belgium | 24 hours | Markets + food culture |
London, United Kingdom | ~46 hours | History, pubs, neighborhoods |
Edinburgh, United Kingdom | ~60 hours | Castle, whisky, winter atmosphere |
Key principle: not every city needs "completion".
We aimed for minimum viable immersion, not exhaustion.
Winter-Specific Lessons (That Changed How We Traveled)
Layering Beats Bulk
Wool layers allowed:
Rewearing clothing
Fast transitions between indoor/outdoor spaces
Carry-on-only travel across 9+ cities
Darkness Changes Timing
In December:
Edinburgh gets dark around 4:30pm
Attractions need earlier planning
Viewpoints must be chosen strategically
Christmas Markets Are Cultural Shortcuts
Markets in Strasbourg, Nuremberg (day trip), and Brussels delivered:
Local food
Seasonal traditions
Social atmosphere
-without needing museum reservations.
What Went Wrong (and What We Learned)
We made mistakes-and they improved the trip.
Train seating in Germany
"An available seat" sometimes means no seats
Trains can split without clear announcements
Standing in luggage areas happens
Paris public transit
Expensive multi-day passes
Limited payment methods at machines
Individual rides often cheaper
UK border reality
Eurostar requires passport control
Less spontaneity than Schengen travel
Each issue reinforced one truth: systems matter more than spontaneity on long routes.
Budget Control Without Sacrificing Experience
We balanced expensive cities with strategic slowdowns:
A full month in Spain offset Paris and London costs
Short stays limited accommodation spend
Trains reduced incidental expenses
This approach made the entire route financially sustainable-without feeling restrictive.
How to Use This Guide With the Hubs
This master guide connects directly to two supporting hubs:
Destination Hub
A fast index of every city on the route, with:
Ideal stay lengths
"Best for" summaries
Direct city guides
Logistics Hub
The operational playbook:
Train booking strategy
Seat reservations and platform chaos
Public transit comparisons
Packing systems
Common mistakes
Who This Route Is Best For
This trip is ideal if you:
Prefer trains over flights
Want depth without over planning
Are traveling in winter
Value walkability, food, and culture
Want to avoid peak-season chaos
It may not be ideal if you:
Want nightlife-heavy travel only
Dislike cold or early sunsets
Prefer slow travel in one country only
Final Thought
This wasn't a checklist trip. It was a connected journey-one that balanced family, friends, culture, logistics, and seasonality.
If you're planning your own winter train trip across Europe, use this guide as your anchor. Then branch outward-into the city guides for inspiration and the logistics hub for execution.
Continue Planning
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