Train travel is having a renaissance, and tourists can now enjoy perks such as free spas and £50 off hotel rooms simply by choosing rail over other modes of transport.
New train routes are springing up all over Europe, with daily services between Paris and Brussels launched in December 2024 and a low-cost train connecting Amsterdam and Berlin planned for later this year.
This is in part thanks to holidaymakers leaning into eco-conscious options — sustainable travel is now important to 83% of travellers, according to a recent Booking.com report.
Luxury has swept the rail travel industry in recent years, with high-end trains such as the Britannic Explorer boasting on-board wellness suites and Michelin star menus. But 2025 is set to bring bargains, as European destinations offer incentives to visitors travelling by train.
Normandy, France
In spring 2024, Normandy introduced ‘Le tarif bas-carbone’ (the low carbon tariff), which offers a minimum 10 per cent discount on admission to 90 cultural sites and attractions.
The discount is available to tourists arriving in France’s northern region by train, bus or bicycle, and applies to attractions including museums, castles, parks and monuments, as well as activities such as canoeing, bike rental and escape rooms.
To claim the discount, simply present a dated train ticket to any Normandy station.
How to get there by train: Take the Eurostar from London to Paris before hopping on a direct train to locations in Normandy, including the port city of Caen and the town of Bayeux.
Alpine ski resorts
Popular ski resorts like Morzine, in the French Alps, and Via Lattea, which straddles the French and Italian border, first started incentivising guests to arrive by train last winter.
Montagne Verte, an environmental not-for-profit based in Morzine, launched The AlpinExpress Pass, which offers exclusive discounts for people travelling by rail to the mountains.
After booking a ticket, visitors must send a copy to Montagne Vert via their website, then wait to receive a certificate to use when booking services eligible for a discount.
The offer includes 10% off a Morzine-Avoriaz lift pass, up to 10% off lessons and equipment hire, 10% off guided snowshoeing, and 10% off a massage with Mobile Mountain Massage.
Meanwhile, Via Lattea resort has partnered with Trenitalia, Italy’s state railway, to offer 25% off daily, two-day and six-day ski passes until March 30, 2025.
Tourists can take advantage of the discounts by showing their train ticket to Oulx at the Italian ticket offices in the ski area on arrival.
How to get there by train: Take the Eurostar to Paris and head to Gare de Lyon to take a train to Bellegarde. Change here for a train to Cluses or Thonon les Bains, the closest stations to Morzine.
Sweden
Award-winning holiday company Wild Sweden, which offers wildlife holidays and tours around the Scandinavian country, offers a ‘climate reward’ on selected trips for visitors who travel by train from Stockholm to Luleå, in Swedish Lapland, with a return ticket.
The reward includes a free meal at the Hotel Savoy in Lulea and free spa access, and can be claimed by emailing Wild Sweden.
Elsewhere, rental property site Grand Trip Sweden offers a special gift for guests who travel to the country by train or electric vehicle.
Examples of the rewards on offer include complimentary kayak rental, a complimentary welcome basket, early check-in or late check-out, and a discount on future stays.
Visitors can claim the discount by sharing their travel details with Grand Trip Sweden upon arrival.
How to get there by train: Travel from London to Brussels on the Eurostar, then take the train to Cologne and change at Hamburg for a direct onward journey to Stockholm. Night trains are available from Stockholm to Lulea.
Girona, Spain
Mas Pelegri, an eco-hotel in Girona, Spain, offers guests £50 off a weekly stay if they come by rail.
The venue announced they would be launching the discount in July 2023, to coincide with the new daily train service between Lyon in France and Figueres, Girona and Barcelona in Spain.
How to get there by train: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, then change to Gare de Lyon for direct trains from Paris to Girona.
Switzerland
Tourists who choose to explore Switzerland by public transport can enjoy free entrance to over 500 museums with a Swiss Travel Pass.
The passes start at £222 and can be purchased via the Switzerland Travel Centre website, and allow unlimited travel for three, four, six, eight, or 15 consecutive days.
Other perks include up to 50% discount on most mountain railways.
How to get there by train: Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, and from there head to Gare de Lyon for direct trains to Swiss locations including Basel, Zurich, Geneva, and more.
Eurostar incentives
If you don’t fancy changing trains once you’ve travelled across the channel, stick with the Eurostar to save money on attractions in some of Europe’s most popular cities.
Passengers heading to Paris can enjoy 20% off the hop-on hop-off Tootbus and 10% off a Paris city pass.
A Eurostar ticket also grants travellers a discount on city passes in Liege, Rotterdam and Dusseldorf.
Meanwhile, keen cyclists can get up to 20% off bike hire in Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Dusseldorf and Cologne.
A train across the channel also offers discounts for those heading on a skiing holiday, including 5% off ski equipment rental and 5% off transfers from station to chalet.
View the full list of Eurostar partner offers on the Eurostar website.
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