Renewed interest in train travel has sparked a ‘rail renaissance’ across the UK and Europe, as a growing number of travellers choose interrailing and Eurostar jaunts over long-haul flights.
We recently rounded up the best new British train journeys, and there are plenty of exciting routes coming to Europe, too.
From a sleeper train connecting 100 cities to a £40 service linking five countries, 2026 is set to be a huge year for train tourism.
Let’s take a look at the best of what’s to come.
A new ‘Tube for Europe’ could link UK to 39 European countries
We’ve heard news of the ‘Welsh Tube,’ now comes the European version — and it’s a game-changer for sustainable travel.
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Proposals for ‘Starline,’ envisaged by 21st Europe, aim to revolutionise travel across the continent, covering 39 stations with at least one in every country.
Starline’s ambitions include slicing emissions by 95% by replacing short-haul flights with high-speed tube-style trains.
There are plans for five main routes, including from Helsinki in Finland to Berlin in Germany. Currently, this journey takes one full day. Starline aims to slash it to three hours.
Other countries included in the plans range from Ukraine all the way to Turkey.
The goal is for the core trains to be travelling at 100 miles per hour — or even faster — by 2040. Not quite 2026, but worth the wait.
The Eurostar rival that wants trains to eastern Europe
Industry newcomer Gemini Trains is planning to launch a Eurostar rival in partnership with Uber.
The start-up plans to make Stratford International its gateway to the continent and challenge the Eurostar monopoly on the Channel Tunnel from as early as 2029.
The company plans to launch services from Stratford to Paris, Lille and Brussels, and then to expand to Cologne, the gateway to Germany and eastern Europe.
New train journey links seven European cities — and it costs £99 for a 21-hour trip
The European Sleeper is a new train service linking seven European cities over 15 stops.
The route will run from Brussels to Venice, stopping along the way in cities such as Eindhoven, Cologne, Munich, Innsbruck and Verona.
Created to provide a sustainable travel option between the cities, it’s also a unique opportunity to see a myriad of different cultures in one trip. From the iconic canals of Venice to Oktoberfest in Munich, some might say it’s the European interailing experience.
The inaugural journey left the station on February 5. Tickets don’t break the bank, either.
The cheapest tickets come in at £99 (€119) for a 21-hour trip (just over £4.70 per hour).
Popular European train routes cancelled for good — but there’s still time to board
Granted, this doesn’t actually count as a new route. It’s more of a reminder to book your trip before it’s too late.
Austrian national rail company ÖBB confirmed that two of its sleeper services will cease to run in the new year.
The night trains between Vienna and Paris, and Berlin and Paris, will be making their final calls on December 14.
However, there’s still time to bag tickets online, starting at €79.90 on the Vienna-Paris route (£69.58) for a standard seat, and €99.90 (£87.00) for a bed inside a couchette carriage.
The removal of the routes was due to the cancellation of government subsidies in France from 2026.
‘Ambitious’ new sleeper train will connect 100 European cities — with private rooms from £67
Nox, a Berlin-based startup, are creating an alternative European travel option — another sleeper train that’s expected to cost the same price as a plane ticket.
The company aims to connect popular cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan, Paris, Warsaw, Frankfurt and Brussels.
Should the plans go ahead, passengers can choose between single and double private rooms, starting at £67 (€79) and £127 (€149), respectively.
By the looks of social media, Nox already have plenty of future customers. ‘Shut up and take my money!’ one person said, while another referenced the ÖBB closure.
‘That’s brilliant, particularly now that the OBB NightJet Brussels to Berlin remains suspended.’
Nox wants to launch the first route by 2027. However, the overall goal is to connect over 100 European cities by 2035.
New £40 train spanning 745 miles across five European countries launches today
The Warsaw to Rijeka sleeper train is already on the ground and running (albeit taking a short rest currently).
Starting in the Polish capital — and being the first to span five European countries — the route ends in Rijeka, a Croatian coastal city known for glistening beaches, waterfalls, and 13th-century castles.
It covers 745 miles and passes through notable cities such as Opoczno, Katowice, Rybnik, Chałupki, Vienna, Ljubljana, Postojna, and Opatija.
Metro announced the sleeper train on the day of its maiden voyage: June 27.
From then, services ran four times a week until the end of August, operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The seasonal service will pick up again next June. Tickets are affordable, with prices starting around 200 Polish złoty (£39.53).
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