Winter is coming – and with it its share of rain, cold and shorter days. Is that a reason to stay indoors? No reason at all. Some places in Europe are even more charming when covered in a blanket of white. Winter sports (and not just skiing) are waiting for you in the snowy resorts.
Europe is full of places that the snow sublimates. You know, towns or landscapes that are even more beautiful sprinkled with snowflakes. Here are a few destinations accessible by night train, where you can crunch your moon boots on snow-covered streets!
Prague is even more romantic in the snow! The most blue-blooded souls are bound to fall under the spell of this city of a hundred spires, dotted with works of art, castles and charming churches. Whether you want to go with your soul mate or your best friend, here are a few night train routes that will get you there.
Night train via Bregenz, Innsbruck, České Budějovice
Berlin gets very cold in winter. It’s no wonder that snow is a common sight. If you cover up well, you’ll be strolling through a magical city under the snow. The many parks, including the Botanical Gardens, Mauerpark and Tiergarten, are covered in a blanket of white. But also the Museum Island and the superb monuments such as the Reichstag. Berlin can be reached by night train from many European cities, including Paris from December 2023.
Night train via Bratislava, Ostarva, Frankfurt (Oder)
Night train via Bregenz, Innsbruck, České Budějovice
Imagine yourself on a boat, looking out over the snow-covered city of Stockholm. Sweden is even more beautiful under its white coat for a few months of the year. The many hills around the city centre offer a superb panorama of this magic. In the town centre, the warmly-coloured houses contrast beautifully with the snow! And once you’ve finished your walks, you can enjoy a Fika, the local comfort snack. Stockholm is well connected to the night train network, so you can get here from the four corners of Europe.
Poland, a country where snow is part of everyday life! If you like the traditional Christmas atmosphere, cinnamon biscuits, candlelit interiors and white landscapes, this is the place to be. Poles have a wealth of specialities to get them through the winter: pierogis (ravioli), bigos (a comforting stew), kiełbasa lisiecka smoked sausage, barszcz, a beetroot soup… Whether you visit the salt mines in the cold or the chilling Auschwitz, you’ll soon be comforted. Krakow is connected by night train to the whole of Poland, particularly Warsaw and Wroclaw, which are themselves well connected to other European countries such as Germany.
Night train via Düsseldorf, Frankfurt (Main), Munich
Night train via Nürnberg, Munich, Linz, Wörgl
As well as the kings of winter sports, downhill skiing and snowboarding, there are many other ways to enjoy the snow and the mountains.
These include cross-country skiing, snowshoe trekking, ice skating (rinks, lakes, etc.), ice hockey (sometimes played outdoors), fat-biking, tobogganing and dog-sledding. Here are a few places to enjoy the snow and mountains around Europe.
Kitzbühel (Austrian for “chamois hill”) is one of Austria’s most famous winter sports destinations. The vast ski area stretches from Kirchberg to the Thurn Pass. The resort is regarded as one of the most beautiful ski areas in Austria. It includes the Streif, one of the most difficult and prestigious downhill runs in the world.
Kitzbühel is relatively easy to reach from Innsbrück, Munich and Saltzburg, which can all be reached by night train.
Night train via Utrecht, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt (Main)
Night train via Nürnberg, Augsburg, Munich
Perched in the Dolomites, Cortina d’Ampezzo has 140 downhill ski runs and 80 km of cross-country ski trails. Looking for the Italian way of life? Cortina is at the heart of the Ampezzo Valley, and has been a favourite after-ski destination for decades. It has been the setting for many films, including “Cliffhanger” and “For Your Eyes Only”.
The town is not far from the Bolzano line, from which it can be reached fairly quickly by car.
Are is one of Sweden’s best-known ski resorts, and one of the oldest too. Located in the centre of Sweden, it comprises 5 sectors with a total of 40 lifts and 97 runs, including 500 kilometres of cross-country skiing.
It’s easy to get away from it all Swedish-style: the resort is connected to Stockholm and Göteborg by night train.
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