Slovensky Raj is a hiker’s paradise (Photo: Getty)
This single-track railway with spiralling tunnels and viaducts runs through three of Slovakia’s nine National Parks. These include the Slovensky Raj (Slovak Paradise), a hiker’s heaven of forested ravines and wildflower meadows. Mixed conifers and deciduous trees grow all along the route: beeches, birches, larches and spruces, conker-brown chestnuts and multicoloured maples. Direct trains set off six times a day, the journey takes about four hours to cover a little over a hundred miles, and costs just €8.42 (£7). zssk.sk/en/
Where to stay Almost next to the track in the mountain village of Mlynky, the resort-style Pension Pod Guglom has rooms from €68(£57) per night with good-value autumn packages offering breakfast, dinner and bike hire. podguglom.sk/
Berlin to Prague
The woods and lakes start as you leave the city, and the train runs through several huge nature reserves before reaching Dresden. Look out for the thousands of cranes, which stop off around October among Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft’s miles of fading purple heather and gold birches. Autumn 2024 sees the introduction of new carriages and a dining car on this route. The journey takes about four hours and tickets start from €18.90 (£16). int.bahn.de/en
Where to stay Twenty minutes on bus M41 from Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), the Hüttenpalast is a former factory in one of Berlin’s hippest corners, now filled with upcycled East German caravans and cabins from about €70 (£60) per night, B&B, huettenpalast.de/en/.
Palma to Sóller, Mallorca 
With modern, air-conditioned buses running from Palma and Sóller every half an hour, the railway is not the quickest way to travel between Mallorca’s capital and the old town of Sóller, set among mountains and glowing evergreen orange groves. This hour-long vintage train ride compensates with charm, atmosphere and lingering views of carob trees, bronze-leaved almonds, buttery-yellow oaks and ancient bulbous olives. The art deco train station has a permanent display of works by Miró and Picasso and the walkable town hosts various autumn festivals. Autumn is cool enough for hiking in the hills, still warm enough to swim in the sea, and a wooden tram runs from the station to the beach. The train costs €20 (£17) one way and a combined return ticket for both train and tram is €35 (£29), trendesoller.com
Where to Stay Meem townhouse has tasteful doubles from €160 (£134) B&B and is two minutes on foot from the plane-tree-shaded station, meemtownhouse.com.
Diakopto to Kalavryta, Greece 
Winding up through the leafy Vouraikos Gorge, this rack railway is at its best in autumn, when the plane trees turn amber and pink cyclamen flowers among lemon and olive groves. The 14-mile (22.5km) journey has dramatic climbs, vertiginous ravines, monasteries, caves, even eagles circling overhead. The railway name Odontotos literally means “toothed”, referring to the cogs that pull the train up the mountain. The train leaves Diakopto three times on weekdays, five at weekends and costs €9.50 (£8) each way, odontotos.com/index-en.htm
Where to stay The stone-walled Filoxenia Hotel, three minutes’ walk from Kalavryta train station and close to the tree-lined central square, has rooms with mountain views from about €72 (£60) including use of the spa. hotelfiloxenia.gr/
Source link : https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/seven-europe-scenic-rail-journeys-autumn-colours-3341135
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Publish date : 2024-10-24 05:00:00
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