World's oldest public art collection with exceptional Holbein, Impressionist, and modern works
Basel Münster
Romanesque-Gothic cathedral in red sandstone with panoramic Rhine views from its terrace
artculturearchitecture
More about Basel
Basel sits at the tri-border point where Switzerland, France, and Germany converge along the Rhine, making it one of Europe's most strategically connected rail cities. Basel SBB is Switzerland's main international gateway, with direct TGV services to Paris, ICE trains to Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Berlin, and fast connections to Zurich, Bern, and Interlaken. The adjacent Basel Badischer Bahnhof handles additional German rail services.
Our own photograph
— Simon Harper, co-founder of Conductor Sam
3dayExplore
Lucerne
Switzerland
Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)
Europe's oldest covered wooden bridge with 17th-century painted panels
Lion Monument
Mark Twain called it 'the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world'
lakesidemountainshistoric
More about Lucerne
Lucerne is one of Switzerland's most picturesque cities, spectacularly set on the shores of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) with the Alps rising dramatically behind it. Lucerne station — rebuilt in a striking modern design by Santiago Calatrava after a 1971 fire — is a key central Swiss hub with direct trains to Zurich (45 min), Bern (1h), Interlaken (1h50), and connections via the Gotthard route to Ticino and Italy. The Golden Pass and Glacier Express scenic routes are accessible from here.
Our own photograph
— Simon Harper, co-founder of Conductor Sam
4dayExplore
Florence
Italy
Uffizi Gallery
World's greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art including Botticelli and Leonardo
Florence Cathedral (Duomo)
Brunelleschi's revolutionary dome with city panoramas from the top
renaissanceartarchitecture
More about Florence
Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, is a living museum of art and architecture. Firenze Santa Maria Novella station, designed by Giovanni Michelucci, sits minutes from the Duomo and connects to Rome (1.5 hours by Frecciarossa), Milan, Venice, Bologna, and other Italian cities via the high-speed network.
Michelangelo's ceiling and vast papal art collections
ancientartarchitecture
More about Rome
Rome, the Eternal City and capital of Italy, stands as one of Europe's most magnificent rail destinations. Arriving at Roma Termini—Italy's largest and busiest railway station—you step directly into the heart of ancient history, with the Baths of Diocletian just across the square and the Colosseum a short walk away. The city's compact historic center makes it ideal for exploring on foot, while an efficient metro system connects major sites.
World's finest Roman antiquities including Pompeii's mosaics and Farnese marbles
Spaccanapoli
Ancient street splitting the historic centre with churches, shops, and vibrant Neapolitan life
historyfoodUNESCO
More about Naples
Naples (Napoli) is southern Italy's magnificent, chaotic, utterly compelling capital — raw, vibrant, and deeply authentic. Napoli Centrale is the main station, with Frecciarossa high-speed trains to Rome (1h10), Florence (3h), Milan (4h30), and Turin. Regional trains reach Pompeii (25 min), Sorrento (via Circumvesuviana), and the Amalfi Coast via Salerno.
Our own photograph
— Simon Harper, co-founder of Conductor Sam
7dayExplore
Venice
Italy
St. Mark's Basilica
Stunning Byzantine cathedral with golden mosaics and a museum terrace
Doge's Palace
Gothic masterpiece of Venetian governance with Bridge of Sighs
canalsartarchitecture
More about Venice
Venice, the floating city, is one of the world's most extraordinary destinations. Venezia Santa Lucia station sits directly on the Grand Canal—step off the train and you're immediately in this car-free labyrinth of canals, bridges, and palaces. High-speed Frecciarossa trains connect to Milan (2.5 hours), Florence (2 hours), Rome (3.5 hours), and Bologna.
Imposing hilltop castle with panoramic views, reached by funicular
Mozart's Birthplace
Museum in the house where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on Getreidegasse
mozartbaroquemusic
More about Salzburg
Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace, is a baroque jewel set against a dramatic Alpine backdrop. Salzburg Hauptbahnhof connects to Munich (1.5 hours), Vienna (2.5 hours by Railjet), Innsbruck, and Zürich, making it a natural stop on trans-Alpine rail routes.
Habsburg imperial summer residence with stunning gardens
St. Stephen's Cathedral
Gothic masterpiece in the heart of Vienna
architectureartclassical music
More about Vienna
Vienna, the imperial capital of Austria, welcomes rail travelers at Wien Hauptbahnhof, a modern architectural landmark that opened in 2014 and serves as the city's central hub for international and domestic trains. From here, you're just a short metro or tram ride from the historic Innere Stadt, where the magnificent St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Hofburg Palace anchor a UNESCO World Heritage-listed old town.
Links use each city’s main station where matched. Check the stations and any connections before booking. Unmatched sections are omitted; these are route searches, not confirmed direct trains. Partner links may earn us a commission.
Before you book: stations, trains and food
How a rail pass fits this trip
This outline has 10 days with travel or an excursion: day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, day 5, day 6, day 7, day 8, day 9, day 10. That is a planning count, not a confirmed number of pass days. Optional excursions, uncovered transport and night-train departure times can change it.
A pass travel day can cover several participating trains. Compare the pass plus reservation fees with individual tickets for the dates you actually travel.
When to compare a Global Pass
A multi-country route is a useful starting point for comparing an Interrail or Eurail Global Pass. Check participating operators and your country of residence; Interrail’s home-country use is limited to an outbound and an inbound journey.
When individual tickets can help
Price the shorter hops separately. A cheap ticket can let you save a flexible pass day for a longer journey. Compare Sam’s tickets with Trainline and Omio, including their fees and refund conditions.
Graz now has direct international rail links with Berlin, Budapest, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Florence, Frankfurt, Krakow, Ljubljana, Munich, Prague, Rome, Trieste, Venice, Zagreb and Zurich
Check services and reservations for your dates before booking. We may earn commission from Trainline, Omio and Stay22 links. Passes and tickets bought through Sam have their own checkout terms.
Your route. Sam handles the details.
Conductor Sam is an agent for European rail. You name the places
you want to see; it works out the legs, the changes and the
awkward gaps, then prices the tickets against a pass.
We have been there
3 of the 9 destination postcards use photographs taken by our own co-founder, not bought from a stock library.
Written from a corpus we curate
The notes on each stop come from a rail knowledge base we research and maintain ourselves, so Sam answers from it rather than searching the web for you.
Save this route, choose your dates and let Sam help with trains, reservations and the right pass.
Your AI-powered assistant for train travel planning, information,
and booking across Europe and beyond.
We use a cookie! It is required for the website to function and we
also use it for privacy-friendly analytics (no third-party
trackers). You can opt out of analytics here or learn more in our
privacy policy.
Learn more
