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Through the mountains to Italy from Frankfurt — 5 days

5 days · From Frankfurt · Round trip

Basel
Basel

Photo by @abi-hinchley

Florence
Florence

Our photograph — Simon Harper

Venice
Venice

Our photograph — Simon Harper

Small dots mark connecting stations. Map lines connect the stops, rather than the exact railway.

Your journey, at a glance

Basel → Florence → Venice → Salzburg → Frankfurt

Save a copy, then choose dates and travellers. Nothing is booked until you decide.

Places along the way

A starting point for your own journey.

Frankfurt

Your starting point

Journey details
Arriving in Frankfurt
Basel

Photo by @abi-hinchley

1 day Explore

Basel

Switzerland

  • Kunstmuseum Basel

    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.

Find places to stay in BaselOpen accommodation map ↗
Arriving in Basel

Day 2 · Milan

Along the way

Journey details
Arriving in Milan
Florence

Our own photograph — Simon Harper, co-founder of Conductor Sam

2 day Explore

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.

Find places to stay in FlorenceOpen accommodation map ↗
Arriving in Florence
Venice

Our own photograph — Simon Harper, co-founder of Conductor Sam

3 day Explore

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.

Find places to stay in VeniceOpen accommodation map ↗
Arriving in Venice

Day 4 · Villach

Along the way

Journey details
Arriving in Villach
Salzburg

Photo by @daniel-klaffke

4 day Explore

Salzburg

Austria

  • Hohensalzburg Fortress

    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.

Find places to stay in SalzburgOpen accommodation map ↗
Arriving in Salzburg

Day 5 · Frankfurt

Journey’s end

Journey details
Arriving in Frankfurt

Tickets for your journey

Choose a section to search. Add your dates and travellers to compare fares, changes and booking conditions.

JourneySamTrainlineOmio
Frankfurt BaselSearch—Search ↗
Basel MilanSearch—Search ↗
Milan FlorenceSearch—Search ↗
Florence VeniceSearch—Search ↗
Venice VillachSearchSearch ↗Search ↗
Villach SalzburgSearchSearch ↗Search ↗
Salzburg FrankfurtSearch—Search ↗

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 5 days with travel or an excursion: day 1, day 2, day 3, day 4, day 5. 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.

Pass guidance checked 19 October 2026. Travel-day rules · Reservation guidance

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2 of the 4 destination postcards use photographs taken by our own co-founder, not bought from a stock library.
Written from a corpus we curate
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