Renaissance old town with traboules (hidden passageways) and atmospheric streets
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Ornate hilltop basilica with panoramic views over the city
gastronomyfoodarchitecture
More about Lyon
Lyon, France's gastronomic capital, sits at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. Lyon Part-Dieu and Lyon Perrache stations connect to Paris (2 hours by TGV), Marseille (1.75 hours), Geneva, and other major cities. The city's position on the Paris-Marseille-Mediterranean TGV axis makes it supremely accessible.
Iconic seafront boulevard curving along the Baie des Anges with belle-époque splendour
Vieux Nice (Old Town)
Baroque labyrinth of narrow streets with Cours Saleya flower and food market
beachartfood
More about Nice
Nice, the jewel of the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur), basks in Mediterranean sunshine between azure seas and the foothills of the Alps. Nice-Ville station connects to Paris via TGV (5h30), Marseille (2h30), Monaco (20 min by TER), Genoa and Milan, and the spectacular scenic Train des Merveilles to Tende in the Alpine hinterland.
UNESCO-listed Renaissance palace system with art collections by Rubens and Van Dyck
Aquarium of Genoa
Europe's largest aquarium at the redesigned Porto Antico waterfront
maritimeUNESCOfood
More about Genoa
Genoa (Genova), capital of Liguria, was once one of the world's most powerful maritime republics and birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Genova Piazza Principe and Genova Brignole stations connect to Milan (1h30), Turin (1h45), Rome (4h30 via coast or 3h via new route), Nice (3h30), and the scenic Cinque Terre villages along the coast.
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.
Our own photograph
— Simon Harper, co-founder of Conductor Sam
6dayExplore
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.
Day trip from Interlaken. Included as a day-trip idea in your planner.
Day 9 · Basel
Along the way
Journey details
Arriving in Basel
Our own photograph
— Simon Harper, co-founder of Conductor Sam
9dayExplore
Strasbourg
France
Strasbourg Cathedral
Magnificent Gothic cathedral with astronomical clock and panoramic platform
Petite France
Picturesque quarter with half-timbered houses, canals, and covered bridges
alsacearchitecturefood
More about Strasbourg
Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace, uniquely blends French and German cultures on the Rhine border. Gare de Strasbourg, behind a stunning glass canopy, is a TGV hub reaching Paris in 1 hour 46 minutes, with connections to Basel, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Luxembourg. The city's position makes it a natural crossroads for French and German rail networks.
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.
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
2 of the 8 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.
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