The tiny red and white trains of the narrow-gauge Pinzgaubahn make their way slowly through Austria’s Pinzgau Valley for 53 km. Villages and picturesque churches dot the landscape as you head towards one of the highlights at either end of the line – the Zeller See and the famous Krimml Waterfalls, the highest in central Europe.

Let yourself be enchanted by thick forests and winding valleys, mountaintop castles and riverbank vineyards on this adventurous rail journey across central Europe.

May 8, 2020, marks the 75th anniversary of the surrender of the Wehrmacht in Berlin, which brought the Second World War to an end in Europe. As the last remaining witnesses to these dark pages of history pass away, many places of reflection and commemoration are only gaining in significance.

In the early hours of April 16, 1945, the 2.5 million strong Soviet Army began its assault on Berlin in the hope of defeating Nazi Germany once and for all. After 16 days of heavy fighting and at times even hand-to-hand combat, 200,000 soldiers and civilians had lost their lives and much of the city lay in ruins. Despite the devastation, several landmarks and battle scars still survive today scattered across Berlin, serving as an important reminder to the last major offensive of the Second World War in Europe.

As a student, I would often find myself waiting on the platform at Essen railway station, on my way to university, weighing up whether or not to throw caution to the wind and jump on the train to Westerland/Sylt instead. Whenever I saw the train, the lyrics to the famous German song “Westerland” by Berlin punk band Die Ärzte – a somewhat sarcastic homage to this most touristic and middle-class of German seaside resorts – would run through my head. “Oh I have such a yearning, That I think I’m going insane,” it goes. Sod university, I’d think. “Take me back to the North Sea…” Alas, I never did jump on the train. I was a student after all and I couldn’t afford a holiday anywhere, let alone to the wealthy island of Sylt, where Westerland is located.

When Greta Thunberg sailed across the Atlantic on board a zero-carbon yacht to demonstrate her commitment to cutting CO₂ emissions, she took the world by storm. Her actions helped to raise global awareness of the growing climate crisis and encouraged many to re-evaluate how they travel. ‘Flight shaming’ soon entered the lexicon and the ‘Greta effect’ well and truly took off.

Making its way through the wilderness of the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve, the short route between the towns of Almere and Lelystad has been voted the most scenic route in the country. It is also an easy half-day trip from Amsterdam Central station.

Slowly crossing the serene South African landscape, watching the sunset with a glass of wine in the lounge bar, taking in the vast plains stretching to the horizon… The Premier Classe train from Johannesburg to Cape Town is an overland adventure that will transform your visit to South Africa into an unforgettable experience.

Visit the birthplace of modern design on this tour of the best Bauhaus sites across eastern Germany. The pioneering principle of the Bauhaus school – namely functional elegance – continues to shape the world we live in today, from the utilitarian design of our homes to the modular furniture we fill them with.

Many believe the Bernina line to be one of the finest stretches of railway in all of Europe and even the world. Winding its way slowly through the Swiss Alps, the route dazzles passengers with views of glaciers and streams, crystalline lakes and snow-capped mountains.