There are those hiking trails where time seems to stand still for a moment. The Hochuferweg along the steep north coast of the island of Rügen is one of those. A day trip full of chalk cliffs, ancient beech forests, seascapes and the feeling of walking at the end of the world – and it all starts at the ‘end of the line’… station Sassnitz on the Ostsee island of Rügen.

Entering the lush forests of Schorfheide by train, the hustle and bustle of Berlin seems miles away. Amid this green paradise lies a forgotten piece of imperial grandeur: Joachimsthal’s Kaiserbahnhof. Built in 1898, this charming station was once the exclusive stop of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who got off here to hunt in nearby Hubertusstock.

Snow-covered forests, medieval castles, and fairytale myths and legends about witches. The Harz, the northernmost mountain range in Germany, is a paradise for romantics and outdoor enthusiasts. And in winter, the white hills and crisp mountain air draw many visitors to the rugged, barren peak of the Brocken, the highest mountain in northern Germany, complete with its own train station.

The train guard pointed to his watch and said ‘We will arrive in Munich in just over 3-hours”, a relatively short journey from Frankfurt’s grand terminus. Yet, between these two points, I had the chance to hop into Franconia’s wine country, skip between the medieval charms of Nuremberg and jump straight into the cosmopolitan flair and Bavarian traditions of Munich, swapping a crisp glass of white wine with a ‘Die Maß’ litre glass of beer at Oktoberfest, along the way.

Trams, trains, buses, undergrounds, ferries, Schwebebahn (suspension railways), even a rowboat with a ‘private rower’—the options are endless. Since May 2023, the ultimate slow travel ticket, the Deutschland-Ticket, priced at €58 a month, has granted unlimited access to all regional public transport in Germany. You can even extend your journey to Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, or Poland by train. Yet, the real appeal lies in the many adventurous routes that follow rivers, cross mountains, and wind past vineyards, castles, and remote towns and villages.

As you stand on the banks of the Rhine and look out over this mighty river, many words come to mind. Enchanting, formidable, majestic. It’s hard to imagine that at its source you can step right over it in a single stride. Intrigued, I recently travelled to Lake Toma, Switzerland, by bike and train to see for myself the Rhine at its humble source.

Dresden is a city brimming with musical history, from the house where Wagner wrote his Lohengrin opera and the street where a popular violinist was murdered on a tram, to a hall where Mozart once played for the king. Guide and cultural historian Christoph Münch set out to find the city’s forgotten musical past and collected them in his book “Dresden – 500 Places of Music”. Also of interest is the important role the railways played in the city’s cultural and musical development.

From Europe’s longest bar to a wholesome beer spa, via some life-saving beer tunnels: we travelled with an Interrail Pass from Rotterdam to Pilsen visiting some of Europe’s best breweries, bars, beer gardens and cellars. We immersed ourselves in history… and eventually in beer too.

There’s a reason why a city’s railway station is often its most iconic landmark. Sure, its grand design or architectural innovation helps to form your first and last impression of your destination, but it’s also the stories it tells that draw you in, the people coming and going, the family reunions, the emotional farewells.

Across Europe, thousands of miles of railway have been abandoned over the years and left to rust. But in one German town, an old line that once transported Prussian troops and military equipment and later shuttled children to and from school has been brought back to life. Today, you can enjoy a ride along the disused railway on a draisine— or rail bike.