The joy of ‘winterrailing’: my off-season rail adventure in France, Germany and Switzerland

Golden landscapes, cosy cafes and crowd-free sightseeing are just some of the highlights of exploring central Europe by rail in the cooler months

You’ve got broadly two options when planning an off-season rail trip in Europe. Hop on a sleeper train and speed as far south as you can in the hope of finding some sunshine, or lean into the oncoming winter.

With an October half-term holiday looming, our family decided to embrace the second option, planning a “winterrailing” itinerary that would take us on a nine-day loop through central Europe, stopping off at cities that know a thing or two about hunkering down in the face of inclement weather and long, dark nights. We would watch the autumn colours unfurl from the comfort of a train carriage, spend our days visiting museums and galleries, refuel with coffee and cake in cosy cafes, and maybe even sneak in some early Christmas shopping. Not only would we dodge the sticky discomfort of sightseeing in the heat of summer, we would avoid the crowds and inflated prices that come with peak-season travel.