Ten days, one rail pass, and a straight line down the heart of Europe — from the canals of Amsterdam to the ruins of Rome, crossing the Alps and northern Italy on the way. This is the most rewarding first Interrail route there is: big-hitter cities, fast trains and only one border-heavy day. Here's the full itinerary, the exact pass to buy, and what it costs in 2026.
The route at a glance
Amsterdam → Cologne → Munich → Vienna → Venice → Florence → Rome. Six travel days, five overnight stops, roughly 2,000 km — all on daytime trains except an optional night train if you'd rather sleep through a leg.
| Days | Base | Train leg |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Amsterdam | Arrive |
| 3 | Cologne | Amsterdam → Cologne (~2h 45m) |
| 4 | Munich | Cologne → Munich (~4h 30m) |
| 5 | Vienna | Munich → Vienna (~4h) |
| 6–7 | Venice | Vienna → Venice (~7h / night train) |
| 8 | Florence | Venice → Florence (~2h) |
| 9–10 | Rome | Florence → Rome (~1h 30m) |
Day by day
Days 1–2 · Amsterdam
Start slow. Canal walks, the Rijksmuseum and a day trip to Haarlem or the Keukenhof (spring only). Amsterdam Centraal is your launchpad — pick up any pre-booked reservations at the international desk.
Day 3 · To Cologne
A short hop across the border on the ICE. Spend the afternoon at the Gothic cathedral and along the Rhine before an early night — tomorrow is a longer ride.
Day 4 · To Munich
South through Germany to Bavaria. Munich rewards you with beer gardens, the Englischer Garten and easy day-trip options if you want to add a night.
Day 5 · To Vienna
The ÖBB Railjet glides into Austria. Vienna is all imperial palaces, coffee houses and Klimt — an easy city to lose a day in.
Days 6–7 · To Venice
The most scenic leg, over the Alps into Italy. Prefer to save a hotel night? Swap the day train for a Nightjet sleeper and wake up in Italy. Two nights in Venice lets you see it after the day-trippers leave.
Day 8 · To Florence
A quick Frecciarossa down to Tuscany. Renaissance art, the Duomo and the best gelato of the trip.
Days 9–10 · To Rome
Ninety minutes on the high-speed line and you're in the capital. Two nights covers the Colosseum, the Vatican and a final Roman dinner before you fly home.
Which Interrail pass to buy in 2026
You only use a "travel day" on days you take a long train — six here — so a flexi pass is far cheaper than a continuous one. The sweet spot is the Global Pass, 7 days within 1 month (covers all six legs plus a spare day trip). Budget travellers can squeeze it into 5 days within 1 month by pairing short hops.
| Pass (2nd class) | Adult | Youth 12–27 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 days / 1 month | ≈ €283 | ≈ 25% less |
| 7 days / 1 month | ≈ €381 | ≈ 25% less |
| 15 continuous days | ≈ €476 | ≈ 25% less |
Youth travellers (12–27) get roughly 25% off and seniors (60+) about 10%. Not sure a pass beats separate tickets for your dates? Run the numbers with our Interrail vs point-to-point guide.
What it costs, all-in
As a rough 2026 guide for one adult: pass ≈ €381, reservations ≈ €40–70, hostels/budget hotels ≈ €70–120/night, food and sights ≈ €40–60/day. Ten days lands most travellers around €1,400–2,000 — less as a youth traveller, less again if you take a night train or two to save on hotels.
Tips to make it smoother
- Book reservations early. Italian high-speed and night trains sell their pass-holder quota fast in summer.
- Use the Interrail app to store your pass and activate travel days on the morning you ride.
- Go shoulder-season. May–June and September mean lower fares, fewer crowds and kinder weather over the Alps.
- Pack light. No checked bags means you carry everything up station stairs yourself.