Sea-hugging railways and magical views: five of Europe's best coastal train lines

Five coastal train routes across Europe showcase sea-hugging scenery and engineering feats. In Britain, the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line uniquely offers views of both coasts from a regular local train, with halts at places like Dingwall and Achnashellach, culminating at Kyle of Lochalsh after a dramatic panorama of lochs and headlands. In Ireland, Dublin Connolly to Arklow covers 50 miles in about 1 hour 45 minutes, with six daily trains and €8.85 for a single fare, passing Bray Head and Wicklow Hills before the coast reappears at Arklow. Germany’s Husum to Keitum route to the island of Sylt spans 44 miles in roughly one hour, with a €21.60 fare; since mid-April, a high-speed ICE train travels over the Wadden Sea via the Hindenburg causeway, a project dating to 1927.