Street view of a historic building in central Haarlem, Netherlands under a blue sky.

Spring Blossoms in Europe: Train Routes Through Tulip Fields and Alpine Meadows

February 25, 2025 Francesca 6 min read

Spring in Europe isn’t just a season—it’s a full-blown love affair.

Picture this: You’re gliding past tulip fields so vivid they look Photoshopped, alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers, and villages where every window box bursts with blooms.

Forget crowded buses or pricey tours. Here’s how to chase spring’s confetti show by train, one petal at a time.

1. Alkmaar to Schagen (Netherlands)

Vibrant rows of pink, yellow, and white tulips blooming in a rural field in Hancock, NH.

Climb aboard the Sprinter train at Alkmaar Station, and in 15 minutes, you’ll roll into Schagen—gateway to North Holland’s tulip belt.

From late March to May, the fields between these towns explode into a rainbow of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils.

The train itself? A double-decker with panoramic windows, perfect for spotting geometric rows of red and yellow.

Buy a day ticket (€10.50) via NS.nl and hop off at Heiloo for the Tulpenroute bike trail.

Rent a bike at the station (€8/day) and pedal past flower farms where you can snip your own bouquet (€5).

Back on the train, keep your eyes peeled for the 17th-century Schermerhorn windmills—they’re Instagram gold at golden hour.

2. Leiden Centraal to Hillegom (Netherlands)

A cheerful woman poses in vibrant tulip fields in Hillegom, Netherlands, capturing the essence of spring.

This 10-minute ride on the Sprinter Lighttrain is the shortest—and sweetest—way to reach Keukenhof Gardens.

From Leiden Centraal, the train zips through South Holland’s flower fields before dropping you at Hillegom, a 15-minute walk from Keukenhof’s gates.

April is peak season, when seven million tulips, daffodils, and orchids turn the park into a Van Gogh painting come to life.

Grab a Combi Ticket (€36.50 via Keukenhof.nl) that includes entry and a round-trip train fare from Amsterdam.

Pro tip: Take the 8:30 AM train to beat the crowds. After exploring, board the train to Haarlem for lunch at DeDAKKAS, a rooftop café with flower-themed cocktails.

3. Gent-Sint-Pieters to Eeklo (Belgium)

A modern train stops at an indoor railway station terminal with commuters on the platform.

Belgium’s Line 58 train (40 mins, €7.20) swaps Ghent’s graffiti alleys for the Kloosterbos Forest, where bluebells carpet the ground like a purple haze each April.

The train? A retro NMBS/SNCB carriage with mustard-yellow seats straight out of a Wes Anderson film.

Hop off at Eeklo and hike the Bulle Loop trail—3 km through beech woods and past abandoned monasteries draped in ivy.

For a post-hike treat, hit De Zonnekouter, a farm café serving rhubarb pie made with blossoms picked that morning. Tickets? Grab them at Belgiantrain.be.

4. Montreux to Gstaad (Switzerland)

Explore the picturesque streets of Gstaad, Switzerland, with traditional alpine architecture and scenic views.

The GoldenPass Panoramic train turns the 1.5-hour ride from Montreux to Gstaad into a moving postcard.

From March to May, the lower Alps near Les Avants erupt with crocuses and gentians, while cherry blossoms frame Lake Geneva’s shores.

Book a VIP seat (€45 via Goldenpass.ch) for front-row views through the glass-dome roof.

Stop in Château-d’Oex for the Spring Cheese Festival (late April), where you can nibble alpine blooms infused into local Gruyère.

Then, ride onward to Gstaad and hike the Lauenen Lake Trail, where marmots peek out from flower-strewn meadows.

5. Innsbruck to Seefeld in Tirol (Austria)

Experience a breathtaking gondola ride over the snow-covered mountains of Innsbruck, Austria.

The Karwendelbahn train (40 mins, €9.90) climbs from Innsbruck into the Tirolean Alps, where snowdrops and edelweiss cling to slopes still dusted with snow.

The train’s vintage red carriages rattle past Zirbenwald, a stone pine forest that smells like a spa in spring.

Buy tickets at Oebb.at and alight at Hochzirl for the Martinswand Loop hike—2 hours through meadows dotted with purple saxifrage.

Back in Seefeld, unwind at Dorf Alm, a farm-to-table inn where spring menus feature wild garlic soup and elderflower schnapps.

Pro Tips for Blossom Chasers

Time It Right: Late March to mid-May is prime, but check bloom trackers like Flower Radar for real-time updates.

Pack Layers: Alpine routes can swing from sunny to snowy in minutes. A lightweight puffer and waterproof boots are key.

Go Slow: Regional trains like Belgium’s Line 58 or Switzerland’s GoldenPass often have hop-on/hop-off flexibility. Use it!

Eat the Season: Savor tulip bulb soup in Amsterdam, wildflower honey in Gstaad, and rhubarb-stuffed waffles in Ghent.

FAQs: Your Spring Train Travel Dilemmas, Solved

Q: Are these routes crowded in spring?
Weekdays and early mornings are quieter. Keukenhof? It’s busy, but worth it—go at opening time.

Q: Can I bring my dog?
Yes! Swiss and Austrian trains welcome pets (€5–10 fee). Dutch trains require a muzzle in stations.

Q: What’s the cheapest way to book?
Regional passes like the Netherlands Day Ticket (€53) or Eurail Benelux Pass (€142 for 5 days) offer unlimited travel.