France & Germany by Rail
Paris → Alsace → Bavaria → Berlin
A rail-led European vacation linking iconic cities, storybook villages and alpine beauty. Comfortable train connections leave more time for the places themselves.
What’s included
- Flights
- Rail
- Hotels
- Breakfast
- Sightseeing
- Excursion Tickets
- Support
Why this trip works
Classic cities + regions
Pair Paris and Berlin with Alsatian villages and Bavarian scenery.
Rail-first convenience
City-to-city trains reduce airport time and keep the trip comfortable.
Designed around you
Adjust pace, hotels and sightseeing mix.
Trip at a glance
- STARTING FROM
- $2,599 pp
- LENGTH
- 10 nights
- ROUTE
- 4 stops / 2 countries
- BEST TIME
- Apr–Jun & Sep–Oct
- STYLE
- Culture, rail & sightseeing
Your journey
Paris 3 nights
Landmarks, cuisine and neighborhoods along the Seine.
- Eiffel Tower
- Louvre
- Seine
Alsace 2 nights
Half-timbered villages, vineyards and regional character.
- Colmar
- Riquewihr
- Wine Route
Bavaria 3 nights
Alpine scenery, castles and city culture.
- Neuschwanstein
- Munich
- Alpine views
Berlin 2 nights
History, creativity and a dynamic capital atmosphere.
- Brandenburg Gate
- Museum Island
- Street art
Day by day
See the full 11-day itinerary
USA (JFK) → Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Arrival & Welcome
Depart New York JFK on transatlantic scheduled flight. Land at Paris CDG. Seamless transit via RER B / express to central Paris hotel. Check-in and leisure time to recover. Evening orientation stroll along the Seine River / Île de la Cité.
Paris Iconic Landmarks & Seine River Atmosphere
Morning visit to the Eiffel Tower perimeter (Champ de Mars / Trocadéro). Stroll the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. Walk through the Tuileries Gardens to the Louvre Courtyard (exterior photo stop). Sunset 1-hour Seine River Sightseeing Cruise included.
Paris Culture, Historic Latin Quarter & Montmartre Bohemia
Explore the historic Latin Quarter, Sorbonne area, and restored Notre-Dame Cathedral surroundings. Afternoon ascent to Montmartre: Place du Tertre artists' square and Sacré-Cœur Basilica with panoramic Paris vistas. (Optional Upgrade: Louvre Museum Timed Entry or Eiffel Summit).
High-Speed TGV: Paris → Strasbourg (Alsace Gateway)
Morning TGV high-speed rail direct across the Champagne and Grand Est regions to Strasbourg. Hotel check-in near station/ Petite France. Afternoon walking exploration of Petite France's half-timbered canals, Tanner's House, and the awe-inspiring Strasbourg Notre-Dame Gothic Cathedral.
Alsace Heritage & Colmar Fairytale Excursion
Morning regional train to fairytale Colmar. Explore the "Little Venice" (La Petite Venise), Pfister House, and artisan shops. Return to Strasbourg for an afternoon visit to the European Parliament Quarter and Place Kléber. Evening Alsatian tarte flambée dining experience.
Cross-Border Rail: Strasbourg → Munich (Bavaria)
Board international high-speed train crossing the Rhine into Germany, traversing the Black Forest edge to Munich Hauptbahnhof. Hotel check-in. Evening introduction to Munich Old Town: Marienplatz, Neues Rathaus Glockenspiel, and the lively Viktualienmarkt area.
Munich Royal Landmarks, English Garden & Bavarian Charm
Discover the Munich Residenz exterior, Odeonsplatz, and the vast English Garden (Eisbachwelle surfers). Afternoon visit to the historic Hofbräuhaus beer hall district. (Optional Full-Day Excursion Upgrade: Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Royal Castles coach tour).
High-Speed ICE: Munich → Berlin (German Capital)
Board Germany's flagship ICE high-speed train north across Thuringia and Saxony to Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Check-in to central hotel. Evening stroll through Alexanderplatz, Berlin TV Tower plaza, and Hackescher Markt courtyards.
Berlin 20th-Century History: Cold War & Reunification
Comprehensive historical journey: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag glass dome exterior, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Checkpoint Charlie, and the open-air East Side Gallery Berlin Wall mural trail along the Spree River.
Berlin Cultural Heritage, Museum Island & Kreuzberg
Morning at UNESCO World Heritage Museum Island (Lustgarten, Berlin Cathedral exterior). Afternoon exploring Charlottenburg Palace gardens or Kreuzberg/Prenzlauer Berg creative quarters and currywurst culinary stops. Final German farewell evening.
Berlin (BER) → USA (JFK) Departure
Breakfast, hotel check-out. Take the direct Airport Express (FEX/S-Bahn) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). Board transatlantic return flight to New York JFK. Arrive same-day in USA.
Hotels are selected 3-star or equivalent, subject to seasonal availability. Every day here can be lengthened, shortened or swapped — this is a starting point.