Scenic Train Rides in France: The 12 Best Bookings

1.Skip-the-Line Versailles Palace Tour by Train from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 883 reviews · 4h 30m · from $94Our pick

Meet your English-speaking escort in central Paris, ride the train to Versailles, and walk to the palace for a guided visit of the state rooms, Hall of Mirrors, and gardens. Guides such as Julie, Cecile, Ivan, and Claire bring the royal stories to life. Plan for plenty of walking and crowded rooms.

“Tour guide, Mateo, was excellent and entertaining. Our initial guide for transportation was knowledge, on time and helpful.”

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2.Versailles Palace and Gardens Tour by Train from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 752 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $84

Travel from Paris to Versailles by RER with an escort, then tour the palace, Hall of Mirrors, and royal gardens with an English-speaking guide. Expect about three guided hours, a maximum group of 20, and free time afterward. Some departures can include the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette’s hamlet.

“Wonderful tour guide. Great personality, very engaging and informative. The only downside is it definitely did not last the full 3 hours and when you are paying for an experience it should be the full experience.”

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3.Versailles Château and Gardens Walking Tour from Paris by Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 714 reviews · from $79

Meet your guide at 8:30 am, ride the RER from Paris to Versailles, and spend about two hours hearing stories of Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, and the French Revolution while walking the gardens. Then enter the palace on your own with timed admission. Guides such as Aaron, OJ, Toby, and Mado have been praised for lively storytelling.

“Martine was an excellent guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and shared so many interesting facts about life in Versailles and the kings. It was a very enjoyable tour and Martine made it interactive and fun. Thoroughly recommend the tour to gain insight into the history of the Palace and gardens”

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4.Train Exp. through the Alps (Royal Baroque Route from Nice)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 682 reviews · 10 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $204Top rated

Meet your guide at Nice-Ville for a full day on the scenic Baroque Route railway. Depending on weather and season, visit villages such as Saorge, Tende, Annot, or Entrevaux, with local lunch, monastery or fortress visits, and optional steep hikes. Guides including Carmela and Cyril are known for humor, history, and attentive care.

“Be sure and dress appropriately for the time of year you are taking this train experience. Tour guide did a great job.”

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5.Versailles Domain Bike Tour with Palace Entry by Train from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 593 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $131

Meet guide Jude, Marley, David, Cedric, Ryan, or another Bike About Tours guide in the Marais, then take the train to Versailles. Ride and walk through the royal gardens, Trianons, and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet before a picnic by the Grand Canal. Your palace visit is self-guided afterward, with return travel on your own.

“This was a great way to see Versailles and get to enjoy more of the gardens including Marie Antoinette’s house and where the mistress lived. The palace was beautiful. We saw and enjoyed so much more than we would have without this tour. David was a wonderful guide.”

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6.Historic Train Ride & Alps Villages

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 312 reviews · 11 hours · from $200

Travel by historic mountain train from Nice with a small group of up to 15. Guides such as Cyril, Carmela, William, and Alex lead you through medieval villages, Baroque churches, fortifications, and optional hikes among chestnut forests and sandstone rocks. Expect an early start, 11 hours, local food, and plenty of steep walking.

“Cyril (our guide) was extremely helpful, knowledgeable about the history of the Nice region as well as extremely funny. He made our trip ever enjoyable. Cyril also goes above and beyond to accommodate any requests that came up and he provided awesome recommendations on what to try/ get while on the trip. All in all, this trip was excellent and we truly enjoyed ourselves taking in the sights of the Alps, Nice and the history of it all. Will definitely recommend this experience to others 👍🏻”

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7.Disneyland® Paris Tickets for Train and Parks

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 249 reviews · from $163

Collect your dated park and train tickets at the Magic Ways office near Madeleine or Concorde, then take the direct RER A to Marne La Vallée Chessy in about 45 minutes. Choose Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney Studios, or both. The package includes round-trip rail travel, but not food, drinks, or ticket delivery.

“taking the train was very easy to Disneyland Paris. The park was great --so many new and different things from the US parks. An excellent day!!”

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8.Porticcio: Coastal Train Ticket with Audio Guide & Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 159 reviews · from $22Best value

You ride a small train south from Grosseto-Prugna along Corsica’s coast, with views of Ajaccio, Mare e Sole, and beaches rarely seen by tourists. A French audio guide explains the area, while a 15-minute stop at Coti-Chiavari adds a bay panorama. The tour ends with two glasses of wine per person, saucisson, biscuits, and olives.

“Après un mauvais démarrage avec un trajet impossible à l'heure où nous avions pourtant réservé, suivis d'une météo capricieuse, l'expérience s'est tout de même révélée top ! Un chauffeur de trin fier de ses racines, avec beaucoup d'humour qui n'a pas peur d'utiliser la macagne sur les pinzutus que nous sommes ! Il nous a partagé un bout de l'histoire de cette île de beauté et c'est ce qu'on recherche en faisant ces activités touristiques !”

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9.Welcome to Paris Day Trip from London via Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 124 reviews · from $420

Travel from St Pancras to Paris by high-speed train, then see the Opera House, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and Eiffel Tower with an English-speaking guide. Anna and David have led recent departures. A Seine cruise and free time round out this tightly planned 14.5-hour day.

“Anna is an amazing guide! Highly recommend if you want a day trip to Paris.”

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10.Tour with the Mountain Train, Trek to Mystic Forest and Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 101 reviews · 8 to 13 hours (approx.) · from $181

Leave Nice at 7:30 am for a scenic train ride through the Var valley to Entrevaux. With a professional guide, you’ll visit its cathedral and Vauban fortress, hike around the mountain villages, eat lunch, and continue to Annot’s forests and caves. Expect a long day and real uphill walking.

“Incredible scenery and enjoyable hikes. Our guide Carmela was wonderful. She did her very best to make our experience exceptional.”

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11.Versailles Full-Day Trip by Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 86 reviews · 9 hours · from $180

Spend nine hours exploring Versailles with an English-speaking guide, round-trip RER travel, timed palace entry, the Hall of Mirrors, formal gardens, Petit Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s country hamlet. The tour includes a Petit Train ride and an optional three-course Ducasse lunch. Guides may include Claire, Ed, Christina, or Karen.

“This was an amazing day, made even better by our awesome guide, Hervè! His knowledge and sense of humour really made a great day even better!!! Of course, there were thousands of people there and was VERY hot, but well worth it just to be taken back in time and walk in the footsteps of Kings and Queens! Bring back the French monarchy, I for one would love to see the coronation of Louis XX!”

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12.Disneyland® Paris 1 Day with Round-Trip Train Tickets from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 50 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $178

Spend a full day at Disneyland Paris with dated admission to one or both parks and round-trip RER A train travel from central Paris. Collect your tickets from Magic Ways before 10am, then choose your own train times and stay for parades and Disney Illuminations. Food, drinks, and hotel transfers are not included.

“Great to visit in the off season to avoid long wait times”

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