Snow Way Out: Crossing the Alps by Train
A slow, snowy, absolutely unnecessary detour, and why it’s the best possible choice.
Most weeks I bring you to a destination: a country, a city, a beach. (Just kidding on the beach…) Today, the destination is the journey itself: the stretch of railway between Trento, Italy, and Innsbruck, Austria, one of the most quietly stunning Alpine crossings in Europe. And thanks to impeccable timing, I got the rare bonus of waking up to Europe’s first big winter snowfall as I rolled north. Sometimes the travel gods really do deliver.
The Brenner Route: A Rail Nerd’s Delight
The line from Trento to Innsbruck forms part of the historic Brenner Railway, one of Europe’s oldest trans-Alpine links, opened in 1867. Long before tunnels and high-speed lines rewired European rail, this was the route connecting the Italian peninsula to the German-speaking world.
And despite its age, it’s still a marvel:
A maximum gradient of only 2.5%, unusually gentle for a mountain railway.
A peak elevation of 1,371 meters at Brennero/Brenner Pass: the lowest Alpine pass linking north and south.
Tight curves, viaducts, and long river-hugging sections that make the ride feel as much like a nature documentary as a commute.
When Snow Changes Everything
I expected a mildly scenic ride. I did not expect a full winter wonderland.
Somewhere after Bolzano, the brown, late-autumn hills quietly flipped into white. Snow clung to every branch, every cliff, every roof of every small Alpine village. It wasn’t a dramatic blizzard, more like the Alps woke up overnight and decided: Yes. Today feels like a good time for some winter.
When you travel this route in the right moment, the train essentially becomes a slow-moving observation deck. No need for skis, no need to hike; the views come to you.
And Then… Norway? Canada? No, Just Italy-to-Austria
Once you start climbing toward Brenner, the railway and the A22 Autostrada keep leapfrogging each other, sometimes stacked vertically in ways that make you appreciate both physics and courage.
You pass:
Forests dusted by fresh snow like powdered sugar
Valleys carved by centuries of glacial melt
Bridges that seem to float
Villages where smoke curls up from chimneys like perfect postcards
It’s the kind of scenery that makes you press your forehead against the window like a kid, even if you’re a frequent traveler.
Yesterday: The Fast Way Under the Alps
Today: The Beautiful Way Over Them
Yesterday I crossed the Alps a different way…underneath them…on the Zürich → Lugano route via the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the longest passenger railway tunnel in the world at 57 km long.
The contrast is wild:
Gotthard Base Tunnel: 57km of pure speed, efficiency, and engineering muscle.
Brenner Route: switchbacks, open valleys, slow curves, panoramic windows.
Both brilliant.
Both worth doing.
But only one comes with surprise snow-covered forests.
A Few More Scenes From the Window
Why This Route Deserves a Place on Your List
It’s one of Europe’s most accessible Alpine crossings.
It’s gorgeous in any season, but magical in surprise snow.
It’s a reminder that slow travel can still feel cinematic and slow-motion.
And, let’s be honest, every traveler deserves at least one “Brenner Pass in the snow” moment.
If you’re collecting new regions, new train routes, or just new ways of experiencing the Alps, this one delivers.
The timing with the first snowfal was perfect! I love how the Brenner Route still manages to feel cinematic even thogh its been around since 1867. Something about slow travel through mountans that just hits different than speeding through tunnels.