1-Week Interrail Itinerary: Best of Western Europe

1-Week Interrail Itinerary: Best of Western Europe

One week sounds brief, but with Europe's high-speed rail network compressing distances, a 7-day Interrail adventure can deliver an extraordinary sweep of Western Europe's greatest cities. This itinerary covers London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam — four capital cities connected by some of the world's finest rail infrastructure, all reachable in a compact, memorable loop.

The recommended pass is an Interrail Global Pass: 4 travel days within 1 month — the most economical option for this route. Note that Interrail passes do not cover travel within your country of residence, and Eurostar requires a compulsory reservation in addition to the pass.

Day 1-2: London — Gateway to Europe

Arrive in London and spend two days absorbing the city before boarding the Eurostar to the continent. London rewards purposeful wandering: the South Bank between Tate Modern and Borough Market is one of Europe's great urban walkways; the British Museum's free permanent collection is genuinely unmissable; the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum deserve at least a morning each. Neighborhoods like Shoreditch, Notting Hill, and Bermondsey reward those who stray from the tourist circuits.

Stay near St. Pancras International — London's Eurostar terminal — to make your departure smooth. The station itself is magnificent: the restored Victorian Gothic hotel and the reimagined booking hall are worth seeing even before you board.

Day 3 Morning: Eurostar to Paris (2 hours 15 minutes)

The Eurostar from London St. Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord takes 2 hours 15 minutes, traveling through the 50-kilometer Channel Tunnel beneath the sea. Use one Interrail travel day. A compulsory reservation is required and costs around €30-40 on top of the pass — book directly through the Interrail website or the Eurostar booking system. Arrive in Paris by mid-morning with time for the afternoon.

Important: Arrive at St. Pancras at least 45 minutes before departure. Eurostar operates like an international flight — passport control and security are required before boarding.

Day 3-4: Paris — The Essential City

A day and a half in Paris demands prioritization. The Louvre is vast — pick two or three wings rather than trying everything. The Musée d'Orsay's Impressionist collection is more manageable and arguably more enjoyable. The Eiffel Tower queue is legendary — consider visiting at night when lines are shorter and the illuminated structure is more atmospheric. The Marais district's Le Marché des Enfants Rouges is a wonderful covered food market for lunch; Père Lachaise cemetery an unexpectedly moving afternoon wander.

The Paris Métro is fast, cheap, and comprehensive. A carnet of 10 tickets or a Navigo Easy card covers all your city travel efficiently.

Day 5: Thalys/IC to Brussels (1 hour 22 minutes), then onward to Amsterdam

A fast Thalys service from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels-Midi (Bruxelles-Midi) takes just 1 hour 22 minutes — barely enough time to read a few chapters of a book. Use one Interrail travel day for the Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam sequence. A reservation is required for Thalys services (around €13-15).

Rather than an overnight in Brussels, consider a half-day stopover: leave your bags at Brussels-Midi left-luggage lockers, spend 4-5 hours in the city, then take an afternoon IC or high-speed Eurostar Domestic service to Amsterdam (around 1 hour 50 minutes from Brussels). Amsterdam requires a separate reservation if taking Thalys or IC international services.

Brussels Highlights for a Half-Day

Brussels is chronically underrated. The Grand Place — Brussels' central square — is genuinely one of Europe's most beautiful urban spaces, its gilded guild houses surrounding the Gothic Town Hall in a composition that staggers first-time visitors. The Manneken Pis is small and absurd and entirely worth a look. Belgian frites (properly served with mayonnaise) and a glass of Trappist Westmalle or Chimay at a café terrace is the essential Brussels experience in under two hours.

Day 6-7: Amsterdam — Canal Capital

Two days in Amsterdam allow genuine depth. The Rijksmuseum's collection of Dutch Golden Age masterpieces — Rembrandt's Night Watch, Vermeer's Milkmaid — is among the world's greatest. The Anne Frank Huis requires advance booking (weeks ahead in peak season) and remains one of the most emotionally powerful sites in Europe. The Van Gogh Museum provides an extraordinary chronological journey through the painter's turbulent genius.

Amsterdam's canal ring is best experienced by renting a bicycle — the Dutch way — or by taking a canal boat tour that passes under the famously narrow bridges. The Jordaan district, with its boutique shops and brown cafés, rewards slow afternoon exploration. Eat raw herring (haring) from a street cart near Centraal station, try stroopwafels fresh from the Albert Cuyp market, and allow yourself an evening at one of the city's legendary bruin cafés over a glass of Heineken or Grolsch.

Alternative: The Paris-Centered Loop

If your primary interest is France, consider a Paris-based itinerary using the city as a hub for day trips:

• Day trip to Brussels: Thalys from Paris Gare du Nord, 1h22, use one travel day — arrive for lunch, return after dinner.
• Day trip to Amsterdam: Thalys from Paris, 3h15, use one travel day — arrive at noon, return on an evening service.
• Day trip to Lyon: TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon, 2h, use one travel day — Lyon's food scene and old town deserve a full day.

This approach keeps accommodation costs low (staying in one city for 5-6 nights often yields better rates) and eliminates daily packing and unpacking.

Pass Recommendation and Costs

• Interrail Global Pass — 4 travel days in 1 month: allows this exact itinerary with one spare travel day for flexibility or side trips.
• Approximate pass cost: around €230-270 for adults (youth discounts available under 28).
• Reservation fees: Eurostar, Thalys, and Intercity international services all require paid reservations — budget approximately €60-80 for all segments.
• Note: Point-to-point advance tickets sometimes undercut the pass plus reservation cost for this specific route. Compare both options before purchasing.

Practical Tips

• Book Eurostar well in advance — demand is high year-round on the London-Paris corridor.
• Validate your Interrail pass before first use through the Interrail app.
• Brussels-Midi station is in a rougher area of Brussels — be aware of your surroundings, and take a cab or Metro to the Grand Place.
• Amsterdam Centraal lockers are useful for day-before-departure bag storage.

Packing Smart for a 1-Week Interrail Trip

One week in four capital cities demands efficient packing. A 40-litre carry-on bag — small enough for overhead racks on every train in this itinerary — is the sweet spot. Roll clothes rather than fold, bring a universal power adapter (Type C plugs cover Continental Europe; the UK requires Type G), and carry a reusable water bottle for station refills. Shoes deserve careful thought: cobblestones in Paris's Marais and Amsterdam's canal streets punish anything without proper soles. A lightweight rain jacket is non-negotiable in London and Amsterdam regardless of season. Budget-wise, allocate roughly €80-100 per day for accommodation, food, and entry fees in Amsterdam and Paris; London and Brussels lean slightly higher and lower respectively. Your Interrail pass covers all trains, so the main variable expenses are museum tickets (book online to skip queues), meals, and accommodation — hostels with private rooms in all four cities run €50-90 per night, while mid-range hotels average €120-180.

Planning a longer journey? See our full Interrail Pass guide and our dedicated guide to the London-Paris-Brussels corridor for more detail on these legendary routes.