Sea Trains and Ferry Weekends
By Eira Lindqvist · 2025-04-12
The simplest formula for a good coastal weekend is one train, one ferry, two nights. You leave on a Friday afternoon, take a train along a coast, sleep, take a ferry across something, sleep again, come home Sunday. Almost nothing to plan.
Three routes to try
Copenhagen to Helsingor by train, ferry across to Helsingborg, slow your way up to Molle for a night. Reverse on Sunday. The whole thing costs less than one nice dinner in a capital.
Edinburgh up the east coast to Aberdeen, ferry overnight to Orkney, one night there, fly or sail back. Heavier on logistics but the kind of trip you remember.
Marseille to Toulon by coastal train, then a short hop to Porquerolles by ferry. Two nights of pine trees, sea, and very little else.
"A train along a coastline is the cheapest meditation retreat in Europe."
Why it works
Trains and ferries do something cars do not. They give you time to land. You arrive at the harbor already half-relaxed. The hardest decision is whether to sit on the deck or near a window.
Travel tips
A few practical notes.
- 01Travel midweek when possible, weekends along the coast can fill up fast
- 02Bring a real waterproof shell, not just a wind layer
- 03Carry a small thermos, hot coffee at a windy harbor is a small luxury
- 04Download offline maps, signal drops near cliffs and on long ferry crossings
- 05Talk to harbor staff and bakery owners, they always know where the locals eat
A route to try
If this article moved you, try this trip.
Build a two or three day version of the Europe ideas above. Pair one of our curated routes with a single ferry crossing, and give yourself two nights in the same harbor town. Slowness is part of the plan.
Browse routesFrequently asked
Reader questions.
- When is the best time to visit?
- Shoulder seasons, late spring and early autumn, tend to give you the softest light and the quietest harbors. Summer is busier but the days are long.
- Do I need to book ferries in advance?
- For walk-on passengers in most northern routes, same day tickets are fine. With a car in peak summer, book at least a week ahead, sometimes longer for the popular crossings.
- Is the weather a problem?
- Not really. Rain, fog and wind are part of the atmosphere here. Pack layers, waterproof shoes and a calm attitude, and the weather becomes part of the experience.
- Can I travel without a car?
- Yes. Most of the routes we cover combine trains, coastal buses and ferries. A car gives you flexibility, but you lose the slowness that makes these trips good.
Related reads
More from the journal.
Letters from the coast