There are few better ways to extend a cruise than by boarding a train. You've spent a week watching the world pass from the sea, so it seems only reasonable to see what it's been doing inland.

And some of the world's finest railway journeys connect remarkably well with cruise destinations. Norway offers mountain crossings and vertiginous descents towards the fjords, Switzerland has trains threading through the Alps, and Japan can transport you between major cities at 285km/h with considerably less fuss than the average airport security queue.

The question is which journeys genuinely work alongside a cruise, rather than requiring a complicated expedition involving three connections and an increasingly strained relationship with your luggage.

Here are seven worth making extra time for, from easy port-day excursions to railway adventures deserving a holiday of their own.

1. Bergen Railway, Norway: seven hours across the mountains

Route: Oslo to Bergen | Journey time: around 7 hours | Allow: 1 extra day

Norway has an appealing disregard for what constitutes sensible railway-building terrain. The Bergen Railway, connecting Oslo with the country's western coast, climbs through forests and mountain valleys before crossing the vast Hardangervidda plateau, where the landscape becomes increasingly sparse and the weather frequently looks rather serious.

At Finse, the highest station on the line, you're more than 1,200 metres above sea level. The railway then descends towards Bergen through scenery that shifts from exposed mountains to rivers, waterfalls and greener valleys.

The full journey covers approximately 483km, and the changing landscapes make it one of Europe's great long-distance railway experiences.

For cruise passengers, the connection is unusually convenient. Bergen is a major Norwegian cruise port, and its railway station is in the city centre. You could fly into Oslo, spend a night exploring the capital and take the train west before joining your ship in Bergen. Alternatively, finish a Bergen-based cruise and head inland.

Book a daytime departure. There's also a night service, but crossing one of Europe's most beautiful landscapes while unconscious seems a questionable use of the ticket.

Tickets are available through Vy, Norway's national rail operator.

2. Flåm Railway, Norway: the little train with an enormous view

Route: Flåm to Myrdal | Journey time: around 1 hour each way | Allow: 2–3 hours

If the Bergen Railway is impressive for the distance it covers, the Flåm Railway manages something remarkable in just 20km.

Beginning at the tiny fjordside village of Flåm, the train climbs to Myrdal, 867 metres above sea level, negotiating sharp gradients, tunnels and mountainsides that appear to have been designed with pedestrians, rather than locomotives, in mind.

Along the way, you'll pass remote farms, plunging valleys and waterfalls, including Kjosfossen, where trains make a short sightseeing stop. The gradient reaches 5.5 per cent across much of the route, making this one of the steepest conventional railways in the world.

It's particularly convenient because cruise ships call directly at Flåm. The railway station is close to the waterfront, making a return journey entirely feasible during a typical port day.

You can also incorporate the line into a longer pre-cruise journey between Oslo and Bergen by changing trains at Myrdal.

One practical warning: Flåm is small, but its railway is enormously popular. Book well ahead, particularly when several ships are visiting, and allow sufficient time to return before departure.

Check schedules through the official Flåm Railway website.

3. Glacier Express, Switzerland: eight hours in the Alps

Route: Zermatt to St Moritz | Journey time: around 8 hours | Allow: 2–3 extra days

Despite its name, the Glacier Express isn't in any great hurry. The train takes approximately eight hours to travel between Zermatt and St Moritz, winding through some of Switzerland's most spectacular Alpine scenery.

There are deep valleys, mountain villages, high passes and extraordinary feats of engineering, including the famous Landwasser Viaduct. Panoramic windows offer uninterrupted views of the mountains, although it's worth resisting the temptation to photograph every single one. Switzerland has quite a lot of them.

The route crosses the Oberalp Pass at more than 2,000 metres, with scenery that changes dramatically between seasons.

For cruise passengers, this is a more ambitious addition. Neither terminus is near a seaport, so the Glacier Express works best as part of a longer Swiss holiday before or after a Mediterranean cruise, with onward rail connections towards Italy or France.

I'd allow at least two additional nights, preferably more. Trying to squeeze the journey between a ship's arrival and a flight home rather defeats the pleasure of travelling slowly.

Reservations are compulsory and cost extra on top of the rail ticket, including for many pass holders. The service also has seasonal breaks, so check operating dates before planning your trip.

Book through Glacier Express.

4. Cinque Terre Express, Italy: five villages by train

Route: La Spezia to Levanto | Journey time: short regional hops | Allow: 1 day

Italy's Cinque Terre is a collection of five coastal villages that seem to have been built specifically to make photographers run out of storage space.

Colourful houses cling to steep cliffs above the Ligurian Sea, connected by walking trails and a railway that spends much of its time disappearing into tunnels.

The Cinque Terre Express operates between La Spezia and Levanto, stopping at Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. The journey is less about one continuous scenic ride than the freedom to hop between villages without having to negotiate narrow coastal roads.

For cruise passengers calling at La Spezia, it's an excellent independent excursion. The railway station is accessible from the port area by local transport or a walk, depending on where your ship docks, and trains make exploring several villages feasible within a day.

I'd suggest choosing two or three rather than attempting all five. Vernazza has a particularly beautiful harbour, while Manarola offers the sort of view that makes even indifferent photographers suddenly very interested in composition.

Trenitalia offers dedicated Cinque Terre fares and passes, with prices varying by date and demand. Its published 2026 seasonal fare system runs from 14 March to 1 November.

5. Japan's Shinkansen: Tokyo to Kyoto at 285km/h

Route: Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka | Journey time: around 2–2½ hours | Allow: 1–3 extra days

Japan's bullet trains have achieved something extraordinary: making punctual public transport internationally famous.

The Tokaido Shinkansen connects Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka at speeds of up to 285km/h, with the fastest Tokyo-to-Kyoto services taking around 130 minutes. The trains are comfortable, frequent and remarkably straightforward to use.

There is, of course, scenery. The journey passes urban landscapes, farmland and mountains, with a possible glimpse of Mount Fuji on the right-hand side when travelling west from Tokyo, weather permitting.

But the real appeal for cruise passengers is how much more of Japan the railway makes accessible.

If your cruise begins or ends in Tokyo or Yokohama, you could spend several days exploring Kyoto's temples, gardens and traditional neighbourhoods before taking the train back. Alternatively, a cruise embarking or disembarking around Osaka or Kobe can be paired with time in Tokyo.

It's an excellent way to turn a Japanese cruise into a broader journey without hiring a car or arranging domestic flights.

One detail worth knowing is that the Japan Rail Pass doesn't cover Nozomi services without a supplementary ticket. If you're travelling independently, booking individual tickets may be simpler.

6. Rocky Mountaineer, Canada: across the Rockies from Vancouver

Route: Vancouver to Banff or Jasper | Journey time: 2 days | Allow: at least 3 extra days

If you have any lingering romantic notions about railway travel, the Rocky Mountaineer is likely to encourage them.

Its Canadian routes travel through enormous landscapes of forests, rivers and snow-capped mountains, with glass-domed carriages designed to make the scenery difficult to ignore.

The First Passage to the West route connects Vancouver with Banff or Lake Louise, travelling through British Columbia and Alberta. Along the way, passengers encounter dramatic mountain scenery, river valleys and engineering landmarks associated with the development of Canada's transcontinental railway.

Unlike a conventional overnight train, the Rocky Mountaineer travels during daylight, with passengers staying in hotels en route. The two-day journey includes an overnight stop in Kamloops.

For cruise passengers, Vancouver makes this particularly attractive. It's a major embarkation and disembarkation port for Alaska cruises, so you could spend a week exploring Alaska's coastline before crossing the Canadian Rockies by rail.

The train is very much a premium experience, and considerably more expensive than an ordinary railway ticket. But for anyone planning a special holiday, the combination of Alaska and the Rockies is difficult to argue with.

Allow at least three additional days, plus enough time for onward travel from Alberta, and check seasonal operating dates.

Routes and packages are available through Rocky Mountaineer.

7. Douro Line, Portugal: vineyards from Porto to Pocinho

Route: Porto to Pocinho | Journey time: roughly 3½ hours each way | Allow: 1 day

Portugal's Douro Valley is already famous among river-cruise passengers, but seeing it by train offers a different perspective.

The Douro Line follows the river east from Porto, passing terraced vineyards, small villages and hillsides that have been cultivated for centuries. Beyond Régua, the scenery becomes increasingly dramatic, with stretches of railway running remarkably close to the water.

The route continues through Pinhão, one of the valley's most attractive towns, before reaching Pocinho farther upstream.

Portuguese rail operator CP runs its MiraDouro service along the route, using restored carriages with opening panoramic windows. It's a pleasingly old-fashioned way to travel, particularly if you've spent the previous week aboard a very modern cruise ship.

For ocean-cruise passengers visiting or finishing in Porto, the railway is an excellent way to explore inland. It's also an interesting addition before or after a Douro river cruise, allowing you to revisit familiar landscapes from a completely different angle.

Pinhão makes a particularly good stopping point if you don't want to commit to the full journey. Its beautiful tiled railway station is worth seeing, and the surrounding vineyards offer plenty of opportunities for a leisurely lunch.

Just remember that the complete return journey to Pocinho takes much of a day. CP has also introduced temporary timetable changes and replacement buses during engineering work, so check the current service before travelling.

How to plan a train journey before or after your cruise

The best rail extensions are those that work naturally with your cruise's starting point, finishing port or itinerary.

Bergen and Vancouver are particularly appealing because their railway connections lead directly into spectacular landscapes. The Flåm Railway and Cinque Terre Express are easier still, offering memorable excursions within a single port day.

More ambitious journeys, particularly the Glacier Express and Rocky Mountaineer, deserve several additional days and careful consideration of onward connections.

Before booking, check whether your cruise actually begins or ends at the port you need, how far the railway station is from the terminal and whether the train operates on your chosen date. For independent excursions during a port call, leave generous time to return to the ship.

And if you're extending your holiday before embarkation, I'd strongly recommend arriving at least a day early rather than relying on a long-distance train to deliver you directly to the gangway. Even the world's most beautiful railway is considerably less appealing when you're watching the clock and calculating the cost of missing a ship.

Done properly, though, adding a train journey can be one of the best decisions you make when planning a cruise. Particularly when the alternative is another afternoon at an airport, eating a sandwich of uncertain age while waiting for a delayed flight.