From City Center to Shoreline: The Beach Towns Best Reached by Train

Coastal train journeys are truly magical travel experiences. I feel good every time I explore the coast, which has good rail connections. You’re not spending hours in traffic jams, there’s no hassle of flying—just hop in the carriage and let the train take you to the sea, window views included. Also, it’s the most sustainable way to arrive at the beach. Train travel has the lowest carbon footprint. Plus, you’re not contributing to the traffic congestion at popular destinations. What’s not to like, really?

This article is a collection of my favorite beach towns with train access. From the scenic high-speed trains on the East and West coasts of the US to the old-school ocean commuters in Sri Lanka, Spain’s excellent regional lines, and nostalgic Thai train journeys—these are the destinations where rail is the best way around.  

A jewel of the Portuguese Riviera, Cascais is the most rewarding day trip to take from Lisbon. This beach town is less than 40 minutes away from the capital by train. The regional line departs from Cais do Sodré station in Lisbon and passes through beautiful towns like Estoril and Carcavelos. You’ll enjoy the Tegus River vistas from your seat, changing to the endless ocean as you approach Cascais. For centuries, this town has been a resort of choice for European royalty and the wealthy.

There is a surprising variety of beaches to check out. Central Praia da Duquesa and Praia da Conceição are ideal for calm family leisure. Praia do Guincho is a gorgeous Atlantic beach north of Cascais, perfect for surfing. The town is a gateway to a stunning area of ocean cliffs. Hiking is my favorite way to feel the power of the Atlantic. Begin your walk at the Boca do Inferno natural arch, proceeding to Guia Lighthouse. The awe-inspiring panoramas will accompany you. The Old Town of Cascais is compact and pretty, offering a great deal of traditional Portuguese seafood restaurants. 

You’re spoilt for choice of coastal train journeys in Barcelona. The regional trains in Catalunya’s capital connect the city to many beach towns of the Costa de Garraf to the south and the Maresme Coast and Costa Brava to the north. You need the R2 South line to go to Sitges, an atmospheric town at the foot of the Garraf Massif. The Baroque Església de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla crowns its Old Town, as the seaside promenade goes for miles. Sitges Beach is a relaxing sandy stretch. Go north to reach Blanes, the first town of the divine Costa Brava (or the “Wild Coast”). It is famous for the Cala de Sant Francesc, one of Spain’s most beautiful coves.

You can also visit the scenic Jardí Botànic Marimurtra, a magnificent garden with thousands of exotic plants. Between Blanes and Barcelona is the Maresme Coast, a series of towns with long, sandy beaches. Check out the modernist Casa Coll i Regàs and the gorgeous Basilica of Santa María in Mataró, the coastal center. Alternatively, you can get off at Sant Pol de Mar for a nice beach and the charming small town atmosphere.

There’s something very liberating in taking a LIRR train to Montauk. You leave the hurriedness and noise of NYC, as the tracks transport you through expansive Long Island panoramas. Montauk is the most striking of the Hamptons, offering vast beaches and miles of hiking trails. The 1796-built Montauk Point Lighthouse is the best place to start your exploration. Nearby are two state parks, including Camp Hero with WW2 history and spectacular ocean views.

But you’d want to visit Montauk primarily for its beaches. Get a fresh air fix at the gorgeous Kirk Park Beach. In the summer, the Ditch Plains Beach becomes a center for swimming and surfing. Montauk is also a cinephile destination (the most touching scenes from the 2004 “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet were shot on the local beaches). 

When LA feels a bit too busy, why not catch a Pacific Surfliner to Santa Barbara? You will arrive at the historic station in a Spanish Mission Revival Style. It’s right in the middle of the city, so you won’t have a problem moving around. Santa Barbara’s iconic State Street greets you with numerous local cafes and bars housed in the pretty Revival buildings. Check out the museum triangle, which includes the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.

Another highlight is the 18th-century Old Mission, one of California’s most beautiful historic structures. Oh, and there are beaches, some of the finest beaches in the US. Golden sand and miles of boardwalk await you at East and West beaches, the closest to Downtown. Leadbetter Beach is a great place for picnicking, biking, and paddleboarding. Shoreline Park is for soaking up the coastal views. Farther away from town is the Arroyo Burro Beach County Park, a popular stretch for enjoying the surf with your dog. 

Sri Lanka has the best coastal railroad in Asia. Colombo is connected to most of the South Coast towns. When I took the train here for the first time, I couldn’t help but stare out of the window throughout the whole 2-hour journey to Weligama. It’s an ocean view all the time. At some spots, you’re riding so close to the water that it seems you’re on a ferry. Pick any beach town on the route, and it will be a great decision. Hikkaduwa is famous for its sugary-sand beach with a section where you can swim with the sea turtles. Galle is Sri Lanka’s most charming historic city, known for its UNESCO-protected fortified colonial Old Town.

Nearby is chill Unawatuna with developed tourist infrastructure and resorts. The train will take you to Ahangama, a newfound surfing town with hip beach bars and reef breaks. Finally, Weligama is a popular South Coast base, offering a vast crescent-shaped beach and more surfing camps. The train connection makes traveling between the cities effortless and extremely affordable, too. 

Italy’s largest island is also a treasure trove for memorable train journeys. When I first arrived in Sicily, I had my reservations about traveling by rail after reading exaggerated travel reports about bad infrastructure and delays. The reality was different—the railway connects most of Sicily, and I was fortunate to experience some of the most scenic journeys of my life. One of them was the Catania to Taormina loop, a spectacular route with the glistening Ionian Sea views on one side of the carriage and an epic panorama of Mount Etna on the other.

You arrive at Taormina-Giardini station with an incredible vista of the perched Old Town and the mountains. What follows is a series of moments where “breathtaking” is the only correct adjective to use to describe them. The streets of the upper town, filled with gelaterias and cafes, are a delight. The Greco-Roman Teatro Antico di Taormina opens to Mount Etna, and it’s a picture-perfect sight. Taormina is also a beach town; you’ll marvel at Isola Bella Beach with its lush island in the middle. 

The high-speed trains connect the coast to the heart of Northern Italy and one of the planet’s fashion capitals. Milan is just two hours away from the Ligurian beaches. The best way to enjoy the sunny coast is by hopping on a direct train to La Spezia. The Riviera’s chic and delightful bays are in Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo. Train stations are right next to the center in both, so you will spend minutes getting to their gorgeous seaside promenades and beaches. Portofino is also there, linked by a short bus or boat ride. Reach Sestri Levante for a more family-friendly, more local atmosphere.

This town will enchant you with the wonderful Baia del Silenzio, a calm harbor with a sandy beach next to the colorful Baroque houses. Sestri Levante is also a great Ligurian base for visiting the UNESCO-protected Cinque Terre National Park. The train is the only way to get there, and it might be the most beautiful journey you’ll ever take. 

There are just so many fantastic places you can visit from Naples. Sorrento is the one to reach by train. Going next to Vesuvius National Park and Pompeii, it’s the ultimate rail trip to make in Italy. It’s incredible how a small coastal resort can offer so much beauty. The views are pure cinema—the high cliffs meeting the Tyrrhenian Sea. Sorrento is both a fascinating historic town and a glamorous beach resort. Spiaggia di Sorrento is the most photogenic part, where you can bathe with a splendid view of the centuries-old harbor and the steep coast.

The town is home to many luxurious hotels founded a century ago during the Golden Age of European travel. Visiting Sorrento also gets you close to another bucket-list Italian destination, the notorious Amalfi Coast. While the famous perched towns don’t have train stations (except Vietri sul Mare, which can be visited on a direct train from Naples), the direct buses and high-speed ferries take you to Positano in under 40 minutes. 

Like areas around Barcelona, the Costa Blanca in southeastern Spain enjoys similar rail infrastructure. But there’s a local know-how here—you travel by a long-distance tram. You can visit over 20 beach towns this way from Alicante, the regional capital. It’s a fantastic deal if you ask me, the one I have used many times while exploring this magical coastal region. My favorite section is the stretch from Alicante to Altea. It’s the most scenic one, as you travel with a view of the hidden coves in Cala d’Or and Banyets, see the skyscraper-filled skyline of Benidorm and dive in and out of tunnels through the hilly interior.

Altea is a photogenic perched village, known for the distinct blue-and-white color of houses and the Santa Maria del Consol d’Altea Church, adorned with blue tiles. There is also a lively seaside promenade and a series of beautiful pebbly beaches. Take the tram all the way to the line’s end in Dénia for an authentic Alicante province port town and the dramatic cove-filled coastline. 

Thai rail journeys have their charm. Trains here are slow, allowing you to enjoy the window views in full. Most tourists take buses to Pattaya or fly to popular destinations like Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui. The day train to Hua Hin is mostly a local affair, and the way for Bangkokians to have a weekend seaside escape. Once a sleepy fishing village, Hua Hin became a premier resort for the Thai royal family at the beginning of the 20th century. Its popularity as a holiday destination exploded in 1911 with the opening of a direct railway line to Bangkok. Today, it’s a lovely beach town with a perfect balance of urban life and entertainment.

You will find night markets, a variety of restaurants, and resorts for every budget. But it’s definitely not Pattaya or Phuket. Hua Hin retains its low-key, local feel, being a mostly Thai-oriented destination, with a noticeable population of retirees and expats. Its beach is vast and sandy, perfect for walking, picnicking, sunset-watching, and swimming.