Alpine showstoppers, time-travelling railways and more — explore these lesser-known trips on Europe’s most punctual network.

Few nations nail train travel like the Swiss: an extensive, impeccably run network whisks travellers effortlessly from Alpine peaks to piazza terraces. Here are some of the spots along the way.

The Treno Gottardo runs from three cities in the north to the sunny city of Locarno in the south—crossing the Alps along the way. Evie Carrick is a writer and editor who’s lived in five countries and ...