Fun fact: One of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys may very well be part of your morning commute!
If you happen to travel between Lelystad and Zwolle, it’s time to take your nose out of your phone screen and enjoy what The Guardian has deemed one of the most beautiful train journeys in the Netherlands.
Rich in wildlife
Specifically, the route along the Hanzelijn is the real beauty, according to The Guardian writer Nicky Gardner.
You may be wondering what qualifications a non-Dutchie has to determine which Dutch train line is the prettiest, but Gardner is actually the co-author of ‘Europe by Rail: the Definitive Guide’ — so listen up!
Why is this route getting so much love? Well, for one, you can enjoy “wistfully beautiful water meadows” and “a real dash of wilderness.”
READ MORE | 10 hidden gems in the Netherlands: unique places you wouldn’t think to visit
Such wilderness includes “sea eagles, heck cattle (which look strangely like bison), wild konik ponies, foxes and red deer.”
A whole new world — and a pretty train route
Gardner is also impressed by the fact that this view would have once been underwater:
“Is it not a wondrous thing that so much of this railway crosses land that a century ago was below the waves?”
According to her, this relative newness adds to the beauty of the region “for some of these lands newly claimed from the sea are not yet entirely tamed.”
Day trip to Zwolle, anyone? 👀
Do you agree? Is this the most beautiful train route in the Netherlands? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!