Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide.
Episodes Season Series 9 · 0/15 Series 8 · 0/20 Season 7 · 0/6 Season 6 · 0/6 Season 5 · 0/6 Season 4 · 0/6 Season 3 · 0/6 Season 2 · 0/6 Season 1 · 0/5 0/15 watched · 2026 S09E01 Cagliari to Porto Flavia 2026-05-18 29m
Michael Portillo embarks on a stunning railway adventure through the western Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Corsica, beginning in Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari. more S09E02 Mandas to Laconi 2026-05-19 29m
Michael Portillo’s railway tour of Sardinia heads inland towards the island's dramatic mountain landscapes, which he discovers were frequented by DH Lawrence. more S09E03 Nuoro to Macomer 2026-05-20 29m
Michael Portillo continues his Sardinian railway adventure, arriving into Mamoiada to investigate the town’s extraordinary pagan traditions. more S09E04 Ajaccio to Vizzavona 2026-05-21 28m
Michael Portillo’s railway journey through the islands of Sardinia and Corsica sees him leave Sardinia and arrive into Corsica, the most mountainous island in the Mediterranean. more S09E05 Vivario to Corte 2026-05-22 28m
Michael boards one of Europe’s most dramatic railways, which winds through Corsica’s breathtaking mountainous landscapes. more S09E06 St Pancras to Brussels 2026-05-25 29m
Michael boards the Eurostar at London’s St Pancras International, bound for the Belgian capital, Brussels. more S09E07 Brussels to Ghent 2026-05-26 29m
Michael Portillo’s Belgian rail journey continues in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders. He discovers Antwerp's historic diamond industry and visits a Van Eyck masterpiece in Ghent. more S09E08 Knokke-Heist to Bruges 2026-05-27 29m
Continuing his Belgian tour, Michael Portillo heads to the beach resort of Knokke-Heist and the world’s longest coastal tram, which enjoys splendid views across the North Sea. more S09E09 Brussels to La Louvière 2026-05-28 29m
Michael Portillo’s Belgian journey takes him back to Brussels to examine a dark chapter in the country’s past: the brutal seizure of the Congo under King Leopold II. more S09E10 Namur to Florenville 2026-05-29 28m
On the final leg of his Belgian journey, Michael Portillo travels to Namur, capital of Wallonia, to discover a citadel dating back to the 10th century. more S09E11 Sopron to Keleti 2026-06-01 28m
Michael Portillo begins his Hungarian adventure in the far north west of the country in the town of Sopron. more S09E12 Budapest 2026-06-02 28m
Exploring Hungary's capital city of Budapest by tram, Michael Portillo travels to the extraordinary open-air museum of Memento Park in the suburbs. more S09E13 Huvösvölgy to Kobanya 2026-06-03 29m
Continuing his travels in Budapest, Michael Portillo begins in the small town of Huvösvölgy, where he encounters a surprising railway run almost entirely by children. more S09E14 Szeged 2026-06-04 28m
At Budapest’s historic Nyugati station, Michael Portillo explores its sumptuous royal waiting room, built specially for the Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph I and his empress, Elizabeth. more S09E15 Eger to Hortobágy 2026-06-05 29m
On the last leg of his journey, Michael Portillo arrives in the historic city of Eger. At its famous castle, he discovers how Ottoman invaders were defeated by an outnumbered Hungarian force. more 
