A century after the original golden era of railroads, trains are once again the talk of travel. In Europe, especially, train travel is surging as an environmental alternative to short-haul flights, with more night trains, high-speed routes and transnational collaboration between rail companies. Political ties between European countries may be jittery, but the cities are more linked than ever.

Trains also return us to the romance of travel. The pacifying hours invite reading and contemplation as the landscapes reveal the geography between destinations — the Zen opposite of air travel’s frittered tedium.

I travel to Sweden annually from my home in Florence, Italy. Seeking the contemporary culture of other cities and to cut down on flying, I devised a train odyssey from the Mediterranean south to the Scandinavian north. Could a trip with so many providers and legs actually work? Using a hodgepodge of rail sites, I booked a two-week itinerary of high-speed trains from Milan to Stockholm, with stopovers in Zurich, Berlin and Copenhagen: five cities in five countries.

A word of advice: Book a month or two in advance to get the best prices; check if a Eurail or Interrail pass might benefit you; and pack meals — the food service on these routes is spotty and, when available, terrifyingly industrial.

With tips from local friends rather than sightseeing checklists, I was ready to cross the continent.