Great Continental Railway Journeys — Season 9
About this season
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 (15)
1. Cagliari to Porto Flavia
Aired 18 May 2026 • 29 min
Michael Portillo embarks on a stunning railway adventure through the western Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Corsica, beginning in Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari.
2. Mandas to Laconi
Aired 19 May 2026 • 29 min
Michael Portillo’s railway tour of Sardinia heads inland towards the island's dramatic mountain landscapes, which he discovers were frequented by DH Lawrence.
3. Nuoro to Macomer
Aired 20 May 2026 • 29 min
Michael Portillo continues his Sardinian railway adventure, arriving into Mamoiada to investigate the town’s extraordinary pagan traditions.
4. Ajaccio to Vizzavona
Aired 21 May 2026 • 28 min
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.
5. Vivario to Corte
Aired 22 May 2026 • 28 min
Michael boards one of Europe’s most dramatic railways, which winds through Corsica’s breathtaking mountainous landscapes.
6. St Pancras to Brussels
Aired 25 May 2026 • 29 min
Michael boards the Eurostar at London’s St Pancras International, bound for the Belgian capital, Brussels.
7. Brussels to Ghent
Aired 26 May 2026 • 29 min
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.
8. Knokke-Heist to Bruges
Aired 27 May 2026 • 29 min
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.
9. Brussels to La Louvière
Aired 28 May 2026 • 29 min
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.
10. Namur to Florenville
Aired 29 May 2026 • 28 min
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.
11. Sopron to Keleti
Aired 1 June 2026 • 28 min
Michael Portillo begins his Hungarian adventure in the far north west of the country in the town of Sopron.
12. Budapest
Aired 2 June 2026 • 28 min
Exploring Hungary's capital city of Budapest by tram, Michael Portillo travels to the extraordinary open-air museum of Memento Park in the suburbs.
13. Huvösvölgy to Kobanya
Aired 3 June 2026 • 29 min
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.
14. Szeged
Aired 4 June 2026 • 28 min
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.
15. Eger to Hortobágy
Aired 5 June 2026 • 29 min
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.