Great Continental Railway Journeys

Michael Portillo follows the historic Habsburg imperial route, departing from Vienna and crossing the striking Semmering Pass, a railway line hewn through the Alpine terrain. He then continues his journey onward to the Adriatic port city of Trieste, tracing the line’s continuation across the mountains.

The series presents an episode in which presenter Michael Portillo sets out on a historic journey along the former Habsburg imperial route. Beginning in Vienna, the capital of the old empire, the programme follows his travel as he traces the line that once linked the imperial heartland to the Adriatic coast. It frames the trip as a railway‑focused exploration of the empire’s former reach. Portillo’s route takes him over the celebrated Semmering Pass, a railway that was cut straight through the Alpine terrain. The line, renowned for its engineering, threads its way across rugged mountains, offering a clear view of the challenges faced when the track was first laid. As he rides the train, the episode highlights the dramatic scenery and the technical feat of blasting a railway through such a formidable landscape. From the summit of the pass, the journey continues onward toward the port city of Trieste, the historic terminus of the imperial line. The episode follows the train as it descends from the high Alps into the lower plains, marking the transition from the mountainous heart of the empire to its maritime outlet. Throughout, Portillo links the modern railway experience with the legacy of the Habsburgs, showing how the historic route still shapes travel today.