Self catering by Train

[LynneOx]

We really fancy a self catering holiday that starts with an overnight train. 2 dd aged 7 and 5 self catering preferably a playground and train station in walking distance. Needs to be end July start of August and not too hot (I am a red head and burn easily so 30 degrees is baking for me). Seat 61 seems to be ideal for telling me about the trains but looking for ideas of location and accommodation. Ideal would be to alternate days out cultural stuff, castles etc with days near base with a beach/pool/lake stuff to do in walking distance.
Any suggestions welcome.

Somewhere like Austria is the first thing that springs to mind if you don't want hot. Overnight to Innsbruck then a train to Mayrhofen?
We spent a fab week in the Ziller valley once getting about by train (runs the whole length of the valley) and bus. Cable cars/chair lifts and walks galore. The Krimml waterfalls, cable cars up to the Hintertux Glacier to see people skiing in mid summer. Loads to do There is also a steam train that goes up to Achensee. And Insbruck itself is very pretty.

Self catering at Natterer See campsite near Innsbruck? Book direct with campsite or Eurocamp. Shuttle bus to and from Innsbruck.

A night or two in Munich on the way?

Thanks had not thought of Austria will have a look.
Anyone got any tips on Scandinavia thought that might be nice

Also while looking at Seat 61 I found train to Barcelona is good. I was looking at fab apartments on AirBnB that are a stones throw from the beach. Lots of culture, zoo etc.

There is a series of 'Family' guidebooks from Frommers that I have found very good for this sort of thing. They really look at things from a child's point of view.

Frommer's Mediterranean Spain with your Family, I have been looking at. Have also used an Italian one and the one for Croatia.

Where in Scandinavia and how would you get there?

Could take a car on the ferry to Esberg then do Legoland and stay on on one of the many Danish campsites (with self catering accomodation and pools). Also could drive up to Copenhagen from there.

Could fly to Bergen in Norway. There is a great tour round the fjords and mountains you can do by boat/train in a day.

Lots of English spoken and they seem to really like English people.

Austria will be much cheaper than Scandinavia if you think you might have the odd glass of beer or wine. We just skied in Serfaus, train to Innsbruck then bus. Loads of activities up the mountains - little bubble lifts, nature trails, mountain biking etc. there are lots of self-catering apartments, some have communal table tennis areas & pools.

Austria I would suggest, or parts of Germany.

Austria def fits bill, public transport good and much cheaper than Scandinavia. Try options around Seefeld. We had a fab family holiday there, actually in village called Mosern 15 mins by bus up valley, got sleeper Paris Munich, then direct train to Seefeld. Loads of holiday apartments/ campgrounds, chalets etc
Otherwise maybe Italian lakes /Aosta (sleeper Paris Turin/milan, can't remember which one, then local train to Como /Aosta), again loads of accomm options ,resorty towns so plenty facilities
Hmm, can you tell I'm thinkng about summer holidays... We might try Slovenia this yr by train