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For many people, their only experience of traveling by train in Europe is as a college student on summer vacation, armed with a backpack and a dog-eared rail pass. Train travel has changed dramatically in Europe in recent years – more comfortable and faster trains, more frequent service, more choice of tickets and passes. Most European trains now offer pre-reserved seats, buffet or restaurant cars, first class accommodation and non-smoking sections. Several European countries now have some form of high speed rail network – reaching speeds of up to 200 mph - making the train a realistic alternative to flying as far as journey time goes. You can get from London to Paris in just over 2 hours; Paris to the South of France in 4 hours. In Europe, many people routinely take the train between major cities, rather than fly.
One of the first things you need to research if planning a trip are the various ‘rail passes’ and tickets that are available. If you just need a single or return ticket, often referred to as a ‘point to point’ ticket, and don’t need a rail pass, you can buy your ticket and reserve your seat before you arrive in Europe. If you are making more than one trip, it may be less expensive to buy one of the many rail passes available. Several travel web sites and guide books list the many passes and give details of cost, duration and which countries in Europe they cover. Rail passes generally allow the user an unlimited amount of travel within a specified time – they can range from passes which give unlimited travel within the whole of Europe for a month; to passes which give several days travel within a month. In this case the days need not be consecutive – this type of pass is useful if you want to ‘base’ yourself somewhere for a few weeks and take several side trips. These passes offer flexibility and the chance to change your itinerary at the last minute.
Some passes only cover one country or a combination of several countries – for example, you can buy a pass that covers travel in just Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Compare prices too – it may be less expensive to buy a month pass for the whole of Europe than a week pass for one particular country. Some rail passes allow first class travel; most only provide economy, or second class. Some passes are only for those aged 26 and under; some are for two or more people traveling together. You can buy more than one pass and use them consecutively. Some passes allow a car rental for a few days as well.
Spend some time planning and researching before you purchase your train ticket or pass to make sure it is the right one for you, taking into account the length of your trip, budget and intended destinations. Europe sometimes includes Morocco, Turkey and Scandinavia as well, so it can be a huge area. Many rail passes must also be purchased outside of Europe, and then stamped to validate it the day you begin your travel. Keep a copy of your rail ticket or pass in case you lose it. Many rail passes that cover most of Europe do not include the Eurostar train through the channel tunnel, so you may have to purchase tickets to/from London separately. However, some rail passes have ‘extras’ included as well as train travel – they may include free or reduced rate travel on ferry routes, sightseeing buses, Swiss mountain railways and other private train lines. The rail systems of most European countries have easy to read websites in English, where you can plan your trip and print out schedules.
Most rail passes offer second class, or ‘standard’ class travel only. On most European trains, second class is adequate. You can sometimes pay a supplement to upgrade to first class, which offers a more comfortable seat and extra room. Some rail passes don’t allow travel on certain high speed lines, or charge a supplement for these services. On some trains in Europe you will need a seat reservation, for which there is usually an extra cost.
When traveling in Europe by train, there are some other things to keep in mind. Be aware of schedule changes – most European rail services change their times every few months or so. At stations in Europe, the military clock is used; a train departing at 728pm would read 1928 hours on the departure board. Watch out for ‘train-splitting’, this is standard practice throughout most of Europe, where some of the cars on a train may be going as far as your destination, other cars may be detached before then and only go some of the way. The train’s destination station, as well as intermediate stops is clearly displayed on the side of the cars, as well as diagrams at train stations. Large European cities may have several main railway stations – Paris has 6, for example – make sure you know which one your train is departing from. Don’t assume that announcements in stations and on trains will be in English.
If you have a long train journey, try to use your time spent on the train sensibly – you can write postcards or a journal, read up on your next destination, eat, sleep or chat to fellow passengers. Trains on longer routes generally have some sort of dining facility, ranging from a basic snack bar to a full service restaurant car. Some longer train journeys are worth taking for the scenery alone – from Interlaken in Switzerland, through the Alps to Milan; or along the south coast of France.
Many people sleep on the train, although it’s difficult to get good nights sleep unless you have a sleeping compartment (which are not included on most rail passes) or several seats to yourself. The economics of traveling by night are obvious – it saves money on accommodation, as well as valuable time. You literally can have dinner in Paris, board an overnight train and be in the Italian Lakes the next morning for breakfast.
If you are traveling in Europe by train, be sure to make use of the excellent facilities found at most large European rail stations. Nearly all of them offer luggage lockers, tourist information, a hotel room-finding service, money exchange and clean facilities to wash or shower. Most train stations are in the center of town and the surrounding neighborhoods are usually a good place to find inexpensive places to eat and sleep.
Traveling by train is still a great way to get to know the real Europe. The train gives you a chance to really experience something of the region or country you are traveling in, and to meet the locals as well as fellow travelers. Traveling by train is fast, convenient and affordable – and easy for travelers of any age.
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