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The Ultimate Guide, Tips & Itineraries You’ll Love – OUR CROSSINGS
There’s something magical about a journey by train.
Sometimes the magic can be found in conversing with other travellers, slumbering in a cosy, private compartment or enjoying a hearty meal in a restaurant car as the steel wheels swish on the rails beneath you.
Sometimes the magic is in the landscape the train traverses – an adventure, an experience, an insight into the heart of a nation.
Many travellers, seeking an authentic, unforgettable experience, are intrigued by the romantic and scenic appeal of rail travel, and rightfully so.
Taking in the shifting landscapes of Europe, while you’re whisked from place to place without the hassle of flying or navigating motorways, is often as enjoyable as experiencing the destination itself.
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Train travel is one of the best ways to explore Europe. The continent is fairly compact, and it’s easy to get around thanks to a wide network of train routes and rail passes.
Over the last decade, we have experienced nearly every form of train travel in Europe, accumulating a vast number of useful train travel tips.
From the mind-boggling efficiency of Swiss trains and soothing overnight rides to a dozen multi-city rail trips and simple jaunts across Italy, Belgium, Scotland, the Netherlands and Eastern Europe, we clocked in many miles on the rails.
We also made many mistakes and had a fair share of missed trains and connections. We wasted money having to buy new tickets and wasted time trying to reach the next destination.
So, in this blog post, we want to share some of the valuable lessons we’ve learned about train travel to help you avoid doing the same thing.
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Why Should You Travel Through Europe by Train?
I am not here to deny that budget flights have their uses, but air travel is all about getting from point A to point B as fast as possible.
Rail travel is as much about the destination as it is the journey, and you’ll see and experience far more by embarking on a European train adventure and hitting the rails.
Nearly every major city in Europe is connected by high-speed train routes, with travel from the city centre to the city centre often making train travel more convenient and direct than flying or driving.
Instead of sitting on a cramped, uncomfortable seat for your entire trip, a train allows you to get up, stretch your legs, and walk around to other parts of the train.
When you are on a train ride, time seems to move at a different pace, offering the opportunity to sit and gawk at the view outside the window as well as immerse yourself in conversations with other travellers.
In addition to meeting other people and having aeons of family togetherness, you also get to enjoy:
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Europe by Train: Useful Tips and Guidelines
Now, before you embark on a rail journey, when it comes to European rail, there is quite a lot to learn about routes, trains and ticket types.
While train travel doesn’t require the same months of preparation that booking plane itineraries does, you still have to plan a bit.
A quick research before your adventure will go a long way because different rules and guidelines apply to train travel in every European country.
Avoid assuming that taking the train gonna be the same as how you’re used to at home, or that the same rules apply to the previous country you have just travelled through.
You may now need to make reservations, stamp tickets to validate them, look up a weekend timetable, etc.
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Know Your Rail Passes
The rail pass is not very beneficial if you plan to take the train for just one or two days.
If you plan to explore a good chunk of Europe over an extended period, investing in a rail pass would be a good idea.
They are pretty convenient for exploring Europe by train, often saving money while allowing you to hop trains at your convenience
To see if you need a pass, just look up the prices of individually priced tickets compared to a rail pass for the region you’ll be in.
We bought our Rail passes for our first 7-day train trip around Europe and saved lots of money.
We hopped on and off trains throughout the week, and if we ended up in the wrong destination, we simply got off at the next station and caught another train with no need to purchase one-way tickets.
- Eurail One Country Pass | lets you travel within one country for an unlimited time. Passes start from 153 euros for 4 days within a month.
- Eurail Pass | Designed for non-European residents, the Eurail Pass covers 33 countries and 30 thousand destinations across Europe
- Eurorail Global Pass | offers European citizens and residents an opportunity to explore multiple countries with ease. The pass covers 33 countries across Europe.
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Learn About Different Types of Trains
Different routes call for different types of trains to maximise the journey for passengers.
The following trains operate throughout Europe:
- Luxury Trains – These trains offer the highest level of services and amenities and therefore, are often classified as bucket list train journeys. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and the Golden Eagle Danube Express are just a few of the luxury trains.
- Night Trains – a great way to save time as they travel between countries while you sleep. They offer different types of accommodations, and you can choose what suits your budget.
- Tourist Trains – These are trains that are typically used as tourist attractions for sightseeing purposes – think the Jacobite Steam Train in Scotland - and therefore are priced accordingly.
- High-speed trains are the fastest way to get around Europe as they cover large distances in comfort. With relatively few stops, they are perfect for covering a distance between countries from one large city to another.
- Regional trains – these trains usually travel short distances, connecting smaller towns and cities within the same region. They have frequent stops and don’t require a reservation.
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Experience Travelling on a Night Train
Sleeper trains are a fantastic way to travel long distances while you sleep.
You pay less for a bed on a sleeper than you would pay for a night in a hotel, and you can go to sleep in one country only to wake up in another.
We bagged a bunk in a shared cabin for just €30, travelling from Salzburg to Venice.
If you’re prepared to splurge, you can always enjoy a private cabin with a toilet and shower and a continental breakfast delivered to your cabin by your steward, who’ll be more than happy to wake you in good time for your stop.
*Please note – you can be asked to hand your rail pass and passport to the train conductor as the border crossing security checks can happen while you sleep.
Some of the most incredible routes on night trains you should try:
- The Caledonian Sleeper travels from London to Scotland in 7.5 hours, arriving in Edinburgh
- The Night Riviera Sleeper travels from London to Cornwall
- Intercités de Nuit travels from Paris to the South of France in just 8 hours
- InterCityNotte travels from Milan to Sicily in 8 hours
- ÖBB Nightjet travels from Paris to Vienna in 14 hours
- Snälltåget travels from Berlin to Stockholm in 17 hours
*Good To Know – If you book a bed, a sheet, a blanket and a pillow are usually provided.
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Decide Whether To Go Slow Or Hightail It
Thanks to Europe’s plethora of high-speed services, if needed, you can effortlessly traverse entire regions and borders in an afternoon.
Keep in mind that slower routes often reward you with superior scenery.
Most high-speed lines do not cross particularly attractive landscapes, and the line between Florence and Bologna is almost entirely in tunnels.
Some of Europe’s most scenic journeys include the Centovalli Railway through the Italian and Swiss Alps, Portugal’s Douro Valley line and Norway’s Flam Railway.
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Avoid Travelling at Busy Times
When you are in holiday mode, it can be easy to forget that less fortunate souls commute to work.
Therefore, for your own comfort, try to avoid travelling in and out of big cities during the rush hours, as peak travel times can be a major headache.
It’s when the trains are packed with hundreds of rail commuters, often requiring them to stand or sit on the floor throughout the journey,
Off-peak hours vary from country to country, so generally aim to avoid the time between 07:00am and 09:00 am and between 17:00 and 19:00 on weekdays.
Times of high demand can also push up prices, so when you travel off-peak, you can experience much quieter train stations and trains.
*Top Tip – It is vital to be informed about delays and disruptions by checking transit apps or websites before heading out.
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Master The Art of Travelling Light
If you plan to travel by train in Europe, packing smart equates to packing light.
Packing light is usually a great idea; you often need much less than you think, and it is much easier to get around big cities and use public transportation if you can comfortably carry your luggage yourself.
Although there are no special luggage weight or size limitations on European trains (the exception being the Eurostar between London and France/Belgium), I recommend travelling light, as many stations require you to navigate steep stairways up or down to the tracks.
In addition, the aisles on trains are narrow, and it would be ideal to travel with a small suitcase or backpack that would fit underneath your seat or in the storage space overhead.
*Pro Tip – keep your bags in your sight on the platform and on the train, and make sure they’re clearly labelled.
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Take Your Time to Appreciate Railway Stations
It is very common for travellers on a European rail trip to speed-walk through the underground hallways of railway stations.
You are, after all, hustling hard to find the right platform, board the train and be on your way to visit your dream destination.
But many European train stations—such as Porto Train Station, decorated with 20,000 blue-and-white painted azulejo tiles or the old-meets-ultra-modern Strasbourg-Ville in France—are more than transit stops.
With their historical significance and elaborate architecture, these buildings are destinations in themselves.
They’re treasures of the golden era of fun travel, home to architectural wonders, restaurants and shops often overflowing with the buzz of wanderlust.
Walk around and soak up the atmosphere, grab an espresso, or simply admire the architecture or historical features: there is almost always bound to be something of note.
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Useful Tips For Your Train Adventure
I believe that going on a train journey should be an enlightening and fun experience, even if you are taking an unfamiliar route.
Here are a few more useful tips that will ensure a smooth and safe train ride:
- Bring a valid ID – You need (although not always) a valid form of identification along with your ticket so the conductor can confirm you’re the person listed on the ticket and of the age indicated, because students and seniors receive discounts.
- Book train tickets online in advance – nowadays, you don’t have to queue at the ticket office to purchase a ticket on the day. Instead, you can download it straight to your phone
- Head to the correct train station – many large cities in Europe, as well as some small towns, host more than one train station.
- Double-check times and info – the station may call at several destinations, so your departure station may not be the final destination that the train calls at.
- Arrive at the station on time – to give yourself time to get your bearings and find the right platform. We missed a good few trains due to waiting in the wrong place on the right platform.
- Bring your own food – don’t forget to bring a snack or two, just in case there is no dining car and make sure that it won’t smell out the rest of the carriage
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What are some of the Best European train Itineraries?
Now that you are up to date with the useful information, it’s time to pick your route.
If it is your first time travelling on the train around Europe and you are not sure where to go, here are 5 amazing multi-country train routes around Europe to get you started.
All five routes can be easily travelled in a week, but if you have more time to spare, that’s even better, as you can spend more time in each place.
- Amsterdam > Bruges > Paris > Chur > Milan | This train journey takes you through some of Northern Europe’s most beautiful places. From capital cities to canalside towns and on through the mountains of the Alps on board one of Europe’s most wonderful train journeys.
- Venice > Florence > Rome > Naples > Sorrento > Sicily | an unforgettable train journey that starts in the floating city of Venice and is filled to the brim with Italian history, food, culture and palazzi overflowing with Renaissance masterpieces.
- Budapest > Bratislava > Vienna > Ljubljana > Zagreb | A journey through Eastern Europe where you can immerse yourself in world-class art, music and architecture as you traverse across five different countries in just one week. From the thermal spa baths of Budapest to exploring Ljubljana’s charming old town, you are sure to have a great time.
- Barcelona > Valencia > Madrid > Porto > Lisbon | A fantastic train ride from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, with heaps of great food and drink along the way. Trip highlights include checking out Gaudí’s unique architecture in Barcelona, to eating and drinking in Madrid tapas bars.
- Copenhagen > Stockholm > Oslo > Flåm > Bergen | A train ride through three countries in Scandinavia starts with a full day in Copenhagen, followed by getting lost in the cobblestone streets of medieval Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old town and ends with checking out the views from the Mount Fløyen funicular in Bergen.
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Now, over to you
Have you been on a train ride across Europe? Let us know in the comments below!
Let us know if you are planning a visit to Europe and have travel-related questions!
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