Want to explore Europe by train? Fantastic! You're in for a treat - Europe by train offers scenic views, the opportunity to go into rural areas and visit hidden gems. It allows you to soak in the landscapes outside, all while you relax in your seat with a good book.
But how do you start planning this adventure? If you're a beginner to train travel, here are 4 of my best tips when planning. But first - let's dig into the basics..
Which ticket can you buy?
When you travel by train in Europe you have different options for tickets, these are:
Regular tickets - bought at the train operator’s website, or through a third party company such as Rail Europe.
National passes - several countries have train passes for their own country - such as Germany and their Deutschland pass
Interrail pass - company providing an all-you-can-ride ticket for unlimited train travel within most of Europe. You choose travel days of your choice. They offer global pass which is valid in 33 european countries and most trains. They also offer one-country passes for most countries. If you’re not an European citizen, you can purchase the Eurail pass. Sometimes you need to buy an additional seat reservation to board a train with interrail pass. Note - interrail passes are not valid for train travel in the country where you’re a resident
When should you buy which ticket?
REGULAR TICKETS:
Limited travel: one country or between few cities
Short trips - shorter than a week or just a few trains
Advance planning - fixed itinerary and/or you book early
Country specific passes - swiss travel pass, german, SJ tågluffarkort etc
INTERRAIL PASS:
Multi country travel - within short amount of time
Flexibility - spontaneous travel, change your plans on the go
Travelling frequently - many trains within 1-2 months
Longer journeys - better value, especially for high-speed trains
Peak travel times - interrail has a fixed price and usually more affordable than regular tickets
EXAMPLES
1 Multi-country adventure - France, Italy, Germany - choose interrail pass
2 Single country exploration Italy - Italy specific rail pass or regular regional tickets
3 Fixed short trip - weekend trip Paris to Amsterdam? Book regular tickets early for best price
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Now - let's dive into four or the best advice for when you are planning your first train trip (especially if you are travelling with an interrail pass).
CHOOSE AN EASY COUNTRY
Start your train adventure in a country easy to travel in! Some countries have more modern trains and/or require less seat reservations (when you travel with an interrail pass).
This means in these countries you can even board a high-speed train without a ticket. However, still recommended to buy a ticket if you travel with kids or in peak season (holidays and july-august).
Some of my favourite countries for beginners are Germany, Austria, UK and Slovenia
START WITH A SHORT TRIP
If it's your first time going on a train vacation - start by going on a shorter trip. For instance try a weekend instead of a long vacation to learn and see if you like train travel.
Some examples: if you live in Scandinavia, try taking the night train to Germany and stay in the same city for a couple of days. Want to explore more? Go on day trips by train!
Some German cities in north of Germany worth a visit: Celle, Lübeck, Hamburg and Schwerin
BOOK THROUGH THIRD PARTY PLATFORMS
I prefer to buy tickets directly through train operators (Deutsche Bahn, SJ, SNCF, Trenitalia etc) as you usually get a cheaper price. But to make it easy - as a beginner I would recommend buying tickets and seat reservations through a third party operator.
Search, compare & book everything through Rail Europe, Omio or Trainline. They usually add a booking fee, but it’s easier. However, make sure to follow step 4 especially for third party operators
SCHEDULE ENOUGH TIME FOR STOPS
Usually if going longer distances you need to change trains.
If you're for instance going from Sweden to Germany you need to change a train in Copenhagen if you travel during the day. Schedule at least a 1-2 h break in the city where you are changing train. More if it’s a train you have to reach - such as night trains or Eurostar to London.
Sometimes you also need to change station, for instance in London or Paris, so allow sufficient time. Keep it stress-free!
Plus - you can explore a new city. The picture above was a lovely stop in Slovenia where we had lunch and went swimming in the beautiful river.
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Now, hopefully you feel a bit more confident before start booking - let's start planning your dream train adventure!
Want more help, overview for different countries and inspiraiton for train routes in Europe? Check out the curated 132 pages Ultimate Train Travel e-book below.
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