We Travel Europe By Train!

The dream of many … the option of others to know this wonderful continent … an idea that arises in the minds of those who prefer long trips and “low cost”. .. a pending account for those who are not so young anymore … group are you In this article we travel through Europe by train and we want to tell you about it. Can you come with us?

Traveling by train in Europe

Can there be something more exciting than going on rails from one place to another? This alternative is chosen, for example, by those who are afraid of airplanes, who want to take advantage to sleep during the trip or who want to take advantage to see beautiful landscapes while traveling. It is also possible to get off at a random station and start an excellent adventure!

Europe must be traveled by train yes or yes. It is not a commandment or anything like that, but it is an experience that no one should miss at some point in their life. Trains are fast, safe, take you almost everywhere and are usually more affordable than a plane ticket, especially if you travel on certain times or routes.

RailEurope is the company with the most connections throughout the continent. But you can also opt for local private companies for shorter trips. Today we can check the schedules, prices and routes from the official website or by downloading an application on the mobile.

Don’t forget that European train times change twice a year, in June and in December. Therefore, if you are planning a trip in advance, keep in mind that the itinerary can be modified a bit.

Some not so frequent routes, such as Istanbul (Turkey) or Ukraine, may have only one service per week and you may have to make a reservation at the service’s departure station or by phone (not online).

Tips for touring Europe by train

In this post we are not going to tell you about the landscapes that you can find on each trip … because words would not reach us! Each route is beautiful for something in particular and you have to know it on your own. For this reason, we have preferred to give you some recommendations to make your experience on rails as pleasant as possible:

Know the schedules

One of the keys to traveling by train in Europe is to control departure times well. And set our watch to the official time! Do not forget that the departures of the services are very punctual (15:57, 13:02, 22:04, etc) and are not delayed for a single second. In order not to be late and miss the train, we advise you to arrive at the station an hour in advance, even if it is not necessary.

Take into account the train data

In addition to the timetable, you need to know (or keep a good note of) the type of trip or class, the name of the train, the platform number, the route or arrival station (even if you get off earlier). All this information is on your ticket, but you can also check it at the station windows or on the Internet.

Pay attention to the language

Since so many languages ​​are spoken in Europe, this is likely to be a problem when making yourself understood. Not everyone works in English (except in Spanish). A good idea would be to learn a few phrases in different languages or to have written where you descend, in the local language.

Ask what station you will arrive at

Some major cities, such as Paris, have several stations. Therefore, it would be good for you to know where you will arrive. From there you can organize yourself to go to the hotel, for a walk or wherever you can think of.

Choose the class to travel

This is one of the big questions we ask ourselves when we want to travel Europe by train. In most cases, the second class costs half as much as the first, but offers 50% of the luggage space or seat size. If you plan to travel at night, we recommend choosing a cabin, even if it is a little more expensive. If you sleep comfortably, you will be in a better mood to face the day.

Also the cost of the ticket will depend on the speed at which the train moves. The difference can be quite interesting, but it all depends on your preferences or the time you have.

Take care of your belongings

Thieves are the order of the day on trains, as in any form of transport. Put a padlock on your suitcase and secure it in any of the security systems to prevent theft. If you go to the bathroom, don’t leave your belongings alone.

Better ask someone to watch you if you travel alone or, if you are accompanied, take turns protecting your bags. In any case, it  is good that you take the most valuable thing with you everywhere.

With these tips you can enjoy an excellent train trip in Europe. Cheer up!