Train in Casablanca, Morocco. Photo by the author.
A TGV duplex train in France. Photo by François Proulx.
A hot snack on a train in Switzerland. Photo by the author.
Bullet train in Japan. Photo © Yi-Chien Chang.
When to Go by Train
Traveling by train has a lot of advantages: you don't have to study road maps, get lost in roundabouts, or look for parking. On a train, you can read your guidebook, write in your journal, chat with your travel pals, and enjoy the scenery while getting from Point A to Point B quite efficiently.
The main disadvantage of train travel is, of course, the lack of freedom and flexibility. Trains don't go to all the best attractions and sites. Usually there are buses and taxis to get you there, but this can add extra cost and hassle that could be avoided if you have your own car with your luggage in the trunk.
My advice from personal experience is this: Use the train if you're mainly seeing sites in major cities, but rent a car if you're primarily interested in places off the beaten track. If your trip will be about half-and-half, you might try a "rail-and-drive" deal such as that offered by RailEurope.
How to Get Tickets
If you're planning to ride the train frequently during your trip (i.e. more than a couple days), buying a rail pass beforehand will save you a lot of money and hassle. Pay-as-you-go rail tickets for longer distances can be surprisingly expensive. Not only do rail passes avoid these high costs, they allow you to hop on and off almost any train without any advance planning.
Below are some of the best websites for planning train transportation.
- RailEurope
A joint venture of the French National Railways and Swiss Federal Railways, RailEurope covers 60 railroads in 35 countries in Europe. It offers a variety of rail passes, such as Youth Passes, BritRail Passes, and the Eurail Saver Flexipass, that will save you lots of money on rail travel. The website also provides rail maps and timetables. - Die Bahn (DB)
The website of Die Bahn, Germany's railroad system, is one of the handiest online resources for European timetables. I always buy a railpass from Rail Europe, then make plans using Die Bahn's website (including once I'm in Europe). - Japan Rail (JR)
Japan Rail travels throughout Japan and includes the famous bullet trains as well as slower, local trains. Japan Rail's website has timetables and maps and offers a Japan Rail Pass.
Rail Europe Timetable
You can search timetables and buy tickets from RailEurope right here:
