Europe by Train

A Great way to travel Europe is by train. I suggest you visit the Rail Europe site before you head overseas to learn if there is a rail pass that works for you. Also keep in mind that discount airlines may also get you there faster and cheaper, making it possible to make great memories over long weekends.

Typically a first class train ticket is roughly 1.5 to 2 times as expensive as a second class ticket. On many trains there is not a great difference between traveling first class and second class. It is a good idea when traveling to consider all of your options (i.e. on an overnight train you may want to consider a sleeper car etc.. or sometimes there are high speed trains available between major cities, saving time over local and regional trains).

The train is a great place to catch up on reading or to just watch the countryside roll by. Most of the longer haul trains in Europe will have a dining car on board selling sandwiches, snacks, soda and even beer and wine. European train stations are typically in or near the middle of town, making it easy to visit top attractions or find a hotel.

One of my scariest train experiences was while traveling on an overnight train from Krakow to Prague. The train was old and we did not spend the extra money on a sleeper car -- so we were constantly worried about falling asleep, in fear that someone was going to come into our car.

My favorite train to take in Italy is the high speed train between Rome and Florence. These trains are typically new and clean, and the ride is scenic.