by Wendy
Train travel can be nostalgic, modern, adventurous, efficient, rustic, glamorous, educational – provoking many combinations of potentially contradictory impressions. I love planes (and hanging out in airports), and I love road trips. But trains are also cool. And the European high-speed train network is super-cool.
Trains are great options when adding multiple destinations to your overseas itinerary. On our visit to London last September, we booked a round trip to Dover for the day. We’ve taken the route between must-see cities Madrid and Barcelona, as well as the path from Madrid to beautiful Seville in Andalusia.
When planning your journey, outline different transportation possibilities to decide what best suits your timeline and budget. For example, we opted to rent a car when we wanted more flexibility during a multi-stop two week road trip in Spain. And when we were headed to England from Denmark, it made more sense for us to fly.
A few questions worth considering: Do you or one of your travel companions feel confident about driving in a foreign country? Will you be in cities where it is difficult or expensive to park? Did you remember to estimate rental car insurance and gasoline? Is that plane ticket really cheaper, or are there extra fees for luggage or choosing a seat? How much will it mess with your schedule if the plane is delayed? Did you factor adequate time for check-in? Is the airport as easy to access as the train station in both the departure and arrival towns?
It’s also worth considering the specific perks of trains. Interesting and often beautiful scenery. Usually a bigger seat and bathrooms. Room to store your bags. You can get up, walk around, go buy a snack or cocktail at the bar!
During my first visit overseas, my sister April and I had Eurail passes and took over 10 train trips, including the Eurostar from London to Paris. I believe trains were generally the cheapest option for the under 25 crowd, as well as being a sort of rite of passage for the student summer abroad. A few of our routes were overnight, taking us from evening in Italy to morning in Austria, for example. We were fascinated by the transition near a country’s border when a different language would gradually replace the signs outside the window and the words spoken by guards checking our passports.
These train journeys were not always comfortable – we didn’t book sleeper cars and traveled on the cheap. Some trains were older, stuffy and crowded. But it was exciting to be out in the world on our own. International travel by train was such an opportunity to learn, observe and adapt. We talked with fellow passengers. We knew the value of being prepared with water, snacks, playing cards. We became skilled at reading timetables and maps, as well as navigating train stations even when exhausted.
Train journeys offer a different style of transportation – and experiences that I think helped me to become a better traveler.
What are your favorite train journeys? Share a story in the comments below!