TAKE TO THE HILLS
From the Rocky Mountains to the Nullarbor Plain, trains offer a unique perspective on the world. Sit back and enjoy…
Few capitals have nature so close to hand. The walking and biking trails of the Buda Hills are ideal for blowing away the cobwebs on a Sunday morning, while two narrow-gauge railway lines offer characterful passage through the woods. Take a tram from Szell Kalman Square to reach the click-clacking Cogwheel Railway (Szilagyi Erzsebet fasor 14; trains every 20 minutes), which will take you as far as Szechenyi Hill and its viewing tower. Nearby is the famous Children’s Railway (Hegyhat ut; trains every 45-60 minutes), which was set up by the communist youth movement in 1948 as a way of providing experience to the rail workers of the future, and is still staffed by youngsters.
One of the easiest and most fun ways to explore Europe is by train, watching the shifting landscapes slide past before hopping off to discover new, exciting cities and tiny, back-country towns.
WHY IT’S SPECIAL Flight-free travel is back in vogue as the carbon horrors of no-frills weekending hit home. The InterRail pass, which comes in many forms, has attractive discounts for university-age young adults and retirees, but it’s still pretty good value even if you’re just middle-aged.
The options for passes are myriad, the routes you can take even more so. Do you want a Scandi sweep, a Med zigzag or an Orient Express in stages? It depends on your budget, time and whims; perhaps you should just head for St Pancras and make it up as you hurtle under the Channel?
If you want comfort, some sleeper experience and not overtesting distances, consider a loop through France, Germany, Czech Republic (perhaps in the dark on the Berlin-Vienna night train), Austria, Slovenia and then back via Trieste, Milan and Switzerland.
After all the recent Europe-badmouthing, an InterRail trip will show you the Continent at its best – its greenest mode of transport, its most romantic termini, its multiracial, multigenerational population, and its scintillating cities and lovely landscapes.
YOU’LL NEVER FORGET… Setting off from St Pancras with that rush of freedom that only train journeys impart.
INSIDER TIP
The InterRail global pass (which used to be called simply InterRail pass) covers travel in 31 different countries, including France, Germany and Italy.
HOW TO DO IT
The full range of passes is explained on the official website (interrail.eu). As an illustration of the cost of travel, a “seven days in one month” global pass, ideal for seeing two or three countries, costs £305 for an adult, £235 for youths (under 27s), and £275 for seniors (60+). A global pass valid for every day of an entire month costs £610 for adults, £469 for youths and £549 for seniors. Children aged between four and 11 also travel on discounted fares.
Note that sleepers and many express trains involve a surcharge. To travel with Eurostar using your pass, you need to book a seat in advance and pay a seat reservation fee. Book sleepers and express intercity trains such as the AVE and TGV well in advance; Rail Europe (raileurope.com) can help you plan and book special services and hotels.