As trip options evolve, trains still thrill
In Europe, getting from point A to point B is a snap. The train system shrinks what is already a small continent, making a whirlwind or far-reaching tour a reasonable possibility for anyone. For me, trains remain the quintessentially European way to go and the best option for romantics. However, the proliferation of competitive discount airlines — and more affordable car-rental options — has revolutionized European itinerary planning: It’s turned vagabonds into jet-setters.
Over the years, my travel style has evolved. In the old days, I used Eurail passes to go everywhere by train. But today rail passes come with more caveats — mainly that you’re often charged extra fees to ride the fastest trains (and these trains require a reservation at least a few days in advance). Nowadays, I cobble together a mix of transit options: Along with passes, I buy point-to-point train tickets for one-off hops, I take big leaps by air and I drill into certain areas with a rental car.
Generally, European trains go where you need them to go and are fast, frequent and affordable. And for many, the pleasure of journeying along Europe’s rails is as good as the destination.
Compared with flying, both trains and cars keep you close to the scenery and to Europeans. For connecting nearby destinations, trains may or may not be a better option than driving.
When considering driving, remember: A car rental costs the same for one person as it does for a small group; if you’re packing heavy or aren’t very mobile for another reason, a car is a blessing; and while cars are generally best for exploring the countryside, they’re expensive headaches in big cities.
To get between moderately distant cities, a train may be your fastest option — and a thrill. I was recently on a train going across the French countryside. It was silent, it was smooth, there was beautiful pastoral scenery and we were zipping along at 180 mph into Paris.
The extreme speed of modern trains really sunk in when I noticed, in Munich’s main train station, cute little birds that had been squished to the train windows — a surreal image. It occurred to me that this is a dangerous continent if you’re a slow bird. I can’t imagine this would happen where I live in Seattle — perhaps the bird would be enjoying the rooftop ride, sitting on a folding chair with a cigar and drink, but not squished to the windshield. And European trains just keep getting faster.
The continentwide upgrade to speedy trains means there are fewer journeys long enough to make the classic overnight trip. Still, I love to sleep on the train when I can. By traveling overnight, I save a whole day in my itinerary. I can stay at a Munich beer hall until late, stumble over to my train and be navigating the canals of Venice by 9 the next morning. Some travelers sit upright all night just to save a few bucks, but I prefer booking a bunk in a dormlike sleeping car called a “couchette” for the cost of a cheap hotel room.
These days, once I’ve book my round-trip flight to Europe, I shop for any one-way flights I need within Europe (and if I’m making any same-day connections with my transAtlantic flight, I arrange this as part of the same booking and with a partner airline). When I first started traveling, it simply wasn’t affordable to buy
Qone-way airline tickets between European cities, but today that kind of thinking is so 20th century. After Europe deregulated its airways in the 1990s, a flock of budget-conscious, no-frills airlines took flight. That’s driven prices down even among major carriers, and as I generally stick with these, my one-way hops within Europe average about $100. But discount airlines can cut down the price even lower, with many fares in the $20 range — and the established carriers, such as EasyJet and Ryanair, have route maps within Europe that rival their legacy competitors. (Just be aware that the cheaper airlines usually use more remote airports and have more restrictive baggage policies.)
For me, a big part of the joy of travel is experiencing the sheer foreignness of everyday life abroad: eating local cuisine, sleeping in new places and navigating an extensive, efficient transportation system completely unlike our own. While driving and flying each have their place — and can be the most efficient and economic options — I love the trains. There’s nothing quite like arriving somewhere by rail. It’s part of the magic of Europe: Picture pulling into the hut-sized station across the lake from the Austrian hamlet of Hallstatt, catching the waiting boat and watching the town’s shingled roofs and church spires grow bigger as the mist lifts off the water. That’s an experience you’ll never get at home.