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Train travel is easy, efficient, and romantic at times, and it comes with many new comforts leading into 2024.
Why should you travel Europe with train instead of a car or plane?
Don’t waste time waiting at airports or driving around in a small rental car looking for parking and paying tolls. You want to travel Europe with train. It is the best way to get between the capital cities in Europe.
But regional trains will get you to some smaller places too. Think Sienna in Italy, Krakow in Poland, San Sebastian in Spain, and many more.
10 Reasons to Travel Europe with Train:
You will arrive in the centre of town, often in incredible train stations with a charm.
There will be no long check-in lines or security lines.
Train tickets can be often booked online with e-tickets saved directly to your smartphone.
Many European trains come with electrical plugs, wifi, and even service on board. Can I have a coffee with the view, please?
You will get to see parts of Europe you’d miss if you’re just flying over them.
You can bring bigger luggage on the train without a fee (European airlines charge a lot for luggage). But, I recommend packing light as Europe has a lot of stairs and a small suitcase or a good backpack will give you more mobility. Check out our post Suitcase vs Backpack – What should you choose?
Train travel is better than driving around cities in a rental car, stressing about parking, traffic, and high toll fees.
With the additional private train companies launching in Europe, train prices are very competitive.
You can be spontaneous! Chances are you can just walk up to the train station and catch the train for the same price as if you booked a month ago.
And don’t forget that train travel remains overall the most environmentally friendly model of motorised passenger transport in Europe! Exploring Europe with train is good for the planet!
Exploring Europe with train comes with some epic views
Travelling by train can be the key to an awesome adventure when in Europe. But you need to do some research first to see how your destinations connect and how long will it take.
There is no point in planning Amsterdam – Budapest – Madrid – Paris trip for your week in Europe. It will take too long. Getting an idea of the price is also good to know before you go. If you have only two weeks, you probably want to focus on just one area of Europe (West, Central, Italy only, etc)
I recommend doing some research with these websites:
Not only a great website to book trains in and out of Germany. This is also the most comprehensive website to check times and prices across most of Western Europe.
Easy to use – for example, you can look up your train from Italy to Austria.
Looking for timetables for your Europe trip? Check Bahn.com for schedules and prices
Essentially an amazing booking website that will show you how to get from A to B anywhere in the world, but super helpful if searching for transport Europe.
You can get an idea of time, price, and a link to the website to book your ticket.
Choose “train only” on the left side or leave as it is, to see a possible connection with other transport such as tram or bus. Honestly, anyone planning to travel Europe with train should get this app on their phone.
If you are looking for A to B planner including train travel – check Rome2Rio
Where to book train tickets for Europe
The reality of train travel in Europe is that there is not a single website where you can book all your train tickets. But there are a few that come close.
Let’s start with a list of the two I use the most.
Option A – Book train tickets in Europe through a booking website
Use one of these two websites to book all tickets for your train trip to Europe. They are easy to understand and work with many European national rail systems.
Also when you travel Europe with train, you might run into some difficulties with foreign cards payments online. These two websites are created specifically for foreigners:
Trainline is the best website to book cheap train tickets online
Option B – Book train tickets in Europe through the national rail website
Each country has its national rail system and individual booking website. You can book domestic train tickets this way, but often international tickets.
Europe rail can be complex to get your head around sometimes but some national rail websites are easy to use.
I generally use the Rome2Rio website to search my train options. The result then links to the correct national rail website to book the ticket. But the list makes it easy to go directly to the correct website:
The list of national rail websites to book train tickets:
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Did you know you can take a train directly into Venice? Just walk outside and you’ll be at the Grand Canal. Pinch-me-moment.
Private trains in Europe – Another reason travelling Europe by train is epic
With the arrival of semi-private and private trains, I love to travel Europe with train even more.
Private train operators such as Italo, Regiojet, Leoexpress, or Thalys offer a new comfort and style of travel.
Take Regiojet for example. I took a train trip from Prague to Bratislava. The train was brand new, with comfortable seats, plugs for my electronics, and free wifi.
My ticket included free water, newspapers, and ordering a coffee, and my ham cheese croissant set me back less than 3 euros.
The private train operators such as Regiojet are providing more train options – Another reason why should travel Europe with train
List of private train operators in Europe
Book Eurostar train between London & Paris, London & Brussels or anywhere in Belgium. (Book early for the best price)
Book Thalys train for high-speed trains between Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam/Cologne.
Book TV-Lyria high-speed trains between Paris & Switzerland.
Book Regiojet for trains between Vienna, Prague, Bratislava and more. There was an exciting new train route to Croatia and Slovenia from Bratislava.
Train tickets in Europe can be purchased from stations, ticket machines or online
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How to get the best price for train tickets
Now the big questions when it comes to travelling Europe with train. When can I get the cheapest train tickets in Europe? And where and when to book your train tickets?
My go-to website for making all of my train (and coach) reservations is Trainline. This website compares all other train booking websites, finds the best fare available and offers it to you.
If you reserve your tickets on Trainline, you can save up to 60% discount on your ticket. This is exactly why I use it. Instant reservation, the best price available and it’s so easy.
Here are my best tips:
Check multiple websites – start with Rome2Rio, then check raileurope.com and individual national rail websites
Sign up for newsletters/emails from private train companies such as Regiojet to know when new routes are announced and get the best deals.
Get a debit card with no international fees. So, no matter if you book trains in euros, Croatia Kunas or Czech crowns you won’t be charged international fees. If you are from Australia, check out this guide for the best debit card to travel the world.
Always check 1st/2nd class price. Sometimes it can cost as little as 3 euros to upgrade for a bit of comfort.
Consider booking a sleeper train. If you are on a budget and want to save on accommodation, I highly recommend taking a sleeper train. It costs a little bit more – usually around 30 euros extra, but you get clean linen and a comfortable bed. One of my favourite train journeys was from Vienna to Florence in an overnight sleeper.
This will sound strange but the prices often vary depending on which national rail website you book it. Let me explain. If you need a train ticket from Berlin to Prague you might check the German Railways (bahn.com) for the cost and their lowest fare is booked out. Then you check the Czech Railways and find out you can book the same ticket, but much cheaper!
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Another thing to consider, especially if you are planning extensive travel around Europe with train, is a rail pass. Rail passes have changed in the past few years because airlines and train companies now have to compete for customers. So, there are early specials for some routes.
Is the rail pass still worth it in 2023? What is the best train pass for Europe? Should you get a rail pass to travel Europe with train, or buy point-to-point tickets.
The answer is simple. Absolutely, a rail pass is an excellent idea if you know you will use it! Especially if you are planning a grand tour of Europe by train.
There are now multiple passes available and you can buy your rail pass directly fromRail Europe
I suggest you look at the different packages and then write up the train routes you plan to use on your travels and add the cost.
Don’t worry if you are not 100% sure about every journey.
Then sit down and compare the package from Rail Europe. Here are some examples:
10 days within 2 months Rail Pass – Travel on as many trains as you like on each of your 10 travel days β perfect for visiting 9β11 destinations. You can use your 10 travel days any time within 2 months of your start date. Price $458
15 days within 2 months Rail Pass – Travel on as many trains as you like on each of your 15 travel days β perfect for visiting 14β16 destinations. You can use your 15 travel days any time within 2 months of your start date. Price $563
1 month of unlimited train travel – Travel on as many trains as you like for 1 month straight β perfect for a fast-paced, flexible trip. Price $766
Don’t forget that only non-European residents can travel with a Rail Europe Pass.
If youβre a European resident you can travel with an Interrail Pass. Most high-speed and night trains require a reservation at an additional cost.
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Final tips for Europe by train
There are a few things to keep in mind that will make your train travel stress-free:
Arrive at the train station for your first train with plenty of time. Most train stations now have plenty of English signs to find your way around, but if in doubt – ask the younger generation to help you. They usually speak good English.
When booking trains online – pay attention to the name of the city. I met people who went to Wroclaw instead of Warsaw in Poland because they typed the wrong name.
Keep an eye on your belongings, especially if you are likely to fall asleep. It might be worth reading our 12 essential tips for safe travel before you go.
Some cities have multiple stations, just like airports. So pay attention to which station your train is departing so you don’t go to the wrong station and miss your train.
If you see a trip that youβd love to join, book your space on any available departure. The best news is that you can take an additional 5% off the trip price! Just enter our promo code VERYHUNGRYNOMADS at checkout and save!
And that’s our guide on how to travel Europe with train. Do you have any questions or suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.
Travel Tips for Europe
We have many travel guides and tips for Europeβ an incredible continent!
Are you travelling on a budget? These ten cheapest European countries will help you plan an itinerary that lets you see as much as possible while there.
Furthermore, if you plan to travel long-term (or at least until the money runs out), these 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you make your hard-earned dollars stretch a bit further.
Delicious cuisine can be enjoyed across Europe, and our food map of Europe will inspire your culinary journey.
If your travels in Europe are part of a much larger global adventure, then a Global eSIM may be the answer. It connects you in 124 countries, offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text eSIM. The Global eSIM has been a game-changer; we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.
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I am planning a trip to Europe and have a question about recent rail pass changes. Friends recommended the BritRail pass for our upcoming trip to give us the most flexibility when traveling through Scotland, England and Wales. Since our trip also includes Ireland and possibly Germany, I am considering the Eurail Global Pass instead. The cost is several hundred dollars less than the BritRail pass and all the countries we will be traveling to are covered on both of these passes. Why would our UK friends and family be suggesting the BritRail pass over the Eurail Global Pass? They’ve all said Eurail doesn’t include Great Britain, but that is not what I’m seeing online. Thank you for any advice! I don’t want to buy the wrong pass and then find out it’s too late to purchase the other one once we arrive in London for our first trip.
Hi Laura, you are correct. Euro Rail Global Pass does include Great Britain so it would be the best option for you. You can actually select all the countries you are planning to visit on the map on the website of Eurorail and it will suggest the best pass for you. If you are heading from the UK to Germany, you might want to consider stopping in Paris or Amsterdam too. Also if you ever unsure, you can always contact Eurorail directly or check their help page. Here is the link for the info on Great Britain https://www.eurail.com/en/get-inspired/top-destinations/great-britain-train.
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I am planning a trip to Europe and have a question about recent rail pass changes. Friends recommended the BritRail pass for our upcoming trip to give us the most flexibility when traveling through Scotland, England and Wales. Since our trip also includes Ireland and possibly Germany, I am considering the Eurail Global Pass instead. The cost is several hundred dollars less than the BritRail pass and all the countries we will be traveling to are covered on both of these passes. Why would our UK friends and family be suggesting the BritRail pass over the Eurail Global Pass? They’ve all said Eurail doesn’t include Great Britain, but that is not what I’m seeing online. Thank you for any advice! I don’t want to buy the wrong pass and then find out it’s too late to purchase the other one once we arrive in London for our first trip.
Hi Laura, you are correct. Euro Rail Global Pass does include Great Britain so it would be the best option for you. You can actually select all the countries you are planning to visit on the map on the website of Eurorail and it will suggest the best pass for you. If you are heading from the UK to Germany, you might want to consider stopping in Paris or Amsterdam too. Also if you ever unsure, you can always contact Eurorail directly or check their help page. Here is the link for the info on Great Britain https://www.eurail.com/en/get-inspired/top-destinations/great-britain-train.