If you are planning to travel around Europe with train, then this guide about train travel in Europe is for you. The extensive European train network is a dream and with additional private trains and new routes introduced in the past year, it’s the best way to travel around Europe. Train travel is easy, efficient, romantic at times and it comes with many new comforts in 2022.
Why should you travel Europe with train instead of a car or plane?
Don’t waste your 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 in 2022. It is the absolute 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 good backpack will give you more mobility.
- 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
How to plan a trip to Europe with train
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:
Websites to check train timetables in Europe
1. The Bahn www.bahn.de
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
2. Rome2Rio – rome2rio.com
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 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 national rail systems in Europe. 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:
Railurope.com is an easy booking website for all your train travel
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 your domestic train tickets this way, but often international tickets as well. 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 with. But the list makes it easy to go directly to the correct website:
The list of national rail websites to book train tickets:
- Austria www.oebb.at
- Belgium www.belgiantrain.be
- Bulgaria www.bdz.bg
- Croatia www.hzpp.hr
- Czech Republic www.cd.cz
- Denmark www.dsb.dk
- Finland www.vr.fi
- France www.sncf.com
- Germany www.bahn.de
- Greece www.trainose.gr
- Hungary www.mavcsoport.hu
- Italy www.trenitalia.com
- Netherlands www.ns.nl
- Poland www.intercity.pl
- Portugal www.cp.pt
- Romania www.cfrcalatori.ro
- Russia www.rzd.ru
- Slovakia www.zssk.sk
- Slovenia potniski.sz.si
- Spain www.renfe.com
- Sweden www.sj.se
- Switzerland www.sbb.ch
- Ukraine www.uz.gov.ua
- United Kingdom www.nationalrail.co.uk
For other countries or regions check out the list of European Railways from Wikipedia.
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 in summer 2021 and it should be back in 2022.
Train tickets in Europe can be purchased from stations, ticket machines or online
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?
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 trains, 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.
- 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 money on accommodation I highly recommend taking a sleeper train. It cost 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!
Should you consider a rail pass?
Another thing to consider, especially if are planning extensive travel around Europe with train, is a rail pass. Rail passes have changed in the past few years, mostly 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 2022? 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 a great idea if you know you will use it! Especially if you are planning a grand tour of Europe by train.
There are now multiples passes available and you can buy your rail pass directly from Eurail. I suggest you have a look at the different packages and then write up the train routes you are planning 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 Eurail. 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 – perfect for visiting 9–11 destinations. You can use your 10 travel days any time within 2 months of your start date. Price $355
- 15 days within 2 months Rail Pass – Travel on as many trains as you like on each of your 15 travel days – perfect for visiting 14–16 destinations. You can use your 15 travel days any time within 2 months of your start date. Price $437
- 1 month of unlimited train travel – Travel on as many trains as you like for 1 month straight – perfect for a fast-paced, flexible trip. Price $594
Final tips for Europe by train
- 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.
- 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.
Don’t forget about Travel Insurance
We recommend SafetyWing Travel Insurance. It is created by travellers, for travellers. These guys offer Travel Medical Insurance that covers people from all over the world, while outside their home country – The best part is that COVID-19 coverage is included in their very affordable plans.
TRAVEL PLANNING RESOURCES
✈️ Flights: Skyscanner and Expedia are the best sites to search for the cheapest flights and great deals from your home country.
🏨 Accommodation: Booking.com, Agoda, and HotelsCombined are the top platforms to search for fantastic hotels and accommodation options at the best price.
🛌 Homestays: Airbnb is an ideal platform to book a local experience. We use Airbnb to reserve entire apartments for long-term stays.
🏥 Travel Insurance: Don’t forget travel insurance! Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. We recommend World Nomads or SafetyWing.
🚌 Transportation: We use BookaWay OR 12Go.Asia to compare and book Bus, Ferry, or Train Tickets.
🚘 Car Rental: Rentalcars.com, & Europcar are reliable platforms to book rental cars.
👫 Small-Group Tours: GAdventures offers the best small group adventures around the world.
📸 Day Tours & Trips: Get Your Guide & Viator are the only two platforms you will need. They offer everything at unbeatable prices.
🎒 Luggage: Osprey Farpoint 40L Backpack or any suitcase from Samsonite.
🛄 What to Pack: To help you get started on packing, here is our ULTIMATE Packing List for all Travellers.
🐶 Become a House Sitter: Join Trusted Housesitters and enjoy FREE accommodation around the world. 💰 Send Money Anywhere: WISE is the best online account that lets you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. It’s so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer. 📶 Stay Connected: Airalo eSIM allows you to get connected the moment you land at your destination and you can avoid those expensive data roaming charges. We LOVE this product!
✅ Check out our Travel Resources Page for more Useful Tips to Save you Money!
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.