There's no need to fly within Europe. It's surprisingly easy, quick and comfortable to travel by train from London to almost anywhere: Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Prague, Helsinki, wherever... The difficult bit is finding out how to do it and where to buy tickets. That's where Seat 61 comes in.
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While train travel in Europe isn't exactly the same everywhere–with over 50 countries and therefore over 50 train systems, there are plenty of quirks based on location–this guide to train travel in Europe will give a solid overview that will help you start your travels with confidence.
The train from Amsterdam to Switzerland takes around 12 hrs 30 mins and traverses the Netherlands along the way. This European cross-border route through Belgium, Luxembourg, France and then into Switzerland gives the traveller a chance to experience a range of different places and cultures.
Benefits of Having a Eurail Pass in EuropeFor one affordable price, you can board trains across the continent and hop between destinations with ease, freeing you from the logistical nightmare of planning and arranging tickets for each individual leg of your journey.
Flying may be bad for the environment, but taking the train in Europe is bad for your bank account, a new study found. Rail travel within the Continent remains 71 percent more expensive than flying, according to research by Greenpeace.
When traveling between Spain and Italy by rail, you will always have to pass through France. Therefore, you should make sure that your Eurail Pass is valid in France. If your pass is not valid in France you must remember to buy a separate ticket for this part of the journey.
Passport checks used to be carried on the international Eurostar train, but all formalities are now carried out before boarding. At some border crossings, the train stops twice. First on one side of the border for checks and then on the other side for a second set of checks.
The train will stop at the last station before a border and/or the first station after a border.Border control staff will then board and pass through the train, before it leaves the station.
At the end of the day, traveling Europe by train is immensely more comfortable than flying. There's less hassle, more comfortable seats, more ease of moving around, often better views, and more control over your environment.
1. Switzerland. Tucked inside the small but incredibly beautiful country of Switzerland is one of the most efficient and scenic rail networks in the world.
Why is there no train line between Spain and Portugal? Renfe needs to invest €15 million to adapt part of its rolling stock to Portuguese infrastructure, according to La Información. Various infrastructure issues need to be addressed before cross-border trains can operate.
“When traveling by train, the security and boarding are much faster and simpler, the luggage limitations go away, and there's easily twice as much leg room on a train even in the lowest class. You don't have to worry about the size of your liquids or whether your bag fits a certain dimension to carry it on.”
For many travelers, the pleasure of journeying along Europe's rails really is as good as the destination. Train travel, though not as flexible as driving, can be less stressful. On a train, you can forget about parking hassles, confusing road signs, speed limits, bathroom stops, and Italian drivers.