Planning a train journey in Europe? Here are ten tips for travelling by train – whether on a long, spontaneous train trip or from A to B.
Interrail or not?
The simple answer is that it depends. For example, how much flexibility do you want and who’s travelling (family with children, adults or maybe pensioners).
The advantage of Interrail is that you can easily be impulsive, at least on most routes. Some trains, such as Eurostar to London, require booking in advance (there are only a few tickets allocated for those travelling by interrail, so you often need to be out in good time to get a ticket at a reduced price).
Are you travelling as a single adult, a pensioner or a family with children? Prices can vary between regular tickets and Interrail passes. You must check what is most affordable according to your conditions and preferences.
Plenty of time for train changes
Things happen along the journey. Trains, like flights or buses, can be delayed. There is little room for unexpected events if you have a short transfer time. In some big cities, like Paris, you often have to change stations. Here at Climate Travel Guide, we usually opt for a transfer time of at least 45 minutes (not least because we like to stretch our legs between train journeys).
Food and drink
Keep an eye on which trains sell food and drink. Some have a restaurant car; others only sell refreshments and snacks. Some only sell coffee and tea. Large stations like Hamburg Central Station have a wide range of food and drinks, while smaller places have less to offer.
Holidays in the off-season
Most train holidays take place in the summer, which means high booking pressure on popular routes during the summer months and higher costs, such as accommodation. Many places around Europe also have problems with so-called overtourism. There are too many tourists coming at the same time. Try travelling in the low season. It’s often easier to get tickets, less expensive, and less crowded.
Book night trains – if it suits you best!
For many, night trains are very convenient. You can go to bed in one country and wake up in another — marvellous!
But you can also get around without travelling by night train. Because if you can’t sleep on a train, it’s no fun to have a day of exploring a new city or another day of travelling ahead of you.
Accommodation while travelling
One tip is to use the big booking sites, such as Booking.com and Airbnb, to find good places to stay, but book directly with the accommodation without intermediaries. Favour local entrepreneurs (who don’t have to pay commissions to the booking sites), and you can often get a better price if you book directly with smaller operators.
Know your rights as a traveller
If you travel in a wheelchair or have reduced mobility, you have the same rights as anyone else in the EU to travel by train, bus, boat or plane. Assistance at terminals and on board should be free of charge. Contact the train company at least 48 hours before departure to ensure you get the assistance you are entitled to.
3 important regulations and agreements protect passenger rights in Europe:
- EU Rail Passenger Rights Regulation
A Rail Passenger Rights Regulation protects your rights as a consumer in the EU. If your departure is cancelled, as a passenger, you can either refund or rebook your journey as soon as possible with equivalent transport. - Agreement on journey continuation, AJC Agreement on journey continuation
The AJC is an agreement between 17 railway operators in Europe aimed at ensuring that international travellers who have missed a connection can travel on subsequent trains to reach their final destination. - HOTNAT, Hop on the next available train
HOTNAT (Hop on the next available train) applies if you are travelling on a high-speed train. HOTNAT apply for train companies belonging to the Railteam alliance (DB, SNCF Voyageurs, SNCB, Eurostar, NS International, ÖBB, SBB and TGV Lyria) and depart from Paris, Brussels, Cologne, Munich, Basel and Zurich.
Book yourself or through a travel agent?
Many people struggle to book train journeys because European countries do not have a standard and joint train booking system. However, even if you do it yourself, booking is easy after some practice.
Recharge your battery
Many people find it convenient to have all their travel documents digitally or downloaded to their phone. At the same time, many of us will suddenly realise that our phone’s battery shows only a few per cent, without the possibility of charging. So, if you’re as addicted to technology as we are, one tip is to bring a power bank.
Leave the station
You can lock up your luggage at most major train stations for a fee. If you have a long wait between train changes, lock up your luggage and take the opportunity to stretch your legs and leave the station.