I should probably start this by explaining two things:In the past I have never been a public transport kind of guy. I only have memories of being late, or not showing up at all when relying on public transport. I have smelt body odour in the New York subway and got lost in London on the Tube. However from the minute I landed at the Frankfurt airport (for the first time in Europe) and walked to the railway station I have loved the train system in Europe.
Secondly, we bought Euro Rail passes before landing in Europe. Euro rail passes are not very well known about however are quite literally the ‘best thing since sliced bread’ you have a range of choices however the basics idea of the pass is you can travel for a set number of day as much as you want in the countries you desire. The ultimate being a 2month passes for all of Europe. For example our Euro rail passes we bought provided us with seven days travel (over a two month period from the activation of the pass, and we could travel anywhere in Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy)
It’s the long haul international trips that are really enjoyable and cheap since we had the Euro Rail pass. One night we did a 12 hour trip from the south of France all the way to Frankfurt, then another 4 hours to Luxembourg – in one day. I admit I was dubious the first time about the idea of sleeping in public transport however sleeping in the night trains is comfortable and an effective way to get around. Long train rides provide the opportunity to spend time and meet other travellers or locals is a great enjoyment, often a trip will take 5-6 hours if not longer. So you actually get to spend the time learning about different countries and nationalities from those that have either been there or actually live there. Of course every country is different but what I will point out that so far the trains are normally very punctual especially in Germany. Always be early because you can set a watch to the German time table.There are a couple of traps that you need to be aware of with Euro Rail passes.
First of all we bought our tickets before leaving New Zealand because it is almost impossible to get these passes in Europe.
Be aware that some countries will identify sections of rail as "scenic rail" which will can incur surcharges. So note you may also be charged a fee for crossing international boarders and if you ride the ICE or TGV (high speed trains)
The ICE and TGV are something else; they are absolutely incredible pieces of engineering. You ride along doing in excess of 250km per hour and it feels like your floating. The staff are also excellent – you can purchase beer and wine from the bar and a food trolley provides the essentials. All the announcements are in English and the language of the country. I have a fantastic memory of riding the ICE towards France along side the Rhine River sipping a German Beer, served to me by your stereotypical jolly German complete with the large moustache. France, Belgium and Netherlands are similar, quality trains, helpful and pleasant staff and always on time.However when it comes to the trains in Italy I have to describe them slightly differently. They seem to be constantly encountering delays and problems. The only language spoken is Italian (this includes the announcements). We where due to go north from Rome on a train that comes once every two hours, however they announced – in Italian that they where swapping platforms and a different train would be stopping at your platform instead. Of course they didn’t think to change any of the signs so when the train arrived we dutifully jumped on having not understood the announcement. It wasn’t a beautiful Italian girl diligently pointed out with a quick sake of her finger we where on the wrong train. Of course this ensured a two hour delay. Furthermore the staff where not that interested and didn’t even feel obligated to offer an apology.
Another thing we found was that the only way to reserve seats is to pay extra for this privilege. I seriously recommend, no matter the budget to pay the extra money (about 3 euro). It’s not uncommon to have people in the isles and it really really sux to be kicked out of your seat two hours into a six hour trip!If possible get to a smaller train station rather than a large one, there is limited storage space on these trains and they can get very crowded quickly sometimes. If a station name ends in "Termini" or "Centrale" it is a main station.
And one final tip, don't arrive at the station an hour before your train leaves and expect to get your reservation for the train. Reserve and book tickets ASAP, Italians seem to leave things like booking tickets to the last minute, don’t get caught in the rush, be organised and it will be a lot more enjoyable.
All in all, the train system (even in Italy) is impressive, there is always a train to get you towards your destination even if your stuck in a tiny village in the middle of the French Alps and its New Years eve. Not speaking the native tongue is always tricky however everyone is helpful and we never encountered any serious issues. On that note I would love to hear from anyone else who has used the trains and Euro rail passes – have you had similar experiences to us? Or is there something that I have failed to mention. The aim of this site is to help other travellers so any thoughts would be appreciated.
