There is a question one is invariably asked after a big trip: What was the highlight? This is the question that has taken the place of “Tell me all about your trip,” because all too often people would actually tell all about their trip. With video.
When I was asked the inevitable question after a trip to Europe, I didn’t hesitate a second before answering. Taking the train was the highlight, I said.
Oh, sure, maybe one or two things about Paris may have been more exciting, and, yeah, there was the awesome magnitude of the beer tents at Munich’s Oktoberfest. But it was the experience of taking the train between the two cities — and all the stops along the way — that left some of the most pleasant memories.
This is hard for Americans to understand. We don’t have trains like they do in Western Europe. We have Amtrak. Now, there’s no reason to bash Amtrak, The Little Train That Couldn’t. America’s train system has been plagued by bad publicity based on actual events, such as derailments, although in truth the chances of being involved in an Amtrak derailment are probably the same as being hit by a meteor. This doesn’t help much when 9 out of 10 Americans believe an Amtrak train eventually will be hit by a meteor.
Train travel in Europe not only is more prevalent and convenient than in the United States, but it also has a respectability it doesn’t have here. It has a priority among Europeans who use it for short and long trips instead of a car. Hard to imagine, huh?
The trains in Europe can take you nearly anywhere you want to go, or certainly near anywhere you want to go. They drop you off in the center of town, not at an airport on the outskirts. They are, for the most part, quiet (electric rather than diesel), comfortable and clean. They are remarkably on time, and some go very fast. The French TGV (train de grande vitesse, which translates, roughly, to “this sucker really flies”) sails along at 186 miles per hour as smoothly as if gliding on air.
And above all the European trains are relaxing. Their picture windows offer a panorama of the European countryside, and isn’t that what you travel to Europe to see? Very rarely will you see the sights more commonly seen along America’s railways. In fact I can’t remember one European junkyard or house with a rusting jalopy in the back yard.
What I remember seeing are neat homes with well-tended gardens, vineyards on steep terraced mountains, the view of a lake outside Zurich and the Alps behind as our train rose into the mountains, grand church steeples rising above the thatched roofs of small villages. And the chateaux — elegant estates and castles that overlook green valleys. These are things you’re not as likely to see if you took a car. Or certainly you wouldn’t be able to appreciate them as you try to navigate strange highways with road signs in foreign languages.
Take the train.
But before you do, let me give you some advice.
First, decide which kind of rail pass you will need, if you need a pass at all. There are too many kinds of passes to go into here, and each has different variables. There are Eurailpasses, EuroPasses, Benelux Tourrail Passes, BritRail, BritFrance, BritGerman with variations for adults, adults and children, adults with a companion, travel for three countries over five days, five countries over seven days or 17 countries for two months. This is something you need to work out with your travel agent, so make sure to choose a travel agent who actually has used the trains.
And although the passes will look like bargains — and indeed could very well be — you might be able to save more money by purchasing point-to-point tickets for the specific cities you wish to visit. Talk it over with your travel agent.
You’ll also want to consider whether you want a first-class or second-class ticket. Don’t confuse this with first class and coach on a major airline. A first-class train ticket will get you a roomier seat and, on some trains, a compartment that seats six individuals — such as you’ve seen in movies where there is one mysterious traveler carrying a hatbox he refuses to put down and starts sweating profusely when the train stops for a border check and the conductor opens the sliding door to the compartment. Ah, the romance of train travel!
A first-class ticket won’t get you a whole lot more. There is no meal service (except on very rare occasions on select trains, and even this isn’t anything to get excited about), nor are there complimentary beverages. But you are at least more likely to get a seat, especially when traveling during the busy tourist season, which generally runs from mid-June through mid-September. Second class fills up faster, and you could find yourself standing for the duration of the trip. Not fun.
You can make reservations before you leave for Europe through your travel agent, but — and this is a very important but — this may reserve you for the train but not a seat. Seat reservations may carry a surcharge over the cost of the ticket. Be sure to ask about these things. In some countries a seat reservation isn’t necessary and, indeed, is not accepted unless traveling into another country. The best bet is to make a seat reservation as far in advance as possible. It is a good habit to go directly to the reservation window upon arrival at one destination and make your seat reservation for your next departure. If you do not have a multitravel pass, be warned that you will have to purchase your ticket after standing in line at one window and then queue up in another to make your seat reservation. Also not fun.
Unless a train is very full, you are not required to sit in the seat you are assigned; you may occupy any seat in the class your ticket permits. This is nice to know if you’re sharing a compartment with travelers who brought along three-day-old sushi.
Well, as long as we’re talking about food. … Most trains have a snack car if not a full dining car. Some have a snack cart that is wheeled through the cars periodically. My advice is to purchase your own sandwiches, cheeses, baguettes, wine, beer or whatever at a shop near or in the train station. You’ll probably save money, and a sandwich that was freshly made that is going to be more enjoyable than a prepackaged one bought on the train.
There is a certain romance to the dining car, but it is most likely to be full the entire trip, and it also will be smoky.
There are nonsmoking cars and compartments on most trains, by the way. On some trains, a single car is divided into smoking and nonsmoking seats.
But do make sure you are on the right car. You may be on the correct train that is leaving Paris for Amsterdam, but its very possible that all the cars that leave the station in Paris will not all make it to Amsterdam. Some of the cars may get pulled off the end in, say, Brussels, and attached to a train headed for Cologne.
You will see a sign in the window of each car that will give its origination and termination cities plus all the stops along the way; for example: “PARIS-Brussels-Antwerpen-AMSTERDAM.” If you accidentally get on a car that says “PARIS-Brussels-ANTWERPEN,” you’re not going to Amsterdam.
Most station platforms have a diagram of the cars and signage that shows where to stand to board a particular car. If you have a seat reservation, check to see where your car will stop and where you will board. This could save you from lugging your luggage through several cars to get to your seat.
Which brings us to the subject of luggage. While it is possible in theory to check baggage through to a destination, it is much less convenient and highly inadvisable. It is possible your luggage will not even travel on the same train as you, and the likelihood of you and your baggage arriving in the same city at the same time is fairly nil.
This means you will want to carry your bags onto the train. This also means you will want to pack as lightly as possible. No … lighter than that.
You can stow your luggage in racks above your seat or perhaps beneath or behind it. On some trains, there is luggage space at the front and rear of each car. If you’ve scoped out where to stand on the platform, you could be one of the first to get to this choice space. For the most part the luggage will be safe to leave if you visit the restroom or dining car, but never leave your passport, money, train tickets or other valuables unattended.
A couple of small bags are better than one large one. Remember, you’re going to have to heft these things over your head. And while luggage with wheels is certainly preferred, it won’t help you when you have to carry it up stairs to get to the train platform from the terminal.
To get an idea of what this is like pack everything you are going to take with you on your trip, including backpacks, purses, camera bags etc., find a flight of stairs and practice carrying everything up and down the steps. To make it more realistic, get a couple hundred of your friends to run past you.
You’ll learn to pack lightly.
Some other things to keep in mind:
– Just to be safe, don’t throw your ticket away until you’ve left the station at your final destination. You may not be asked for your ticket while on the train, but it is possible someone will ask for it as you leave the platform. If you threw it away as you gathered up your belongings while coming into the station, you could end up purchasing another ticket if you can’t prove you’ve paid.
– You probably won’t be asked for your passport when traveling between countries in Western Europe, but keep it handy just in case.
– Don’t dawdle. As your train is coming into the station, get all your belongings together so you can hop off immediately. These trains run on time, and many leave the station after only a brief stop.
– Make sure you’re in the right station. Paris, for example, has six train stations located around the city. Don’t assume that the station you arrive in is the one you will leave from for your next destination. Check your ticket for the name of the train station.
– Some of the newer trains have seats that swivel. If you are seated in a row that has you facing the rear of the train, check for a foot pedal on the aisle. You should be able to swivel the row around. Unless there are other people sitting in those seats, no one is likely to raise an eyebrow.
– Don’t assume that everyone will speak English. Know the domestic names for cities you’re visiting (Florence is Firenze, for example). Learn the names for train station (la gare in French; bahnhof in German) and track (quai; gleis). If you find yourself facing a ticket agent or reservationist who does not speak English, have your destination city written down on a piece of paper with the time and day you wish to travel. Europeans, by the way, write the date as day/month/year. Put the time in 24 hour-clock time: For instance, 1 p.m. is 1300. And keep a phrase book handy.
– Try to exchange currency before leaving for a new country (most train stations have a currency exchange counter). This will help save time when you arrive at a station and need cash for a taxi to get to your hotel. On the trains, however, you’ll find that the dining car or snack cart attendants will take the currency of both the origination and termination countries.
It all sounds like a lot to take in and remember, but trust me, you’re going to love riding the rails through Europe. And you’ll understand how the journey itself can be a part of the destination.
