On the Night Train…
This is a two for one folks…save time AND money. I know, it’s hard to believe. Night trains (or buses) are something to consider for a number of reasons. If you are moving about Europe, transporting yourself takes up valuable sightseeing hours. Annoyingly enough, you will need to sleep at some point. And not to state the obvious, but you will be buying a transport ticket and you will be paying for a hotel room so combine the two and take an overnight train.
There are a variety of ways to do this. If you are planning train travel in Europe, always first check Rail Europe and Rail Pass. Research these sites, but also research the train sites in the country(s) you will be visiting. Often it is cheaper to wait and purchase point-to-point tickets when you arrive. For example, if you are planning a UK holiday, you can take the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Scotland. Book a “Bargain Berth” seat and prices start from 19 GBP for a single! That’s so cheap you should sleep on it every night.
Germany is a good central country with an excellent train system. In typically efficient German style Deutsche Bahn has designed a super fact-filled website. France is another big country and the French Railways also offers overnights – and sometimes bargains. You can check TGV-Europe for fares.
Here are some links to other national railway websites:
If you are planning a longer trip and rail travel will feature prominently, it’d be worth your money to order a copy of the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable. This tome is published monthly so you’ll have the most up-to-date info possible. Not as useful for long-range planning, but you could order one in advance to research your options and roughly layout your trip. Then, buy the one that is applicable to when you’ll actually be here. And don’t forget to pay a visit to Seat 61. It’s a worldwide train site, but has a lot of good information on European destinations – especially from London to Europe.
Sleep tight!
Photo Credit: Willie lee (not jack brown)@Flickr
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