Traveling Europe by rail?
Then check out these money and time saving tips.

Riding the Rails Tips

With a train pass or ticket in your hand, Europe is your playground!  Most of you will master the various European train systems by just jumping in and learning from your mistakes.  To help you learn even more quickly--from some one else's mistakes--here are a few useful pieces of information and  tips.

1.  Many cities have more than one train station,   For example, Paris has 6, Brussels has 3, and Switzerland's little Interlaken has 2 stations.  Be sure you know whether your train is leaving from Paris'  Gare du Nord, or Gare de Lyon or  Gare de l'Est or Gare........!  Most city train stations are connected by train, or subway, or bus.  When arriving in a city--particularly on a milk-run train--you are likely to stop at several suburban stations. Signs posted on stations, will indicate your destination's name along with the neighborhoods name, e.g. Madrid Vallecas.  Don't jump off until you have reached the central station, e.g. Madrid Chamatin.  You can avoid another arrival frustration by finding out if your train's final stop is at a cities main or central station instead of a suburban one.  For example, a few trains from Rome to Florence leave you at Florence's suburban station--Firenze Rifredi--where you will be stranded.  

TIP: The best way to avoid these mistakes is to do a little research before departing to Europe.  I grab a city map or a guide book map with train stations clearly marked for my various destinations. My favorite guides are Rick Steve's guide books which clearly labels All train stations and provides written directions to and from them.  With map in hand, I next go to my favorite online timetable source, DB, and check timetables for my destinations--noting the departure and arrival train stations  as well as transfers between stations.  For example, DB will tell me what subways I should use to switch from Gare du Nord to Gare du Lyon in Paris as well as how long it should take. The timetable booklet that comes with your railpass provides station information between most large cities.

2.  Get accurate timetables and save time & money.    Trains between popular destinations tend to run on time  and more of these routes are using speed trains that require you make a seat reservation in  addition to your ticket or rail pass.  The cost of seat reservations vary from $6 on a week day in France to $25 in Italy.  You can pay even more on week-ends and holidays.  One money saving trick we use is getting  timetables for the entire day and look for trains that don't require seat reservations.  I recently checked schedules on DB  (which is the most accurate source)  from Venice to Florence and found  four schedules out of ten that didn't require seat reservations departing at:  9:42,  13:47, 15:07, & 15:42. Leaving at one of these times will probably save me $15 per/person and I know I just need to be at the station 10-15 minutes before departure instead of 40-60 minutes early to stand in line to buy my seat reservation.  I checked these times and trains against the current RailEurope timetable booklet and none of these times matched--30-40 minute differences for the two that were listed,.

Travelers who want flexibility will appreciate the new train schedule computer in most Italian stations--and spreading across Europe.  They save long waits in information lines.  To use them, indicate your language, departure and arrival points, and rough time of departure, and all workable connections will flash on the screen. Most sizable stations have airport type flip boards that continuously display updated departure information such as train destination, train number, departure track and time.  You will also find mini booklet schedules for local destinations in train stations and sometimes on trains.  These can be helpful planning tools.  TIP: Be sure to pay close attention to train operating days.  Not all trains run every day, or at the same time every day.  Sundays, weekends, and holidays will often vary timing wise from weekday schedules.  Also remember, each country has its own collection of holidays, some you may never have heard of. 

3.  Ask for help & observe.    Managing on the trains is largely a matter of asking questions, letting people help you, and assuming things are logical.  I ask someone on the platform if the train is going where I think it is going before I board it.  Point to the train or track and ask, "Roma???"  (a shoulder shrug or nod of the head answer means the same in Europe as it does here).  When ever possible I look for Uniformed train personnel to answer my questions.  When a loudspeaker comes on, watch what the waiting people on your platform do.  If they all rush off to track 22 leaving you on track 6--you can assume some kind of change has occurred.  Check it out!

4.  Find your Train's Departure Track/Platform in a Station     Hopefully you have timetables or reservations cards that provide information about your departure Train Station Name, Time of departure, AND TRAIN #,

• Finding Your Train   Most European train stations post timetables on a large overhead computerized monitor in the main lobby of the station.(see monitor)                                                Smaller stations may have wall signs which show departure, arrival and platform number of various trains.  Trains are listed chronologically from 0 to 24 hours.
• Fast trains are usually shown in red rather than black ink. Next to the time you'll see the name and number of the important intermediate stops, as well as track and platform number at which the train departs and arrives.
• More and more stations have TV monitors on the train Track/Platforms with soon departing trains and their track/platform number.
• How to say train track or platform in different languages

Photo by John Moore of Sequim, WA

Finding Your Train

When you get to your Track, make sure the train sitting there is your Train number. (see train on a track)  If you have a reservation, look for your "Coach" = Train car # and board.  If you have an open ticket or a Railpass with no reservations, look for first (1) or 2nd (2) class train car.  Sit in any empty seat.

To further assist passengers, many train stations will have diagrams located on the platforms that illustrate the location of each car on the train. These diagrams enable travelers to situate themselves on the platform very close to where their seat will be. Each train car has an identification panel on its side, indicating:

• on top: the name of the city where it originated.
• on the bottom: the name of the final destination.
• in between: the names of the most important stops en route.(but not all of them)
• beside the door: a digital panel will indicate the car number.

TIP:  If your train is going to leave real soon, get on any car quickly, then walk through the train to your correct car class or reserved seat.

3.  Never assume the whole train is going where you are going.    Before boarding a train car, check the nameplate on the side of the train car next to its entrance.  On the name plate you will see all the cities and villages that car is going to.  Is your destination on the list?  If you get on the "correct" car and find it full--then decide to move to the car next door that seems to have empty seats--you may later discover you changed final destinations!  Train cars are often added and dropped here and there along a journey. I'll never forget making this mistake and winding up in Belfort instead of Beaune.  There are destination name plates inside each train car--usually located next to the WC and train car exit.

5..  Learn to use the 24 hour clock:  Europe operates time wise on the 24 hour clock.  It is used everywhere including timetables.  After 12:00 noon, Europeans keep going--13:00, 14:00, and so on.  To convert to the 12 hour clock, subtract 12 and add pm.  

6.  There is always room for luggage.    You don't have to check your bags with train travel--and in fact is difficult to do!.  Throughout Europe, you carry your own onto the train and then heave it up onto the racks above the seats. (check out "Packing Light" if this sounds like a stumbling block).  There are places to store luggage at the end of many train cars, near the exits.  I never use these areas.  It is said, "There is a thief on every train planning to grab a bag (union rules) ",..... so I don't want to make it easy for them!  

Before leaving my suitcase in a compartment to go to the WC, I develop a relationship with everyone there--thus creating a "luggage neighborhood watch".  (I will cover more  "Train Safety" on another page)  Should you need to "check" something large like your bike, make sure it is headed to the same destination you are headed.  I  recently heard a story re. a traveler  who hurriedly loading his bike onto a baggage car, then later learned the baggage car went somewhere else!  Luggage handling is a "do it yourself" activity at train stations  too.  They don't have Porters.  Some have "airport type" luggage carts or trolleys that will get you to your first set of stairs. Then you are on your own again. ...and elevators are almost non-existent..

  more Europe Train/Rail Tips
        Train Station Services, Rail Pass, + Ticket Tips
        Keep your Money & Valuables Safe in Europe
        Frequently Asked Questions About Train Travel & RailPasses
        How to Choose Your Railpass & other Transportation in Europe
        Rail Pass Descriptions + Senior & Youth Deals
        GET TO Chunnel EuroStar Departure  Earlier than Recommended
        "Toilet Training in Europe"
        Europe Train Tips Index
        Readers Train Tips

        Rail Passes & Specials
    Timetable Links for Rail - Chunnel -  Bus -  Ferry
        Eurostar Chunnel Fares/Schedules
    Night Train Timetables & Prices
        Rail MAPS Country by Country
    Point to Point Tickets & Seat Reservations

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