Let’s Take the Train!
Most people enjoy a rail journey other than the daily commute into the big city for work. There is still something very satisfying about sitting in a comfortable seat, watching the countryside go by, maybe with a drink and a sandwich to hand. From the early days of transport, the train has been fundamental to most countries infrastructure, and in Europe the system is not only extensive, it is in some cases, extremely fast.
The rail excursion can take many forms. It can be along distance trip across the country or even a number of countries. It can be the special charter train which takes holiday makers on an old stretch of line using a steam train. Or it can be a way of simply getting from one place to another. The best excursions by train are the ones which are part of the holiday, so a family might want to get to Newquay in Cornwall and they live in Birmingham. The train is by far the best option, as the bus takes ages, with the strong possibility that it will get caught up in some jam on the M5 outside Bristol, as would the family car journey.
Book a Train Ticket in Advance!
If tickets are booked well in advance then the cost is certainly comparable with the road alternatives. The answer is to book once you know the dates, as you would accommodation. The variety of ticket options is outstanding, and most leave it to a comparison website such as the Trainline to sort out the best deals. But just to give an idea the advance purchase on a return ticket from Bath to Liverpool can be £32, but booking it the day before will cost £66, one way!
Take the Kids on a Train Tour
Kids love trains, and they will be very excited about the idea of the journey. Sitting cooped up in a car just doesn’t appeal these days so the rail excursion is very popular. It can save time, and certainly a lot of stress on the parents. There’ll be arguments about who sits by the window, but that’s part of the fun. Europe now has some of the fastest trains in the world. The UK is a bit behind with its 125 trains, and really the cross channel service from Waterloo to Paris is much more about the French than the British.
Around Europe on a Train
So, France has the TGV which scurries across all of central Europe at alarming speeds, whilst in Germany the ICE (Inter City Express) thunders its way from Frankfurt and onto Berlin, Hamburg and Scandinavia. European rail travel is a great experience, made all the better for the levels of comfort even in the second class compartments. Big investment by the Europeans has made the difference and goes to show that the governments of France, Germany, Holland, Italy and Switzerland appreciate how important the train is to the economy and to tourism. A quick flight may be just that – quick and to be fair, a lot cheaper than it used to be. But the romance of the train lives on, and for some is all part and parcel of a great holiday experience.