See
the world in the comfort of rail travel. Railways,
rail passes and rail journeys around the globe.
Train is possibly the single best way to
travel if you can’t afford a plane
ticket or to rent your own car, enjoy meeting
local people and have some time up your
sleeve. There are some fabulous train journeys
including the Orient Express, the Howrah
Mail and the Trans Siberian.
In many countries train travel is efficient,
punctual and relatively cheap (although
bus tickets can be a better option), but
it can be irritating queueing for tickets,
and downright frustrating on long, painfully
slow journeys. Do some research before you
go to compare the different methods of transport.
We have some more tips here on surviving
rail travel:
TYPES OF
TRAINS
In some countries there is one state railway
and also a few private railway companies and
the network can comprise of a variety of trains
that vary in price and speed. For example
in Italy there are Eurostars which are fast
and expensive, Intercity trains or interRegionale
trains which are about midrange and the Regional
trains which are generally very slow.Note
that in many large cities there are also two
or more main-line stations, although one is
usually the principal terminal or through-station.
Be sure of the name of the station at which
your train will arrive, or from which it will
depart. On some long-distance trains there
is a refreshment service or dining cars but
check before you leave (or take some food
along). Tap waters on most trains is not drinkable.If
you can afford it there are train carriages
with such luxuries as private bathrooms, coffee
machines, microwave ovens, refrigerators,
and a suite with a double bed and a VCR.
TICKETS
Reservations are generally recommended wherever
you are travelling unless it is one of the
jump on and try and find a seat type trains
(Asia/Africa). In other parts of the world
lining up for tickets is a time consuming
process if you don't use the automated machines
so leave plenty of time to do this. To avoid
long lines at station windows, buy tickets
and make seat reservations in advance at travel
agencies. Some of these agencies can still
make bookings up until just before the train
departs from its city of origin. Depending
on where you are you may also need to stamp/validate
your ticket before departure. Some train stations
have yellow boxes or something similar for
this (ask the conductor or fellow passengers
if you are unsure). If you don’t validate
your ticket then actively seek out the conductor
as you may get fined. Sometimes local shops
will sell tickets to nearby destinations.
RAIL PASSES
We recommend you look into buying your rail
passes before you leave as they can be more
expensive overseas. Also remember that rail
passes do not guarantee seats on trains. You
still need to book a reservation ahead of
time as many trains are often crowded. Backpackglobe.com
sells train passes to locations in Europe.
We encourage you to buy your passes through
us as any revenue raised goes directly back
into improving the site. Rail Connection has
more details on the Eurail pass. Europrail
offers Eurail and other European passes.The
Eurail pass is considered by many as the best
option for travelling through Europe as it
covers 17 countries and is especially good
for those with limited time. There are 15,
21, 30 and 60 day passes available and prices
vary depending on the countries chosen for
travel. Discounts are available for those
under 26 years.Make sure you check out what
discounts are available to you as a senior,
student or child.
CLASSES
Most trains have a first, second and often
third class and obviously you pay for what
you get. However there are some countries
in which travel by the lowest class is not
adviseable. For example in India westerners
are advised to travel at least second class
(and preferably with 2-tier rather than 3-tier
sleeping berths), and women travelling alone
here should travel first class.At peak travel
times, first-class train travel is worth the
difference. Remember to always make seat reservations
in advance, for either class.
SAFETY
Travelling by night is inexpensive, but never
leave your belongings unattended and make
sure the door of your compartment is well
locked. Train stations are not the best places
to spend the night although they are generally
well attended by police.
