Across Europe by train: a guide for tourists on how to travel cheaply

Traveling in Europe has its undeniable advantages. And the main one is the compactness of the region, which makes it possible to visit several countries and cities within the framework of even the shortest excursion. But for the implementation of the tourist program, you need to choose the right way to travel. The best in this regard can be safely called rail transport, which can rush to the most remote corners of the European part of the continent in a matter of hours or even minutes.

Now let's talk about how to make traveling by train economical, without sacrificing comfort or speed of movement between the points of the planned route.

Types of trains and which one to choose

It should be noted right away that all trains that run between European cities have a good level of comfort. And in many ways, even the cost of the ticket does not affect this.

All rail transport can be divided into four types: suburban, regional, fast and super fast. From the name of the category, it is easy to guess how each species is different and how far and how quickly you can get to your destination on it.

So, suburban trains are mainly represented by electric trains that run within the same administrative unit. Tourists will have to use the services of such transport if they want to go to the suburbs, where the main attractions are very often located (for example, from Paris to Versailles).

On regional trains you can get anywhere in a particular country. The only “minus” of this way of traveling is the slowness, which is caused by frequent stops. But tickets will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than travelers who have time to spare do not forget to use. Well, as a kind of bonus, an amazing landscape outside the window is attached.

If you don't have much time to see the sights of Europe, feel free to buy a ticket for the fast train IC or EC. Unlike regional ones, it makes a stop only in large cities, and the speed of movement is several times higher. For example, you can get on such a train from the capital of Germany to Amsterdam in just 6 hours.

But high-speed trains are a special type of transport that allows you to make the most ambitious movements in a short time. The speed of movement reaches 300 km / h, while the level of passenger comfort remains high. Accordingly, for such “charm” will have to pay extra. This type of electric train is actively gaining its popularity among travelers, displacing slower colleagues.

You can also highlight the night trains, which allow you to save a “round” amount on travel. They run at night, when the load on the railway track is lower and are in demand among those tourists who prefer not to spend time traveling during the day, preferring to get acquainted with some attraction.

Do not forget that you can save even on the type of seat. If you are unpretentious, then an ordinary chair, which are located in six rows, will suit you. Well, if the budget allows, then you are invited to enjoy the trip in one of the first-class compartments.

How to save money on a trip

When we got acquainted with the types of trains, it's time to move on to the issue of saving on travel. So, the main way to reduce your travel costs, which is actively used by modern travelers, is to purchase a travel document in advance. If you do this in a few months, you can get a good discount. You can do this through the special website of the railway company, on the train of which you decided to go on tour.

For example, you can use the website of the German railways – bahn.de. The resource has an intuitive menu in which you can easily find data such as the place and time of departure, arrival, through which points the train passes and the fare. There are several language interfaces with which any visitor can order a ticket and choose the appropriate route.

For those whose paths run through Austria, the local website oebb.at will be useful, where you can easily view the schedule, calculate the best route, and even find out where from a particular settlement you can continue the planned route.

You can find out about discounts, train schedules within Spain, France and Italy on local websites – renfe.com, trenitalia.com and sncf.com. Similar information resources exist for leading companies in other European countries.

Visiting the company's website is also useful because a special section contains information about discounts, promotions and other great offers. In particular, there are several types of discounts – by age, by special coupons, and even depending on the season.

For those who travel often and a lot, the offer to purchase a ticket will be beneficial. Although its cost is higher, the costs will pay off within a few trips. Among Russian tourists, the Interrail ticket is popular, which gives its owner the right to travel both within one state and move throughout Europe.

If you are purposefully choosing a route within one country, the One country Pass is more suitable.

But tickets have a significant “minus”. Its presence, although it guarantees you the opportunity to travel, but does not secure a seat for the passenger. If you do not want to spend the whole journey in a standing position, you should take care of booking a seat in advance.

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