Travel Tips: 5 Pointers for Traveling by Train in Europe

By Courtney Shapiro

Traveling in a foreign place can be scary. If you don’t speak the language in the place you are exploring, getting from one place to another can be even more intimidating. Every country has their own transportation system, and a common method of getting back and forth in Europe is the train. Don’t get left behind at the station, and check out our travel advice for traveling by train.

Here are a few travel tips for using the train in Europe:

1. Obtain a rail pass: The rail passes in Europe are available for a single country as well as for traveling to multiple countries. The single pass is good for travel across that whole country while the multiple pass allows you to jump from country to country.

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2. Find someone who can translate if need be:.Whether it’s someone you travel with or someone you meet, it can be helpful to have someone speaking the language you need. It might be hard to take the rail system if you aren’t sure where to get on and off the train. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Or, use Google Translate from your phone to help!

3. Plan your trip accordingly: Maybe the type of trip you planned doesn’t require too much transportation. Use the train only when necessary so your trip is less stressful. If you do have to take the train, use a map and plan from point A to point B.

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4. Find popular trip routes: The best case scenario as a tourist is that tons of other people are trying to see the same things you are. Find a group of people or ask people at the station how they can get to their destination with the least amount of worry or stress

5. Become familiar with the central stations: Like Penn Station in New York, each country probably has a main train station. Find these stations first and then branch out to the smaller ones. This will help because the bigger locations have trains that go to various destinations.

What are some of your travel tips for using the train system in Europe? Share with us below!