Most European countries have several types of long-distance trains. The fastest are the high-speed trains, like the TGV system in France. These trains travel at great speed and usually link up two big cities with very few—if any—stops along the way. For example, you can get from Krakow to Warsaw in about two and a half hours, one hour less than driving and far more sustainable to boot. After the high-speed trains, most countries have fast regional trains. For the sake of consistency, let’s stick to France, which has the TER train system. These trains go fast, but often stop a few times along the way and serve smaller towns and cities. Finally, you can find local trains that link up many small towns along a given route. Often, you might find you’ll need to take a combination of two types of trains to get to your destination.
In addition to the trains listed above, Europe is also home to long-distance international lines, which could take you from, say, Stockholm to Barcelona. These trains are often the most romantic. They offer sleeping compartments on night trains and dining cars with full-service meals. Finally, you have scenic routes, which privilege the views and experience over the speed. Here you’ll have viewing cars with glass ceilings, luxurious dining cars, cocktail bars, and real beds. Want to make the journey truly part of the experience? These scenic routes are ideal for you.
Note: trains in Europe are typically very reasonably priced. Perhaps most important, though, they emit far less CO2 than airplanes, making them the ideal environmental choice. Also, make sure to check out multi-country rail passes that give you a single ticket for many train networks around Europe.
