Where have you been in Europe by rail?

In recent times Yverdon St Croix (CH) to Vienna via Zurich and the Arlberg line.

I had a previous job involving about 4 trips a year to Brussels, always by Eurostar.

Historically London to Madrid via the Dover to Calais ferry and the Sud Express couchette from Gare d’Austerlitz to Madrid Chamartin followed by interracial round Spain and a bit of the south of France. In those days Granada to Barcelona was 17 hours via Valencia. Culmination was nearly four hours nonstop Avignon to Gare de Lyon which was impressive because of the way the train was threaded through Lyon without stopping (it was pre Lyon by-pass) days and for the acceleration when joint the LGV.

Hmm...
How about Manchester to Moscow? BoJ in London, Ferry Dover-Ostend, change of train in Aachen, BoJ West Berlin, change of gauge at Brest-Litovsk. Also Moscow-Leningrad and Leningrad-Tallinn return.

More mundanely - Eurostar + local trains to/from Brussels, several Amsterdam-Zurich sleepers, lots of Swiss journeys.

GZ

I've been building my own personal map of Europe by rail, and over 8 years have visited 26 countries to sample trains, ticketing systems, web sites, metros and tourist sights.
I do 2 trips a year, usually June and September, flying to a convenient starting point, journeying for 3-4 days and then flying back (to Manchester/Liverpool).
Rail travel via London and Eurostar to my starting/ending point takes too much time and is very much more expensive than the LCC airlines, even if it means holding my nose for 2-3 hours.
Trip planning is an iteration between airline and rail timetables, and cost. Hotels are often the most expensive item.
I do day travel only, no point in going to see a country and travelling at night.
No long distance buses either, but ferries are allowed (important in the Baltic).
I started by "joining up the dots" of places I had visited before but which were isolated from others (eg Lisbon, Stockholm, Vienna).
I had been to Lisbon before (in 1972!) and used the local train out to Cascais, but to join it to the main map meant a trip Lisbon-Porto-Vigo-Santiago-Salamanca-Madrid.
This was built on the previous year's Bordeaux (previous limit of travel)-Hendaye-Madrid-Toledo-Seville-Malaga.
After more than a dozen such trips I can claim to have travelled by train all the way from Wick to Malaga, Dublin to Siracusa, Aberystwyth to Sofia and Penzance to Tallinn.
I also try and fit in scenic routes, and if I can find an opera to see en route, so much the better: Tannhaüser in Tallinn was a bit special.
The Circumetnea in Sicily was outstanding; one of the few days when I started and ended at the same place.
Although I've travelled on many high speed lines, I generally look for the scenic option (eg Girona-Perpignan via Portbou and the old main line rather than the HSL).
Genoa-Nice-St Raphael, Geneva-Bern-Zurich-Innsbruck-Graz and Naples-Messina-Catania are some of the best scenic trips I have made (plus the RhB of course).

It's getting more complicated to grow this network now, as cross-border services in eastern Europe are poor, and air services from Manchester/Liverpool are limited or are at silly times.
Greece is probably next, but services from there to Bulgaria keep being bustituted.
Istanbul is difficult with only a night train from Sofia, and ending in the suburbs. Maybe it will be easier to reach the Black Sea at Constanza in Romania instead!
I might try to get to Morocco from Malaga (present limit of travel), hopefully before their high speed line opens.
There's always new routes nearer home, of course.

I refuse to fly at 0600, as Easyjet and Ryanair would like. Among other things it prevents me using rail to reach the airport.
All this travel has given me an interest in railway history across Europe, the way borders have changed over the years, and the cultural side of life.
As an example, I realised that the km posts across CZ to the DE border actually start in Vienna (the old Nordbahnhof).
Despite wars and iron curtains, the link with the original railway builders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is still there.
In Yugoslavia, everything was measured from Belgrade. I wonder how long that will last in Croatia and Slovenia.

I did Interail in 1972 cost 27.50 for a month.
Covered Scandinavia to the warmer climates of South of France. Started at 5 minutes past midnight on overnight to London from Lime Street.
Recently,I've done
Valencia to Madrid (AVE)
Madrid to Cartagena
Cartagena to Valencia
Malaga to Cadiz
Cadiz to Cordoba.
Cordoba to Malaga.
Next year it's Galicia and Portugal. Bring it on

Paris, Brussels and Luxembourg.

Munich Airport to Munich Central,
Munich Central to Salzburg Central,
Salzburg Central to Werfen - to go all Richard Burton at the castle they filmed Where Eagles Dare at

Aside from the airport trains the rest were exceptionally quiet.

In no particular order I have visited the following by rail:

France
Germany
Belgium
Luxembourg
Switzerland
Holland
Italy
Austria
Slovakia
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Finland

(highlight of the above was travelling from Sweden into Finland by rail which you cannot do now!)

This month I will be visiting the Czech Republic for the first time and I will possibly visit Poland by the end of the year.

All countries except former USSR countries, Iceland, Albania and Turkey.

My very first trip abroad was with my school and started with a journey from Leyland to Interlaken in Switzerland. This was in 1960.
We set off from Preston to Euston behind Princess Royal 46207 crossed London to Victoria by tube and had an unrebuilt West Country Pacific as far as Folkestone East. From there we were taken down to the harbour station by a couple of ex GWR pannier tanks. We sailed across the channel, I think by steam ship, to Calais where a resplendent Chapleon 231E class Pacific took us as far as Lille Flandres. From there to Basle it was electric all the way, my first experience of main line electric haulage (not counting the Woodhead route). Through Switzerland it was all electric of course although there were steam station pilots at Basle and Lucerne.
On the way back I was surprised when we pulled out of Metz station and heard the familiar blast of a steam loco's whistle. Unexpectedly we were going to Boulogne, not Calais via Laon and Rheims. Try as I might I could not identify the loco on the front end. It was a dark and rainy night and there was a loco change en route. When we arrived at Boulogne it was very grimy coal fired 141R on the front. A man walked in front of the train for the last stretch into the Maritime station carrying a red flag. We arrived back in Preston behind a Royal Scot and then joined a Wigan train behind a 2-6-4 tank back to Leyland. We all thought how nice our brand new BR standard compartment carriage was compared with some of the continental stock we had experienced!
Currently I,'m writing this in Italy in Santa Margherita Ligure. Two days ago I did a new line for me, the narrow gauge electric FC Genova- Casella a scenic run up into the mountains north of Genoa

So far covered Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, (Monaco? ); obviously not all in great detail! (However I have done a fair amount of travelling in the north of Italy).

Until 3 years ago I had never caught a train in Europe ever, this has now changed and plans for interrailing and other trips next year.

I have done:
Faro to Lagos in the Algarve (portugal) on their local DMU service.
Local rail in Porto.
Local/Regional rail in and around Munich, Berlin, Cologne and Dusseldorf.
Munich to Garmisch in the Alps.

Planned in within the next 12 months:
First foray into France but only the RER around Paris for now.
Polish rail network around Krakow.
A trip from North of England to Cologne - onto the Harz Mountains down the Munich then back via sleeper.
A trip from Budapest to Munich via Bratislava and Vienna.

I have visited the following countries and been on the following railways

France

LGV from Channel Tunnel to Paris, including spur from Calais Frethun to Calais Ville and the 'ligne classic' from Calais Ville to Paris via Amiens.

Germany

Bits of the Harz Mountain Railway including the branch to the Brocken

Brussels to Koln via Liege & Aachen

The Rhine left bank railway from Koln.

Koln to Hannover

Bits of the Hamburg U and S-Bahn network.

Berlin to Putliz via Henningsdorf and return via Wittenberg.

Switzerland

Most of the Rhaetian railway network including the Arosa branch and the Berninabahn as far as Pontresina.
The Glacier Express to Brig
Many of the mountain railways except the Jungfraubahn.
Zurich to Neuchatel
Neuchatel to Bern
The Zentralbahn from Lucerne as far as Alpnachstad.
Zurich to Chur
Chur to St Gallen

Spain

The tourist train from Majorca to Soller and the tram to Port Soller
Majorca to Sa Pobla
The Metro to the UIB (University of the Balaerics)

Ireland
France
Belgium
Netherlands
Germany
Poland
Denmark
Russia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Portugal
Macedonia

So some interesting places but a few unexpected omissions as well.

High speed rail in Spain and Italy is great. Italian coast line railways are lovely as are Swiss lines. Overland by Eurostar to change at Brussels is always fun too. Russian trains cool.

France

LGV Nord into Paris
Vintimille/Ventimiglia-Marseille St Charles-Avignon Centre, plus branchline to Grasse.
Avignon Centre-Carpentras
Avignon TGV-Lyon Part Dieu
Lyon Part Dieu-Toulouse via Montpelier
Toulouse Matabiau-Bordeaux St Jean
Bordeaux St Jean-Hendaye/Hendaia plus branch to Archachon

Spain

All of Cercanias Malaga/Bilbao, most of Cercanias Madrid, parts of Cercanias Asturias
HSL Madrid Atocha-Valencia Joaquin Sorolla
Gijon-Oviedo-Leon-Madrid Chamartin
Euskotren from Hendaia/Hendaye-Bilbao
FEVE Bilbao-Santander-Llanes then sporadic bits to Oviedo (due to various bustitutions)
FEVE San Esteban-Oviedo-Gijon

Germany

A lot, I'd estimate I've covered about a sixth of the network.

Austria

Marchegg-Gaenserndorf-Wien Hbf
Wien Westbahnhof-Linz-Salzburg-Innsbruck-Feldkirch-Bregenz (onwards to Lindau DE)
Rosenbach (Grenze)-Faak am See-Villach Hbf-Klagenfurt-Wien Hbf
Wien Hbf-Graz Hbf (Semmeringbahn)

Slovenia

Maribor Tabor-Maribor-Zidani Most-Ljubljana-Lesce Bled-Rosenbach (Grenze)

Slovakia

Marchegg (Grenze)-Devinska Nova Ves-Bratislava hl.st-Leopoldov-Puchov
Leopoldov-Luzianky-Komarno
Luky pod Makytou (gr.)-Puchov

Hungary

Komarom-Esztergom
Esztergom-Budapest Nyugati
Vac-Budapest Nyugati (both lines)
Budapest Keleti-Hegyeshalom-(Wien)
Budapest Keleti-Debrecen-Nyiregyhaza
Nyiregyhaza-Szerencs-Miskolc Tiszai
Miskolc-Fueszabony-Budapest Keleti
Fueszabony-Eger

Czech Republic

Schoena (Gr.)-Decin-Praha hl.n
Praha hl.n-Trutnov hl.n
Hradec Kralove hl.n-Pardubice
Praha hl.n-Bohumin-Cesky Tesin
Breclav-Olomouc hl.n
Pardubice-Brno hl.n
Olomouc-Luky pod Makytou (gr.)
Praha hl.n-Hostivice-Kladno Ostravec-Kralupy nad Vltavou
Hostivice-Noutonice
Usti nad Labem hl.n-Most
Most-Rakovnik
Rakovnik-Beroun
Plzeň hl.n-Praha hl.n
Beroun-Protivin
Plzeň hl.n-Ceske Budejovice


Denmark

(Malmo)-Copenhagen-Odense
Odense-Ringe
Copenhagen-Roedby Faerge

Ventimigilia is in Italy, just

A few more places

Poland

Katowice to Oswiecim
Katowice to Warsaw Central and return
Katowice to Krakow
Oswiecim to Trzebinia (I wouldn't recommend waiting for a train there, the station is unpleasant)
Gdansk Glowny to Hel and back
A few stations along the Warsaw Metro and a few trams in the city.

USA

Bits of the New York Subway
The PATH from World Trade Centre to Newark Penn Station.
The Lake Shore Limited from NYC to Chicago
The Chicago L Loop
California Zephyr from Chicago to SF.

rg177 said:

France
Toulouse Matabiau-Bordeaux St Charles
Bordeaux St Charles-Hendaye/Hendaia plus branch to Archachon

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Isn't it Bordeaux St Jean?
Shouldn't be picky, sorry!

It's interesting how France doesn't do "Central" like Italy and others do (Sentral in Norway). It does now have Avignon Centre though.
There's Hbf throughout Germanic lands, HB in CH and H (Hovebanegard) in Denmark, all meaning main station.
Many variations on Glavni/Glowny/Hlavni in Slavic lands, meaning the same.
It's hlavni nadraži in Prague but hlavna stanica in Bratislava - both lower case.
I think nadraži really means terminus, which it was originally (FJB).
It isn't any more, now there are through lines to the north and east as well as south.
Happy to be corrected.

LNW-GW Joint said:

Isn't it Bordeaux St Jean?
Shouldn't be picky, sorry!

It's interesting how France doesn't do "Central" like Italy and others do (Sentral in Norway). It does now have Avignon Centre though.
There's Hbf throughout Germanic lands, HB in CH and H (Hovebanegard) in Denmark, all meaning main station.
Many variations on Glavni/Glowny/Hlavni in Slavic lands, meaning the same.
It's hlavni nadraži in Prague but hlavna stanica in Bratislava - both lower case.
I think nadraži really means terminus, which it was originally (FJB).
It isn't any more, now there are through lines to the north and east as well as south.
Happy to be corrected.

Click to expand...

You're right, I'm just a bit on the tired side

43096 said:

If you do Buchs (CH) to Feldkirch (AT) you’ll clear the Liechtenstein railway “network”!

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I know but to me it doesn't count unless the train stops at a station where I can get off and walk around for a bit.

Capybara said:

Has anyone done an entire rail journey within Liechtenstein? I have. A few years ago, when there was still a lunchtime local service between Feldkirch and Buchs, I travelled from where I was in Austria to Schaan Vaduz. On the return journey, the train broke down at Nendeln and we had to get off and catch a 'bus.

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I think there is still a local service that runs at around midday? Maybe only in one direction, can't be bothered to check right now. Problem for me is that hotels in Switzerland are expensive and I figured it was not possible to arrive at Buchs in time to catch the morning train to Schaan unless you depart Zurich very early, otherwise would have done it already.

For reasons, I want to start in CH and end in AT when doing this trip. I'll probably do it next summer if the trains are still running...

From memory, a full list of journeys taken along with the means by which I travelled; for completion sake I include a few coach journeys too:

2014

Travel throughout Berlin (variety of bus, tram, S-Bahn, U-Bahn and RE/RB services covered by the Berlin WelcomeCard)
Berlin - Magdeburg (return journey on a regional service using the Schone-Wochenende Ticket)
Berlin - Leipzig (return journey on an ICE train, ticket purchased some days in advance using a ticket machine in Berlin)


2015

Travel throughout Munich (variety of public transport using day tickets where required)
Munich - Stuttgart(return journey on an ICE train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)
Munich - Innsbruck (return journey on an EC train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)
Munich - Augsburg (return journey on an regional service, Bayern-Ticket)
Munich - Nuremburg (return journey on an regional service, Bayern-Ticket)

2016

Travel throughout Hamburg (variety of public transport using day tickets where required)
Hamburg - Timmendorfer Strand (return journey on a regional service, Schleswig-Holstein-Tarif ticket)
Hamburg - Bremerhaven (return journey on a regional service, Niedersachsentarif ticket)
Hamburg - Walsrode (return journey on a regional service, Niedersachsentarif ticket)
Hamburg - Walsrode (return journey on a regional service, Niedersachsentarif ticket)
Hamburg - Hannover (return journey on an ICE train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)

2017

Travel throughout Prague (variety of public transport using day tickets where required)
Prague - Plzen (return journey on a České dráhy service)
Prague - Plzen (return journey on a České dráhy service)
Prague - Jihlava (return journey on a StudentAgency coach booked from the ticket office at Praha hl.n some days prior)
Prague - Chomutov (return journey on a StudentAgency coach booked from the ticket office at Praha hl.n some days prior)

2018

Schiphol Airport - Amsterdam (single journey using a NS Intercity service, ticket purchased at airport)
Amsterdam - Duisburg (return journey on an ICE train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)
Duisburg - Krefeld (travel between these two cities and within each city on trams and RE/RB trains, using a VRS-fare ticket)
Amsterdam - Arnhem (return journey using a NS Intercity service)
Amsterdam - Rotterdam (return journey using a NS Intercity service)
Amsterdam - Amersfoort (return journey using a NS Sprinter service)
Amsterdam - Best (return journey using NS Sprinter and NS Intercity services)
Amsterdam - Antwerp (return journey using a NS International Intercity service, ticket purchased in advance from the NS International website)
Amsterdam - Schiphol Airport (single journey using a NS Intercity service, ticket purchased at Amsterdam Centraal)
-----
Flughafen Dusseldorf - Cologne (single journey on a regional service using a SchönerTagTicket NRW
Cologne - Dortmund (return journey on a regional service using a NRW tariff ticket)
Cologne - Wuppertal (return journey on a regional service using a VRS-fare ticket)
Cologne - Aachen (return journey on a regional service using a VRS-fare ticket)
Cologne - Frankfurt (return journey on an ICE train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)
Cologne - Dusseldorf (single journey on a regional service using a SchönerTagTicket NRW)
Dusseldorf - Rheinburg (single journey on a regional service using a SchönerTagTicket NRW)
Rheinburg - Cologne (single journey on a regional service using a SchönerTagTicket NRW)
Cologne - Flughafen Dusseldorf (single journey on a regional service using a NRW tariff ticket)
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Travel throughout Berlin (variety of bus, tram, S-Bahn, U-Bahn and RE/RB services covered by the Berlin WelcomeCard)
Berlin - Potsdam (return journey using regional services covered by the Berlin WelcomeCard)
Berlin - Magdeburg (return journey on a regional service using the Schone-Wochenende Ticket)
Magdeburg - Schonebeck (return journey on a regional service using the Schone-Wochenende Ticket)
Berlin - Halle (single journey on an ICE train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)
Halle - Leipzig (travel between these two cities and within each city on S-Bahn, trams and RE/RB trains, using a MDV day ticket)
Leipzig - Berlin (single journey on an ICE train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)
Berlin - Dresden (single journey on an EC train, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)
Dresden - Chemnitz (travel between these two cities and within each city on S-Bahn, trams and RE/RB trains, using a Sachsen-Ticket)
Chemnitz - Berlin (single journey on an ICE train and regional connections, ticket purchased in advance before departure from the UK using the English-speaking helpline for Deutsche Bahn)

Think that's the lot!

As one might have guessed, this year I have been trying to make the most of having freedom of travel within the EU whilst I still have it!

paddington said:

I think there is still a local service that runs at around midday? Maybe only in one direction, can't be bothered to check right now

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Yes, I just checked. It runs from Buchs to Feldkirch but not in the other direction.

A week tomorrow, I'll be adding a new one to my list: Eurostar to Paris Nord; a first ride on the Paris Metro in over 20 years to Austerlitz; Overnight train to Latour-Carol; then a 3-hour run down the other side of the Pyrenees to Barcelona.

Then, the whole thing in reverse the next day- it's all about the journey!

Salou to tortosa and return, only a brief trip. Also Belfast Victoria Street to titanic quarter, then Belfast central to Belfast Victoria

paddington said:

I know but to me it doesn't count unless the train stops at a station where I can get off and walk around for a bit.



I think there is still a local service that runs at around midday? Maybe only in one direction, can't be bothered to check right now. Problem for me is that hotels in Switzerland are expensive and I figured it was not possible to arrive at Buchs in time to catch the morning train to Schaan unless you depart Zurich very early, otherwise would have done it already.

For reasons, I want to start in CH and end in AT when doing this trip. I'll probably do it next summer if the trains are still running...

Click to expand...

I have, I got a sleeper into Zurich then EC 163 through to Austria at 0820.
There's an EC/RJ service every 2 hours that passes through Leichtenstein

trainmania100 said:

Salou to tortosa and return, only a brief trip. Also Belfast Victoria Street to titanic quarter, then Belfast central to Belfast Victoria

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Would you not consider your Belfast journey as a UK one?

duesselmartin said:

Would you not consider your Belfast journey as a UK one?

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Guess so, although i went on a plane to get there so I considered it abroad

Ireland, France, Germany, Finland, Belgium, my two favourite journey's were nearly a 8 hour journey from Stuttgart to Berlin going via the Rhine Valley and the IRE service from Hamburg to Berlin hearing the Mozart loco working

Done a lot of Europe by Rail but Favourite trip started and finished in Europe.

Did a round the World Trip over 18 Months (9 Months Travelling and 9 Months working 1989 – 1991 – starting in Europe and finishing Europe and by using train as much as possible!

All by train unless stated

Chester – London
London – Dover
Dover – Ostend (Jet Foil – no longer in existence)
Ostend – Vienna (Sleeper)
Vienna – Budapest
Budapest – Moscow (Sleeper)
Moscow – Beijing (Trans Siberian) (6 Days)
Beijing – Guangzho (Canton City) (Sleeper)
Guangzho (Canton City) – Hong Kong
Hong Kong – Bangkok (Flight)
Bangok – Surat Thani
Surat Thani – Koh Samui (Bus then Boat – no airport there in those days)
Surat Thani – Bangkok
Bangkok – Perth Australia (Flight)

Spent a year in Australia working and travelling by Campervan approximately 10,000km but no significant Rail Travel

Sydney – New Zealand (Flight)
Spent a month on North and South Islands by Car

Auckland – Fiji (Flight)
Fiji – Hawaii (Flight)
Hawaii – Los Angeles (Flight)

6 Weeks Travelling on Amtrak around America – LA – Las Vegas – Grand Canyon - Glenwood Springs – Chicago - Washington DC – Memphis – New Orleans – Houston – Dallas – San Francisco – LA (again) – Seattle – Chicago (again) – Miami – Kissimee – New York. If we could have afforded it we'd have got a sleeper but we did some 2 night and 1 night overnight journeys in the reclining seats - they were so comfortable and attendant supplied pillows and blankets. Think First Class on a plane!

New York – Paris (Flight)
Paris – Amsterdam
Amsterdam – London (Coach and Ferry)
London - Chester

Original intention was overland to Kupang in West Timor and a cheap flight to Darwin but we were running low on money and headed to Aus from Bangkok.

Wish I'd tried some of the long distance lines in Australia and scenic ones in New Zealand but I think we did pretty well!

Including Ireland, my very first European train trip was a cab ride from Caherciveen to Valentia as a child in 1959, followed by a round trip from Dublin to Killarney in the early 60's.

My first trip to mainland Europe was a 1969 24 Hour BR excursion from Watford Junction to Paris (I think it originated in Rugby). I recall there was a photo booth in the guard's van to facilitate the issue of British Visitors Passports en route.

In the 80's & 90's I arranged a number of cultural expeditions to Paris, Bruges, Ghent, Antwep and Brussels, originally using ferries to Calais or Ostend, and then Eurostar from Waterloo.

Friends then moved to Naples, and I travelled to and fro using all the Alpine crossing routes, including various stopovers and sleepers

Other trips have included Germany via Eurodomiino, including Koblenz--Rudesheim by Rhine Steamer, Hartz Steam network, and EC Alexander Von Humboldt from Berlin to Brussels.

Colditz (line now closed)

UK- Budapest (twice) including Sleeper Cologne-Vienna and Danube hydrofoil Vienna-Budapest.

Trips to Europe via Eurostar, Dover/Ostend ferry, Folkestone/Calais ferry, Harwich/Hook ferry, Hull/Rotterdam ferry

UK-Chateauroux via Paris

UK-Chateauroux via Lille

Oslo-Bergen Sleeper

Local trips in France/Belgium/Netherlands/Switzerland/Italy/Sicily/Sardinia/Germany

I heartily recommend long-distance tours with stopovers

DavidGrain said:

In the past 12 months I have done (all return journeys)

Copenhagen Airport to Halmstad (Sweden)
Amsterdam Airport to Amsterdam Centraal
Amsterdam Centraal to Utrecht
Copenhagen Airport to Malmo (Sweden) First time I have had the Swedish Border Police check my identity after crossing the Oresund Bridge
Friedrichshaven (Germany) to Feldkirch (Austria)
Feldkirch to Bregenz (Austria)

In a few weeks time I plan to travel from Dublin to Galway by rail but only because I could not find convenient flights to the west of Ireland and car hire

Also in that time I have ridden on trams in Basel, Amsterdam, Riga (Latvia)

In spite of that list in 12 months I do not consider myself to be a massive European rail traveller

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Further to my comments above I have just returned from Ireland where I had several trips on the Luas trams in Dublin just in the central zone. Then got a train from Dublin Heuston (another tick as I have now got trains from all the three major stations in Dublin) to Galway. We left Dublin dead on time and arrived Galway exactly one hour late mainly because we had to wait 25 minutes at Portarlington for a freight train to pass on the single line which probably upset our timing at all the other passing points. The return journey was uneventful.