Have you ever considered travelling by train while abroad? Travelling by rail is a great, cheap way to help you make the most out of your holiday! Why stay in one place when you can tick 3 or 4 countries off your list in one trip? Take a look at the great benefits as well as some of the downsides to going on a rail holiday.

The Good: Variety

Travelling by rail offers you a staggering amount of variety few other holidays can provide – each stop brings you a brand new experience. Choosing to take the train to explore Europe means you have brilliant locations such as France, Germany, SwitzerlandItaly and Poland, all just a short journey away. You could be in a bustling city one day and relaxing in the countryside the next. Despite being so close each one offers you something amazing and unique.

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The Bad: Too Little Time

On a rail holiday you will see so much in so many places, but sometimes you might feel like you are missing out on a few things. Europe is packed to the brim with things to see, and unfortunately there just isn’t enough time to see it all in one trip. We would all love to spend days exploring Rome and Paris, but on a rail holiday it’s tempting to pack in as much as possible and only get a couple of days in each place. Plan carefully and decide how hectic or relaxing you want your holiday to be. Of course the other option is just to plan two or three trips so that you can keep coming back for more!

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The Good: Scenery

Geographically, Europe is an extremely diverse place, with a range of mountains and countryside vastly different from the UK. While the train journeys may be long in some cases, the breath taking landscape will assure that you always have something to look at. One notable example is the train from Germany to Venice, which allows you to travel through Europe’s biggest mountain range, the Alps.

country train

The Bad: Night Trains

One possible downside to consider when planning your rail holiday is the existence of the night train. While on paper doing your travelling through the night may seem like a good idea, night trains are not always the best option. Many find them a little uncomfortable and that they don’t allow for a proper night’s sleep. If you’re looking for a solid nights sleep to ensure you’re full of energy for the next day of your holiday, we would recommend sticking to day trains. However if the thought of little sleep and the constant buzz of people around you isn’t a problem, give the night train a go and see what you think!

Night trains

Are you planning a rail trip around Europe this year? Where would you most want to visit? Let us know by commenting below or joining in the conversation over on Twitter!