Choose The Train!

With all the problems in Air Travel the train can be an excellent choice especially if your country has got high-speed rail. The train allows you to travel from city centre to city centre, Take a lot of baggage and just board right away instead of having to go through endless queues. The train is also a very affordable alternative to air travel and even first class which is very expensive on a plane is usually not that more expensive. This Hub is to help you by introducing the different types of european trains. This hub is mainly focused on explaining the different types of medium to long distance trains. It does not give a lot of information about commuter railways because there usually is no plane alternative on those routes.

Sleeper trains are a excellent way of travelling from city to city and maximizing your time in the places where you go instead of wasting time with riding the train to your destination. In some cases they can feel quicker than high-speed trains because you will be sleeping when it rides through the night. It is also a very affordable and relaxing experience which maximizes your time. There are different types of accommodation on Sleeper trains, This article is focused mainly on european trains:

Sleeper Seats:

These seats are comfortable seats that usually recline and have a lot of legspace. They are usually cheaper than travelling in a couchette but sometimes they can be more expensive. They are nice for people travelling alone but i still recommend spending a little bit more for a proper flat bed in a shared compartments

Shared 6 or 4 bed Compartment :

This is a ideal alternative for people with smaller groups or people travelling alone who do not want to sit in a seat or pay for a private compartment. The fewer beds the more expensive it will become. It is recommended over the seats since it only costs a tiny bit more but you will get a lot more comfort. Compartments are not always single-sex so the procedure is not to undress completely. If you are a woman you can sometimes request to travel in a womens-only compartment but not all trains have this feature. These type of compartments can be found on almost all overnight trains although some are 2 bed compartments. They do not cost a lot extra and you can usually request to sleep on a lower bunk if you are afraid of heights. At the time of writing Amtrak only offers private compartments on its overnight trains, These compartments can become quite expensive.

Private Compartments

If you are travelling alone or with a family you can usually book a private compartment. These compartments are smaller but more comfortable. They do have quite a high cost compared to other types of accommodation so be prepared to spend a lot extra. Most overnight trains now have private compartments with or without toilets and showers, Booking a compartment without a toilet or shower can save you a lot of money although some toilet and shower compartments include other benefits like complimentary breakfast and sometimes also dinner. The normal private compartments can usually be booked as 2nd class and for the compartments with toilet and shower you will usually need to select 1st class when booking online. Please note that at the time of writing the SNCF Lunèa overnight trains in France no longer have dedicated private compartments. You can either book the complete normally shared compartment( Very expensive) or you can book a shared 4 bed 1st class compartment.    

Europe has got a lot of high-speed trains, In the US you can use the excellent Acela Express service. The high-speed trains is a great alternative to the plane as it travels fast and goes between popular city-pairs, You can now go to most cities and return the same day! Best of all it stops in the city centers and the journey is very civilized and usually luxurious too. Even for 2nd class!. They also allow a lot of baggage and you can get on immediately. They also are very environmentally friendly. This is a introduction to the most important high-speed trains:

Eurostar

Eurostar is the famous high-speed train which goes from London using the Channel Tunnel to several destinations in Belgium and France. You can travel between London and Paris in just 2 hours and 20 minutes!. Please note that Eurostar does not allow any pets at the time of writing. You will need to check-in via an automatic gate, This is done within less than 1 minute! Eurostar is very comfortable and fast and has got 3 travel classes:

Business Premier:

Business Premier is the first class for business travellers on Eurostar. It offers fully flexible tickets, Comfortable seating,10 minutes before departure check-in, Lounge access and a hot meal served at your seat! It is quite expensive and if you want to save money I recommend travelling in Standard Premier Class which is quite similar to Business Premier except the check-in times, The lounge access and the meal.

Standard Premier:

Standard Premier is the first class for leisure travellers on Eurostar. It offers semi-flexible tickets, Comfortable seating, 30 minutes before departure check-in and a light meal with drinks served at your seat!. It is much more affordable than Business Premier and until a short time ago had exactly the same hot meal as Business Premier. This is great for business and leisure travellers who would like to pay something extra for some more comfort and service but also do not want to pay a huge amount of money for Business Premier.

Standard Class:

Standard class offers comfortable reserved seating at great prices. You can buy drinks and food in the Bar carriage. It is actually possible to book fully or semi-flexible Standard Class but in that case I would recommend travelling in a higher travel class!

TGV

TGV is the name of the french high-speed train network and travels at truly amazing speeds. It has got a domestic variant and a international variant. Domestic has got 3 classes and International has got 2. TGV is a Great,Fast,Affordable and especially convenient way of travelling around France. This article does include one travel class which is only available on domestic TGV'S:

TGV Pro( Business Adult First Class):

This special class which is only available on Domestic TGV'S includes dedicated carriages, Welcome service and a cold meal served at your seat which is not included in the price. Considering the possible high costs and the meal which is not included i do not recommend this class over Standard First Class. Some tgv's called TGV DUPLEX have 2 levels, If possible try to sit on the upper deck for a great view!

Standard First Class:

Available on all routes Standard First Class offers you larger seats with extra legroom and power recline, They also offer electric power( European 2 pin point sockets) and handy drop down tables, No special services are included although you can prebook and pay for a 3 course meal on TGV Lyria trains to Switzerland. You can ofcourse also buy food and drinks in the Bar carriage. Some tgv's called TGV DUPLEX have 2 levels, If possible try to sit on the upper deck for a great view!

Standard Class:

Standard class includes comfortable seating with a great amount of legroom and you can use the vending machines as well as the bar carriage to get food or drinks. It is a great and fast alternative to plane travel and it is very affordable too. Some tgv's called TGV DUPLEX have 2 levels, If possible try to sit on the upper deck for a great view!

Thalys

Thalys is the high-speed train between Amsterdam And Brussels to Paris. It is not as fast as TGV although it is very comfortable and offers WIFI-INTERNET, It is complimentary in Comfort 1 Class and can be used with a fee in Comfort 2 Class. This train is very comfortable and fast, You can travel from Amsterdam to Paris in just 3 hours!. This is some information about the different travel classes:

Comfort 1:

Big comfortable seats with extra legroom, Complimentary 3 course meal served at your seat, Lounge access,complimentary wifi, Complimentary newspapers and a taxi reserving service. I highly recommend first class on Thalys, It does not cost a lot extra and you can travel in great comfort. Especially the lounge access is nice when you have to wait at a crowded train station. I personally think that this is the best first class in Europe because of it's price and its benefits.

Comfort 2:

Comfortable seats with a lot of legroom, Wifi at a fee and you can buy drinks and snacks from the bar carriage. Thalys Comfort 2 is a great and very civilized alternative to budget airlines. The fares are very affordable and you can choose between Non-flexible, Semi-flexible and fully flexible.

ICE And ICE International

ICE is the name of a German high-speed train network which also has international links. You can also take ICE on some domestic journeys in neighbouring countries of Germany. ICE is a high-speed train but does not go fast everywhere, There are segments where it drives much slower but besides this it is a very comfortable train with a few private 6 seater compartments and in some trains a lounge, This is in both travel classes. The travel classes are described below:

First Class:

Large Real Leather reclinable seats with extra legroom and seatback tv's and audio channels( Not on all trains), electric power sockets and on some trains wifi internet. At seat catering is available on some trains. 

First class tickets also have lounge access. Access to the first class section of the lounge on the train( Not on all trains)

There are some very cheap fares available which you can book in advance through www.bahn.de

Standard Class:

Comfortable reclinable seats with a great amount of legroom and with audio channels( not on all trains) You can buy drinks and snacks in the Bar, Bistro and sometimes Restaurant carriage. 

There are some very cheap fares available which you can book in advance through www.bahn.de