On my visit to Europe this month I decided to use trains whenever possible.
Here's what I learned.
I took the following trains in Germany (Deutsche Bahn) and Poland (PKP): Hamburg to Flensburg. Berlin to Hamburg. Hamburg to Poznan. Poznan to Warsaw. All up, I probably spent about 20 hours on trains over the past few weeks, so I feel I've had enough experience to form some opinions — although I'm certainly not an expert.
Good things about train travel
• Trains are comfy and easy to use your laptop on them
• Train stations are central and easy to get to
• It's fast to get through a train station (no security screening, etc)
• Some stations have lounges (e.g Deutsche Bahn lounge, not really advertised!)
• Nice scenery to look at on the way 🌳 🚊 🏞️
Not so good things about train travel
• In my experience, trains were almost always late, by at least an hour
• Buying tickets (as a tourist, like me) requires queuing at a ticket office
• Central train stations are jammed with food store...
Comments
A quick poll for people planning to visit a new country this year.
🌍 What country are you planning to explore, and why?
✅ You haven't visited before (you'll be adding a new country to your list).
👉 Bonus points for slow travel or undertourism destinations!
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ridiculously beautiful country! You will love it.
Good timing Ian! I just arrived to Gambia (repeat), but I will be driving for about a month ... Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. So 4 new countries and my last ones in West Africa.
That's an amazing pocket of countries! How are you arriving / departing and in what order are you visiting them in?
From north to south. Starting in Gambia. Ending in Liberia. Leaving Gambia today for Senegal.
Sri Lanka, Singapore and Norway. Keeping plans to sustainable ones, adding one destination from my bucket list.
I'm planning to visit Chile!
Hopefully Morocco, Mauritania, and Tajikistan.
I have a 16 day self-drive road trip in Ireland in April. Hoping to get to Scotland in September. And an 11 day expedition to Antarctica in January 23!
I hope to go to Gdansk for a travel event, but add on a few Baltic countries - all of which will be new to me. I will just poke around as I am planning a 48 country road trip. Been to half of them already, but this time I will concentrate on World Heritage Sites. I don't know when yet, as my Mom is turning 97 and, well, I don't know how much time I will have with her. I don't think I will go until she passes.
Ecuador for me, and hopefully a few more as the year progresses.
I plan on visiting and exploring Malta in June.
I still work full time plus my travel but I will be going to Honduras in May I want to go to Greece or Costa Rica in Jan 2023 for my birthday! Thinking Costa Rica.
I will stay in Montenegro for a while, working on opening a Coworking space here :) But been to 107 countries before, so its nice for a change from the traveling as well =)
Hopefully Cuba and Peru!