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...
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I will be heading to Scandinavia in August and I am looking for any tips, tricks, or recommendations along the way. I have been to Norway but not their neighboring countries and I'd love to know more about camping options, budget travel, nature, hikes, and things to see! I am hoping this thread will be useful for other travelers too.
Hi Becca,
what a nice plan. I have been traveling 7 times to Scandinavia and provide "Most beautiful places in Scandinavia: 25 must-see places!" on my blog. Hope, it helps. Safe travels, Julia
juliasjourneyz.com/25-schoenste-orte-skandinavien/
Thank you for this! I will take a look :)
You can't go wrong in the Nordics with camping, nature, hikes especially in August! The weather should still be decent depending on where exactly you plan to travel.
Budget travel is another story here in Finland ha ha. Nomadic Matt and The Broke Backpacker have decent tips. Visit Finland is also a pretty comprehensive site.
Hey Shelly, yes I think it is going to be difficult to be on a small budget, but I have seen there are lots of things to do that are either free, such as hiking/walking and or some paid-for activities that I think will be worth the investment. Just looking to strike a balance between the two :) I will check out the guys you suggested and see what they say. Thanks again for the tips!
Becca, if you do plan on Finland—give me a shout. I can provide more actionable tips.
How about Helsinki and Stockholm on one trip? Both cities are very liveable on August (but not cheap) and there is a direct overnight ferry across the Baltic sea. Basically you'll fly either Stockholm or Helsinki and have a two-night cruise between these cities.
I wrote a blog post years ago about this option.
www.travelwithtimo.com/single-post/2016/05/30/take-in-helsinki-and-stockholm-in-one-visit-1