7/10/2008
What I Learned from Riding Trains in Europe
Image via WikipediaMany moons ago, I backpacked around Europe with a good college friend of mine. It was the experience of a lifetime, and I highly recommend it to any recent college grad. We traveled everywhere on passenger trains, and they became an integral part of the texture of the entire experience.
Bottom line lesson — America should build a better passenger rail system! Not only does train travel reduce gasoline expenditures, it offers other, perhaps even more important benefits.
Other lessons learned from riding trains
Slow down and see what you’re looking at. You know the adage, getting there is half the fun? It’s true. What a thrill it was wending through the Alps in Switzerland and chugging down the western coast of Italy. The scenery gives you a feel for the character and history of places and people, much more than you get dashing from one monument to another.
We’re all in this together. There was a big difference between first class and second class on European trains. (Remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry’s living large in first class while Elaine goes through hell in coach? It was kind of like that.) We were on a limited budget and rode coach. Not only that, we usually rode in a smoking car, surrounded by clouds of smoke, other backpackers, and at times, rather rough looking locals. At first, I felt out of place, uncomfortable, even vaguely threatened. After a month or so, we fit right in. Met a lot of fascinating people and realized we had more in common than I ever would have imagined. Not so easy to do on an airplane – not much opportunity there for mingling or wandering around from cabin to cabin.
Spontaneity is the spice of life. After a couple months, we found ourselves in Ulm, Germany, bored, burned out, sitting in a bar early in the morning, wondering what to do with our day. The conversation went something like this.
“You want to see Einstein’s birthplace?”
“Nah.”
“OK … You want to look at the world’s tallest steeple?
“Nah.”
“OK … You want to go to Lisbon?”
Next thing we knew we were on a train bound for Lisbon, via Paris. Twenty hours later we were in a completely different world, totally off our itinerary, exhilarated, at the beginning of what would turn out to be an incredible leg of our journey. Trains are conducive to adventure in a way airplanes can never be. I mean, you just don’t go to O’Hare, but a ticket, and fly off to some random destination. But in a major train station, the country is at your fingertips.
Passenger trains slow you down, let you enjoy yourself and have adventures. An uncomfortable mode of transportation? Perhaps, but modern air travel is unfortunately closing the gap. Trains might actually put the fun back into travel here in the States … but we need a much better rail system.
If you could travel about the U.S. on a train, would you? Where would you go?
(This post is part of Robert Hruzek’s “What I Learned From …” group project.)
12 Responses to What I Learned from Riding Trains in Europe
I hear ya, Brad; I’ve had several great adventures on trains that simply aren’t possible on a plane. Interesting people, great scenery, not to mention that classic motion of the car that just seems to “make” the trip, if you know what I mean. There’s no other travel experience like it.
You make a great point about the inherent flexibility of trains, too. I would love to use the train again to travel – if it only went where I needed to go…
Robert, that’s the problem here – trains don’t go where you want them to go. That may change …
I remember one of my great disappointments when I returned to Houston after six months in Holland was the fact that I could no longer use the public transportation system to get where I wanted to go. That’s one thing they certainly have right in Europe!
Trains are a wonderful way to journey Brad. Sadly the train system in Britain is not a patch on the continental version: ours are much slower, less reliable, and very expensive. Still beats flying though!
Thinking about US trains – I did take a train from Chicago out to Geneva, deliberately, because it’s a great way to see the countryside and to ‘feel’ as though you’re living in the place. I also got a buzz to see the double decker train which we don’t have here. The moment the train pulled out the station was an exciting one for me: it feels much more like independent travel than air travel ever will.
I’m going to try out your html in the comment box – maybe the picture of the moment of departure will come through!
It didn’t like that – here’s the link instead
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joanna_young/2455411209/in/set-72157604808216622
Brad,
I remember taking the train from Berlin to Munich (about 7 hours or so). After 1 hour I was talking to people from the States, happy to practice my English. I can’t imagine that with planes. The other thing is that trains give you the time to arrive and leave things behind – with a plane you are at your destination almost immediately which always gives me a strange feeling.
If there was an affordable rail system in the US, I would have already traveled everywhere humanly possible! But I suppose the first stop would be Seattle, of course.
Joanna, those pics bring back great memories. Ulla, you’re right – planes don’t give you a chance to decompress. They do add to the stress of travel, though. Kim, I’ll be happy to join you on a train ride to Seattle. The scenery would be awesome.
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I love travelling by train. I agree with Joanna – UK trains are unreliable – but my mind is set on that so when they do run to time I am delighted!
I love being in a European train station – we try to use trains from airports to link us to cities when we travel – and see the list of possible destinations. It is like being transported ( really and metaphorically) into another world. Though now in St Pancras in London French destinations appear because of the Eurostar route.
I will be travelling into the Canadian Rockies on a train in a few weeks. Can’t wait..
Jackie, the Canadian Rockies via train will be a thrill. Bring your camera!
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