One of the highlights of my recent trip to Europe was all the train travel I did. Using my Eurail pass, I rode through the continent’s amazing countryside. In the past, I had donesome limited train travel but, usually my travel plans are always random, so I typically jet set around Europe on cheap Ryanair flights. This time though, since I had a pretty set route, I really wanted to explore Europe by train. I had heard so much about it, that it was time for me to experience it. I got to see the countrysides of..
Spain
While not my favorite, the Spanish countryside was beautiful. The land seemed both desolate and full of life at the same time. There weren’t a lot of big trees and even from the train, you could feel the heat emanating from the land. It was very dry and arid but not off putish. I liked the sharp contrast.
France
France has one of my favorite countrysides. Riding through it, you can see the land is extremely fertile. The rolling hills filled with wineries and farms make for some serene train rides. Furthermore, I love passing little French towns throughout the countryside. They are beautiful and only make me want to live in France more.
Belgium
Belgium was cool to pass through. This small country has a lot of small towns divided by seemingly smaller farms. You see a lot of dairy farms here and I think I even saw a few grain (or maybe corn?) one. The area reminds me a lot of Vermont with the old style farm houses and barns, small farms, and lots of cows.
Holland
Similar to Belgium, Holland also has a lot of small farms and flat countryside. It’s interesting to see the countryside just go on for miles in all direction. It’s also cool to see all the interlinked canals throughout the country. Also, I loved seeing all the wind turbines throughout the country. It’s always nice to see countries go green.
Sweden
Sweden is great and the countryside is just one more reason for me to love the country. It reminds me a lot of New England, especially since I went during the fall when the leaves were changing. Riding the train down from Stockholm to Goteborg, I got to pass mountains topped with trees, lakes, and a few small farms and towns. It was like being home.
Austria
Back in 2006, I took a train from Venice to Vienna. Since then, I’ve been in love with the Austrian countryside. Like Sweden, it’s filled with amazing mountains, vistas, and little country farms and towns. The scenery changes between the two often but it’s totally what you would picture Austria to look like.
After taking so many trains through Europe, I’m now hooked. I’ll probably take more trains around the continent the next time I go. (Though, I still forsake overnight trains! Never again!). The European countryside is beautiful and it’s hard to get a real appreciation for it when you bounce from city to city. Riding the train across the continent can give you that appreciation for Europe’s varied and beautiful countryside.
Why do you forsake overnight trains? If you’re like me, a guy with limited time to travel, it’s a godsend, a cheap bunk, and a way to get from A to B!
I abhor flying. I’m just to big to fit comfortably in any standard coach class seats. I’m a wide shouldered 6′4 guy. Planes are not designed for me!
The things I love most about train travel are that I feel it gets you closer to the country you are traveling through. Not just literally, I mean, you get a better feel for the place, you get to see more of the workaday towns and cities, not just the big tourist centers.
Great article, really makes me want to get traveling again!
At 6 4, the only built for you is first class! lol
Agree with everything you said!
Definitely taking the Eurail when I go to Europe!
I love Europe by train! Something romantic and “old school” about it. I “Eurailed” it across the continent on my first solo backpack trip in 1996! Fresh out of university, single, and having fun! How I miss those days.
Excellent photo’s Matt, it’s not easy to shoot from a train!
I really enjoyed this article
comparitive aspect of different European countrysides is a great subject.
Pictures are worth a thousand words!
Awesome photos and journeys. We’ve been discussing train through Europe earlier and it’s high up on our wish list and this post didn’t exactly change that… more like fuel on the fire… *giggles*
Though I wish that we could go through the whole countries from one end to another – even Sweden since we have such shifting sceneries over here.
I’ve seen several old train journes films through US, because I’ve a BIL that is totally crazy about trains
I love trains and Europe has a great network. Overnight trains are great to get from A to B but daytime trains let you see C on the way. Depends how much time you have and how much you want to see C. I can’t wait for them to build the high-speed track from San Francisco to Los Angeles – federal funds have been earmarked so hopefully it will actually happen.
I think train are considered to be much more environmentally friendly than aircrafts. Unfortunately, they lose their ecological advantage when speed goes up. And train companies seem to be obsessed by speed. Last week, the French high speed train (TGV) officially broke the 515 km/h speed record of 1990.
I hear so many great things about traveling through Europe on trains. We will have to get there someday.
Thanks for doing a post on trains. That is one of the must experience things I want out of my Europe trip. If your over night train experience is anything like my over night grey hound experiences I understand
What a wonderful delight to the eyes !
As far as possible, I always prefer train journeys to air and then once inside, I can’t even read a novel however hard i try ! The sights are much more interesting.
Low rates flights made me forget that train travels offer such beautiful landscapes… You’re totally right to ride across the world on rails whenever it’s possible, I’ll definitely think about that option when I’ll plan my next trip.
Oh, and you should totally ride across Switzerland too, particularly in mountains areas..
Like a lot this post Matt! Really nice one!
I totally agree. The best way to see Europe is riding the rails. A journal, great music on the iPod, and a window seat on a train… that’s the sort of stuff that changes your life.
The pics are so damn beautiful I didnt read the post. I kept staring at them and imagine myself there. Wonderful pics Matt. You could start a photoblog you see
And you shot those from trains?? Holy flyin buffalow! They are terrific then.
You captured the beauty of the countryside PERFECTLY Matt! You gave me an idea, next year I will be visiting Europe and I guess I will give Eurail a try.. seeing these beautiful places is really a wonderful experience.
There is a pass available for about 450 euros which allows unlimited train travel in 30 different European countries for 22 days. I think there is a 14 day and a months pass available too.