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Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

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Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#191

Post by TomK32 »

Beijinger wrote: post #139
tzury wrote: post #80

About 20 years ago, I visited most of Europe’s major cities over the course of a two-month trip, traveling primarily by night train. Each overnight ride saved me the cost of a hostel or guesthouse, and I’d arrive in a new city each morning feeling refreshed because of the train’s sleeping accommodations. There used to be a similar service between Toronto and Montreal (both directions), where the train would pause for…

"I’d arrive in a new city each morning feeling refreshed because of the train’s sleeping accommodations." Aeh, where were you travelling? Many countries did not have sleeper trains. Don't get me wrong. I did the same, travelling at night in trains, and it saved me a night in a hotel. But I did not arrive well rested, I arrived train wrecked.

There's a map to prove you wrong. I counted 26 from the UK to Turkey and from that bit of Spain to Ukraine (a different gauge doesn't mean you can have nighttrains). The solid lines have sleeper wagons. Which are useless anyways if you are taller than 190cm. https://back-on-track.eu/night-train-map/

Actually Spain seems to have more to offer according to this map http://www.night-trains.com/europe/

edit: Nope, Spain is pretty almost void of night trains https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenhotel

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#192

Post by ben_w »

Beijinger wrote: post #171
airstrike wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

20 years ago?

Yes. It was called Interrail. You had to have an EU Passport to buy this ticket. And be below 26 years of age. I think it still exits.

It's still around, I used it in 2016 aged 32.

I've not heard of any age requirements.

https://www.interrail.eu/en

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#193

Post by GuB-42 »

Beijinger wrote: post #171
airstrike wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

20 years ago?

Yes. It was called Interrail. You had to have an EU Passport to buy this ticket. And be below 26 years of age. I think it still exits.

It still exists: https://www.interrail.eu/

You don't have to be younger than 26 to buy one, not anymore, but it is cheaper if you are. If you are a EU citizen, it gets you free, unlimited travel by train in most European countries. If you are not a EU citizen, there is the Eurail pass that is similar.

But that's the theory. In practice there are important limitations:

- You can't use it in your home country, except for a single round trip: in and out.

- If you make a reservation, you will have to pay reservation fees, and many long-distance and high-speed trains only have reserved seats.

- Not all seats are available to pass owners, if you want to travel in these seats, you will have to pay full price.

And considering that the pass itself is not that cheap, you really have some planning to do to see if it is worth it. In many cases, it isn't.

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#194

Post by JBlue42 »

ant6n wrote: post #89
tzury wrote: post #80

About 20 years ago, I visited most of Europe’s major cities over the course of a two-month trip, traveling primarily by night train. Each overnight ride saved me the cost of a hostel or guesthouse, and I’d arrive in a new city each morning feeling refreshed because of the train’s sleeping accommodations. There used to be a similar service between Toronto and Montreal (both directions), where the train would pause for…

The state railways have large exited night trains as a form of transport, due to economics, although it’s a much more sustainable form of transportation compared to aviation. Since Europe has a liberalized market in the rail sector, some startups are trying to fill the gap. European sleeper operates a night train on the route Brussel-Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague, using old rented rolling stock. I’m involved with Luna Rail…

Curious about the issues you're having with rolling stock. Given Germany's industrial prowess, I would've thought that that wouldn't be an issue to manufacture, either for domestic use or export.

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#195

Post by antihero »

caseyy wrote: post #158
Beijinger wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I’d arrive in a new city each morning feeling refreshed because of the train’s sleeping accommodations." Aeh, where were you travelling? Many countries did not have sleeper trains. Don't get me wrong. I did the same, travelling at night in trains, and it saved me a night in a hotel. But I did not arrive well rested, I arrived train wrecked.

I thought the same as I was reading the comment you're responding to. Arriving rested after public transport? Get a load of that guy :) Not sure how anyone does that, but of course it would be nice to learn this dark magic.

I think the key is to not get wasted on the train.

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#196

Post by edwinjm »

CalRobert wrote: post #61
mrweasel wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless you don't happen to live within the city center. Train stations frequently have zero long term parking, while airport frequently have cheap or even free long term parking. If you need to take the train where I live, then you're better of driving to the airport and park there. Then take a train or bus to the city center and the train station. I did like to take the train more often, but travel times are just to…

What airport in Europe has cheap or free long term parking?!??

Schiphol Amsterdam is € 124 for to weeks (€ 8,26 per day). Not cheap, but for many people cheaper than taking a taxi.

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#197

Post by voidfunc »

sdenton4 wrote: post #161
pembrook wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a false conspiracy narrative that belongs on Reddit in the r/fuckcars filter bubble. Sure, the automotive industry stood to benefit from the decline of rail travel in the US. But they didn’t really need to do anything for that to happen on its own. Reality is far less interesting than that. Turns out when you have tons of fertile land, even pre-industrialization your population tends to spread out a bit (the…

Here's the source. There were actual-court cases which found that oil and car manufacturers conspired to monopolize and convert local public transit to buses from rail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_consp... "Between 1938 and 1950, National City Lines and its subsidiaries, American City Lines and Pacific City Lines—with investment from GM, Firestone Tire, Standard Oil of California (through a…

Street cars != Intercity Rail

Also I'd argue street cars are way worse than busses which have route flexibility.

The bigger problem is Americans don't like being around other Americans and really don't like public transit.

It's not some giant conspiracy.

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#198

Post by sazor »

GuB-42 wrote: post #193
Beijinger wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. It was called Interrail. You had to have an EU Passport to buy this ticket. And be below 26 years of age. I think it still exits.

It still exists: https://www.interrail.eu/ You don't have to be younger than 26 to buy one, not anymore, but it is cheaper if you are. If you are a EU citizen, it gets you free, unlimited travel by train in most European countries. If you are not a EU citizen, there is the Eurail pass that is similar. But that's the theory. In practice there are important limitations: - You can't use it in your home country, except f…

Not citizen but resident of EU country.

Last summer Spain’s Renfe offered huge discount for a pass for people under 31. Only for paper version though which is slightly less convenient but worth it anyway. I guess other eu countries could have similar seasonal discounts.

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#199

Post by mitthrowaway2 »

likeabatterycar wrote: post #126
yndoendo wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would travel more around the USA if we had a decedent high-speed rail system. Spent too much time flying, red-eyes, and driving for work, 7-12+ hours one way, and hate those modes of transportation. They may get you from point A to B but your time is wasted along with the enjoyment of the trip. Unfortunately the Oil industry won over the politicians in the USA with donations, legal bribes, and they prevent the buil…

Can you provide sources for the Big Oil conspiracy you cite? Because nationwide high speed rail isn't as easy - or practical - as you think. California hadn't been able to build a train a fraction of that distance without delays and squandering massive amounts of money. The PNW has been unable to build it from Portland to Vancouver. The US is many times larger than any European country or Japan. There are US states s…

Japan is almost all mountains, it's one of the worst geographies to build high speed rail where tunnels and turn radii need to be especially large. But they pulled it off anyway. The bullet train initially only connected metros like Tokyo and Osaka but today runs all the way to many remoter areas. The most recently added line connects Fukui prefecture, population 780k.

The US has many areas with suitable population density to be served by high speed rail, and with more accomodative geography than Japan. It's just that in the US, it was considered fine to use government funds and authority to bulldoze land for the interstate system, but not for high speed rail.

Re: Where can you go in Europe by train in 8h?

#200

Post by voidfunc »

mh- wrote: post #177
thatcat wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The proof is in the profits that result from a favorable and otherwise illogical set of choices. Who even cares about the details? The oil and related industries are notoriously corrupt, introducing lead into gas knowing the toxic effects among other policy choices aimed at reducing alternatives to cars such as: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_consp... Where's the logical argument against high…

[flagged]

It's /r/fuckcars leaking into HN.
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