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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?

#371

Post by epolanski »

geraldwhen wrote: post #272
epolanski wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I kinda agree, except on the car part, because cars dominate even densely populated areas where trams, metros and buses should.

You haven’t lived until you’ve been assaulted by a homeless person on a bus in the US! Buses are a joke. We cannot have public transit here without security to match, like at airports.

US has a huge social problem that spills into a security one.

Quite unsurprisingly Americans end up isolating from each other in suburbs, often gated neighborhoods with private schools, cars and live overall miserable and unhappy lives.

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

#372

Post by ghaff »

ericmay wrote: post #342
GuB-42 wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand what you are talking about, and you can still do that, but it is going to be expensive. Or at least, expensive for a typical 20-something heading out to explore the world. Times have changed, and now like it or not, we are in the internet and smartphone age. The best travel deals are online, the cheapest accommodations are also found online. The Interrail pass is a bit of a relic, it can still be useful,…

> But I also think we gained something. The language barrier is breaking down. More and more people speak decent English as a secondary language, smartphones come with pretty decent translators Is that really something that was gained? As we lose more and more languages we start to lose unique cultural features right? It’s like “we gained McDonald’s in every city - my comforting home food is available everywhere”. >…

I sort of agree with both you and the parent.

Connectivity/smartphones do make things "easier" but they also tend to make them less spontaneous and serendipitous. And, yes, while a lot of it is that I'm trying to declutter my house and I like to travel light, I also find that I have pretty much zero interest in shopping abroad.

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

#373

Post by ghaff »

prmoustache wrote: post #337
metabagel wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I rode in a sleeper car in December 1999 in Australia, between Melbourne and Sydney, and it was an unpleasant experience. It was a jerky, bumpy, noisy ride, somebody kept going between the cars for smoke breaks and the smell wafted into our cabin, and there was a baby crying in the cabin next door.

I think this is a personal thing. Even at home we are not equal. I can sleep almost anywhere, and usually fall asleep in a very short time after lying down and closing my eyes. Some people can even fall asleep on a chair in a wedding party with loud mudic and bright lights without even being wasted. Some people can't. Some will always complain about the bed, even in the most luxury/premium hotel. My partner can't sta…

I often have trouble first night on a trip even when jet lag isn't involved although that, of course, makes things worse. Then I usually get into a rhythm.

And, yes, especially when time zones are involved, sticking to a schedule and getting exercise helps.

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

#374

Post by throw5959 »

saagarjha wrote: post #370
throw5959 wrote: post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I'm usually the last person to board. Departure (but not arrival) frequently gets pushed back by 10-20 minutes, though I am making it on time even if not. I have literally never waited at a security check and it takes a minute or two to get through - speaking about EU flights.

There's no way you are not missing flights if you think you can get through security and to your gate regularly in 20 minutes.

Roughly every fifth flight they call my name, but I never missed a flight because of late arrival.

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

#376

Post by mitthrowaway2 »

mnky9800n wrote: post #283
pembrook wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is the equivalent driving times aren't crazy on those routes either though. When you factor in that you need a car in both your departing city and destination city (except for NYC), AND the fact that nearly every household in those regions owns one or multiple cars (which is not true in higher density/higher urbanization countries)...it begins to not make sense especially given the massive upfront cost of…

You highlighted it. The real problem is when you get somewhere you still need a car.

It's possible that would gradually start to change, starting around rail stations.

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

#377

Post by mitthrowaway2 »

pembrook wrote: post #278
aziaziazi wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t understand the density argument: HST aren’t supposed to connect every places, that’s totally ineffective. Instead you build rails between major hubs (those that got the biggest airports usually) and add stops on some medium cities that happen to be on the way. It serves those living close enough of the connected cities that want to go close enough to another connected city. _close enough_ depends on the local…

If you ran high speed rail between the two most populated cities in the US (NYC and LA), it'd be a 14 hour journey. And there's not that many conveniently placed major cities along the way where it even makes sense to add more than a few stops. I know we have a lot of rail enthusiasts here, but the average person tends not to like being stuck in a tube for 14 hours...even if that tube is substantially nicer and more…

I don't think anyone is proposing to start with a NY to LA HSR line. It's more like NY to DC, LA to SF, and maybe expand from there little by little.

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

#378

Post by tugu77 »

GuB-42 wrote: post #280
freetanga wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or no planning at all, as I did 26 years ago. Meet some people in a cafe in Paris, agree to all go to Amsterdam for 2 days, grab your bag and then find a hostel when you arrive. I spent 2 months without knowing where I was going to wake up the following day. No mobiles, only lifeline home being a pay phone call every week. Not the same stores in every city as it is today. Life was beautiful back then and we did not k…

I understand what you are talking about, and you can still do that, but it is going to be expensive. Or at least, expensive for a typical 20-something heading out to explore the world. Times have changed, and now like it or not, we are in the internet and smartphone age. The best travel deals are online, the cheapest accommodations are also found online. The Interrail pass is a bit of a relic, it can still be useful,…

> But I also think we gained something. [...] plane tickets are ridiculously cheap if you are not too picky.

Not really a gain if you ask me.. The melting glaciers are agreeing with me and they are not impressed by the downvotes I'll receive for this opinion.

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

#379

Post by yashap »

yeputons wrote: post #335
yashap wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh really? Whenever I’ve taken the train in Germany it’s been pretty punctual, and looking at the board that’s been the case for most trains. But maybe I just got lucky and/or it’s changed over time. Flakiest trains I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe were in Italy - rolling strikes among train workers are crazy frequent and cause so many delays and cancellations.

The map claims a journey from Berlin to Bremen takes 2h57m. My last one took 6h 33m. And it was only a single connection in Hamburg. The Berlin-Hamburg ICE got stuck for a few hours in the middle of nowhere, then a few trains from Hamburg to Bremen got cancelled... The usual stuff.

Ah brutal. Has it got worse recently? Been years since I’ve taken the train in Germany, but they used to be pretty good IMO.

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

#380

Post by yeputons »

yashap wrote: post #379
yeputons wrote: post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The map claims a journey from Berlin to Bremen takes 2h57m. My last one took 6h 33m. And it was only a single connection in Hamburg. The Berlin-Hamburg ICE got stuck for a few hours in the middle of nowhere, then a few trains from Hamburg to Bremen got cancelled... The usual stuff.

Ah brutal. Has it got worse recently? Been years since I’ve taken the train in Germany, but they used to be pretty good IMO.

I've heard so. I think my first DB train was around 2019, it was another ICE from Berlin to Munich. They've changed the train, cancelled all seat reservations as a consequence, delayed it for a few hours, I missed my connection in Munich... Maybe I'm unlucky :) E.g. I'm quite lucky with London trains (never had a cancellation/significant delay), but I've heard Cambridge residents would love to have a word with me.
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