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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?

#411

Post by matwood »

throw646577 wrote: post #85
FartyMcFarter wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is only true in the simplest scenario of taking a train on a flexible ticket and without any transfers. As soon as you have transfers in the mix (as you often would if travelling longer distances) or stricter tickets, not making it to the train is usually a really bad option.

It’s also true of transfers (changes) on routine journeys in most of the world I would have thought. Because almost all services are regular. It is the arrival time at your destination you build time into, then you work backwards, right? IMO booking strict tickets (e.g. booking a seat) makes sense on only a small handful of routes in the UK, for example, and may even result in you being offered fewer possible options…

> Train travel is a flow state/mindset thing.

This is a great point. I also find train travel the least stressful over all other means of travel.

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

#412

Post by mnky9800n »

mitthrowaway2 wrote: post #376
mnky9800n wrote: post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

That requires the area around rail stations to be built for pedestrians and bicycles, not cars. That doesn’t seem to be the case in many places in America.

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

#413

Post by dspillett »

bpye wrote: post #394
dspillett wrote: post #341

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I travel by train regularly in the UK and it isn't unusual to take up to 8 hours to get anywhere :) The closest I've been to a sleeper in recent decades has been five hours on a cold station because cancellations & delays have meant missing the last onward connection of the day so waiting for the first morning service (there are supposed to be provisions for that by way of providing accommodation or replacement taxi…

I’ve had my fair share of poor UK rail experiences, especially during holiday periods. Standing on the train from London Paddington most of the way towards Exeter is never fun. In the case you couldn’t reach someone, doesn’t every platform have a phone as well?

Certainly not every station, at least not then. And the trick would be reaching someone who can authorise something useful.

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

#414

Post by gcanyon »

kccqzy wrote: post #353
gcanyon wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the part that really frustrates me. Not that I've researched, but it seems like trains should have basically unlimited space for passengers, at very little increase in cost -- a five-mile-long train takes maybe 1-2 more people to operate than a 1-mile train? So why doesn't the U.S. lean into the sleeper concept? If we could increase speeds to 90mph and have affordable sleeper cars, trips of up to 1,000 miles…

Do you not expect attendants on these trains? And since your train only travels at 90mph you will need a larger number of dining cars and their associated cooks and waiters/waitresses.

The whole point is to offer sleeper accommodations. That requires more people to clean up/prepare the train for the next trip, but not (many) more for the actual operation while running. Although the goal is to get more people to take the train by making it more attractive as an option, the direct comparison is for the same number of passengers: take advantage of the flexible length of trains to provide a more compelling travel option, but with the same number of people. So no greater number of dining cars etc. -- unless you're pointing out that not everyone gets dinner on a regular trip, in which case sure, I guess.

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

#415

Post by gcanyon »

lukan wrote: post #273
gcanyon wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the part that really frustrates me. Not that I've researched, but it seems like trains should have basically unlimited space for passengers, at very little increase in cost -- a five-mile-long train takes maybe 1-2 more people to operate than a 1-mile train? So why doesn't the U.S. lean into the sleeper concept? If we could increase speeds to 90mph and have affordable sleeper cars, trips of up to 1,000 miles…

"a five-mile-long train takes maybe 1-2 more people to operate than a 1-mile train" Likely a bit more. Also there is maintainance, the extra weight, the extra cost of buying more waggons .. but still I agree, thay this should be the direction. Still, a 5 mile train will have problems at most train station ..

Sure, I'm dramatically oversimplifying, but I think my point still stands: putting it another way, trains have an ability to accommodate travelers in a way that nothing else -- planes, cars, buses, etc. -- can even approach. It wouldn't be as easy as I'm making it out to be, but it also doesn't seem (in the larger picture) to be particularly challenging either.

And you're right, you'd probably have to designate a section of the train as the "getting on and off" bit, and make it easy for people to move from car to car.

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

#416

Post by gcanyon »

gcanyon wrote: post #268
kortilla wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sleeper cars in the US cost more than a hotel for a night. Saving the cost of a hotel is not really a selling point

This is the part that really frustrates me. Not that I've researched, but it seems like trains should have basically unlimited space for passengers, at very little increase in cost -- a five-mile-long train takes maybe 1-2 more people to operate than a 1-mile train? So why doesn't the U.S. lean into the sleeper concept? If we could increase speeds to 90mph and have affordable sleeper cars, trips of up to 1,000 miles…

I did and found the following in case anyone is interested:

   1. It appears Amtrak sleeper cars accommodate between 30 and 50 people.
   2. An Amtrak coach car seats up to 80 people (fewer than I expected).
   3. So to switch everything to sleeper cars would require trains to be 2-3 times as long.
   4. A typical Amtrak train is 11-12 cars long, and each car is about 85 feet long. 
   5. So Amtrak trains are currently about 1,000 feet long, which means they could be 2-3x as long and still be *well* under a mile long.
This seems easily doable. As others have pointed out, super-long trains have a number of issues, but trains could accommodate almost 2x the passengers, and be all-sleeper, and still be only a mile long. Then you run multiple trains to handle the larger demand!

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

#417

Post by Fnoord »

uwagar wrote: post #400
Fnoord wrote: post #368

I went from Belgrade to Aachen about 15-20 years ago. It cost me more than my plane ticket from Dusseldorf to Belgrade (though I got robbed/scammed at Belgrade). From Belgrade to Croatia the old DB train went 60 km/hour. It did have power sockets. I was nearly alone. Then came the evening in Croatia, the train went quicker than 60 hm/hour, people boarded (youth with backpacks), and sleep got a bit more tough. Near Lj…

or chain ur luggage to some iron loops found under the seats?

Don't remember, I put one laptop bag around ny middle, and larger backpack I put my legs into. However, it can be removed by a knife and opened if enough are in on it plus those not sleep. With a friend you can take guard turns.

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

#419

Post by saagarjha »

throw5959 wrote: post #374
saagarjha wrote: post #370

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Do you only fly through small airports? I can't see how you would possibly guarantee not getting stuck in security at least sometimes

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

#420

Post by TowerTall »

throw__away7391 wrote: post #221
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. Oh man this has definitely not been my experience! Last I tried this I booked a "VIP" sleeper car with a private bathroom/shower, and it was anything but. The constant shaking of the train side to side coupled with a bunch of young American girls running up and down the halls screaming to each other all night mea…

the key is earplugs
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