Train travel is undoubtedly the most romantic way to explore Europe. You can sit back and soak up the continent’s most beautiful sights as they zip past, from the towering snow-cloaked mountains of Germany and the glittering fjords of Norway to the sparkling coasts of Italy and vine-carpeted fields of France. Plus, there are few greater feelings than getting from country to country in the knowledge that you are traveling more sustainably and minimizing carbon footprints. But sadly, the evolution of budget airlines has meant that aviation has become a more affordable (and at times faster) alternative for travelers. Below, we look at the ultimate travel hacks for finding cheap train tickets across Europe this summer so you can embrace slow travel – with expert advice from some of the world’s top train travel experts.
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Train in France
Buy European rail passes
Purchasing relevant rail passes for European countries can seriously help cut costs when travelling by train. “Consider buying an Interrail pass (for European residents, interrail.eu) or Eurail pass (for non-residents, eurail.com). These give unlimited travel across most of Europe from as little as €35 per day for adults, €31 for seniors or €26 for young people under the age of 28 – and children under 12 get a free pass when accompanied by an adult pass holder,” says Mark Smith, the man behind European train travel guide website Seat 61. “A pass is much more flexible than a series of cheap no-refund, no-change advance-purchase tickets and much cheaper than a series of expensive fully-flexible tickets. Just be aware that there may be reservation fees to add for some trains, especially in France, Italy and Spain.” Buying an Interrail pass in advance can also help save you time as well as money, so you can spend less time faffing around purchasing tickets and more time enjoying each destination you visit.
Book train tickets in advance
While many of us plan and book flights well before our trip, train travel is often left until the last minute. Like planes, train tickets are released in price sections—the cheapest fares are first, and the most expensive ones can be purchased up to an hour before the train time. In the UK, train tickets are typically released 12 weeks before departure dates and will be at their cheapest at that time. Some ticket-purchasing apps, like Trainline, have features that allow travelers to set up alerts for specific dates and destinations, so users can book as soon as the tickets have been released.
Remember to validate your train ticket
In many train stations throughout Europe, there aren’t any entry barriers, but passengers are expected to validate their tickets via a machine. It’s an easy step to forget, and the machines are small enough to miss, but ticket inspectors often patrol trains and stations for spot checks and will charge fines to travelers with unstamped tickets. Research each journey or route to learn about the relevant rules and guidelines, so you don’t get caught out.
Use train travel apps
There are lots of different train travel apps that are designed specifically to help travelers discover the best routes and cheapest prices. Omio compares prices across many different types of transport in Europe, and Trainline is the best one to download when traveling around the UK. “Booking directly with the relevant operator can result in no booking fees and, in many cases, the option to choose your seat from a seat map (for example, in France use sncf-connect.com, in Italy use trenitalia.com, in Germany use bahn.de/en). However, two third-party retailers can be useful: raileurope.com and thetrainline.com, even though they add a small booking fee,” explains Mark. “They connect to the French, Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian and Benelux systems so you can buy tickets within and between these countries all in one place; they also allow multi-operator multi-ticket journeys such as Nice to Milan to be bought as one seamless transaction.”
View of Jungfrau in Switzerland
Track train fares to find the best prices
If you decide to book trains using direct sites instead of train travel apps, you should monitor the routes to find the best prices for each leg of your journey. “Most European long-distance train fares have dynamic pricing like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy periods such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons for the lowest prices, just as you would with flights,” Mark tells us. “If you do that, Paris-Milan starts at €29, Berlin–Amsterdam from €37.90, Prague-Budapest from €21, Rome–Florence from €19.90, Madrid-Barcelona from €7.”
Be flexible with your journeys
Keeping your travel days flexible can yield rewards in the form of cheaper tickets and better availability, particularly when it comes to longer cross-country journeys. Trainline offers passengers prices across three days to ensure customers consider multiple date options to get the best prices for their trip.
Avoid paying extra for seat reservations
When buying train tickets, most bookings come with an allocated seat reservation. When purchasing tickets on unfamiliar websites (and unfamiliar languages), knowing whether or not your seat number has been included can be confusing, so double-check before paying more unnecessarily. However, this doesn’t apply to sleeper trains or international journeys – for these, travelers must book seat reservations separately, either online or in person at the train station.
Book overnight trains for lower prices
Taking an overnight train is a great way to bring down your costs while traveling through Europe because you end up saving on one night’s accommodation while you’re at it. And, since you’re already saving a few bucks, it’s worth spending a little more to get a more comfy seat or bed – you don’t want to ruin the following day by catching up on sleep. Spend time figuring out which train routes will take you the longest, and dedicate those to overnight journeys. Some overnight trains come with dining carts and shower rooms, and while these might not be the height of luxury, they are often just as clean and comfortable as a budget hostel option would be.
A version of this article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller UK.
