Airports across Europe are experiencing staffing shortages this summer due to high demand, and train travel is waiting in the departure lounge to take you on your next trip to the continent – most likely without the long lines.
Europe is connected by an intricate rail system that connects almost every major city, making it easy and cheap to travel between them. Travelers can opt for intercity trains or more prominent lines, such as the Eurostar, which travels so fast across the channel from London to Paris that it can even be used as a day trip.
Visitors can travel from Amsterdam to Munich, enjoy a tour of pubs full of local beers, or even ski from Milan to the Swiss Alps.
According to the company, Eurostar began running trains between London and Paris after the completion of the Channel Tunnel in 1994. The train, which connects the UK with the rest of continental Europe, can reach up to 186mph on a journey that takes just over two hours.
Eurostar passengers can then transfer through major cities such as Brussels, Amsterdam, and Lyon and even take the train directly to Disneyland Paris (just 2 hours and 40 minutes from London).
Another popular way to travel in Europe is by Thalys, which is part of the newly formed Eurostar Group. It says it started in the early 1990s as a collaboration of four national rail companies: Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Today, travelers can still book and ride these trains across Europe, including 12 stations in France and more than a dozen others in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Travelers who want to book just one ticket for their entire holiday can also opt for the Eurail Pass, which the company says is an “all-in-one train ticket that gives you the flexibility to travel on most trains in Europe.” Holidaymakers can then use participating rail companies, including Eurostar and Hercules, to travel between 40,000 destinations in 33 countries.
Countries like Germany’s Deutsche Bahn and France’s SNCF also have different train companies.
These are the individual rail companies that travelers in several major European countries should know about.
Spain
Renfe
Where you can go: Renfe was founded in 1941 and now runs 5,000 trains daily in Spain. The railway company has long-distance and medium-distance trains, using high-speed trains specially designed for short trips (e.g., Madrid to Toledo). The company also offers luxury travel trains, including everything from dining to excursions.
Germany
Deutsche Bahn
Where you can go: Deutsche Bahn serves 5,700 train stations and more than 40,000 trains daily. The company operates three main types of trains: Intercity Express (ICE) trains, which are the fastest, Intercity (IC) trains, and European City (EC) trains, which connect major German cities with the rest of Europe. The company and its French counterpart are currently developing a new high-speed rail link between Paris and Berlin that will directly connect the two major cities in seven hours.
Italy
Railway
Where you Can go: Italy has been building electric trains since 1936 and operates more than 10,000 miles of rail line, with 10,000 trains daily. Trains are usually the quickest way to get between big cities like Milan and Florence (less than 2 hours by high-speed train) or Florence and Rome (about an hour and a half by high-speed train).
The railway company also offers foreign citizens visiting Italy an “Italia Rail Pass,” which allows them to travel multiple times (think of three trips in seven days) for a minimum price of 129 euros.
France
SNCF
Where you can go: France has a long history of railways, dating back to the 19th century, when the first passenger lines began operating. Tourism has helped boost the country’s railway industry. Today, SNCF operates high-speed and traditional long-distance trains, including 11 high-speed lines covering more than 1,600 miles in France. High-speed lines exist between major cities such as Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Lille.
The French national railway company SNCF and Deutsche Bahn are developing a new high-speed direct link between Paris and Berlin that will connect the two major cities in seven hours.
Switzerland
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)
Where you can go: Switzerland’s railway history dates back more than 100 years. Today, the railway company operates more than 7,000 trains daily, allowing passengers to travel through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Passengers can travel between major cities, transfer to the Alps, or even cycle to northern Italy.
United Kingdom
Govia Sea Railway (GTR)
Where you can go: There are several ways to see the UK by train, but GTR is the largest rail operator in the UK, managing four train companies in the south of England. The company operates trains from London to Cambridge and Bedford in the north, as well as Brighton and the South Coast. The company also operates the Gatwick Express, which carries passengers to and from the airport.
