Buying Europe train tickets doesn’t have to be a hair losing experience!
It really isn’t as difficult as many people make it out to be. In fact, most traveler’s who have traveled Europe by train several times know that if you can keep a few things in mind you’ll be just fine when you’re buying Europe train tickets. Sure, a lot of people complain about it being time consuming, tough to figure out and difficult to work through currency exchanges but, if you do it right it can seem like a breeze. Well, we are going to deal with some of the issues that birth when trying to figure out buying Europe train tickets.
Number one, do you have to buy the train ticket ahead of time? Yes and no. If you are planning an extensive sight seeing trip where you want luxury and comfort then yes, you’ll probably want to plan ahead. However, if you are looking for more of a carefree European vacation where you plan to have more flexibility in your traveling then no, you don’t have to buy tickets before you go.
You see, there are a variety of sleeper trains (think the most luxurious hotel you’ve stayed in- now put it on rails and moving!) in Europe that travel to the most sought ought places in Europe. Paris is often on route as is Madrid and Barcelona. If you plan on staying on one of these more prestigious trains then you will want to plan ahead because if you wait until the day of your trip you may end up room-less and your entire trip will be at jeopardy. However, if you are just out for a flexible vacation then you can certainly buy Europe train tickets the day you want to travel and the Eurail is a great way to go.
What are the advantages of traveling this way? Well of course there is the flexibility of the travel, the ability to change your mind on a whim and you don’t have to worry about needing to use a previously purchased ticket. What about the disadvantages? You will never be absolutely sure that you will have a ticket on any train and you just may have to settle for a less then comfortable room.
Buying Europe train tickets can often be an exciting time and a confusing one for first time travelers. One of the biggest obstacles a person encounters is the language barrier. In Europe many people speak many different languages and English usually isn’t one of them. If you’re having a tough time getting across to your ticket agent then you can do several things. First, if you already know your destination then you should write it down, use pictures if you have to, and sometimes the agent will be able to decipher where you want to go. If not use hand motions or better yet ask someone behind you if they speak Spanish, or whatever language the ticket agent is speaking.
Another ‘little known’ secret for first time travelers working on buying Europe train tickets are the International Travelers Boards. In most European train stations there is a bulletin board type of set-up that is meant for people just like you. While not all the train schedules will be on the board, most of the more frequent ones will be. Look for this board and if you can’t find it ask someone around you if they know where it is. The International Travelers Board is usually located somewhere around the ticket office and it will show most of the train routes in English.
If you are wondering how buying Europe train tickets is achieved, following the above tips should help. More then anything else though, just have fun!
