The exercise requires a little preparation time and requires rethinking the way we travel in an attempt to limit our carbon footprint.
This summer, all on the train? At a time of the fight against global warming, Europeans are increasingly encouraged to favor the railroad for travel. Comfortable and ecological – it pollutes 8 times less than the car and 14 times less than the plane, according to Ademe – the train has many advantages for it.
But for those who want to travel in Europe without “to blame”, the task can be complex. Building routes and navigating the various train companies can be a real headache. If you are lucky enough to be able to go on vacation, franceinfo gives you some tips for traveling serenely by train across the Old Continent.
Looking on the journey, you will change
Even before booking a ticket, it’s all “vision of travel to think about”, warns youtuber Benjamin Martini, who specializes in low-carbon travel. Known as Tolt, he has just launched Hourrail, a site that allows you to find train routes for European cities. Rather than thinking in terms of destination, we must “think of the trip as a loop” during which more or less long stops can be made. If you want to go to Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, why not stop off in Germany for example (in Berlin on the way out and in Hamburg on the way back)?
“With the train, you have to tell yourself that the purpose of the trip is not the destination, but the path to be traveled”underlines to franceinfo Samuela Burzio, president of Ouat (for “Once Upon a Train”), an association which builds train journeys around the world. “We have a sublime continent, the train allows you to observe the landscapes and their evolution”she adds.
Time planning your route, you will spend
Unless you are going to a European city accessible directly from France, such as Turin, Stuttgart or Amsterdam, it is necessary to spend some time planning your itinerary. “It’s true that it can be a bit laborious, but there are sites and blogs that can help”, emphasizes Samuela Burzio. Reference on the subject, the free Seat 61 site is a real gold mine. Held by the British Mark Smith, the blog offers hundreds of detailed itineraries, such as the best way to reach Istanbul from Paris, or Helsinki from Madrid.
For those allergic to the organization, it is also possible to go through a travel agency, but this has a significant cost. In all cases, “anticipating your trip will allow you to obtain lower prices, especially with low cost offers”develops Benjamin Martini.
On several sites the tickets, you will buy
It is better not to limit yourself to the SNCF Connect site if you plan to go beyond the French borders. The SNCF portal does sell European tickets, but not for all countries. Above all, the prices are sometimes more expensive than with the competition. The Trainline site thus aggregates several European operators and offers more destinations than the SNCF. “But be careful, there are sometimes booking fees”, warns Benjamin Martini. Other sites, such as Omio or that of Deutsche Bahn, the German railways, allow you to find many routes in Europe. Samuela Burzio also suggests looking at the Austrian Railways website, OBB, “which offers many night trains”.
In fact, there is no single platform that centralizes the purchase of tickets for the entire European continent. Samuela Burzio invites travelers to “find out about the national railway companies” and check the routes on “each site”. This method is certainly a bit tedious, but it guarantees tickets at the best prices. Note that some journeys, particularly in Eastern Europe, are sometimes only available for purchase at the station.
Local promotions, you will scrutinize
There are a large number of discount cards and promotions specific to each country. “In Italy, the T passrenitalia allows you to have a fixed rate and more flexibility”, reports for example the youtubeur Benjamin Martini. In Germany, Deutsche Bahn cards offer discounts of 25 or 50% on all trains. The German company also offers an annual card at 49 euros which allows free access to regional and local transport. A practical solution if you plan to stay across the Rhine for your entire vacation and are prepared not to use high-speed trains. Elsewhere, such as in France, regions or localities sometimes set up special offers, such as trains at 1 euro.
The Interrail pass, you will take into consideration
The Interrail pass is not just for young people. “It can be very interesting according to your desires, but you have to take the time to do the calculations”, notes Samuela Burzio. Depending on the formula chosen, it allows unlimited travel in 33 European countries, over several days, from 194 euros. Reduced rates are offered to under 28s and over 60s. A “one country” pass is also on sale. The very well-designed Interrail application also makes it easy to calculate routes and even to pay the additional costs occasionally requested to take certain trains.
The unexpected, you will accept
By increasing the number of journeys and connections, the risk of delays is also multiplied. “I advise people to take the time, because the European rail system is complex and each state has its own rules”explains Samuela Burzio.
No European legislation obliges carriers to insure your connection if you have purchased two tickets separately. In the context of a journey with several journeys, but on a single ticket, European law guarantees, on the other hand, a partial refund or an alternative solution for the continuation of the journey.
It is therefore better not to hurry and plan ahead in the event of a connection between two different companies, which will give you the opportunity to take the opportunity to visit the city where you are stopping off. Another possibility: buy flexible tickets “which allow you to take any train in the same day”.
Take care, you won’t forget
Traveling by train can sometimes be a bit long. Book, video game console, film or even a chat with other passengers: there are plenty of options to keep busy. “In general, I‘use this time to prepare the rest of the trip, because I know that I have time for the train to do it, says Samuela Burzio. Otherwise, you can simply take advantage of it to… do nothing. “It’s one of the few places where I can relax, sometimes hours pass and I just admire the landscape”smiles the president of the Ouat association.
Travel light, you will favor
Of course, the train “is less restrictive than the plane in terms of luggage”emphasizes Benjamin Martini, but it is in your best interest not to take too much business with you, just to avoid cluttering yourself up. “I try to limit the superfluous as much as possible, which is not always easy with my video equipment”explains the youtuber.
If you are still loaded, “it is generally possible to leave your bag or suitcase in lockers in most European stations”, recalls Samuela Burzio. What offer a more pleasant exploration of European city centers.