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Rail travel in Canada

Although trains are not nearly as ubiquitous and convenient a mode of travel in Canada as in Europe or East Asia, they remain popular with some travelers because of the spacious design of the cars, the scenic routes, and the overall comfort of the train ride. Some people prefer to take trains because they do not require long waits at security like at airports, or because they are uncomfortable with flying. Unlike their European counterparts, passenger trains in Canada outside the urban cores can often be off-schedule, sometimes up to several hours late. Train rides in Canada often take much longer than car rides and plane rides, but, when the service is running well, the unique experience can trump the long ride.

Understand

The development of railways in Canada largely mirrors that of its southern neighbour, the United States. Railways once formed the backbone of Canada's long distance transportation system, and played a significant role in forming the Canadian federation, as railways enabled people and goods to move relatively quickly from the main population centres in Toronto and Montreal to major seaports along the coast such as Vancouver and Halifax. However, with the advent of private car ownership and commercial air travel following World War II, passenger railway lines in Canada went into a rapid decline from which they never fully recovered. Today, the Canadian railway system lags behind much of the rest of the developed world, and is primarily used for freight. There are no high-speed lines, and taking the train usually works out slower than driving yourself. Nevertheless, there has been a revival of sorts in rail transport since the beginning of the 21st century, and in the densely populated Windsor-Quebec City corridor, rail transport today is relatively reliable, and can be as fast as driving yourself when road traffic is heavy.

Canada's railway system primarily transports freight, and freight has priority over passenger rail-line use. Therefore, passenger trains are sometimes delayed. The country's two major railway companies, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway, turned over operation of their passenger services in 1978 to the state-owned VIA Rail Canada, which was designed with the American role model Amtrak in mind. In addition to VIA Rail Canada, a few smaller railways in remote areas of Canada also offer passenger service. Montreal (Exo), Toronto (GO Transit), and Vancouver (TransLink) have commuter rail. These three are also the only Canadian cities with rapid transit systems: the Montreal Metro, the Toronto Subway and the Vancouver Skytrain. A number of companies offer excursion services primarily geared towards sightseeing and tours.

VIA Rail has been subject to widely varying political priorities as much if not more than Amtrak in the U.S. Significant funding and service cuts were sometimes followed mere years later by an exact reversal of policy and vice versa. The current Trudeau government has announced grand plans for railways and even a potential high-speed rail line along (parts of) the Windsor-Quebec corridor, but as of 2020 no more than talk has come of this. Provincial initiatives seem to have similarly gone nowhere.

For travel within Canada, the passenger rail system is (for the most part) a monopoly. For long-distance travel, it can cost more time and money to travel by train than to fly; for short trips, it's usually cheaper to take the bus and faster to drive yourself. Outside the Windsor-Quebec corridor, trains can be considered to be more hotels on tracks rather than a practical way to get from city to city. These trains offer comfortable seats or sleeping accommodations, unique scenic views, and meals at a premium price, if you have the extra time for the experience. Within the Quebec City–Windsor corridor, VIA Rail is more comparable to air travel; train travel will still take more time than flying, but taking the train in this region can be significantly cheaper than flying, considering baggage fees and taxi fares to and from suburban airports.

In a few remote regions, such as Churchill in northern Manitoba, rail has been left in service as it remains the only terrestrial means to reach a remote community. In contrast with the United States, where at the very least, the decline in passenger railway routes has been arrested, more and more Canadian passenger railway lines are abandoned. Examples of this are the lines of Courtenay–Victoria in British Columbia, Cochrane–Washago in Ontario and Matapédia–Gaspé in Québec, which all closed in the 2010s. A growing list of destinations, including Prince Edward Island and the island of Newfoundland, have lost all rail service and rely on the Trans-Canada Highway instead.

Peak periods
The peak periods for most rail companies in North America are somewhere between March/April and September; however, you should check with the rail company. In the off-peak season, prices drop significantly on most carriers.

On board
All trains will have coach seats. For longer rides many trains have sleeper rooms. The price of these rooms depends on the quality - whether or not there is a sink, or a private shower/toilet. You will pay a considerable supplement for sleeper car service in addition to the regular fare. Meals are included in the price of sleeper class on The Canadian and The Ocean.

Tipping
Remember to tip your server in the dining car and the dining room attendant. If you are travelling in a sleeper car, in which meals are included, the standard tipping rate is about $2 for breakfast, $3 for lunch and $5 for dinner. Bedroom attendants are typically tipped about $10 per person per night, but you can tip more of the service was exemplary. If you're travelling on The Canadian, keep in mind that the crews change over at Winnipeg, so be sure to tip the bedroom attendant for the first leg before reaching Winnipeg.

On the Rocky Mountaineer, the standard accepted tipping rate is about $30-40 per person in SilverLeaf and $35-45 per person in GoldLeaf for a two-day trip.

Amtrak
There are three international trains that are operated by Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail company, with connections to VIA Rail Canada trains in Canada. These trains must be booked with Amtrak, except for the Maple Leaf which can also be booked with VIA Rail Canada. Each train has a scheduled customs stop of about 1-1¾ hours at the international border.

 * Amtrak Cascades is a route between Vancouver, BC and Eugene. There is a daily round trip between Vancouver, BC and Seattle, and between Vancouver, BC and Portland via Seattle. Between Vancouver, BC and Portland, stops include Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett,  Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), and Vancouver, WA. Travel time to Vancouver, BC from Portland is 8 hours, from Tacoma is 5.5 hours, from Seattle is 4 hours, and from Bellingham is 2 hours. When traveling on the Amtrak Cascades, border control takes place at Pacific Central station both for departing travelers to the United States and arriving passengers from the United States.
 * The Maple Leaf, jointly operated by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada, runs between Toronto and New York City once a day in each direction stopping at Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls (Ontario), Niagara Falls (New York), Buffalo, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers. Travel time to Toronto from Niagara Falls (Ontario) is 2 hours, from Buffalo is 4.25 hours, from Syracuse is 6.75 hours, from Albany is 9.5 hours, and from New York City is 12.5 hours. It is possible to travel with this train from Toronto to Niagara Falls in the morning and return to Toronto in the early evening.  Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage.  Train crew members are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada, and by Amtrak within the United States.  Scenic features along the route are the Niagara Gorge, the Finger Lakes region, and the Hudson River Valley

In addition, Amtrak has some train routes that do not enter Canada, but that stop at cities adjacent to the Canada-United States border.
 * The Adirondack connects Montreal to New York City once a day in each direction stopping at Saint-Lambert, Rouses Point, Plattsburgh, Westport, Ticonderoga, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers. via Schenectady and Albany (Rensselaer). Travel time to Montreal from Plattsburgh is 4.25 hours, from Albany (Rensselaer) is 8.5 hours, and from New York City is 11.5 hours.  Border control take place when the train arrives at the border.  Scenic features along the route are Lake Champlain and the Hudson River Valley.

 * There is a train route between Chicago and Pontiac via Detroit. Detroit is adjacent to Windsor, which has a train route operated by VIA Rail Canada (see below).  Public transit bus service is available in and between Detroit and Windsor.
 * There is a train route between Chicago and Port Huron. Port Huron is adjacent to Sarnia, which has a train route operated by VIA Rail Canada (see below).  There is no public transit between Port Huron and Sarnia.

VIA Rail Canada

Sleeper cars are available on some of VIA Rail Canada's long-distance services. Some long-distance trains also feature a dining car where you can purchase meals during the journey. Meals in the dining car are typically included in the ticket price for sleeper car passengers. The following are VIA Rail Canada's routes from east to west:

 * The Ocean has three departures a week per direction making the journey between Montreal and Halifax via Drummondville, Sainte-Foy (near Quebec City), Riviere-du-Loup, Mont-Joli, Campbellton, Moncton and Truro. The train operates with modern European Renaissance cars, famously purchased by VIA Rail Canada when planned sleeper services through the Channel Tunnel from Great Britain to mainland Europe were cut. A trip takes about 22 hours between Montreal and Halifax, travelling overnight.
 * Northern Quebec trains, which operate into areas of wilderness, where hikers and kayakers can request that the train stop anywhere along that portion of route.
 * The Montreal–Jonquière train that operates between Montreal and Jonquière via Shawinigan. Travel one way from terminus to terminus takes about 9 hours.
 * The Montreal–Senneterre train operates between Montreal and Senneterre via Shawinigan. Travel one way from terminus to terminus takes about 11.5 hours.
 * The Quebec–Ontario Corridor is a network of VIA Rail Canada train routes extending between Quebec City in the northeast and Windsor in southwest Ontario. The Corridor offers comprehensive intercity passenger service to many cities including Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Brantford, Kitchener, London, Sarnia and Windsor. The Corridor has more than 30 trains operating in either direction on weekdays, and is popular with business travellers and tourists due to fast services that are, in most cases, as fast downtown-to-downtown as commercial airlines. The routes between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal are VIA Rail Canada's busiest and most frequent; they also have the largest discounts (such as "Escape" fares) if booked well in advance. Besides economy class, trains also offer business class with complimentary meals and alcoholic beverages. Both classes offer complimentary wi-fi and seat power outlets. Routes in the Quebec-Ontario Corridor include:
 * Between Sarnia and Toronto including stops in London, St. Marys, Stratford, Kitchener, Guelph, Georgetown, Brampton, and Mississauga. Travel time between Toronto and Sarnia is 5 hours.
 * Between Windsor and Toronto including stops in Chatham, London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, Burlington, and Oakville. Travel time between Toronto and Windsor is 4.25-4.5 hours.
 * Between Toronto and Ottawa including stops in Oshawa, Port Hope, Cobourg, Trenton, Bellevile, Napanee, Kingston, Gananoque, Brockville, and Smiths Falls. Travel time between Toronto and Ottawa is 4.25-4.75 hours.
 * Between Toronto and Montreal including stops in Oshawa, Cobourg, Belleville,  Kingston,  Brockville, Cornwall, and  Dorval. Travel time between Toronto and Montreal is 5.25-5.5 hours.
 * Between Ottawa and Quebec City including stops in Alexandria, Dorval, Montreal, Saint-Lambert, Saint-Hyacinthe, and Drummondville.   Multiple trains per day travel in each direction.  Travel time between Ottawa from Quebec City is 6 hours, between Ottawa and Montreal is 2.25 hours, and between Montreal and Quebec City is 3.5 hours.
 * The Canadian is VIA Rail Canada's classic, transcontinental train between Toronto and Vancouver, including stops in Sudbury, Sioux Lookout, Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper and Kamloops. The train departs 2 to 3 times per week. The full journey takes 4 days between Toronto and Vancouver with overnight travel. The train can be very expensive but then it is also effectively a travelling hotel with restaurant. To reduce the cost, consider VIA Rail Canada's "deals" on sleeper accommodations 2–3 weeks before travel that can reduce the price by 75 percent. "Escape" fares also provide a deep discount. The trains contain both sleeper berths and cabins, as well as reclining economy seating. Three meals per day are cooked in the train's dining car. These are included in sleeper fares and are available for purchase for economy passengers.
 * The Sudbury–White River train operating between Sudbury and White River, both located in Northern Ontario. Traveling one way from terminus to terminus takes around 8.75 hours.
 * The Winnipeg–Churchill train (formerly called the Hudson Bay) connects with the Canadian in Winnipeg and takes travellers from the south to the far north of the province of Manitoba via parts of eastern Saskatchewan, with three departures a week to Churchill via The Pas and Thompson.  The train to Hudson's Bay is popular with winter tourists who travel north to see Churchill's population of polar bears and tends to sell out early. A trip takes 2 days between Winnipeg and Churchill, travelling overnight.
 * The Jasper–Prince Rupert train (formerly called the Skeena) connects with the Canadian in Jasper and operates to Prince Rupert. Traveling one way between Jasper and Prince Rupert involves 7.75 hours on the train between Jasper and Prince George, and 12.5 hours on the train between Prince George and Prince Rupert. The train makes an overnight stop in Prince George, where passengers must leave the train and therefore will need to book a hotel room.

Fares, passes & discounts
VIA Rail Canada offers discounted fares to youth and seniors:
 * Youth (12-25) and International Student Identification Card holders get 30% off economy class, 10% off sleeper class, and 10% off multi-day passes (note: this includes the student discount)
 * Seniors (60+) get 10% off economy class.

Additionally, passengers may be entitled to unadvertised discounts on top of these fares by being a veteran or member of the Canadian Forces, or through membership to some organizations and professional/alumni associations. As of 2022, Hostelling international members are also eligible at 12.5% discount from VIA Rail Canada.

Make arrangements ahead of time to get lower fares. VIA Rail often has 50% off sales or last minute discounts. Tickets in coach are often reasonably priced and competitive with equivalent plane tickets, however these tickets do not include food and drink on board, requiring coach passengers to pay in the service cars. Sleeper tickets, though significantly more expensive, include food in the prices and allow other privileges exclusive to such passengers.

"Escape" fares offer heavily discounted, non-refundable VIA Rail Canada tickets that are available in limited quantities with various conditions when purchased in advance. These also have a 50% exchange penalty. For example, a June 2023 trip ticket from Toronto to Montreal could cost $54 "Escape", versus $104 regular "Economy". Seats at "Escape" prices are limited in number available per train, and tend to sell out earlier than higher priced seats.

VIA Rail Canada offers "Sleeper Plus Class Deals" on overnight trains. These large discounts for sleeping accommodations are available only to a certain city on a certain train and day, and there are many such discounts listed.

Special stops
VIA Rail Canada offers hikers, kayakers and residents of remote regions the option of special stops at almost any point on several rural routes, as long as passengers purchase their tickets and specify their exact destination 48 hours in advance. This is not available on all routes: most importantly, the Quebec-Ontario corridor is excluded, as are the prairies west of Winnipeg. Please consult the link for more information on stops that are permitted.

Bicycles
From the beginning of June to the end of October, VIA Rail Canada now allows cyclists to bring their bikes as is aboard trains running in the Corridor to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, London, Windsor (Ontario), Jonquiere, and Senneterre. There is a fee of $20 plus tax for each direction of travel and you must check your bicycle at the baggage counter one hour before departure. After that, you are not guaranteed a space for your bike. Upon arrival at Toronto, Ottawa, London, Windsor, or Montreal, the train crew will bring your bike to you at the baggage claim area in the station. At all other stops, you might have to go to the baggage car to retrieve your bike. Do not leave any equipment (i.e. pannier bags) attached to your bike when you check it in. These must be checked in separately. Check the VIA Rail Canada website for train schedules with bike racks.

Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer is a private company that runs long-distance luxury sightseeing trains out of Vancouver. Its most popular and arguably most scenic route is the First Passage to the West, which travels between Vancouver and Banff in 2 days, along the old route of The Canadian, stopping overnight at Kamloops where a one-night hotel stay is included in the ticket price.

Rocky Mountaineer trains have large windows and a glass-domed roof designed to let you take in the views as it travels along, with GoldLeaf passengers also having access to an outdoor viewing platform. Breakfast and lunch is included in all Rocky Mountaineer fares; served to your seat in SilverLeaf class, while GoldLeaf passengers have a separate dining room on the lower deck where meals are served.

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Rail travel in Europe

Trains are a convenient mode of short, medium and long distance travel across Europe, and often the fastest option. Western and Central Europe in particular have a dense and widely used railway network. Trains are mostly a "greener" way to get around than planes, cars and buses, generating much lower CO2 levels per passenger over the same distance.

Many European cities also have extensive urban rail networks.

Understand

European trains are fast, reliable and frequent. Trains have more spacious and comfortable interiors than aeroplanes and buses, may offer scenic routes, and do not require long waits at security like at airports. They usually run more frequently than planes, and take their travellers to railway stations located in or very close to city centres, whereas airports, especially the ones that budget airliners fly into, can be a hundred kilometres away from the city they claim to serve, requiring expensive and time-consuming connecting services. Some choose the train over the plane just for the feeling of romantic travel they provide.

Trains are flexible and the opportunities for train-travel in Europe are endless. Virtually any town larger than about 50,000 inhabitants has a railway station with frequent connections. Towns that aren't served by trains usually have good bus connections that are often integrated with the railway system – railway stations normally also serve as hubs for local buses, subways or tramways. Transfers are fast and convenient all over Europe; you rarely need to wait longer than two hours for a connecting service. On major routes even a one-hour wait between connections is the exception rather than the rule.

The quality, speed and price of train travel depends on the country; Western European countries generally offer higher speed and more luxurious trains at higher prices than Eastern European countries. Like flights, virtually all train tickets are cheaper when bought in advance, and usually a train ticket bought well before departure is cheaper than a flight with that difference declining or even the trend reversing the closer you get to departure. If you compare prices, remember that you also have to get to the airport or train station and especially for out of the way airports the costs of doing so can be substantial. Train travel is getting faster every year through the construction of new high speed lines with speeds up to 320 km/h (200 mph), and upgrading of conventional lines to 200 km/h (125 mph) or more. Especially Germany, France, Spain and Italy have extensive high-speed networks and there is construction or at least talks of construction in nearly every major European country. Some high speed lines have virtually eliminated competing air travel a short time after their opening and on lines where fast trains and flights still compete, bargains may be had for flights, as they cannot compete on speed (alone) any more. Some of the most drastic examples of this are the Frankfurt-Cologne line, which sees no direct flights any more, and the Paris-London and Madrid-Barcelona lines, where flights have become both rarer and cheaper since high speed rail arrived.

While railway passengers need to be alert about pickpocketing and luggage theft, especially on crowded commuter trains, overall the security situation on trains in Europe is the best for perhaps any mode of transport anywhere in the world. Accidents are very rare.

A problem with rail may be overcrowding. Increasing numbers of commuters in Europe are switching to rail travel to escape congestion on the roads, and it is often impossible to find a seat in 2nd class at rush hours. Still plenty of seats often remain in the 1st class. Overcrowding is especially common in urban agglomerations such as South-East England, Benelux, the Ruhr region, and the Po Valley. However, outside of rush hours and popular routes trains are often only half full. A good way to find out whether a route tends to be overcrowded is the price of early bird tickets. If there is still an early bird ticket of the cheapest category available a day or two prior to departure, chances are that this train won't be too full.

All trains have coach seating – usually labelled as 2nd class in the local language. Most long distance trains travelling from one large city to another large city will have first class seating too. In some countries, such as the UK, Netherlands, France and Germany, trains have so-called "quiet" compartments or coaches, where you're not allowed to make noise or talk on mobile phones. Some high-speed lines (such as Eurostar or the Spanish AVE and the Austrian railjet) have a different class-scheme with usually three named classes. They are often comparable to aeroplane classes with the "third" class still offering more legroom than aeroplane economy class. Discussing the details of each service is beyond the scope of this article; the websites of the various railway companies will usually describe the differences between classes in their "flagship-product" and often also show pictures.

The only trains that have sleepers are trains that will take until the next morning to reach their final destination, like the Paris to Warsaw or the Gothenburg to Narvik route. Sleeper trains are still prevalent in Russia, where the high-speed rail network is limited to a single line between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and where distances are vast. While sleeper trains are still very much alive in Central and Eastern Europe, there was a tendency in much of Central and Western Europe to reduce or eliminate those services due to "economic" reasons in the early 21st century. From the late 2010s however, more and more national governments and railroads – as well as the European Union – have made announcements in favour of new and expanded night train service; many new routes have been announced for the early to mid 2020s and the once seemingly terminal decline of the European sleeper train seems to have been reversed.

Planning your trip

The German national railways has the very convenient Reiseauskunft traveller router, which covers almost the entire European railway network (and beyond), as well as bus, metro, and ferry connections in Germany. The first of its kind, it originated in the 1990s. Price information is available for train rides that originate or terminate in Germany. For prices on other routes you still need the national websites; most countries have timetables and travel planners available on the sites of their national railways.

Locally, look for the departure timetables posted at some stations. Staff at the ticket counter may be able to help you out with planning your trip. Most ticket vending machines will also be able to give some information on timetables, though the specifics vary. Service on the railway web site or on the phone varies between countries, but can be very convenient.

An invaluable website for planning rail journeys is Seat61.com. It is not a company or a travel agency, but a personal site. Still it has one of the most comprehensive guides to all aspects of rail travel. If you want a paper timetable to take with you, consider buying a European Rail Timetable.

A good app for planning trips with public transport as well as long and short distance trains is Öffi, which has good coverage of most of Europe and is one of the leading public transport apps in Europe.

Take special care when planning a journey in December, as this is when many European countries make their major timetable change of the year. On the day of the change and for a few days after, networks can experience extra delays as systems and regular passengers adapt to the new regime. General fare increases also take place around this period.

If you have special needs, such as when travelling with disabilities, travelling with children or travelling with pets, you might want to check the individual rail companies for advice and services. Services can differ much between different types of trains and between countries. Some trains do have accessible toilets and play areas or some entertainment for children, and pets may be allowed only in some compartments. Also capacity for bikes and prams vary. On long-haul routes you may want sleepers, dining cars or snacks (either own or bought on board). Taking food and drinks on long-distance trains is completely normal, expected, and generally a good idea. However, if you don't, there are dining cars on high-speed and sometimes other types of trains, and if you have a long enough layover in a city where you change trains, you can take advantage of that by getting some mineral water, sandwiches, etc. Look for rubbish disposal facilities and sometimes recycling bins between cars.

Rail passes
If you plan a longer journey with many stops, especially if you don't like a fixed itinerary, a rail pass may be the best choice. The rail pass allows you unlimited travel on a specified number of days (don't like the city? just take the next train out) or a specified number of "segments" within a certain period of time. There are railway passes for almost every European country, as well as global passes for all of Europe. Note, however, that most trains in some countries require (sometimes expensive) seat reservations not covered by the passes.

For discount cards, see below.

Regular tickets
The cost of rail travel varies greatly by country. Eastern European countries tend to offer very cheap travel. Italy is comparatively cheap as well.

Domestic
Some countries price tickets based only upon distance travelled, so called km-tariffs. These are still common in Eastern Europe, saving you worries of advance purchase and giving you more flexibility. Many countries still using this pricing have higher regular km-rates but have discounts for trains that are less in-demand available for advance purchase (e.g. Denmark, Switzerland, Spain). Increasingly railways are using rates based on a number of factors and selling tickets based on demand, speed of the connection, etc. in a similar fashion to most airline pricing. In countries where this is the case (especially France, Germany, Sweden, Great Britain and Finland) you should try booking in advance rather than walking up to the ticket desk on the day of travel, as that becomes akin (also in price) to buying a flight at check-in. The upside of countries with this scheme is that advance fares can be significantly cheaper, for instance tickets from Edinburgh to London are just GB£25 if booked in advance, saving 75% over common walk up fares of over GB£100. Germany and France sell tickets for their high-speed networks similar to airlines, meaning a cross-country advance ticket might cost and same-day you can expect to pay or more. However, unlike on airlines, the cheapest prices are available for early booking and prices trend upwards later on.

In many countries with km-tariffs there is a higher per-km price for faster trains (e.g. Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania) while in a few countries tickets are valid for any train of your choice (e.g. Czechia, Switzerland, Austria) offering the highest flexibility and easiest to understand.

International
For decades, basic international rail fares have been subject to the TCV (Tarif Commun pour Voyageurs - Common Fare for Passengers) which provided a common basis for calculating fares (normally based on distance) and conditions of carriage (how much luggage you can carry, what you're entitled to if your train is delayed or cancelled, etc.). Since roughly the 1990s more and more trains have been introduced whose fares are not TCV-based, many of which are "global priced" – you pay the same fare regardless of how far you travel on the train. Global-priced trains are often problematic when you try to use a pass like Eurail or InterRail on them, as they may require you to pay a "passholder" fare to get one of a limited number of seats made available for pass holders. International tickets sold don't use TCV anymore either, instead railways have assorted partnerships and offer tickets and specials for competitive prices, especially if booked in advance. It is still possible in some countries (especially in the East) just to buy a domestic ticket to the border station, and buy the onward ticket then onboard from the conductor in the next country, meaning you pay a cheaper domestic rate in both countries. It also helps to be creative, for instance a trip from Vienna to Istanbul can be made by purchasing a special discounted CityStar ticket from the Hungarian railways from the Austrian/Hungarian border to the Bulgarian/Turkish border and just buying cheap domestic tickets from Vienna to the border and Istanbul to the border, saving you as much as off a single ticket.

Booking
Advance booking can normally be done online, through the websites of the national railway companies. For international tickets, use the railway website of either country you are travelling through. Compare the fares, as they may differ. In some parts of Europe you may not be able to book these online, you can try calling the railway's hotline or using a booking service. Many tickets can be printed at home, others may be mailed to you (postage payable) or made available for collection at a railway station. In some countries you just show the ticket on your smartphone or laptop screen.

Group travel
Group travel often incurs discounts. In some countries two people travelling together get a discount, in others a group of six or more is required for discount. In Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic there are discounted one-day network tickets for groups up to 5 people. The bigger the group, the more sense it makes to ask the railway company ahead of time for any special offers they might have. Many railway companies and smaller more specialized operators also offer renting an entire train (or an own coach) for large groups or special events.

Return tickets
Some railway companies offer a discount for round trip tickets. On some routes, for example Budapest–Sarajevo and Budapest–Zagreb, a return ticket is even cheaper than a one-way ticket.

CityStar is an interesting discount (about 20–40 %) in international tariff, available in many countries in Central and Eastern Europe. If you travel in a group of 2–5 people, the second and next passengers have an additional 30–50 % discount. Conditions of use are: Generally, City Star tickets are valid one month.
 * the ticket must be return
 * sometimes you have to book it at least three days in advance
 * sometimes you have to spend one night from Saturday to Sunday in the destination before return

Discount cards
Most railways have a discount card, normally with versions for youth, adults, seniors and the disabled, offering a standard discount on domestic tickets. You may need local documents of residency to obtain it, but often all you need is a passport photo and ID. Discounts vary. Cards are valid for one year unless otherwise noted.
 * Austria offers the Vorteilscard ( for youth under 26, for adults, if booked online) gets you 50 % off 1st and 2nd class and includes RailPlus.

 * France offers a 12–27 youth card for, which can be both purchased and renewed online, and guarantees a discount of at least a 30 % on all TGV and Intercités with compulsory reservation trains whatever the time of your departure. Discount on regional trains varies according to the Région (see map here). For more information, refer to: SNCF: Carte Avantage Jeune (in French).

 * Hungarian Railways offers the Start Klub card (50 % discount)

 * Germany offers the BahnCard in versions for 1st and 2nd class and for 25 % and 50 % discount. Before buying, keep in mind that unless you cancel it in time (six weeks prior to the last day of validity) it is automatically renewed for another year and that the 50 % discount card is only applicable for the normal fare (while giving a 25 % discount on the early bird tickets). A trial version of each BahnCard, valid 3 months, is offered at a reduced price, and can very quickly repay itself (but don't forget to cancel the automatic renewal!). For youths under 19, the Youth BahnCard 25 costs only, and offers a 25 % discount in both 1st and 2nd class during 5 years, or until its owner turn 19.

 * In the Netherlands it might be interesting to get yourself a Dal Voordeelabonnement (off-peak discount), for a year, which gives a 40 % discount on Saturday, Sunday and fester days, and on weekdays before 06:30, from 09:00 to 16:00, and after 18:30. The moment of checking in (not earlier than 30 minutes before travelling), determines whether or not you will get the reduction. The pass is an OV-chipkaart and you can travel with it by checking in an out. The Dal Voordeel allows 3 other passengers travelling with you to benefit from the same discount, and also enables you to buy a Railplus card for . It can be bought online, but has to be paid for with a Dutch bank account.

 * United Kingdom has 'young persons', 'family', 'senior', 'two together' and 'disabled persons' Railcards, which entitle the holder to a 33 % discount. These are available from train stations or online for GB£30.

 * Switzerland's Travel System (STS) offers several travelcards addressed to citizen as well as tourists with profound discounts for otherwise rather expensive regular tickets. It intentionally honours regular users (and hurts single occasion users) in order to make public transport much more attractive over private ones. The whole public transport system in Switzerland is coherently integrated, whether it incorporates railways, buses, trams, boats, or mountain transport (funiculars, cable cars, mountain railways).

 * Indeed, the Swiss are world leaders in kilometres travelled per train (per year and capita about 2500 km), despite the country's rather small size. And the Swiss railway network is also the world's most densely network despite the fact that two thirds of the country are covered by mountains (Alps and Jura).

 * Not surprisingly, almost every inhabitant of Switzerland possesses a travel card, but most of them have a Half-Fare travel card (de: Halbtax-Abonnement; fr: abonnement demi-tarif; it: abbonamento metà-prezzo) which entitles the holder to a 50 % discount for all domestic public transport which includes all railway companies, all public buses, including the national Swiss PostBus, and all city-transit systems of the entire country, and most boat companies on the many lakes. Of course it is also accepted by all of the twenties coherently integrated regional fare network systems.

 * Besides the very prominent yearly Half-Fare card for inhabitants and the Swiss Half-Fare Card for tourists (valid for one month) there are several other national or regional travelcards for both kind of customers, inhabitants or visitors. The most convenient one is the so-called GA (de: Generalabonnement, fr: abonnement général, it: abboamento generale) which entitles the holder to travel for free and without any other ticket on all public transport systems all over the entire country; the corresponding product for tourists is called Swiss Travel Pass.

 * As a rule of thumb, all these travel cards are accepted by any public service provider as long as the corresponding stop serve an inhabited settlement. Nevertheless, most privately operated transport companies, for example mountain railways and cable car operators, accept them as well, though sometimes with a smaller discount.

 * For a few years, SBB CFF FFS, the national and largest railway company by far, also provides so-called super saver tickets for particular train connections valid only for a particular departure time (regular tickets are valid for the entire calendar day). They only sell online, not for every connection, and not earlier than sixty days in advance, and they can get more expensive closer to the departure time. On which connection they are provided are based on internal, not public statistics.

 * The Czech Republic has InKarta that is available in 25 %, 50 % and 100 % (unlimited free rides) variants, and in most cases includes the Rail Plus advantage for international travel beginning or ending in the Czech Republic

 * Slovakia has KLASIK RAILPLUS that provides 25 % discount from the regular fare in the 1st and the 2nd class carriages, on all domestic trains. MAXI KLASIK ensures the unlimited travel on the trains operated by Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko all over Slovakia in the 2nd / 1st class.

 * RailPlus is a program offering a 15 % discount on all border crossing train tickets in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Great Britain, Italy, Croatia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Hungary. It is included in some national discount cards, but must be purchased separately in other countries. In France, Ireland, Sweden, Portugal, Spain and Norway the Railplus scheme is only for those under 26 years of age. The RailPlus card also provides a discount on some international ferries.

Advance purchase
Both domestic and international advance purchase tickets are increasingly offered through a number of schemes. Some are not refundable or even set to a specific person's name, others can be changed for a fee. Consider carefully whether there is any possibility that you may need to travel earlier or later than you booked. If you're making a day trip somewhere, are connecting from a flight, have reason to fear local road traffic or otherwise cannot commit to an exact time, ask before booking what the penalties are for missing your train, and how much extra a more flexible ticket would be. If you have a restricted ticket, do take care to get the right train, as if you get the wrong one by mistake you may have to pay a full open single fare, a "penalty fare" or a fine, or you might even be prosecuted. So: Don't expect too much sympathy if you get it wrong or if you miss your train. The only exceptions are, of course, if your train is cancelled (then you can get the next one) or if you miss a connection because of a delay to or cancellation of some other train on the same ticket. When the train you're on is late, talk to a conductor, you may be entitled to a refund and the conductor may mark your ticket to show you're allowed to take a different train, sometimes even of a higher category. In the rare cases that you can't finish your trip you might also be entitled to a hotel stay, a taxi or a trip back to your initial departure point, depending on the exact situation.
 * if you're going from B to C and you have a ticket for the 13:30 train, and you see a train just arriving at about 13:28, make sure it's not in fact the 12:30 running an hour late, and
 * if you're at A with a ticket to C on the 17:00, and you get there early and see two trains for your destination, make sure you get on the 17:00 (and not the 16:30 or 17:30) and ask someone in authority if you're in doubt.

Railway specific information:
 * In the UK, Advance [purchase] tickets are a cheap way of travelling if you can get hold of them and can live with being locked into a specific departure time. They are however sold in very limited numbers and sometimes sell out months in advance. Advance fares are available at many different rates in different quantities on particular trains – the cheapest fare may be as low as GB£1, even if the non-restricted full-fare is GB£100. Check with the applicable railway or discount services like megatrain. Sometimes, the advance 1st class ticket may be less than, or only slightly more than the standard, and can include food and Wi-Fi. In many cases round-trip tickets may cost only a pound more than a one-way ticket for long journeys, or ten pence more for short journeys. The return is often 'open', and can be used on any day within a month of purchase (check time restrictions, which vary between stations and companies). For more information see Rail travel in the United Kingdom.
 * In France, you can make use of Ouigo offers, which allow travel on selected high speed routes for as little as  one-way if booked in advance.
 * In Germany booking a Sparpreis means you are bound to the precise long distance train(s) specified on your ticket. If you buy them from a machine, it will print an itinerary spelling it all out for you on a separate sheet of paper. Should the train arrive at the wrong platform or late, or you have any other questions or doubts, ask railway service staff. The same goes for missing connections due to late trains – just ask the conductor and they will tell you what to do, including freeing you from the obligation to take a specific train. Connections on local (non IC ICE or EC) trains are always suggestions and you can change them.

Other schemes
Normally these are not for set destinations, rather for a trip with in the country or from anywhere in the country to another country, but have other restrictions of how and when they can be used. It is possible to buy tickets from on-line auction and listing sites as many people end up with non-refundable tickets that they cannot use. Some railways, like Sweden's SJ sell left-over tickets via on-line auction themselves. Some countries offer specials on or around national holidays, others have special schemes offering train tickets combine with event tickets or incentives to foster tourism in a certain area. In Germany both (usually short-term) Bahn Cards and train tickets have been sold as a promotional gimmick by supermarkets, Tchibo and other similar stores. The way this usually works is that you buy a ticket for a certain fixed price and later fill it in with the date and train you are using (read the terms and conditions carefully as sometimes certain days are excluded and tickets with multiple trips on them may or may not be restricted to being used by one person only).

Buying 2nd-hand early bird tickets
Often, (international) train tickets are much cheaper in pre-booking then bought directly before departure. Often also, people pre-book a ticket two months in advance, finding out that the planned, non-reimbursable itinerary doesn't fit their actual travelling need at the time of departure.

Luckily, through the Internet, other travellers can buy these tickets, often much cheaper than the last-minute price at the official counter. In some countries such as Britain this is against the law, whether or not there is a name on the ticket, although prosecutions are rare.

For example: Amsterdam-Paris with the high speed Thalys costs two months in advance, and  directly at departure. The tickets are often not on name.

For France, check out
 * http://www.trocdestrains.com/recherche-billet-train.html

For the Netherlands:
 * http://kopen.marktplaats.nl/tickets-en-kaartjes/reizen-bus-trein-en-vliegtuig/c1998.html (or look for the category » Tickets en Kaartjes » Reizen | Bus, Trein en Vliegtuig) (Dutch)

For Germany:
 * http://reise.shop.ebay.de/Bahntickets-/37352/i.html (German)

Frequent traveller programs
Due to competition with airlines and in order to establish more loyal customers several railway operators have introduced frequent traveller programs that are somewhat similar to those offered by airlines. Although there are some efforts at cooperation between the major state owned railway companies of France, Germany and some other countries, bonuses and statuses from one country usually don't translate into benefits elsewhere. One exception is the Railteam lounge offered at some major stations that are accessible to customers of all partner railways.

Stay safe
Trains are the safest mode of travel on land and may be safer than aviation depending on definitions and European trains are among the safest trains in the world, so accidents are extremely rare and unlikely, which is why they make headline news and some accidents remain in the popular consciousness even decades after the fact. That said, there are some things to keep in mind to make your train trips safer and more enjoyable.

When travelling, you need to watch your luggage and stay alert, especially on metros and trains with a lot of stops in short succession, since this will allow a thief to get off the train quickly. Trains that cover longer distances are usually safer; on high speed trains passengers routinely take laptops on their journeys. Late in the evening and on nights in the weekends, you may choose to travel in well lit areas of the train and if possible in the same car as the conductor.

In the (unlikely) event of an accident there are usually more ways to exit than just the doors. For example, many trains have a 'soft spot' on the windows that you can hit with a small hammer in order to remove the window. Emergency brakes are usually present in every car and clearly marked and often in a "signal"-color. They are also equipped with a seal so if you pull the brake without justification a heavy fine (often exceeding for first offenders) will be leveled against you and it will be easy to prove that you are to blame. However if you can convincingly claim some reason why you believed there was a danger that justified you pulling the brake, even if it turns out to be a mistake, you are usually not charged.

Always report suspicious characters to the conductor and move to a more populated and lit area.

Cope
If the train route you have a ticket for cannot get you to your destination, for example because of flooding on the tracks, don't panic: go to the station's Information Booth. The personnel there may be able to advise you on alternate routes and stamp the page, thereby eliminating any risk of trouble when your tickets are checked. However, in such cases and other situations in which you don't have reserved seats on a crowded train, you may have to sit on the floor for an extended period of time. This risk is heightened on Sundays, when many weekend-trippers are going home. If that happens, try to be good-humored about it, as it's an accepted part of travel in at least some European countries. Note, though, that reserved seats are not always taken: a certain number of passengers with reservations never show up.

You might want to also consider purchasing travel insurance that covers being stranded in case of floods or other unforeseen events, in cases when there may be no workaround available to go around affected areas.

International

 * Eurostar - Offers services to/from the following cities: London (UK), Calais (France), Lille (France), Paris (France), Avignon (France), Brussels (Belgium), Rotterdam (Netherlands), and Amsterdam ( Netherlands)
 * Malmbanan – from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic over the Scandinavian fells
 * Thalys – High speed services between Paris, Lille, Brussels, Cologne, Essen and Amsterdam.
 * Nightjet – night trains through much of Central Europe, run by ÖBB
 * EuroCity – Standard term for international InterCity trains conforming to certain quality standards.
 * EuroNight – International night trains operated by various companies.
 * Bosphorus Express connects Istanbul with Sofia in Bulgaria and Bucharest in Romania.

Austria

 * The route from Sargans, Switzerland through Liechtenstein to Innsbruck is breathtaking. Most of it goes through Austria, and the views include snow-capped peaks, valleys, streams, waterfalls and charming Alpine villages and small towns.

Finland

 * The Finnish Main Line (Päärata) runs over 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the capital Helsinki all the way north to the city of Oulu, passing through Hämeenlinna, Tampere, Seinäjoki and Kokkola, among others.
 * The Savonlinna–Parikkala railway goes through the beautiful Finnish Lakeland, by Saimaa. It also utilizes a railbus instead of a regular train.
 * The Kolari railway runs along the Tornio river valley on the border to Sweden. It is the northernmost railway in Finland with passenger traffic.

Germany

 * Rhine Valley route, one of the most scenic routes in Europe, running from Cologne to Mainz. During your travel you will pass the Middle Rhine Valley which a.

Italy

 * The Brenner Railway from Verona through Alto Adige to Innsbruck, Austria, is extremely scenic. It follows the Etsch/Adige River past high Alps and then goes through the Brenner Pass after crossing the border to Austria at Brenner/Brennero. Take this route while you can; it will be faster but really boring when the Brenner Base Tunnel replaces this entire stretch, as it is scheduled to do in 2032.

Norway

 * The Romsdal railway (Raumabanen) to Åndalsnes in West Norway is rightly famous for the beautiful scenery and engineering accomplishments.
 * Oslo–Bergen railway (Bergensbanen) including its spectacular branch to Flåm (Flåmsbanen) gives a great panorama of Norway's landscapes from glaciers to fjords.

Serbia

 * The Sargan Eight (Serbian: Шарганска осмица/Šarganska osmica) is a narrow-gauge heritage railway in Serbia, running from the village of Mokra Gora to Šargan Vitasi station( between Zlatibor mountain and Tara mountain). The so-called Sargan Eight is part of the narrow gauge railway line between Uzice and Visegrad, and Morka Gore and Kremna, Sargan over the hill. This track has a large number of bridges and 20 tunnels (22 to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina) of which is the longest Šargan: 1660.80 m. According to the number of bridges and tunnels, and the rise of 18 per thousand, Sargan Eight is unique in Europe.

Sweden

 * Inlandsbanan through sparsely inhabited inland Sweden from Kristinehamn in Svealand to Gällivare in Swedish Lapland. Instead of being laid down as unprofitable it was converted to a tourist line 1993, with coffee and lunch breaks at the stations, often in small off the beaten path settlements.

Switzerland

 * Many ordinary lines through the Alps in Switzerland are stunning and cost nothing extra.
 * The Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt in a mountain train, a day of travel

United Kingdom

 * Caldervale Line in the north of England crosses the Pennines between Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Blackburn, Burnley, Preston and Blackpool. This route covers heavy industry to cloud-wreathed moorland.
 * Settle-Carlisle Line also in the north of England, crosses the remote, scenic regions of the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines; it runs between Settle Junction (most services starting in Leeds) and Carlisle and travels over the spectacular Ribblehead Viaduct
 * The West Highland Line traverses Scotland from Glasgow to Crianlarich where it divides for Oban or Fort William and Mallaig - the latter branch has the best scenery. In summer "The Jacobite" steam train plies the last section between Forth William and Mallaig.
 * Heart of Wales Line runs between medieval Shrewsbury and the seaside city of Swansea, a four hour journey through great scenery.
 * West Country of England has a rugged coastline, and the railway threads its way along this from Plymouth to Penzance.

International

 * Venice Simplon Orient Express is a new take on the tradition of the famous Orient Express route that began operating in 1883 with the last of the true Orient Express brand ceasing operation in 1962 (with all services to Istanbul ended by 1977). The operation runs from March to November and stops at eight major destinations: London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and Istanbul. Prices for the main route from Paris to Istanbul, a 6 day/5 night luxury journey which is only run once annually in each direction, are over.

Specific countries
See the guides to rail travel in specific countries:

 * Rail travel in the Czech Republic
 * Rail travel in France
 * Rail travel in Germany
 * Rail travel in Great Britain
 * Rail travel in Ireland (including Northern Ireland)
 * Rail travel in Italy
 * Rail travel in the Netherlands
 * Rail travel in Russia
 * Rail and bus travel in Sweden
 * Rail travel in Switzerland
 * Rail travel in Turkey

For other countries, see the "by train" section in the "get in" and "get around" sections of their respective articles.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Rail travel in Europe