The Rhine Valley taken from a train between Mainz and Cologne
One of the best things about travelling in Europe by train, particularly in southern Europe and through the Alps, is the frequently stunning landscape that the trains pass through.
Certain train travellers seem unmoved by this, for them any train journey is an endurance test, but if you’re in the camp that may choose one route over another because it’s more scenic; or (gasp!) take a journey by train for no other reason to be wowed by a landscape; then the tips below will hopefully be of use.
Sitting in that grandstand seat for an amazing once in a lifetime travel experience can be easier said than done!
1. Try to know which side of the train you should be sitting on
A casual glance at the scenic routes pages on ThereByTrain.com will tell you that this is a minor obsession of mine
However, often on European trains, if you’re sitting on one side of the train your jaw will be dropping as you gaze at the stunning coastal, mountain, river valley landscape, while those on the other side of the train are seeing nothing remarkable at all.
2. Sit back and relax, put the camera away
Capturing that view from the window on a camera, I-phone etc is not easy; because (1) you’ll be moving fast; (2) just when you’re about to click the shutter a tree, bridge, other train etc will block the view and (3) you’ve got to deal with taking a picture through the glass etc.
And your images are likely to be a tad dull without a smiling ‘I’m loving this view’ person in them, or any other sense of perspective.
Instead of sitting there a tad obsessively thinking along the lines of; - ‘damn that’s a bit blurred’; ‘I was a couple of seconds too late there’; oh no that tree’s got in the way etc etc, just sit back and relax and enjoy your journey. Not many people will think your pictures you took from the train are that interesting anyway – or is that just me?
3. Avoid trains on which you have to make reservations
Obvious statement alert but only 50% of seats on trains that have compulsory reservations, such as TGV trains, are by the window.
In addition, if you need to be one particular side of the train and not the other to see the best of the views, then your odds of being sat where you want to be have dropped to 1 in 4.
You can maximise your chances of being by the window if you reserve early, seats by the windows tend to be assigned first.
However, there’s one simple solution to avoiding fretting over whether you’ll be able to see something amazing or not – when it's an option, take an alternative train that doesn’t have to be reserved.
It’s likely to be slower, but that can be a big plus when taking in the view!
Local trains provide alternatives to trains that have to be reserved, in either direction, on the following stunning routes:
· Marseilles – Nice – Ventimiglia (avoid the TGVs and ICs)
· Genoa – Pisa (avoid the FB trains)
· Verona – Innsbruck (avoid the EC trains)
4. If your reserved seat isn’t where you need to sit, then move
I’m about to annoy train conductors across Europe, but if you board a train that you’ve had to reserve and discover that you’ve lost in the reservation lottery and aren’t seated in that prime position to see the scenery, then you can take a small risk and move seats!
Acknowledging that I’m heading off into slightly obsessive territory; the trick is to wait until the train has left the station and all passengers have settled down. Then have a casual wander up and down the train and look for unoccupied window seats on the side of the train from which you’ll be able to see the best views!
If the train has reservation information that’s clearly visible, check to see between which stations the seat has been reserved for, it might actually be free for your entire journey.
Or you might find a nearly empty carriage, even though your carriage is full (quite common on TGVs), but in any scenario, if you do find a window seat that’s unoccupied then casually occupy it.
If you’re able to stay in the same carriage then leave your bags by the seat that you’re supposed to be in. When the conductor appears leap back to the seat that’s yours!
If you have luggage, but have only found a window seat in another carriage, then you can risk taking it with you.
You’ll have to front it out with the conductor, but many regular travellers are confused by reservations, so there’s usually no huge drama in claiming ignorance and being shown back to your original seat.
What can more embarrassing is when the rightful occupier, of the seat you’re now sitting in, boards the train at the next station - but you’ll soon get over being the recipient of glares from your fellow travellers.
5. Or travel 1st class
In the slightly pointless debate over whether travelling 1st class is worth the extra cost, one thing that’s usually overlooked is that on trains on which making reservations are highly recommended; holders of 1st class tickets/rail passes have a much better chance of finding a seat without making a reservation.
On many scenic routes taken by express/long distance trains that don’t have to be reserved such as:
· EC trains between Dresden – Prague/Prague – Dresden
· ICE trains along the Rhine Valley
· IC trains between Rome and Sicily
reserving a seat when travelling 2nd class on such trains is virtually compulsory in the summer months, if you want to be sat in any seat at all.
Though of course you can lose out by not being the window, but the balance tips in favour of comfort on long journeys like these.
That tip about moving seats to be by the window won’t be an option unless you’re travelling 1st class.
When travelling 1st class on such trains, and therefore free of the burden of making a reservation, it’s nearly always possible to simply board and find a window seat on the right side of the train.
Knowing before you board, even the most crowded trains, that you’ll be able to see the best of the views can make the extra euros seem worthwhile.
6. Head off in the opposite direction first
We’re firmly rooted in obsessive territory now, but opting to take the slower trains on scenic routes; or when they’re the only option available, can be far from guarantee a view from the window.
This can be particulary so in the summer months.When the train arrives at the station at which you’ll be boarding, you might find yourself grateful at being able to squeeze on board at all.
When all you can see is the back of someone’s head in a corridor, you’ll be oh so near, but so very far from seeing the landscape that you’ve been dreaming of.
Those that have boarded the train at the station where it started its journey are less likely to be in this situation, particularly if they’ve arrived at the station in plenty of time to be there when the train’s departure details are announced. They have therefore had the luxury or boarding a near empty train.
If the station where you’ll be boarding is only a couple of stops down the line from where the train through landscape commenced its journey, it can be worthwhile to head first in the opposite direction, so that you can board the train you need to take, at its starting point.
But check the timetables first, on some routes there can be gaps of several hours between trains.
7. Avoid the height of the summer.
The scenery can be so much more dramatic in autumn and winter and heavy rain aside, turbulent weather can enhance a landscape.
May and September can be also be good months for exploring scenic routes; the days are long, but the trains will be less crowded; so at these times of year you’re maximising your chances of seeing those views.
8. Stunning views don’t have to come at a high price
Many of the marketing images of European trains passing through stunning scenery are of special one-of-a-kind trains such as the famous mountain trains in Switzerland; the Glacier Express; The Bernina Express etc.
Tickets to ride these special trains are expensive, but arguably worth every last euro.
Next down the price scale are regular express trains, riding an EC train between Switzerland and Italy on both the classic Gotthard and Simplon routes is comparatively pricey compared to European train journeys of a similar distance.
It’s nothing to do with the scenery, the Swiss have yet to embrace the concept of obtaining a discount if you book in advance - they’ve obviously decided to avoid the confusion it causes elsewhere.
But you don’t have to pay a premium to experience the most beautiful railway routes in Europe.
Cheaper trains travel the same routes as those taken by the Glacier and Bernina Expresses.
If you have a rail pass, you can also avoid the EC trains when travelling through the alps on routes such as Lucerne/Luzern – Milan; Zurich – Milan and Munich - Verona by hopping on and off local trains on which you’ll have no difficulty in bagging a window seat.
It’s also possible to travel by local, comparatively cheap, trains all the way round the Mediterranean coast between Valencia and Palermo.
Since you’re now dying to know to how this is possible if you’re travelling clockwise, you’ll probably find yourself changing trains in L’Aldea-Amposta; Barcelona; Cerbere; Montpellier or Nimes; Nice; Ventimiglia; Genoa; Pisa, Rome, Naples, Salerno, Paola; Villa San Giovani, the ferry to Messina and then on to Palermo.
No ticket for each of the separate journeys above is likely to cost more than €25 and most will probably be a lot less!
9. Looking up is cheaper than looking down.
Take a look at this highly informative railway map of Switzerland and check out the key that explains the rules for each coloured line.
The lines on which the Eurail and InterRail pass users can travel for free (passes are valid) have cheaper tickets available to non rail pass users, than those on which the rail pass users can only obtain a discount.
Top of the most expensive price list are the lines on which rail passes aren’t valid at all.
The more expensive lines tend to be those special rack railways that take people to the tops of mountains,so that they can see some of the most spectacular views on earth, without risking death by partaking in mountain climbing etc.
Stick to the trains that cross the valley floors between the mountains and you’ll save (a lot of) money.Or travel on the amazing network of lines operated by Rhb between both Landquart and Chur and the Italian border at Tirano.
One of the best, and least acknowledged, reasons for obtaining a Eurail or InterRail pass is the fact that you can cross Switzerland on a network of tourist railways without having to buy any other tickets.
The trains you need to take are on this page under the ‘crossing Switzerland header’
10. Be wary of travelling solely to see the scenery.
Having said all of the above, experiencing memorable destinations when travelling around Europe by train, is probably more important than enjoying the ride.
If you base your travel plans primarily around seeing one amazing landscape after another, you can find yourself being disappointed by the weather, or a crowded train, or being stuck in a seat on one side of train while the view is on the other.
Don’t fret, there’s always another journey to look forward to!
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