As part of our effort to use less energy, Andrew and I are limiting our air travel, in particular short hops which use a disproportionate amount of fuel per mile. Luckily our home is located in the center of Europe, and there are good train connections to most of the places we want to go.
This year we traveled between Basel and Manchester by train, stopping off in Paris and London on the way.
While there was a bit of a learning curve, in particular as the Covid rules keep changing, the trip was a big improvement over flying. We avoided travel to and from the airport, long waits and tiny travel-sized toiletries crammed into a one litre plastic bag.
Once seated we could plug in our devices, stretch out, have a meal, and watch the countryside roll by, arriving in the center of town feeling refreshed and relaxed.
Some tips:
• We bought Interrail Global Passes for this trip, and then needed to pay for reservations on the TGV and the Eurostar. Given the cost of reservations on the TGV, it would have been more cost effective to simply buy individual tickets.
• In any case, it is advisable to book in advance. Not only are more of the cheaper tickets available, but reservations for the popular trains are not always available close to the time of travel.
• Unless you are familiar with the Paris Metro or London Underground, allow some extra time to change stations. Once you’ve done it once it couldn’t be easier.