Traveling abroad by train is one of the fastest and most convenient ways to see a country’s cities and historical monuments.
- Almost every study abroad location around the world has an advanced railway system that its citizens use every day to get from one place to another.
- Whether you’re traveling a semester abroad through a South African village or riding past the beautiful restaurants of Italy for just the summer study abroad program, we will help you find an affordable train system that you can use.
Affordable Train Systems in Europe
Since Europe is one of the largest and most popular destinations for study abroad students, finding a Euro train pass is very important to get the full European experience.
The best way to get a Euro train pass, or a Britrail pass if you are in the UK, is to purchase one online. This will save you time from having to hunt down a ticket distributor in your host country.
You can even get a student discount on many train tickets, which will help you save your money for the rest of your visit.
The best site to use for purchasing train tickets in countries around the world is RailPass.com.
Some European train systems where you can purchase tickets online are:
- EurRail – Complete guide to train travel in Europe
- Rail Europe – Has helped North Americans book train tickets throughout Europe for over 75 years
- BritRail – Buy train tickets, boat tour tickets and more throughout Britain
- Europe on Rail – Purchase rail passes for one European country of multiple European countries, and get a youth pass if you’re under 26 years of age
- Europrail International – Offers Eurail Passes, as well as Eurail Select, National and Regional Passes
Other sites where you can find train traveling information for countries like Asia, South America and Africa are TrainTraveling.com and InfoHub.com.
Lastly don’t forget to check with your study abroad advisor or with the staff of the study abroad program you’re enrolling in. Many times there are special deals for students traveling by train.
Tips for Train Travel
Once you have purchased your train tickets and you’re actually on the train, there are some things you should do to have a proper and fun railway experience. You should:
- Always have your ticket ready to show the attendant
- Take on small carry-on luggage only
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Use binoculars to enjoy the scenery passing by
- Listen to your mp3 player or watch a DVD
- Take a nice nap if you have a sleeping compartment
- Walk through the train to see the different types of travelers
- Try the different food that is available for dining
- Meet new people
Traveling by train is a very unique experience, so you should make the most of it while you are in another country.
Whether you use a Britrail pass or any other pass for a train, you will have a memorable experience.
