Originally Posted by
12th Man
The train's easy to use and very comfortable; whether you're using the French rail system or the German one. If Germany's going to be one of your routine destinations, and if you're going to use their outstanding Deutsche Bahn to get there, use thier website to look & book. I also recommend buying a DB Card. I have a DB 25 Card, which gives me 25% off any first/second class ticket I buy.
I love riding the trains in Europe. As long as you make it to the track you're supposed to be at before the train you plan to ride leaves, you're "on time"- so there's no bag-drag, no European airport security confiscating your chapstick, and no painful wandering around an airport because you got there & checked-in 2 hours prior. Good luck!
I spend a good bit of time in europe and concur on using the train for just about any inter-europe DHD trip on a 30" pitch euro-jet/prop....
Favorite trip, MXP-FRA, via Zurich, take the day train, about 8 hour trip in First class, beautiful sights through the Alps, going the other way you can get a ticket for an overnight sleeper car trip if the daylight timing doesn't work for you. Very comfortable way to make the journey.
In Germany, be careful which train you board, just because there is a train on the track you expect to depart from at or close to the time you expect to depart at, doesn't mean it is your train....going to where you want to go
Don't ask me how I know....
Tains are/haven't been very punctual this past year in Germany, on time performance is pretty good, but a delay of just 8-10 minutes can make a huge difference with the connections that DB rail will set you up with.... always check the screen on the side of the train for the destination, blah blah...
Overall YMMV, but for me,no better way to get around europe
