Places to Visit in Europe
European train at sunset

The Ultimate Guide to Train Travel in Europe

Updated August 2026  ·  Places to Visit in Europe

Europe has the densest, fastest, and most user-friendly rail network on the planet. More than 250,000 kilometres of track connect every major city and most small towns, with high-speed services that routinely beat short-haul flights on door-to-door time, regional trains that thread through scenery no airport lounge could rival, and night trains that double as your hotel. Whether you are planning a two-week city break through the great capitals or a six-week rail odyssey from Lisbon to the Arctic Circle, this guide covers the European rail network in 2026: every major rail pass (Eurail, Interrail, Swiss Travel Pass, country-specific passes), the night-train revival across the continent, the 25 most scenic routes you can ride, country-by-country ticket-booking strategies, the engineering and cultural heritage behind the network, sample two-week and month-long itineraries, and the practical steps that turn a stressful first journey into a smooth one.

Why Choose Train Travel in Europe

Europe's rail network is one of the most extensive and sophisticated in the world. With more than 250,000 kilometres of track, 30 high-speed networks (TGV, ICE, AVE, Frecciarossa, Eurostar, Thalys, Trenitalia, SBB, SJ, NS, ÖBB, SNCB, DSB, VR, LTG, and more), and over 400 night-train services in the 2026 timetable, the continent is genuinely connected by rail in a way no other region matches.

City-centre to city-centre is the headline advantage. London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord is 2 hours 16 minutes, gate to gate. Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Munich Hauptbahnhof is under 4 hours on the ICE. Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants is 2 hours 30 minutes on the AVE. Florence to Rome is 1 hour 30 minutes. None of those journeys require the 90-minute check-in, the 50 km airport transfer, or the EUR 30 to 60 luggage fee that the equivalent flight demands.

The other advantages matter more than most first-time visitors expect. The carbon footprint of a train is roughly 80 to 90 percent lower than a flight for the same journey (per the European Environment Agency, 2024). The legroom and ability to walk around beat any airline economy seat. The scenery is genuinely breathtaking on the right route — you cannot see the Bernina Pass from 38,000 feet. The Wi-Fi on most intercity European trains now works. And, in an era of airport chaos, weather cancellations, and ever-shrinking airline legroom, train reliability in Western Europe routinely outperforms the airlines.

The 2026 European Night-Train Revival

The most important change in European rail since the launch of the TGV in 1981 is the night-train renaissance. After a decade of decline (most European night trains were killed by 2015), the 2020s have seen a remarkable comeback driven by climate policy, post-pandemic travel demand, and a wave of new operators.

The major night-train routes operating in 2026 include:

A night train saves a hotel night (EUR 60 to 150 saved), lets you sleep while travelling (effective use of time), and reduces total carbon further. Seater, couchette (6-berth), and sleeper (1 to 3 berth) cabins are the three comfort tiers, with sleepers ranging from EUR 80 for a couchette on short routes to EUR 250+ for a 1-berth deluxe sleeper on the Vienna-to-Venice Nightjet.

Eurail and Interrail Passes in 2026

The rail-pass question is the single most common ask among first-time visitors. The short answer: passes make sense for certain trip shapes and not others. The detailed answer is below.

Eurail Global Pass (non-European residents): Flexible pass for visitors to Europe. Options for 4, 5, 7, 10, or 15 travel days within a one-month window, or 15 or 22 consecutive days. Youth (under 28), Adult, Senior (60+) tiers. 2026 prices: 7-day Youth Second Class around EUR 350; 7-day Adult First Class around EUR 600; 15-day Adult Second Class around EUR 700. Reservation fees on high-speed and mandatory-reservation trains add EUR 3 to 35 per journey.

Interrail Global Pass (European residents): Same structure as Eurail, available to anyone who has lived in Europe for at least 6 months. Often EUR 50 to 100 cheaper than Eurail because of differences in pricing tiers.

One Country Pass: Single-country unlimited rail for 3 to 8 days within a month. Available for most major European rail networks (France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Benelux, Britain, Greece, Portugal, Scandinavia). Often the best value when you plan to spend 5+ days in one country. Example: Italy One Country Pass 6 days second class EUR 280.

Eurail and Interrail cover: Most national rail operators, most high-speed services with a paid reservation, most regional trains with no reservation needed. Free or discounted entry to over 100 ferry routes and many scenic railways.

Eurail and Interrail do NOT cover: Private operators (Westbahn in Austria, Italo Treno in Italy, some Spanish AVLO services), city metro and bus, premium high-speed services requiring separate reservation, any reservation fee itself (paid separately on top of the pass).

Country-specific passes (often cheaper than a Eurail Global for one country):

The 25 Most Scenic Train Routes in Europe

These are the journeys where the experience of the ride is itself the reason to travel. Most are operational year-round; some are seasonal (May to October for the highest alpine routes).

  1. Glacier Express, Switzerland. Zermatt to St Moritz, 8 hours, 291 bridges, 91 tunnels, Oberalp Pass at 2,033 m. Known as the slowest express train in the world. From EUR 190 in second class with the Swiss Travel Pass; reservation required.
  2. Bernina Express, Switzerland/Italy. Chur or St Moritz to Tirano, 4 hours, the Bernina Pass at 2,253 m. UNESCO World Heritage. The route's signature moment is the spiral viaduct at Brusio. From EUR 70.
  3. Gornergrat Bahn, Switzerland. Zermatt to Gornergrat, 33 minutes, the highest open-air cog railway in Europe. Views of the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa massif, and 29 peaks over 4,000 m.
  4. Jungfraubahnen, Switzerland. The Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch railway (the Top of Europe) climbs 3,454 m in under an hour. EUR 230+ with seat reservation; 7 km of tunnel inside the Eiger and Mönch.
  5. GoldenPass Express, Switzerland. Lucerne to Montreux via the Brünig Pass and the chocolate-box villages of the Bernese Oberland. 5 hours 30 minutes with panoramic carriages.
  6. West Highland Line, Scotland. Glasgow to Mallaig, 5 hours 30 minutes, the Glenfinnan Viaduct (Harry Potter filming location), Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor. Called the most scenic railway in the world by Paul Theroux and many others. EUR 50 advance.
  7. Jacobite Steam Train, Scotland. Fort William to Mallaig, summer steam-hauled version of the West Highland Line. EUR 65 standard, EUR 130 first class.
  8. Flåm Railway, Norway. Myrdal to Flåm, 20 km, 863 m vertical drop, one of the steepest adhesion railways in the world. The Kjosfossen waterfall stop is theatrical — and you will get wet. EUR 70.
  9. Bergensbanen, Norway. Oslo to Bergen, 6 hours 30 minutes, the Hardangervidda plateau at 1,237 m, Finse station (highest in Norway). One of the great train journeys of the world.
  10. Rauma Line, Norway. Dombås to Åndalsnes, 1 hour 45 minutes, the dramatic Romsdalshorn, the Trollveggen (Europe's tallest vertical rock face), the famous Kylling Bridge.
  11. Ofoten Line / Iron Ore Line, Norway/Sweden. Narvik to Kiruna to Luleå, the original iron-ore railway linking the Swedish mines to the Norwegian ice-free port. Spectacular in winter.
  12. Cinque Terre Line, Italy. La Spezia to Levanto, the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre on a 12 km coastal line. Part of the Cinque Terre National Park and UNESCO site. EUR 5 to 10 per hop.
  13. Bernina and Glacier Express loop. Chur to Tirano, bus to Lugano, Gotthard Panorama Express to Lucerne, Luzern–Interlaken Express, GoldenPass Express to Montreux. Five Swiss scenic services chained together.
  14. Semmering Railway, Austria. Gloggnitz to Mürzzuschlag, 41 km, 14 tunnels, 16 viaducts. UNESCO World Heritage. The world's first true mountain railway.
  15. Westbahn, Austria. Vienna to Salzburg via the Wachau Valley and Linz. Cheap, fast, panoramic windows on the new 2024 trains.
  16. Mariazellerbahn, Austria. St Pölten to Mariazell, narrow-gauge electric, 84 km, the famous spiral tunnels in the Walster gorge.
  17. Trenino Rosso del Bernina (Bernina Railway). The same as the Bernina Express; the difference is the heritage rolling stock.
  18. Rhaetian Railway (Rhätische Bahn), Switzerland. The whole 384 km network is UNESCO-listed; the Albula and Bernina lines are the headline scenic stretches.
  19. Centovalli Railway, Switzerland/Italy. Domodossola to Locarno, 52 km, 83 bridges, 31 tunnels, the Vigezzo Valley and the Italian lake district.
  20. Mont Blanc Tramway, France. Saint-Gervais to Chamonix to the Mer de Glace, the highest rack railway in France.
  21. Train Jaune, France. Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol, the yellow Catalan train through the Pyrénées-Orientales. Yellow, red, and blue wooden carriages dating to 1910.
  22. Línea 11 / Transcantábrico, Spain. León to Bilbao and the Transcantábrico Gran Lujo luxury train along the Cantabrian coast.
  23. Al Andalus, Spain. Seville to Cádiz, Cordoba, Granada, the luxury Andalusian train with 1920s Pullman carriages.
  24. Wuppertal Schwebebahn, Germany. The suspended monorail in Wuppertal, operational since 1901. A piece of working industrial heritage.
  25. Inlandsbanan, Sweden. Kristinehamn to Gällivare, 1,288 km of central-Swedish wilderness, reindeer, midnight sun, lakes, and silence. Slow train, slow Sweden.

The High-Speed Network: Country by Country

Europe's high-speed network is the world's most extensive. By 2026, most major capitals are connected by 250 to 320 km/h services that make the train a credible alternative to flying.

France (TGV inOui and Ouigo): Paris to Lyon (2 hours), Paris to Marseille (3 hours), Paris to Bordeaux (2 hours 10 minutes), Paris to Strasbourg (1 hour 50 minutes), Paris to Nice (5 hours 30 minutes), Paris to Lille (1 hour), Paris to Nantes (2 hours). The TGV network is mature, dense, and reliable. Advance-booked tickets start from EUR 19 on Ouigo, EUR 39 on TGV inOui. Book 8 to 12 weeks ahead for the cheapest fares.

Germany (ICE): Berlin to Munich (3 hours 50 minutes), Berlin to Frankfurt (4 hours), Berlin to Hamburg (1 hour 45 minutes), Hamburg to Munich (5 hours 30 minutes), Cologne to Frankfurt (1 hour), Frankfurt to Stuttgart (1 hour 30 minutes), Munich to Zurich (4 hours 30 minutes). Deutsche Bahn reliability has improved dramatically in 2024 to 2026 after the troubled 2022 to 2023 period. Advance tickets from EUR 30 with a Sparpreis; EUR 99+ same-day.

Spain (AVE and AVLO): Madrid to Barcelona (2 hours 30 minutes), Madrid to Seville (2 hours 30 minutes), Madrid to Málaga (2 hours 30 minutes), Madrid to Valencia (1 hour 40 minutes), Madrid to Granada (3 hours 15 minutes). The AVE is the gold standard for European high-speed comfort. AVLO is the low-cost AVE equivalent. Advance fares from EUR 7 to 25; same-day EUR 80+.

Italy (Frecciarossa and Italo): Rome to Milan (2 hours 55 minutes), Rome to Naples (1 hour 10 minutes), Rome to Florence (1 hour 30 minutes), Rome to Venice (3 hours 30 minutes), Milan to Venice (2 hours 15 minutes), Naples to Palermo (10 hours overnight via ferry). Frecciarossa fares from EUR 30 advance; Italo competes on price and timing.

Switzerland (SBB): Zurich to Geneva (2 hours 50 minutes), Zurich to Bern (1 hour), Zurich to Milan (3 hours 30 minutes), Zurich to Paris (4 hours 30 minutes), Zurich to Munich (4 hours 30 minutes). SBB is the gold standard for European rail punctuality — 90%+ on-time.

United Kingdom (Avanti West Coast, LNER, Eurostar): London to Edinburgh (4 hours 30 minutes), London to Manchester (2 hours 10 minutes), London to Birmingham (1 hour 20 minutes), London to Paris (2 hours 16 minutes), London to Brussels (1 hour 50 minutes), London to Amsterdam (3 hours 55 minutes), London to Frankfurt via Brussels (high-speed from 2025/2026). Eurostar London to Paris fares start EUR 60 advance, EUR 200+ flexible.

Belgium, Netherlands, Austria (Thalys/Eurostar, NS, ÖBB): Brussels to Amsterdam (1 hour 50 minutes), Brussels to Paris (1 hour 20 minutes), Brussels to Cologne (1 hour 50 minutes). Amsterdam to Berlin (5 hours 50 minutes on the ICE), Amsterdam to Paris (3 hours 20 minutes). Vienna to Budapest (2 hours 40 minutes on Railjet), Vienna to Prague (4 hours).

Scandinavia (SJ, DSB, VR): Stockholm to Copenhagen (5 hours, with the new Öresund direct service from 2025), Stockholm to Oslo (6 hours), Copenhagen to Hamburg (4 hours 30 minutes), Stockholm to Malmö (4 hours 30 minutes). The Scandinavian network is less dense but expanding — the new Fehmarn Belt tunnel between Denmark and Germany opens in 2029 and will cut Hamburg to Copenhagen to under 3 hours.

Central and Eastern Europe (ČD, PKP, MÁV, HŽ, ZSSK): Prague to Vienna (4 hours), Prague to Berlin (4 hours 30 minutes), Prague to Kraków (6 hours), Vienna to Budapest (2 hours 40 minutes), Budapest to Kraków (8 hours). Czech and Polish high-speed lines are expanding through 2030.

Booking Strategies and How to Find Cheap Tickets

European rail pricing is airline-style: book early for cheap, last-minute for expensive. The pricing tiers:

Apps and websites:

Tip 1 — Book in advance. For high-speed trains, the cheapest fares 8 to 12 weeks out are 50 to 80 percent cheaper than the same seat bought 3 days before travel.

Tip 2 — Travel off-peak. Midweek, mid-morning, mid-afternoon trains are consistently 30 to 50 percent cheaper than Friday-evening and Sunday-evening trains.

Tip 3 — Split tickets. A route from Paris to Milan booked as one ticket may be EUR 90; the same route booked as Paris to Lyon (TGV) plus Lyon to Milan (Trenitalia Frecciarossa) may be EUR 50. Trainline does this automatically if you select "via Lyon."

Tip 4 — Use regional trains for short hops. Paris to Brussels on the TGV is EUR 50; the slower but still-comfortable regional Intercity is EUR 25. Berlin to Hamburg on the ICE is EUR 70; the regional RE is EUR 30 (and the journey is only 90 minutes longer).

Tip 5 — Check the operator's own site for the very cheapest fares. Trainline and Omio add small fees and sometimes don't show promo fares. For Spain, Renfe.es always has the lowest AVE prices. For Italy, both Trenitalia and Italo have mobile-app-only deals.

Tip 6 — Bring your own food and water. European trains rarely have a full dining car any more, and what they do have is expensive (EUR 8 to 15 for a sandwich). A supermarket stop before boarding saves 50 percent.

Night Trains: The Practical Guide

Night trains are now the most efficient way to cover long distances in Europe, especially given the hotel-night saving.

Cabin classes:

Tips for night-train travel:

The most popular night-train routes in 2026:

Tickets, Reservations, and the Pass-and-Reservation Trap

Many high-speed and night trains require reservations on top of the pass or ticket. This catches first-time visitors out.

Trains that require reservations:

Trains that do NOT require reservations:

Reservation costs:

For Eurail and Interrail travellers, the global pass covers the base ticket; reservations are an extra cost on high-speed services. A 7-day Eurail Global with 4 reservations averages EUR 100 to EUR 200 extra.

Sample Two-Week European Train Itinerary

This route balances major cities, scenic rail, and journey experiences:

Days 1 to 3 — London and Paris. Eurostar London to Paris (2 hours 16 minutes). 3 nights in Paris. Day trip by TGV to Reims or Chartres.

Day 4 — Paris to Lucerne. TGV Paris to Zurich (4 hours), connecting SBB to Lucerne (1 hour). Stay in Lucerne 1 night.

Day 5 — Lucerne to St Moritz via the Glacier Express. Full-day Glacier Express (8 hours). Stay in St Moritz 2 nights.

Day 6 — Day in St Moritz. Bernina Express day trip to Tirano and back (4 hours each way).

Day 7 — St Moritz to Milan via Bernina + bus + Frecciarossa. Bernina Express to Tirano, bus to Lugano, Frecciarossa to Milan (3 hours). Stay Milan 1 night.

Day 8 — Milan to Venice. Frecciarossa (2 hours 15 minutes). Stay Venice 2 nights.

Day 9 — Venice. Day in Venice.

Day 10 — Venice to Vienna on Nightjet. Overnight, arrive Vienna early Day 11.

Days 11 to 12 — Vienna. 2 nights in Vienna; day trip to Salzburg by Railjet (2 hours 30 minutes).

Day 13 — Vienna to Budapest. Railjet (2 hours 40 minutes). Stay Budapest 1 night.

Day 14 — Budapest to Prague. Direct train (7 hours) or via Vienna. Stay Prague 1 night. Fly home from Prague.

Total cost: EUR 1,200 to 1,800 per person (excluding London/Paris nights and meals), depending on advance booking and pass use.

Sample 30-Day Grand Tour by Train

A more ambitious loop: Lisbon to the Arctic Circle via the great capitals and the great Alpine rail.

Days 1 to 4 Lisbon and Porto (Portugal). Days 5 to 7 Madrid via Trenhotel or AVE. Days 8 to 10 Barcelona. Days 11 to 13 Montpellier and Marseille. Days 14 to 16 Genoa, Cinque Terre, Pisa. Days 17 to 19 Florence, Bologna. Days 20 to 22 Rome. Days 23 to 24 Naples and Pompeii. Days 25 to 26 Venice. Days 27 to 28 Ljubljana and Lake Bled (Slovenia). Days 29 to 30 Vienna. Days 31 to 32 Prague. Days 33 to 35 Krakow and Wieliczka Salt Mine. Days 36 to 37 Budapest. Days 38 to 40 Vienna and Salzburg. Days 41 to 43 Berlin. Days 44 to 46 Hamburg. Days 47 to 49 Copenhagen (with the Fehmarn Belt connection). Days 50 to 52 Stockholm. Days 53 to 55 Oslo (Bergensbanen optional). Days 56 to 58 Bergen. Days 59 to 60 Trondheim. Days 61 to 62 Bodø. Days 63 to 65 Narvik and the Arctic Circle on the Ofoten Line.

Total cost: EUR 3,500 to 5,000 per person over 65 days, depending on accommodation tier.

Sustainability: Why Train Is the Green Choice

The European Environment Agency's 2024 data is clear: per passenger-kilometre, high-speed rail produces roughly 14 grams of CO2-equivalent emissions, compared to 245 grams for short-haul flights and 170 grams for intercity car travel. The figures vary by country and energy mix, but the order of magnitude is consistent.

For a London to Paris round trip, the train saves around 75 kg CO2 per passenger compared to flying. A 30-day European train holiday saves roughly 800 to 1,200 kg CO2 versus the equivalent flight-and-hotel trip.

Train travel is also less disruptive at city scale. No noise pollution near homes. No particulate matter around stations. The rail network itself is one of the most efficient pieces of infrastructure in modern economies, and using it more is one of the most direct ways a traveller can reduce personal emissions.

Accessibility, Family Travel, and Practical Tips

Children under 4: Free on most European trains. Under 26 youth discounts available almost everywhere (Interrail Youth, Eurail Youth, German BahnJugend, SNCF TGV Jeunes, Italian CartaFRECCIA Young, etc.).

Family travel: Most European rail operators offer free or heavily discounted travel for under-15s when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Interrail has a Kids Free policy: up to 4 children per adult travel free.

Bicycles on trains: Most regional and many intercity European trains accept bicycles. TGV/AVE often require a reservation and a EUR 10 fee. The Netherlands and Denmark are particularly cycle-friendly on rail. The Eurovelo long-distance cycling routes integrate with the rail network at most major stations.

Luggage: No strict luggage limits on European trains (unlike airlines). Most travellers carry 1 large suitcase plus a backpack. Always keep valuables (passport, wallet, phone, laptop) in your cabin; theft from luggage racks is uncommon but does happen.

Power sockets and Wi-Fi: All modern European high-speed trains have power sockets at every seat and free Wi-Fi (often mediocre but functional). 4G/5G coverage is generally good in Western Europe, weaker in rural Eastern Europe.

Pets: Most European trains accept small pets in carriers. SBB, ÖBB, SNCF, DB, Trenitalia all have reasonable pet policies. Dogs on leashes with muzzles are allowed on some regional services.

Station facilities: Most major European stations have left-luggage lockers (EUR 4 to 10 per 24 hours), showers (in some), and 24-hour opening.

The Future of European Rail: 2026 to 2035

Several major projects are reshaping the network over the next decade:

Trenitalia and Frecciarossa expansion: New Rome to Pompeii (40 minutes) and Naples to Bari high-speed line (now open). Rome to Milan in 2 hours 30 minutes (down from 2 hours 55 minutes) targeted for 2027.

Eurostar expansion: Direct London to Frankfurt and London to Geneva services under discussion for 2027 launch. The long-delayed London to Madrid service is still on the drawing board.

Renfe Iryo: Spanish low-cost high-speed operator competing with AVE on the Madrid to Barcelona, Madrid to Valencia, and Madrid to Seville corridors. Fares from EUR 8 advance.

Brenner Base Tunnel (Austria–Italy): Opening 2032, will cut the Munich to Verona journey to 3 hours (currently 5 hours 30 minutes).

Lyon–Turin high-speed line: Under construction, opening 2032, will connect France and Italy under the Alps at 220 km/h.

Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link (Denmark–Germany): The immersed tunnel opens 2029, cutting Hamburg to Copenhagen to under 3 hours and providing a flat rail route through Northern Europe.

Rail Baltica (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania): New European-gauge high-speed line connecting Warsaw to Tallinn via Kaunas and Riga, opening 2030. The first high-speed service in the Baltic states.

Night-train expansion: European Sleeper and Midnight Trains (a new French operator) continue to add routes. By 2030, the night-train map should cover most major city pairs in Western and Central Europe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Eurail Pass worth it in 2026? A Eurail Global Pass makes sense if you are taking 5 or more long-distance train journeys in a 1-month period and you value flexibility. For 2 or 3 journeys, point-to-point tickets booked in advance are almost always cheaper. The 7-day Youth Pass at EUR 350 pays for itself the moment your day-rate averages EUR 50 across 7 travel days, which is easy on Western European high-speed. For one country, the country-specific pass or a Swiss Travel Pass usually beats Eurail.

How far in advance should I book European train tickets? For the cheapest advance-purchase fares on TGV, ICE, AVE, and Frecciarossa, book 8 to 12 weeks ahead. For night trains, especially in summer, book 4 to 8 weeks ahead. For regional trains, booking is unnecessary; just turn up and buy at the station.

Are European trains reliable? Yes — generally. SBB Switzerland (90%+), TGV France (85%+), ICE Germany (improving from 70% in 2022 to 80%+ in 2026 after massive investment), AVE Spain (90%+), Frecciarossa Italy (85%+). Eurostar runs at 90%+ on-time. Night trains are usually punctual within an hour. Always allow buffer time at major hubs.

Can I bring my bicycle on the train? Yes on most regional trains; reservation and small fee on most high-speed. SBB, OBB, SNCF, NS, Trenitalia all accept bikes. Eurostar and Thalys require a separate bike reservation (EUR 30 to 50).

Is European train travel safe? Yes. Crime on European trains is rare; the main risks are petty theft at major tourist stations (Paris Gare du Nord, Barcelona Sants, London St Pancras). Keep valuables in your cabin, lock overnight cabins, and use luggage locks on station platforms.

Do I need a reservation for every train? No. Reservation is mandatory on Eurostar, Thalys, Nightjet, TGV, AVE, Frecciarossa, and most scenic panoramic trains. Reservation is NOT required on regional, intercity, and most S-Bahn services.

How do I book a Eurail Pass? Buy at eurail.com or via the Eurail Rail Planner app. Mobile pass loads onto your phone; paper pass mailed within 2 weeks. Allow EUR 0 to 35 per high-speed reservation on top.

Can I use the Eurail app offline? Yes. The Eurail app stores tickets offline after activation. Seat reservations made through the app require internet. The app also shows live train times for most networks.

What is the difference between Eurail and Interrail? Both are global rail passes covering most of Europe. Eurail is for non-European residents; Interrail is for European residents (typically cheaper and includes some residents-only discounts).

Should I book hotels near the train station? Generally yes for short stays. Stations in major European cities are well-connected to public transport, often in the city centre, and near most major sights. A 5 to 10 minute walk from the main station is the sweet spot for a 2 to 4 night city break.

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