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Rail travel

Photo: Wilson Adams, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rail travel includes everything from heritage steam trains to high-speed bullet trains, from sightseeing or dinner trains to the convenience of speed as a means of modern transport.

UnderstandRailroads emerged in the 19th century as the first widely available means of fast land transportation, before the rise of the automobile, and have put their mark on most countries and cities.
TicketingPrices range from cheaper than even a full car – in some countries that highly subsidise public transport – to comparable to or even higher than cheap airline-tickets.
When to travelIf possible, try to avoid commuter rush hours.
At the stationTrain stations tend to be centrally located, especially if built before automobiles became common, Some newer stations, such as typically for high-speed lines, may be farther away, but well-integrated with the local…
On boardTuck away your baggage as much as you can. Don't let it block the aisle or the seats for other passengers. There may be baggage racks at the ends of carriages for larger items, or overhead space for smaller bags.
Sleeper servicesIn many countries there will be sleeper services at night.
BaggageRail lines usually have no explicit weight or size limits for baggage, with some few exceptions. However, they assume that passengers can carry their baggage with them.
MotorailSome long-distance trains allow you to bring your car on the train with you, in which you load your car onto special carriages and travel in the regular passenger carriages.
Speed of travel
CopeRail travellers might encounter timetables and information being available in local languages only, poorly translated information or hard to understand ticketing requirements.
Stay safeTrains are generally an extremely safe mode of transportation. This is especially true for high-speed railways.
Categories
Africa
Asia
Europe
North America
Oceania
Other

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