I’ve decided that I am going to Europe for a train vacation. So far my plans are:
London - Take the train through the channel tunnel to Paris.
Paris - Take the TGV and ICE to Hamburg.
Hamburg - See the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg
The really great thing is that when I told my girlfriend what I was going to do she said that she would be staying home. I will also be doing all the non-train tourist stuff, but I didn’t tell her that.
Can any of you that are from Europe recommend any other train/model train museums of interest? What is the best time to go? I’m thinking this fall or next spring when all the kids will be in school.
Some stuff worth trying to work into your travels, from 40 yo memories. If you’re in Munich, travel south to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then take the train to Innsbruck in Austria. Fantastic views along the way. The wife and I were just talking about Switzerland and riding the narrowgauge there, but I know it’s not cheap.
Another great scenic ride is a slow train along the Rhine between Mainz and Koln. This puts you on the south side of the river with the most dramatic views across it to the north.
there are many nice places to visit in Europe, which makes it hard to recommend them. It finally depends on your individual itinerary. While in London, a visit to the London Transport Museum is a must.
Mike has already mention the Munich Deutsches Museum , which has a lot more to see than “just trains”.
Should you go to Berlin, there are two places to go to. A must is the Berlin Technikmuseum. There is also a model train show, called Loxx, but is a far cry from Miniatur Wunderland.
Of course, there are lots of other things to see in Munich or Berlin, as well as in Hamburg, which will make your GF happy [swg]
Some years ago,my wife and I spent 3 months in Europe,starting in London and ending up in Amsterdam,where we flew home. There were so many places we were,I would probably fill the whole page and still leave something out… Ulrich and Mike gave you some interesting places to visit. I would go again,if I could. Often times,we would rent a car and drive,rather than fly to our next place we wanted to visit.
Do You have room for one more? I’ll pay my own way.
I´d only visit a country and I think Germany would be my first option. Fly to a big city, Berlin, Frankfurt or Hamburg and go by train to visit museums and other interesting places:
[:O] I think she’s standing right behind you…shhhhhh…[:#]
Seriously though, my wife, daughter and I went to Europe a few summers back for a couple weeks. We landed in London and spent a few days taking in the sites there (and there are a LOT of sites…and Pubs [B]). Then we took the train from London to Paris under the Channel and that was a blast for all three of us! Paris was awesome, again so much to see. We took the subway/train to Versailles( sp?) and then back to Paris where we flew home. My biggest piece of advice, don’t try and do everything or try and cram so much into your trip that you don’t truly experience or enjoy the experience, of being in Europe (or wherever). Some of my fondest memories are of slowing down, sitting in the Pubs and conversing with the people. Either way…ENJOY!
Both railways are highly recommended and the shop facilities for the Bluebell at Sheffield Park are outstanding. They can do a complete locomotive rebuild.
It’s also possible to do a day trip from London to visit the Severn Valley Railway http://www.svr.co.uk/Default.aspx , but it will be a really long day. Kidderminister is the town to shoot for by train.
There are also a quite a few mainline steam events in the UK, some of which either originate in London or are easily accessible from London. Here’s the site for info: http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs13.htm Trust me on this, the Brits really know how to put on a steam excursion. You’ll be gone all day. The last time I did a steam excursion, it left London Paddington at around 0730 and didn’t get back until well after 2200.
The Continent abounds with good train watching spots. Usually any sizeable station is good for train watching. Any of the Paris stations will have lots of action. Most of my train watching has been done in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Munich Hbf (Hauptbahnhof) is particularly active and there is a footbridge across the station tthroat. Wien Westbahnhof and Salzburg Hbf are particularly good spots in Austria with lots of action. Good spots in Switzerland are Geneva, Zurich, Lucerne and Bern. From Lucerne, you can catch a train to Milan which goes over the Gotthard Pass, a ride not to be missed before the new Gotthard tunnel is comp
Honestly, if your girlfriend doesn’t want to go to Europe with you, and can’t stand indulging you with a couple of train-related visits while you’re there, I’d start thinking about trading in on an improved model! I hope you’re kidding, dude, because if your girlfriend is someone you don’t mind leaving behind on a trip like this, you have issues. If you can work the schedule, go after labor day or before Independence day. Most Europeans get a month off at this time of year. Major attractions are swamped, and even more out of the way places are crowded.
I agree that you’ll miss out on a lot if you go to Europe with too much of an agenda. We were in Florence, Italy, last spring. Our daughter was doing the “semester abroad” thing for college. We took a train from Florence to Venice and back, but that was the extent of our rail adventures. My wife took in the art museums, but I enjoyed just walking through the city, meandering through ancient streets. The restaurants in Italy were a great treat for food-and-wine aficionados like us, although we sought out British or Irish pubs when we wanted a beer.
Look into European railpasses if you will be taking a lot of trains. They have a lot options, but also a lot of restrictions, but if you choose and plan carefully they can save you a lot of money. As I recall, you have to buy them at least a month before your trip.
Find out how your cell phone provider deals with Europe. It may be cheaper for you to buy a no-contract phone when you get there. Also, contact your bank and see which banks in Europe will work with your ATM card, and how much those fees are. We discovered that there was a no-fee connection to one of the bigger banks in Florence. But, we also found (after we got home) that the reason the cards didn’t work was our passwords - many European ATMs only take 6-character passwords and ours were 7. Before you go, arrange with your bank to get a few hundred Euros to take with you. On a more cheerful note, our Master Card was accepted just about everywhere.
Find out how your cell phone provider deals with Europe. It may be cheaper for you to buy a no-contract phone when you get there. Also, contact your bank and see which banks in Europe will work with your ATM card, and how much those fees are. We discovered that there was a no-fee connection to one of the bigger banks in Florence. But, we also found (after we got home) that the reason the cards didn’t work was our passwords - many European ATMs only take 6-character passwords and ours were 7. Before you go, arrange with your bank to get a few hundred Euros to take with you. On a more cheerful note, our Master Card was accepted just about everywhere.
Can’t speak for the Continent, but Barclay’s (UK) and Bank of America have a reciprocal agreement where you can use either bank’s ATM for no fee and our password was no issue. Made it really convenient last year when we visited the UK. Free Wi-Fi is widely available in the UK and the entire city of London was pretty much wired for W-Fi for the Olympics. Personally, I don’t see the need for a cell phone while abroad, but then I can rememember when you needed an operator to make a long distance phone call (never mind an international call). Email should be sufficient.
You really need to notify your credit card companies that you will be out of the country, otherwise they tend to soil their corporate shorts when you make a significant purchase thousands of miles from home and they’re not expecting it. As Mr. Beasley said, it’s a good idea to to get some foreign currency ahead of time before you leave. We kept our cards and cash in neck wallets tucked inside our clothes. Something like this: http://tinyurl.com/mqrzvaq
If you get to Scotland, the West Highland route from Glasgow to Fort William or on to the coast at Mallaig is a must. Depending on when you go there may be steam on the route to Mallaig and you go over the “Harry Potter” bridge. The scenery is spectacular and it can be a day trip. If you’ve got the bucks you can take the New Caledonia sleeper from London over the route.
In a word, Switzerland. Transportation Museum in Lucerne. Also there is a narrow gauge train that I believe goes to Chur. The train was new when I rode it 16 years ago, had 5 cars, with the engineer operating the train from a cupola in the middle of the middle car. My wife and I got front row seats, basically a cab ride. Much of the equipment on the line looked straight out of the LGB catalog. Also the ride up the Jungfrau, the last 4 miles of which are carved out of solid rock is amazing. Google train rides in Switzerland. The scenery also makes the trip worthwhile. TGB runs from Paris to Geneva. I’d love to go back.
A word on currency and the like – there is NO need to get foreign currency (€, £, or whatever) before you go. As long as your bank is a member of one of the big bank networks, your atm card will work just fine. When you clear customs, look for an ATM and get cash. All airports have several machines. You will receive by far the best exchange rate (the exact interbank rate in effect when the transaction hits your account). Debit cards cand be problematic, even with a PIN (Although I’ve never heard of the 6 vs 7 digit thing, but if yours is longer than 6, see if you can temporarily change it). Have a spare credit card, again, that your bank is expecting you to use overseas, just in case the debit card won’t work. Use debit / credit cards whenever possible, to avoid having to deal with foreign currency when you return to the states.
If you have time in London, get a jump on jump off bus tour. That will take you around the sites. If you jump off at Covent Garden, go to the London Transport Museum.
You will be catching the Eurostar at St Pancras station in London. This is a beautiful Victorian station that has been refurbished. Before you go through to wait to get on board the Eurostar, look around the station. It is a wonderful place. On the Grand Terrace is a large sculpture called ‘the meeting place’ but better than this is a statue of John Betjemen who did so much to save the station from demolition. He stands holding his hat with a shopping bag in one hand. Superb.
Enjoy Paris and enjoy Hamburg. When my wife and I visit Europe now we try to go by train. SNCF and Deutsche Bahn are superb.
Gothland was also the setting of the British weekly drama “Heartbeat” (and its theme song was of the same name by Buddy Holly). The House that the Doctor lived in is now a B&B which my wife and I have stayed and will again next year. http://www.glendalehouse.co.uk/
The national real museum in York (UK) is very much worth a visit and an easy trip out of London by train, not to mention York is one of the most historical cities anywhere. Other than that the two preserved lines already mentioned are excellent.
The TGV from Paris to Hamburg passes through Mulhouse, France, which has what’s said to be the largest train museum in Europe. There’s also a large automobile museum there as well. Both are easily reached by bus or tram from the city center/SNCF station. Very impressive museums.
Austria and Switzerland are an absolute must for Alpine railroading. The route from Salzburg to Innsbruck via the resort of Zel Am Zee is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever ridden. Also, as mentioned, the route from Luzern to Milan via the Gotthard Pass and the spiral tunnels. In Luzern, there is also a metre-gauge railway that runs from Luzern to the resort town of Engleberg (much of it rack-rail) high in the Alps at the foot of a glacier. The Salzburg-Innsbruck line is incredibly busy–last time I was there, it was well over 100 trains a day.