“Exploring Europe by Train: Crafting a Seamless 21st-Century Travel Experience”

Last August, I traveled by train from Trieste to Ljubljana, retracing a path once traversed by the Orient Express. During the journey, I admired the coastline of the Adriatic, came across a previously deserted train station established in 1857, and perceived the geographical transition as the train ascended towards Villa Opicina at the Italian-Slovenian frontier. Nowadays, crossing into Slovenia signifies little more than a change of personnel.

With me was Alma, a novel written by Federica Manzon, which is set in Trieste and the former Yugoslavia. It examines the region’s profound and intricate ties, frozen during the cold war and shaken by the Balkan conflicts. As the train entered Slovenia, I reflected on the intertwined history and geography of two territories that remained separated for many years.

The fare was around €12 and the travel time was just over two and a half hours. It wasn’t a high-speed service, but rather a modest Austrian train with several carriages where passengers had to provide their own snacks (a nice chance for a picnic featuring the culinary treasures of Trieste). Nevertheless, it was delightful. This is often true for many train rides across Europe; an increasingly favored means of rediscovering space and history in a less stressful, more eco-friendly and convenient manner – not solely for leisure purposes.

Trains can take you to destinations you may otherwise overlook. While traveling between Barcelona and London, I appreciated Nîmes, where its tree-lined promenade leading from the station offers a model for a hospitable arrival experience, and I re-explored Sète, Paul Valéry’s frequently underappreciated coastal town, now redesigned for cyclists and pedestrians. While navigating the nearly flawless Swiss rail system, I stumbled upon one of the finest outdoor swimming locations I have ever visited: a public pool adjacent to Lake Thun, just one stop away from Bern. Recently, I also enjoyed a seamless train ride from Brussels to Berlin that was only a few minutes behind schedule, which contrasts with the usual delays often reported by German travelers.

When considering certain journeys in Europe, flying does not save significant time once you factor in security checks and delays. Moreover, traveling by train is unmistakably far more sustainable as mitigating emissions from aviation and road transport remains a persistent challenge. As a mode of transportation, trains have the lightest carbon footprint: using a train instead of a car for medium distances decreases emissions by approximately 80%, and opting for a train instead of a domestic flight reduces them by 86%, according to climate and data analyst Hannah Ritchie.

In 2023, the last year for which full data is accessible, European trains regained popularity, bouncing back from the pandemic’s impact, recording a staggering 429bn passenger-kilometres (the calculation of rail passengers multiplied by the kilometers traveled). Approximately 8 billion railway trips occurred within the EU, with the most notable increases observed in Croatia, Luxembourg, Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Slovenia compared to the previous year.

The number of rail passengers is predicted to hit record levels in 2025 as routes continue to expand. The upcoming year introduces new connections between Paris and Berlin, Barcelona and Toulouse, Amsterdam and London, as well as Budapest and Kyiv, based on information from Mark Smith, the Man in Seat 61, widely regarded as the most reliable source for train-related news in Europe. Smith, a former British Rail employee, provides trustworthy details on connections, schedules, trains, and routes right from his village in Buckinghamshire – a testament to the existing gaps in comprehensive, integrated platforms for European rail travel.

As Smith notes, traveling by train throughout mainland Europe, even from the UK, is a far more viable alternative than most individuals realize. Nevertheless, obtaining that information can be frustratingly complicated. Examples such as ÖBB Scotty, the Austrian railway app, demonstrate what can be achieved, but there remains considerable work ahead.

Competition has significantly lowered prices on several routes, particularly in Spain, Sweden, Austria, and France. The UK stands out as an anomaly, featuring the highest train fares in Europe and often unreliable services. Any journey to the continent from the UK incurs the additional cost of Eurostar, which has become even pricier and more cumbersome since Brexit.

Cross-border rail links remain slower than they ought to be, and cooperation among nations often encounters challenges: for instance, the Spanish and French governments are holding each other accountable for the delays experienced on the Madrid-Paris routes.

The European Commission is investing billions of euros into enhancing high-speed rail connections, aiming to double their usage by the end of this decade. Plans are underway for a new, better-integrated European rail traffic system designed to replace the current fragmented national frameworks. Nonetheless, the integration of local trains has often been overlooked in the rush towards high-speed rail. This aspect requires improvement.

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For trains to effectively rival low-cost, frequently subsidized, flights, the issue of affordability must also be tackled. Services ought to be considerably more attractive for families, and not merely in terms of pricing. Swiss trains, for example, strive to offer a welcoming atmosphere for kids with vibrant and spacious compartments, yet such features are seldom found in other regions.

Governments must persist in investing in fundamental infrastructure, supported by EU funding, to avert systems from becoming outdated. Maintaining tracks may lack the appeal for politicians compared to launching high-speed trains, but it is crucial for dependable service, as the struggles of underfunded systems like that of Britain painfully illustrate.

There is a lot to anticipate if you share my passion for trains. I am eager for the upcoming Frecciarossa service linking Milan and Ljubljana, a high-speed initiative collaborating with Trenitalia and Slovenian railways. I would still choose not to miss the stop in Trieste.