Embarking on my grand Interrail journey across Europe with three young children in tow proved to be quite an enlightenment regarding the basic amenities of train carriages.
From the luxurious, roomy seating and expansive windows of the Glacier Express to the graffiti-laden coaches bouncing along a side track where hardly any comfortable seats were available, we encountered every kind of travel experience.
Due to the significant differences in locomotives and carriages among various railway operators and nations, travelers can be uncertain about their experience when boarding a train in contemporary Europe.
Observing my coughing child zoom down a slide at an indoor play area within a Swiss train made me reflect on how significantly the traveler experience has evolved in the past 200 years. train travel started making tracks.
What's changed since the early days of rail travel?
This September marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northern England. This historic event was the first time hundreds of passengers had been transported by rail.
Reflecting now, it’s difficult to grasp the sheer excitement of those initial railway journeys—while also acknowledging the discomfort they presented for many travelers.
During the early years of rail travel, third-class passengers did not have access to a covered carriage for quite some time. They had to endure exposure to the weather and the smoke emanating from the locomotive without protection.
These 'economy class' carriage types were gradually discontinued throughout Europe by the 1950s, supplanted by a dual-level arrangement featuring both standard and first-class options, which remains prevalent even now.
Throughout the years, sleeper cars and meal services aboard trains have been added, allowing travelers to dine and sleep as they journey.
If you want to experience how significantly passenger rail travel has evolved from its beginnings, numerous routes continue to operate. historic routes With genuine carriages and engines.
Our family adores taking rides on heritage trains, and we feel fortunate to reside near the route that initiated the first package holiday back in 1841; this was when Thomas Cook provided a day excursion from Leicester to Loughborough.
Enthusiasts of railways can relive that journey on the Great Central Railway, where they can enjoy both steam and diesel train rides all year round.
It's a little glimpse into trains and times gone by, with seating in compartments, and waiting rooms, including one for ladies only, with open fires in the grate in the winter. Passengers even have to open the doors by leaning out of the window to use the outside handle.
Another place which really highlights just how much train travel has changed over the years is Wuppertal in Germany Here, the Schwebebahn, which holds the title as the planet’s oldest electric suspended railway, continues to traverse the entirety of the town, paralleling the course of the river beneath.
Exiting from a wooden platform directly into a carriage suspended beneath a singular rail offers quite an adventure. This demonstrates that railway travel wasn’t exclusively about carriages moving on conventional ground-level tracks; inventors have explored various approaches over time.
Although past experiences make for an intriguing occasional journey, contemporary daily railway trips demand much more from us. Nonetheless, the actual experience of traveling by train today can differ significantly based on the time and location of your trip.
What can passengers expect inside a modern train carriage?
Our Easter Interrail The extravaganza spanned across the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, and the UK. Each time we stepped onto a train, we were uncertain about what adventures awaited us.
Despite having an Interrail pass, certain trains required mandatory seat reservations, like Eurostar and the Glacier Express in Switzerland, and it certainly seemed like we were getting what we paid for, with cleanliness, comfortable seats and attentive carriage attendants all enhancing our experience.
Across various nations, the quality of train travel under our pass fluctuated significantly. In the Netherlands, I found their approach to passenger care exemplary, especially regarding families with children boarding the trains. However, Germany presented a contrasting scenario, characterized by extensive graffiti inside the stations and carriages. station And on the actual trains.
Several of the carriages we encountered were dilapidated, and at one point, we missed a train because it departed from the opposite end of the platform where we were standing, completely oblivious to this restriction.
Availability of charging points and Wi-Fi remains inconsistent throughout the network, particularly on smaller local trains.
However, numerous contemporary advancements ensure that travelers' trips are far more pleasant.
We enjoyed riding double-decker trains in France and the Netherlands, as they can carry more passengers without requiring additional carriages.
Certainly! The family areas aboard Swiss Intercity trains proved incredibly popular. Any child would enjoy finding a play area within their train car, making the trip seem much shorter. Older children could stay entertained with board games integrated into the table surfaces as well.
We noticed areas designated for transporting bikes securely, ensuring that passengers must reserve and pay for a spot for their bicycle onboard. However, not all trains allow bicycles, so you should verify the policies beforehand to avoid any issues when arriving at the station with your bike.
How might travelers' experiences change in the future?
As there is a growing enthusiasm for sleeper services throughout Europe, it is logical that railway businesses are seeking to invest in creative methods to enhance the overnight travel experience for customers.
I must admit our overnight journey from the Netherlands to Innsbruck wasn’t very relaxing. The passengers and their baggage were squeezed into tiny compartments where the seats also served as beds. Thus, anything that led sleeper car Entering the 21st century would be welcomed!
In the previous fall, the Austrian branch of the Skoda Group presented their Sleep in Motion concepts for sleeping compartments within double-decker trains. These individual spaces were designed along either side of an aisle. Meanwhile, Alstom from the United Kingdom displayed their DreamSuite proposals featuring seating areas capable of transforming into fully flat beds, complete with partitions offering personal space.
Another passenger priority is keeping bags safe Throughout the trip, there has been an increase in thefts from trains over the past few years. To ensure our safety, we brought along a cable lock to secure our baggage to the overhead storage rack.
Based on our experience, we discovered that European trains require a more organized system featuring integrated safety features. For instance, Japanese bullet trains offer lockable compartments for passengers' use. stow their bags It’s quite different from the days when train travel was at its peak, and passengers could simply dispatch their suitcases and packages ahead to be waiting for them upon arrival.
For enthusiasts of leisurely and eco-friendly journeys, improving the traveler’s comfort aboard is just as important as adopting greener train fuels such as hydrogen or boosting the velocity and punctuality of services. While cleaner locomotives are commendable, passengers must find these modes appealing enough to choose railways over other options for trains to truly be seen as a practical substitute.
Norske tog's Project Manager, Sille Svenkerud Førner, encapsulated it perfectly following Norway’s announcement of investing in 17 new long-distance FLIRT NEX trains. These trains boast reclining seats, adaptable sleeping quarters, a café area, family-friendly configurations, and generous storage for belongings.
As she put it, "The train shouldn’t just serve as a mode of transportation; it should also offer an experience and be somewhere you enjoy being."
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