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Planning a rail trip from the UK to Italy

  1. Event horizon faux seller of watches and complete knobhead Mar 6, 2015

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    As the title suggests I'm thinking of catching a train to Italy and catching the sights with the wife but most importantly catching a new watch that is loads cheaper than the UK. Has anyone decided to do this and if so tell me the tips and tricks to go about this. All help will be gratefully accepted and thanks in advance. Neil
     
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  2. lillatroll Mar 7, 2015

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    I did a train trip round europe in 2012. All I can say is it will take a long time and not be comfortable. You can buy a eurorail ticket, but you cannot use it from england I believe. My advice would be get a cheap flight to somewhere near Italy and take the train from there, maybe Spain or Austria. Then you get the best of both worlds. The biggest problem is that the train times are long even if the distances are short.

    One last thing, avoid france, we went to 12 countries in 7 weeks and the only awkard duckers were the french, I cannot understand why they need to be so difficult but they seemed to enjoy being cupid stunts.
     
  3. Alpha Kilt Owner, Beagle Parent, Omega Collector Mar 8, 2015

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    You may find this site useful - http://www.seat61.com/Europe-train-travel.htm#.VPxYhoGsUpA

    The other side of the coin from the experiences of @lillatroll I have never had a problem with the French wherever I have encountered them. Not as immediately outgoing as some but that is the way most of them are, and if you don't speak fluent French it really doesn't matter as long as you make some effort.

    If you have the time I would suggest routing through Switzerland, real stunning rail travel country.

    Interested if someone comes up with good deals on watches in Italy, that is if such a thing exists.
     
  4. DLT222 Double D @ ΩF Staff Member Mar 9, 2015

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    My god, i couldn't think of anything worse... having commuted across France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany via train, the very thought of it again would tip me over the edge!

    Its is tedious! Not to mention the delays and strikes that are practically on going in France. Trains a filthy, sweaty and cramped at times.

    Take a flight instead!
     
  5. Alpha Kilt Owner, Beagle Parent, Omega Collector Mar 9, 2015

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    It may just be me but my experiences have all been fantastic. Certainly if you use commuter trains some can be a bit rough and crowded at certain times of the day but I suspect that is probably the case world wide. Intercity trains such as the TGV in France and onward I have found to be civilised and clean. Switzerland, never come across a train journey that was filthy and sweaty, busy at certain times yes.
    Unfortunately not all like this ;)

    B0000116.jpg B0000112.jpg
     
  6. kendrick Mar 9, 2015

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    Don't. The train system in Italy is akin to one from the 3rd world. It was on par with the trains in Egypt when I used them in 2012 and I doubt they have improved with the austerity program. For reference, I travelled from Austria to Venice and Rome.

    The trains from the rest of Europe are just fine.
     
  7. Event horizon faux seller of watches and complete knobhead Mar 10, 2015

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    Ok the reason behind traveling by train is not because I'm scared of flying, it's because I'm scared of crashing. Oh before you all start saying the odds of crashing are a million to one I am lucky enough to bypass the million flights and get mh370. All you guys forget I'm from the UK any trains are better than our trains. I was looking at taking advantage of the poorly euro and catching the sights by train. I'm from yorkshire and it would be nice to spread some of our culture to our European friends.
     
  8. Matty01 Port Adelaide's No.1 Fan Mar 10, 2015

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    awesome, next week illmm, bodes well! Im on lengthy train trips in Germany, france and italy in the next few weeks, yikes
     
  9. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Mar 10, 2015

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    My experience with the trains in Germany was nothing but positive. Not only the long distance trains (not that any place is really long distance within Germany), but also the subways systems were awesome.

    We used the fast trains to go from Munich to Frankfurt, and then Frankfurt to Dresden, and then back to Frankfurt on our trip there in 2013. We also took the subway trains all over Munich, and from Frankfurt to Königstein im Taunus where we stayed, and also from Dresden to Glashütte. Only one train in all the trips we took was late leaving the station...
     
  10. MikiJ Likes songs about Purple spices Mar 10, 2015

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    Be careful if the train stops in Rome...
    [​IMG]
     
  11. citizenrich Metal Mixer! Mar 10, 2015

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    At the top of any list of things Germans are good at:

    1. Paperwork

    2. Punctuality

    #2 lends itself to the organized and efficient running of a rail system. And you're definitely right about the Munich subway which I'm certain is much cleaner than my first (2) apartments. Particularily, the bathrooms.

    Save for Switzerland and the Low Countries, my experience is the rest of the continent is not like Germany. I always laugh at my Europhile friends who have created this mythology about the wonderful European trains. It's always the ones who have spent the least amount of time using these trains who find them so wonderful.

    They're still trying to figure out why RyanAir is so popular (popular if not well-liked). They actually get mad about it...Too "American".