Connect & get inspired

Hello all,I like to share some inspiration for anyone who is planning to visit The Netherlands.Today the city Alkmaar.Located in the province of Noord-Holland, here you find the city of cheese. One of my favorite cities to visit.The city center is on walking distance from the station, filled with shops, restaurants and old buildings.  Kaasmarkt (cheese market) Thousands of visitors from all over the world come to Alkmaar especially for the cheese market. It's a truly special spectacle, with a square overflowing with cheese and porters carrying it. In 1365, Alkmaar had the right to weigh cheese and one set of scales, but by 1612 there were already four. The exact date of the first real cheese market is shrouded in mystery. Old documents have been found that clearly indicate the cheese market definitely took place in 1622, but there's also evidence that the cheese porters' guild was founded in 1593

Evening all.I hope you are all well. I would like some advice and tips about using the global pass (specifically 3 month pass) for our travels around Europe.I have looked at various videos and reviews on YouTube regarding this way of travelling and most positive although, there are some that are negative and they do highlight some important issues.One guy was saying about reliability and frequency of trains in eastern Europe?  can anyone confirm if this is the case please? Also apparently the train station names do not match with what is on the app so it can be a tad confusing according to the reviewers. Can someone who has travelled recently using the Interrail pass please advise on anything you think we should be aware of? We want to try plan in advanced as much as possible and to start our trip early-,mid next year and would appreciate all feedback, tips and advice.We understand that we have to make reservations in certain countrie

Channel 4 aired a nice programme on the Bernina Express tonight.It’s available to stream here (if you’re outside the UK, you might need a VPN).https://www.channel4.com/programmes/alpine-train-at-christmas

Hello all,I like to share some inspiration for anyone who is planning to visit The Netherlands.Today the city Utrecht.Located in the province of Utrecht (yes, Utrecht in Utrecht) a beautiful old city center.The city center is on walking distance from the station, filled with shops, restaurants and old buildings.Here are just a vew highlights, but Utrecht has way more to offer.  Station area Utrecht station and area around it, is a intersting sight on its own. From high buildings reaching for the sky, to a lovely walk path over the railtracks. Bubble rooftop and a big shopping mall, it's all there.And if you are lucky, you will find the UFO on the rooftop.   Cafe Olivier (Hidden Church) Olivier is located in the former Maria Minor church in the center of Utrecht. This Maria Minor was originally a clandestine church. In the sixteenth centu

Hello all,I like to share some inspiration for anyone who is planning to visit The Netherlands.Today the city Amersfoort.Located in the province of Utrecht, a lively city with a beautiful old city center.The city center is on walking distance from the station, filled with shops, restaurants and cute alleys to discover. Muurhuizen (street, city walk) When you walk through the Muurhuizen you imagine yourself in the Middle Ages. When the city began to expand as a result of the economic boom in 1380, a new city wall had to be built. The old wall was torn down and from about 1500 houses were built with the material from the old wall along the line where the city wall had stood. Because the construction of these houses took place in different periods, a great diversity of forms emerged.

Hello all,I like to share some inspiration for anyone who is planning to visit The Netherlands.Today the city Arnhem.Located in the province of Gelderland, a lovely big city with a rich history.Arnhem has a nice city center on walking distance from the station, filled with shops and cultural places.  Musis Sacrum Musis Sacrum (Latin for 'dedicated to the Muses'), is a concert hall, located on the Velperplein and Park Lauwersgracht in Arnhem. The building, which is also called Musis for short, dates from 1847 and was designed by the architect Hendrik Willem Fromberg. It is the home base of Phion, formerly Het Gelders Orkest. In addition, concerts, dance performances and club nights are given.Musis - From mainstation, take bus 3 Het Duifje (4 minutes) t

Hello all,I like to share some inspiration for anyone who is planning to visit The Netherlands.Today the city Apeldoorn.Located in the province of Gelderland, it has a main station and beautiful nature all around.Apeldoorn has a nice city center on walking distance from the station, filled with shops and cultural places.  CODA Museum CODA Museum in Apeldoorn is the place for changing exhibitions with modern, visual art, contemporary fashion and artist jewellery by (inter)national designers and artists and art from and on paper.CODA - From mainstation, take bus 21 Apenheul (4 minutes) to busstop “Bibliotheek” or walk 16 minutes.   Apenheul (Monkey zoo) Apenheul is a nice, big park with diffenrent kind of m

Hello everybody!How are you? I decided to “shout out” my trip, done from 6th of April to the 6th of June – 2023It was a great experience and maybe it can inspire some route you can do, connections available and maybe I can be helpful sharing few hints.Short bio: I am 40 y.o. I love to backpack around but I’m getting a bit soft, but still a good walker.I did this as solo traveler, pretty often I spent 2/3 nights (so, mostly 3 full days) each city, in some cases a bit longer (Istanbul, 6 days, Lofoten Islands, 8 days). I think travel by train make it possible and less stressful, even the itinerary was a bit crowded. Stations are closed to the center, travel is most of the time relaxing, a good way to refill the battery.Eventually, this trip was planned in weird way. I wanted to visit Istanbul and Scandinavia (easy peasy!).On the way I was invited also by some friends in Spain, so I added it at the end of the list. Plus, many years ago,

Is there a direct train to go from Milan to Lucerne?

In my fascination for non-standard border crossings, I have prepared another post on border-crossings: a 4th border crossing between the Netherlands and Belgium. As you can see from Apple's impeccably clear railway map, there are only 3 border crossings with passenger trains operating on them between the two countries: two in the very West (one high-speed, the other traditional), both leading to Antwerp, and one in the very Southeast between Maastricht and Liège. These are very far apart and hardly an alternative to each other.  There could be all sorts of reasons why you want to avoid them:off the throdden path avoiding expensive tickets/reservations on the high-speed line, especially when last-minute or with time-flexibility  avoiding line closures due to engineering works or (busy) replacement buses you have to get to Eindhoven Airport from Belgium but the Dutch trains are on strike … (fill in for

We’re planning a trip from UK to reach the Arctic circle via Eurostar to Brussels then cologne and onto Copenhagen.then sleeper from Stockholm to Narvik.back down through Norway !anything we should look out for ?

We are both teachers and plan to take our 2 children (10 and 11) interrailing next summer. We want to start by going eurostar from London to Paris. The countries we’d like to explore are Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy. Don’t want to travel by train more than 6-8 hours each journey, ideally.We’d love really scenic train journeys, not too bothered about big cities. Looking for reasonably cheap but private accommodation. Would like a mix of scenery: lakes, mountains, villages, coast. We have up to 6 weeks to spend on the trip.Any suggestions of unmissable places, journeys or experiences very much appreciated!

Hello! I am traveling from Innsbruck to Vienna next Sunday and plan to travel via Semmering bahn. I'm wondering what would be the best route and which train would be the best option for enjoying the scenery on the Semmering bahn? Local or faster train? Any thoughts?

Is no plan the best plan?In June 1987, myself and two good friends finished our end of school exams and headed off for a month on the rails with nothing but interrail passes, passports, a small amount of money in many different currencies and a large amount of enthusiasm.We only had the very barest outline of a plan. We would start in Dublin. We would go to a Greek island called Spetses. Since we all lived in Dublin and very much hoped to be starting university in September we were always going to finish up back in Ireland.We also brought with us the single most important book to bring on an interrail – the Thomas Cook European Timetable. This little red piece of excellence was invaluable when it came to planning as it showed all the trains and connections you could ever need. It was printed monthly at the time and could be bought at bigger mainline stations or serious travel agents in most big cities. Those of us on a budget would ask for a c

Grand Train Tour Switzerland Come with me to fulfill the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland.This little red "passport” gives you the opportunity to collect 9 awesome stamps of 9 great cities.A detailed map shows you great train routes to take and lets you experience all of Switzerland.Every page shows some details of what the city has to offer and also comes with some coupons.Info Grand Train Tour 

On the Eurail website there is a list of 25 scenic train routes to try in 2025. I like the sound of number 9 Mainz to Cologne. On searching the trains there are numerous trains departing Mainz and going to various places but stopping in Cologne.Could someone advise which train or trains are the best for this journey

Hello!We are three friends who bought Interrail passes this summer and decided to travel through Eastern Europe. Why Eastern Europe? Because we thought it would be an unforgettable adventure – and it truly was!We started our journey in České Budějovice, and our first train took us to Vienna, where we explored the entire historic city center with our backpacks on. After that, we boarded a night train to Bucharest. We enjoyed the overnight ride, but sleep? Not so much – the train honked at every level crossing, and the doors shook all night long. But hey, that’s all part of the experience!In Bucharest, we took a guided city tour with a local girl. The city is incredibly diverse. From there, we headed to Brașov – a beautiful historical town – and took a bus trip to Bran Castle (yes, the one linked to Dracula!).Brașov is tru

A Coastal Escape: Exploring Northern Spain from Bilbao to LekeitioNorthern Spain is a hidden gem—lush, coastal, and full of charm. On this short but unforgettable journey, we explore the Basque Country, starting in Bilbao and winding our way through picturesque seaside towns like Gorliz, Donostia, Zarautz, Getaria, and Lekeitio. Each stop offers something unique: stunning landscapes, rich culture, and some of the best food in all of Spain.Bilbao: Art, Architecture, and Basque SoulOur trip begins in Bilbao, a city that perfectly blends tradition and modernity. Once an industrial center, Bilbao is now a cultural powerhouse. The Guggenheim Museum, with its shimmering titanium curves, is an essential stop—not just for the art inside, but the architecture itself. After a walk along the Nervión River, we head into the Casco Viejo (Old Town) for pintxos, the Basque v

Traveling by train through France is like gliding through a living postcard, and that’s exactly how I felt as I journeyed across the country from north to south, stopping in three remarkable cities—Paris, Dijon, and Marseille—each offering its own rhythm, flavor, and charm.First Stop: Paris, the Timeless PostcardI began my journey in Paris, a city that never fails to enchant. Even though I had visited before, there’s always something new to discover among its cobbled streets and grand boulevards. I sipped coffee near the Canal Saint-Martin and got wonderfully lost in the halls of the Louvre. Watching the sun set from the Eiffel Tower, with the Seine glowing below, reminded me why this city draws dreamers from around the world.From Gare de Lyon, I boarded a TGV train headed for Dijon. As the urban sprawl faded into open fields and vineyards, I felt the adventure truly begin.Dijon: The Flavor of BurgundyDijon was

Hi everyone,My family of five from Japan (2 adults and 3 children) will be traveling around Europe this December using a Eurail Pass.Since we want to keep our budget as low as possible, we’re trying to make the most out of the Eurail Pass.We had a wonderful trip last year using the Eurail Pass, and thanks to some great advice from this community, we enjoyed an amazing scenic route on the Bernina Railway from Italy to Switzerland.It would be great if you could share similar advice with us! Here’s our planned itinerary with transportation:Budapest (2 nights) → Slovakia (stay 1 night)   travel by FlixBus Slovakia → Vienna (1 night)         by FlixBus Vienna → Prague (2 nights)    using Eurail Pass (Day 1) Prague → Berlin (2 nights)    using Eurail Pass (Day 2) Berlin → One night in an undecided city (Koblenz? Cologne? Frankfurt?)    using Eurail Pass (Day 3) Undecided city → Bacharach (1 n