Italy, France, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Norway trip. How are the regional train connections in those countries and are there informations about them?

A

Hey Everyone,

i’m planning my first interrail trip during august or september. My main aim is to visit Italy, France, Spain and in a a seperate trip Finland, Sweden and Norway.

Since i prefer spontanous decisions i’m not a big fan of the mandatory reservations on many highspeed trains, especially in southern europe. But during my research i could’nt find much usefull informations about other fast options for traveling by train.

My questions are now: How are the regional train connections in those countries and are there informations about them, like maps that show which destination you can reach with which type of train? In Germany for example you have the ICEs/ICs as highspeed trains, but also different types of regional trains. The Regionalexpress for example does’nt need any type of reservation and you can still travel 300km in 3 hours. Are there options like these in the mentioned countries?

I would be very grateful, if someone could also provide links if there are such maps or other useful informations!

Thank you very much in advance!

10 replies

A
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You can start by looking at these pages. If you still have questions after having read, you can ask for advice in the community. 

https://www.interrail.eu/en/plan-your-trip/reservations/how-do-i-book-my-reservations

 

https://www.interrail.eu/en/plan-your-trip/trip-ideas/destinations

 

Please note that I don't work for Interrail/Eurail and that I don't reply to personal messages.
A

Thank you very much for the answer!

The infomations about the train types in different countries are exactly what i needed.

Are there maybe other maps of the train connections in Italy, Spain and the TER in France, that are available offline, like the InterCitie map for France? It would be also ok if they are in the native language of the country. It is just harder for me to find them, since i do’nt speak that languages.

A
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There are some experts on those countries in the community so I hope they know where maps can be found.

I live in Sweden so if you have any questions about trains here I'll try to help.

Please note that I don't work for Interrail/Eurail and that I don't reply to personal messages.
R
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The rail planner app has an option "no seat reservations required”. In Spain though (and in Normandy in France) this does not always lead to finding trains because there even some of the Spanish regional trains require reservations (albeit for only 4€).

The DB planner has the possibility to look for connections with regional trains only. That includes regional trains with mandatory reservations though.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
A

 

I live in Sweden so if you have any questions about trains here I'll try to help.

Thank you very much! I’ve heard that the train connections in Sweden are really good, so i do’nt expect too much trouble here. But i have indeed one question: there is really no northern connection between Sweden and Finland, or is there one?

 

The rail planner app has an option "no seat reservations required”. In Spain though (and in Normandy in France) this does not always lead to finding trains because there even some of the Spanish regional trains require reservations (albeit for only 4€).

The DB planner has the possibility to look for connections with regional trains only. That includes regional trains with mandatory reservations though.

Thank you for the answer! I am aware of that options, but i really like to visit small towns spontanously and choose them by location, so i do’nt know the names of them. This limits the options to search for the connections. I just found this map for France which is nearly perfect. What’s missing are the train types of the connections, but i am aware that the chances are small to find the perfect map.

But this type of map for the other countries would also be great.

R
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Thank you for the answer! I am aware of that options, but i really like to visit small towns spontanously and choose them by location, so i do’nt know the names of them. This limits the options to search for the connections. I just found this map for France which is nearly perfect. What’s missing are the train types of the connections, but i am aware that the chances are small to find the perfect map.

But this type of map for the other countries would also be great.

You should have a look at Openrailwaymap. It's quite picky about spelling (it insist on the correct diacritics) and it doesn't specify on which lines there's passenger service (but that's also the case with SNCF Réseau's map).

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
A
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There is no train connection between Sweden Finland, as you can see on this map I found.

https://www.vr.fi/en/railway-stations-and-routes

Please note that I don't work for Interrail/Eurail and that I don't reply to personal messages.
A

There is no train connection between Sweden Finland, as you can see on this map I found.

https://www.vr.fi/en/railway-stations-and-routes

Thank you! I read something that they are planning a connection or that it is already under construction so i thought that it might be finnished already.

You should have a look at Openrailwaymap. It's quite picky about spelling (it insist on the correct diacritics) and it doesn't specify on which lines there's passenger service (but that's also the case with SNCF Réseau's map).

Will have a look at that, tank you! Even better if its across borders and i can see routes that might take me to another country.

M
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SE-FI: its suspended, I did this when on one of my very 1st Railtrips across Scandinavia.

THe Svenska have RE-instated their side till a newly built righton border bus+train stasjonen Haparanda/Haapparantta, but the Fins not yet (EU always subsidised these links in remote areas), its a BUS (NOT from sat noon till sun noon) till 1st stop in FI (I think Kemi, but not sure)-some of these are discounted, but its just a few €. Finnish trains are really very good, Passholders canNOT reserve and thats rather a nuisance as all local tickets come with REServ and you can be chased from your seat at every stop-not that nice on an overnite trip. FI has russky style broad gauge.

As we have warned about daily: ESpana is by far the very worst as about all trains MUST REServed and in main summer are often full days ahead-or at least thats what they say to many passes.

Just as it is in DE: in FR and certainly IT its nearly always possible to use NahVerkehr=regional (TER in FR), takes more time, more changes in longer trips. But for a IC in IT its only 3€ extra (also for seated overnite).

Ausserdem zu beachten: man darf in Heimland nur 2 tage im Zug-also mehrfaches aus+ein kostet extra-es sei denn, das 9€ kann mann nutzen.

R
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Userlevel 7
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Finnish trains are really very good, Passholders canNOT reserve

Of course you can book reservations, but not online.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.

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