What My Euro Adventure by Train Revealed About Its Past, Present, and Future

Our grand Interrail journey across Europe with my three young sons proved enlightening regarding the basic amenities of train compartments.

From the luxurious, roomy seating and expansive windows of the Glacier Express to the graffitied carriages bouncing along a side track where hard seats were practically the only option, we encountered every extreme.

Due to the significant differences in railway vehicles among various rail 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 drastically the travel experience has transformed in the past two centuries.

train travel

started making tracks.

How has railway travel evolved from its early days?

This September marks

the 200th anniversary

Of the inauguration of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northern England. This significant moment marked the first occasion when hundreds of passengers were conveyed by train.

Reflecting now, it’s difficult to grasp the sheer excitement of those initial railway journeys—yet at the same time, they could be quite discomforting for many travelers.

During the initial years of the railway system, third-class passengers did not have access to a covered carriage. They had to endure exposure to weather conditions and the smoke emanating from the locomotive engines.

These ‘economy class’ carriage types were gradually discontinued throughout Europe by the 1950s, supplanted by a dual-level system consisting of standard and first class that remains intact even now.

Throughout the years, sleeper cars and dining facilities aboard trains have been added, allowing travelers to enjoy meals and sleep comfortably during their journey.

If you want to experience the significant changes in passenger rail travel from its beginnings, numerous routes continue to operate.

historic routes

With genuine carriages and engines.

Our family enjoys riding on heritage trains, and we feel fortunate to reside near the route where Thomas Cook initiated the first package holiday back in 1841, providing a day trip from Leicester to Loughborough.

Enthusiasts of railways can relive that journey on the Great Central Railway, where steam and diesel locomotives operate all year round.

This offers a small peek into past eras characterized by railways, featuring compartment-style seating and vintage waiting areas such as a dedicated room for women. In colder months, these spaces often had open fires in their grates. Additionally, passengers needed to lean out of the window to pull an external door handle when boarding.

Yet another location that truly showcases the significant transformations rail travel has undergone over time is

Wuppertal in Germany

. Here, the Schwebebahn, the world’s oldest electric suspension railway, still runs the length of the town, following the line of the river below.

Exiting from a wooden platform directly into a carriage suspended beneath a singular rail offers quite an adventure. This demonstrates that railway transportation wasn’t exclusively about carriages moving on ground-level tracks; inventors have explored various approaches over time.

Although historical experiences make for an intriguing single visit, contemporary daily railway trips demand much more from us. However, the actual experience of modern train travel can differ significantly based on the time and location of your journey.

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 discoveries awaited us.

Despite having an Interrail pass, certain trains required mandatory seat reservations, including

Eurostar

and the

Glacier Express

In Switzerland, it definitely felt as though we received good value for our money, thanks to the spotless conditions, cozy seating, and courteous service from the train staff, which all contributed positively to our journey.

In various countries where our entire train journey was included in the pass, we encountered significant differences in service quality. The Netherlands stood out as nearly ideal for passenger care, especially regarding family-friendly practices such as warmly greeting children onboard. In contrast, Germany presented a distinct scenario, featuring trains adorned with considerable amounts of graffiti.

station

And aboard the trains themselves.

A few of the carriages we encountered were dilapidated, and at one stage, we missed a train because it departed from the opposite end of the platform where we were standing, completely oblivious to the fact that boarding wouldn’t be possible.

Availability of charging ports and Wi-Fi remains inconsistent throughout the railway system, particularly on lesser-known regional trains.

However, numerous contemporary advancements ensure that travelers’ journeys are far more pleasant.

We enjoyed riding on 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 engaged with board games embedded in the table surfaces.

We identified portions set aside for

transporting bikes

securely, ensuring that passengers must reserve and pay for a spot for their bicycle onboard. However, not all trains offer this service, so you should verify the policies beforehand to avoid bringing your bike to the station unnecessarily.

What might travelers anticipate for their journey experiences in the coming years?

As there is a growing enthusiasm for sleeper trains throughout Europe, railway businesses are exploring new 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 sleeping berths. Thus, anything that could go wrong did go wrong.

sleeper car

Entering into 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 aboard double-decker trains. These compartments would be placed along either side of a central aisle. Meanwhile, Alstom from the United Kingdom displayed their DreamSuite proposals featuring seating areas that convert into fully flat berths, 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.

From our observations, we discovered that European trains require a more structured system incorporating enhanced safety features. For instance, Japanese bullet trains offer secure compartments where passengers can lock their belongings.

stow their bags

It’s quite different from the days when train travel was at its peak, and passengers could simply ship their suitcases and packages ahead to be waiting for them upon arrival at their destination.

For enthusiasts of leisurely and eco-friendly journeys, improving the traveler’s comfort aboard is just as important as adopting greener fuel options such as hydrogen or boosting the punctuality and swiftness of service. While environmentally friendly trains are commendable, they must also be appealing to passengers for railways to truly compete as an attractive choice.

Sille Svenkerud Førner, who serves as the project manager for Norske Tog, encapsulated it perfectly when Norway declared its commitment to purchasing 17 new long-distance FLIRT NEX trains. These trains boast features such as reclining seats, adaptable sleep accommodations, a café area, family-friendly configurations, and generous storage spaces for belongings.

As she put it, “The train shouldn’t just serve as a mode of transportation; it should also offer an experience and become somewhere you enjoy being.”