Lonely Planet's Guide to Train Travel in Europe
Looking for a sustainable and stress-free way to explore Europe? Hop on board the continent's railway network with this ultimate guide to train travel. Whether you want to take it slow on the scenic route or make the most of the newest high-speed services to get straight to your destination, Lonely Planet's experts show you how to plan your journey.
Packed with detailed gatefold route maps and insider tips, we cover everything from how to piece together a long-distance trip to the must-see stops and best ways to book value-for-money tickets. As airlines cut back flights and airfares rise, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the increasing overnight services and flexible fares being offered. We also reveal the quirks of different operators and countries, such as luggage allowances, rules and regulations, and what facilities are on board.
If you're looking for a more eco-friendly, convenient - and sometimes quicker - way to get from A to B as you travel throughout the continent, Lonely Planet's Guide to Train Travel in Europe will equip you to make the most of your time and budget.
- high-speed services in France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Spain
- scenic local routes in key countries including the UK and Scandinavia
- sleeper and long-distance services across the continent
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by The Raven Brothers
Ever had the desire to jump in your car and keep driving?
Well, that is precisely what The Raven Brothers decided to do whilst stacking boxes of frozen oven chips in a -30 degrees freezer. With a squeaky foot pump and an SAS survival guide, the travel writing duo fired up their rusty Ford Sierra and headed east. After clocking up over 12,000 kilometres, quite literally living in the car, they miraculously arrived in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok on the Sea of Japan.
What the brothers had in fact done was to drive Russia’s new Trans-Siberian Highway, a staggering eight years before the road was completed. With only very limited skills of wilderness survival and, virtually zero knowledge of the internal combustion engine, Simon and Chris skip over ten time zones in the beat up petrol engine saloon they used for work. Driving through endless rivers and canyons in a bid to cross the notorious Zilov Gap in darkest Siberia, the trusty heroes capture the true spirit of overland travel during a life-altering journey into one of the world’s last frontiers. Along the way they rub shoulders with Chechen criminals, escape highway robbery, trade banana flavoured condoms with Russian cops, meet an eccentric cast of characters at truck stops in darkest Siberia, endure torturous road conditions and enter into a race to the finish with the Germans.
Surviving the journey by the skin of their teeth, the brothers are forced to confront their worst fears in a toe-curling comedy of extreme road trip adventure. Priding themselves on going it alone, The Raven Brothers have been noted by Lonely Planet for their talent to portray an “accurate view of what to expect”.