Useful Train Travel Resources
These train travel resources – from rail maps, guidebooks and timetables to cards with no foreign currency transaction or withdrawal fees – are things I always use when planning or taking a trip.
Having the right resources and tools at your disposal can make travelling much easier, whether you are planning a journey, navigating somewhere unfamiliar or dealing with the unexpected along the way. They can save you time and money, broaden your knowledge, and help you make better-informed decisions.
These are the train travel resources I can highly recommend using:
resources for planning your rail journey
For planning a rail journey, I find it useful to combine practical online tools with physical travel resources – such as guidebooks – that help you discover routes and destinations in the first place. These are three resources I regularly use and recommend to other rail travellers:
Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide is one of my favourite sources of inspiration for travelling around Europe by train, with dozens of suggested itineraries covering routes across the continent. What I particularly like is that it combines ideas for destinations and journeys with practical information about the trains and connections needed to make each itinerary work. You can buy this excellent train travel book on Amazon.
The European Rail Timetable is another resource I consider invaluable, both for planning journeys and for having with me while travelling by train. Unlike an online journey planner, browsing a printed timetable allows me to discover routes and trains I might otherwise never have considered, while it can also be extremely useful when disruptions or last-minute changes require me to rethink my journey. I find that the timetable works best alongside online journey planners, combining the convenience of digital tools with a much broader overview of Europe’s railway network.
The Rail Map of Europe is another excellent resource for anyone who enjoys exploring Europe by train. I use it to get a better overview of the railway network, plan possible routes and discover new journeys, while the map is also useful as a reference during a trip. I particularly like that you can mark the railway lines you have travelled, turning it into both a practical planning tool and a record of your rail adventures.
You can order both the European Rail Timetable and Rail Map of Europe from the official European Rail Timetable website – use the discount code DBR15 to get 15% off.
resources for booking hotels
Booking.com is my go-to website for booking hotels when I travel by train, largely because of its huge choice of accommodation and easy-to-use search tools. The website features not just hotels, but also a vast selection of apartments, hostels and other types of accommodation. I particularly like being able to search for hotels near railway stations, which is useful when I arrive late or have an early train to catch. The map function comes in handy for this.
Compared to other hotel booking websites, I also find Booking.com the easiest to use, thanks to its clear website interface and well-functioning app. The many properties on Booking.com offering free cancellation also give me valuable flexibility when I’m hit by train delays or cancellations, or spontaneously decide to change my travel plans en route.
Read more about why I prefer using Booking.com – and how to get the most out of the website.
Resources to use on your train travels
When travelling abroad by train, I always like to have a few practical resources with me to make my journeys easier and even save some money. These are two that I use on my rail travels and can highly recommend:
A Curve travel card is one of my favourite travel resources when travelling abroad by train, primarily because it can save me money on foreign currency payments and cash withdrawals. Curve uses real market exchange rates, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. You can choose between a virtual or physical Curve card, with several plans available, including a free option and paid plans offering additional benefits such as cashback.
An Airalo eSIM is another useful resource when travelling internationally by train, particularly when crossing several countries during the same trip. It allows me to get mobile data without having to buy a physical SIM card or rely on potentially expensive roaming from my home provider. Airalo offers country-specific and regional eSIMs covering more than 200 countries and regions, with a range of data packages and straightforward installation instructions. This means I can arrange my mobile connectivity before leaving home and stay connected throughout my entire train journey.