Train travel

Good evening everyone. I’m so glad VoyageForum is back up and running. This forum has helped me plan so many trips thanks to all your contributions. So, I’m turning to you for advice on a trip I’m planning for March 2025, from the 7th to the 21st. I was thinking of a classic itinerary: Arrival in Delhi at 12:05 AM on Saturday, then taking a train in the afternoon to Agra. 2 nights in Agra 2 nights in Jaipur 2 nights in Pushkar 2 nights in Jodhpur 3 nights in Udaipur Then flying back to Delhi. The trip would mostly be by train (which we love) and bus. However, after reading various travelers’ comments, some cities seem less interesting, while others I hadn’t included—like Bundi and Jaisalmer—are catching my eye. But traveling by train and bus, I’m worried it might get really complicated. I’m not sure how to organize my stay anymore, especially since we love nature and peace and quiet… and I’m afraid of too much hassle if everything isn’t planned. Also, how can I book trains and buses in advance from France? Thanks in advance for your help. Magali

Hi there, I’m heading to Sri Lanka for a month on January 6th. I’d love to know whether it’s more interesting to start in the north or the south of the country, especially for the beauty of the landscapes—by train in particular. Thanks for your help!

Hi there, I’m heading to Laos at the end of the year. We’ll be landing in Bangkok, and from there, we’d like to hop straight on a train to Vientiane. I think the line exists now. I’m guessing it’s from the new station, which I don’t know yet. Can anyone tell me about it, as well as the visa for Laos if I take this mode of transport? Thanks

Hi! I’m looking for tips on how to travel by train from Copenhagen to Florence. The route from Copenhagen to Switzerland is pretty clear to me, but the part between Switzerland and my final destination in Italy is much less so... Thanks in advance if you’ve got any great tips to share! Nicolas

Good evening, New to this forum, I’d love to explore these two routes mentioned in the title—train travel is a real pleasure for me. 🙂

Has anyone taken the EuroCity Zurich–Munich or the Railjet Express Zurich–Vienna? How are they in terms of crowding, delays, onboard services, and scenery along the way?

Thanks in advance!

Puglia, with its charming white villages, Bari—still relatively undiscovered—and Lecce, an architectural gem, has become very popular with tourists. After discovering it in 2018, I wanted to go back.

Instead of taking a low-cost flight, I chose to travel by train. It was 26 hours of pure pleasure in every way, which I share in an article on my blog.

https://travels-of-a-life.com/les-pouilles-en-train-depuis-paris/

Important: my blog isn’t sponsored. It’s strictly personal and aims to help fellow travelers.

Hi,

I’m supposed to be going on a university exchange in Shanghai from February to June 2025, and I’d love to return to Europe afterward via the Trans-Mongolian Railway. My plan was to fly from China to Mongolia’s capital and maybe spend 3-4 days exploring the country. Then, I could take the train, with a stop in Irkutsk before heading to Moscow for a two-day visit, followed by two days in Saint Petersburg. After that, I’d take a bus to Tallinn and possibly fly home from there due to time constraints. I was thinking this whole trip would take about two weeks. This site: Russian Train Tickets - Online Booking for Russian Train Tickets seems useful for buying tickets (though the ones that go through Mongolia need to be booked via a form or on tutu.travel), and this one for the bus from Russia to Estonia: St. Petersburg - Tallinn buses and tickets.

From what I’ve gathered, Russia now offers an e-visa, and Mongolia has suspended visas for Europeans until the end of next year.

Would anyone have any info or advice? Given the current situation in Russia, everything is pretty complicated to research, and most of the information is outdated.

Thanks in advance, Alicia

Hi there,

I’m thinking of (re)visiting Thailand in a few months, and my planned itinerary includes an overnight train ride.

My goal is to book a first-class compartment, so I should reserve it as soon as possible...

Which website (reliable, please!) can I use to make this reservation, and are e-tickets available?

Thanks!😊

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to spend about ten days in Sicily (in September if possible), and instead of renting a car, I’d like to get around by train and bus. Is this a practical option or not? Thanks for your tips and advice! 😉

I'd like to go to Montserrat on my own from Barcelona. Share your suggestions with me. Which train should I take, where to get off, what to see once I arrive, etc.

Hi there,

If you had to book a hotel (arriving in the evening, leaving early the next morning) near a train station, would you choose Lyon Part-Dieu or Marseille Saint-Charles?

Catherine

Hi,

I’ve read that trains in India are packed and it’s pretty tough to find seats 2-3 days in advance... Apparently, there’s still a small tourist quota for available seats, but they’re limited. Would anyone have more specific info on this?

Hi, I’m planning an 11-day trip in Castile, visiting Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Ávila, and Salamanca, with train travel. But for Toledo-Segovia and then Segovia-Salamanca (or Ávila), there’s no direct train—the shortest route means going back through Madrid. So, I was wondering if the Toledo-Madrid train arrives at the same station as the Madrid-Segovia train, and the same question for Segovia-Madrid and then Madrid-Salamanca (or Ávila). Thanks in advance for any info—I haven’t been able to find this anywhere.

hi everyone 🙂

I’d love to know if anyone’s ever done the Paris-Bangkok or Bangkok-Paris trip by train.

If so, how long does it take? Visas? Difficulty level? Possible without too much hassle, or just way too much hassle?

I’m not looking to save a few bucks—my reason is totally different.

Huge thanks to anyone who might have some answers!

max24😎

I wanted to know if it’s possible to go from Tashkent to Almaty by train without passing through Kyrgyzstan. I’ve heard the border is often closed 😕 between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Thanks in advance! Olivier