Hi everyone,

I’m planning a trip around Italy using only trains or public transport in October (hoping the weather stays nice!).

I’d obviously like to see some tourist destinations, but I also want to get off the beaten path a bit, and I’m hoping to find some help here? I don’t plan to linger too long in the cities.

Starting in the north, I’d like to visit Lake Como or Lake Orta, pass through the Cinque Terre for some hiking, spend a few days in Naples and Rome, then head down to Sicily.

What do you think?

Thanks for your help! 🙂

Hi there, We’d like to visit Montenegro without a car and are looking for routes by either bus or train. We’ll be traveling for 12 days. Thanks!

Hi there,

I need to take a sleeper train from Bangkok to Vientiane in January. I found some ticket options on 12Go Asia, but booking doesn’t seem possible at the moment. I’ve tried simulations for several dates, but no luck. I’m wondering if it’s already fully booked, if they’ve stopped selling tickets… yet 12Go still features it every day 😕

Has anyone else run into this issue? Can I find tickets on another site? (I tried Baolau, but no sleepers left for January 8th.)

Thanks!

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 everyone, For traveling in Rajasthan by train and bus, could you give me some info: where to buy tickets, cost, purchase locations, websites, etc.? Any tips you have would be super helpful. Thanks

Hi there,

We’re heading to Thailand in February 2026 and we’d like to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Can we book two first-class tickets? I’m only seeing second-class options.

Thanks

Hi there,

Do you know if it’s possible to book train tickets from France on the IRCTC website with a non-Indian phone number? https://www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search

12GoAsia lets you do it but adds extra fees we’d rather avoid—like an extra 9 € in taxes for two Ahmedabad–Mumbai tickets that cost 38 €. https://12go.asia/fr The same tickets are 3360 rupees on IRCTC.

Thanks in advance for your tips! Alod

Hi there, I’ll be traveling to Japan this coming August. We’ve finalized our itinerary and booked our flight tickets. Now I’m at the stage of buying train tickets for the few segments we’ll need to cover: Tokyo - Hakone Hakone - Kyoto Kyoto - Osaka Osaka - Tokyo Here are my questions: a) Is it possible to buy train tickets for these segments from Canada? b) If so, which website should I use to do this? c) And if it is possible, will we be able to print our tickets from Canada? d) If it’s not possible, where in Tokyo should I go to buy these tickets when I arrive?

Thanks a bunch,

Mario Séguin Québec, Canada

Hello, We’re traveling as a family with two boys aged 10 and 12 to Cairo in February. During our trip, we’re planning to take an overnight train (with or without a sleeper) for the Cairo-Aswan route. Do you know how I can book this remotely?

Also, I’m looking for: - A local contact to sail the Nile by felucca for 3 days from Aswan - A contact to guide us in Cairo

Looking forward to your tips, and thanks in advance! Marie

Hi there,

I can’t seem to complete the payment for my trip on the IRCTC (Indian Railways) site. No matter which payment method I choose, my Visa card isn’t accepted. Has anyone here managed to do it, and if so, could you share the method you used? Thanks in advance! Charlie

Hi there, We’re two young engaged folks trying to plan a trip to Romania by train since we can’t drive. We’d love to visit Viscri and Biertan, but we’re not sure how to get there... Any ideas? Same question for the painted monasteries of Bucovina. We might also take a taxi from Rupea, but we’re not sure how to arrange a ride back... Thanks so much for your help

Hi everyone,

We’re planning this *very* last-minute—I know! But we’d love to spend 4 days soon (within the next 10–12 days) on a city getaway with our young adult kids. Ideally by train, and for this short trip, we’d prefer not to spend more than 4–6 hours in transit, leaving from Lausanne (Switzerland). We’ve been considering Milan, Strasbourg, or Freiburg im Breisgau, but I’ll admit I’m feeling a bit lost...

Venice was our original plan, but the connection changes in Domodossola or Milan are making the travel time longer this year.

It’s peak summer, so there’ll be tourists and it’ll likely be hot, but oh well...

Any suggestions? We love wandering around, taking photos, exploring cities on foot, trying out restaurants, and keeping things low-key.

Thanks to anyone who wants to chime in! :o)

Hi everyone,

I’m heading to Japan for the second time with my 20-year-old son. During our first trip, we spent two weeks in Tokyo and Kyoto (plus the surrounding areas). This time, we’re planning to stay in Tokyo for at least 4-5 days and then head to the island of Naoshima. I’m looking for suggestions and advice: Is getting to Naoshima from Tokyo complicated? If so, do you have any recommendations for a stopover somewhere? Given that we’d prefer not to move every day, we’d rather settle in one place and then explore on day trips... Do you think it’s possible to do something like this: 5 nights in Tokyo (Shinjuku) 3 nights in Kyoto 2 nights in Naoshima (or is one night enough??) and if one night is enough, where could I spend a second night on the way back to Tokyo? 2 nights in Tokyo (I’d love your advice on staying in a different neighborhood—last time we stayed near Ueno Park)—keeping in mind we’re flying out of Narita.

I’m considering maybe skipping Kyoto, which I love but has apparently become *very* touristy... Not really keen on Osaka... since we’ll already have done Tokyo as our "big city." I’d prefer towns where nature is present... (a bit like Kyoto, which offers all that...)

For info, we’ll be traveling by train. Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and help!

I have one last little question: Is cash still widely used in Japan, or not at all anymore?

Thanks so much,

Karine

Hi there

I’m traveling from Geneva to Marseille in May and only have 18 minutes to change trains in Lyon. Do you think that’s doable?

Thanks and have a great day

The enr.gov.eg site says train reservations are only for Egyptians. What should I do if I want to book a first-class air-conditioned ticket (not a sleeper berth)? Thanks!

Hi there, Does anyone know more about the train from Vientiane to Bangkok? Are there any night trains, and can you leave from Luang Prabang? Do you know the schedules? Thanks

Hi there,

I’d love to know if any of you have recently eaten on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

We’ve always ordered food on the train, and it was really good (and super convenient). But in 2022, we ended up feeling like total idiots (with our 4-year-old daughter...) when we boarded the train only to find out that this service was no longer available... (It was the first time we’d traveled right after COVID.)

That’s also when we saw once again how kind Thai people are—they all offered to share their food with us, even though we were mortified. In the end, we managed to buy some instant noodles, which was better than nothing. Anyway, that’s the little story behind it.

In the following years, we’ve always brought our own meals.

I’ve read online that meal trays are back in service (could you confirm this, please?), but that the quality is really poor. I’ve also seen multiple reports that, even though you can eat well everywhere in Thailand, the train meal was the worst food travelers had during their trip...

Could you give me a recent opinion on this? We’ll be departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station—do you know if there’s anywhere to buy a meal there before boarding the train?

Thanks so much for your help, and have a great Sunday!

hi, we’re planning to take the fast train from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Is it true that aerosol sprays like Insect-Ecran are confiscated before boarding the train? Do we need Malarone for the area around Luang Prabang? We’re really looking forward to discovering this beautiful country. We’ll also take the chance to visit an elephant protection center. Thanks for any tips! Best, Monique

we’ve got a 1.5-hour layover in Paris—we’re arriving by TGV and then catching an Air France flight to MONTREAL

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!

Hi there, I’d like to take the Train of the Clouds from Lima to Huancayo. I’ve heard it only runs during certain periods. Does anyone have info on this? Thanks! HuancayoHuancayo

Hi everyone, I first traveled solo to Japan in 2019, exploring the Kyushu region (28 days), and I’m planning to return with my daughter (she’s an adult and it’ll be her first time in Asia) from April 25 to May 9. I’m reaching out on this forum to ask for route ideas—this time north of Tokyo, but without heading to the Sapporo island (I’m saving that for a future trip). I’d love to take advantage of the cherry blossom season and its festivities. I’m looking to create a route that’s a little off the beaten path while staying within 5-6 hours by train from Tokyo to avoid spending too much time on transfers. Thanks in advance for sharing your suggestions and experiences! Michael

Hi there! We’re planning to head back to Istanbul next year—obviously by plane—and then take the train from Istanbul to Antalya. Has anyone here already made this trip by train with TCDD? I’d love any tips or info that could be useful for us!

Hi there, I’m a bit late to be worrying about this, but hopefully someone can help me before I leave. Tomorrow afternoon, I arrive at Lyon Part-Dieu on the TGV at 5:50 PM and take the TER to Mâcon at 6:16 PM. Is a 26-minute transfer doable? Are the TGV and TER on the same departure board? And are they on the same platforms too? I’ve been to Lyon before but never had to make a connection after arriving. Thanks

Hi! I arrive in Vancouver on August 24, 2025, and I’m staying until Friday, August 29, 2025—the day I take *The Canadian* train to Toronto.

I’m exploring several things in Vancouver, including whale watching—if you’ve got any great tips, don’t hesitate! Thanks!

I'm heading to MEXICO IN NOVEMBER 2025. Since private guides and drivers are really expensive—over 300 € per day—I'm thinking of exploring the Yucatán by train. CAN YOU SHARE ANY INFO ON THIS? Thanks

Hi everyone! 👋 So happy to be back in this lovely space for meeting and chatting 😊 I’m planning a 5-6 day trip to the Cinque Terre between September and October, focusing on using the train to get between the villages. I’m coming from Nice, so I could head to Genoa first… Has anyone done this route? I’d love to hear your feedback, tips, and—of course—any great deals you’ve found! Thanks so much in advance 😊 Since then, I’ve traveled all over the world and would be thrilled to help others with just as much JOY 🤗

Hi everyone,

I’m so happy to be posting on this forum again. I’m planning my trip and I’m trying to figure out the train route from Osaka to Odawara. I’ve found direct trains, but I can’t find a direct site for the specific train line (not sure if I’m making sense?!)

Because what I’ve found seems to be a “third-party” site. I can’t seem to find the official site for the specific line. If anyone can shed some light on this, I’d really appreciate it—thanks in advance!

Best,

Hi there, It's really tough to book seats for early February. After trying multiple times on the official online sites, everything seems to be fully booked already. Hiring a taxi is an option, but even then, there aren’t many choices—agencies prioritize tour packages. Do you have any tips for making the trip from Kandy to Ella? Thanks! Have a great day.

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