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 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 everyone,

I’m planning our very first trip to mainland France in January 2027. There’ll be 2 adults and 2 kids, and we’ll mostly be traveling by train.

Here’s our itinerary:

Paris Rouen (Normandy) Lyon Aix-les-Bains (with day trips to Annecy and Geneva) Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (with Chamonix and a day in Aosta) Back to Paris

Do you think this itinerary is well-balanced? Any tips, must-see spots, or mistakes to avoid for a first-time visit?

Thanks in advance for your advice! !

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

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,

I’m planning a family trip in a year. Our goal: traveling to China (and maybe Hong Kong) by train. I’m all set with the route up to eastern Turkey. However, I’m just starting my research for the rest of the journey—namely the Caucasus (no trains as far as I know, so buses and/or ferries), then Central Asia and China. So, I’d love to hear any info or tips (general and forward-looking at this stage) about the train route through Central Asia and China to reach the east coast. I’m particularly interested in details on: - How far in advance to book / any potential difficulties with reservations - Whether there are PASS systems (or equivalent) between countries and/or if some tickets allow stopovers, meaning you can hop on and off as you please - Day trains vs. night trains (the latter option lets you explore cities between two legs of the journey) - A rough idea of ticket costs ...

A huge thank you to anyone who can share some info or experiences. It’s also a great opportunity to chat about adventure after (way too) many years away from this forum.

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!

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 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!😊

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 there,

We’re planning a 15-day trip to Uzbekistan in March—classic independent itinerary: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva. We’d like to take the train between each city, but I don’t want to lock down the whole trip before we leave.

So, my question is: is it absolutely necessary to book train tickets before departure, whether for the high-speed trains or the regional ones? Is booking really essential for the regional trains?

Thanks a bunch!

Philippe

Does anyone know if there are left-luggage lockers in the new Bangkok station? Thanks.

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

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, First of all, thank you for all the valuable information you share—it’s really helpful. My husband and I are heading to South Korea from September 19 to October 6. We know the timing might not be ideal because of Chuseok, but for various reasons, we didn’t have other date options. Plus, this period coincides with some festivals we’ve been eager to check out: the Andong Mask Dance Festival, the Jinju Lantern Festival, and the Hwaseong Festival in Suwon. Here’s our tentative itinerary:

09/19: Arrival in Seoul 09/20: Bus to Sokcho – explore the city or short hike 09/21: Seoraksan Park 09/22: Return to Seoul 09/23–09/26: Seoul 09/27: Bus or train to Andong – explore the city 09/28: Hahoe 09/29–10/01: Gyeongju 10/01–10/03: Busan 10/03–10/04: Jinju 10/05: Bus/train to Suwon 10/06: Suwon

So here’s my question: Given that several of our trips fall during or around festivals, will it be possible to book bus/train tickets once we’re there, or is there a risk they’ll already be sold out? Specifically for Seoul-Andong, Busan-Jinju, and Jinju-Suwon. I was thinking of booking everything on our first day in Seoul. And if it’s better to plan ahead, how should we go about it? I can’t seem to access the Korail (letskorail) or Kobus websites. Thanks in advance for your answers and help—and sorry for the long post! :)

Have a great day!

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

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 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

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 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 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, We're taking the train between Brussels - Rotterdam - Amsterdam, likely an Eurocity. I'm wondering if there's a limit on luggage (number of suitcases and size). Another question: on the Rotterdam -> Brussels route, it seems there aren't any trains on Saturday afternoons. Do trains run frequently on Saturdays and maybe Sundays in the Netherlands? Thanks in advance for your replies! :)

Hi there, We’ll be traveling as a family with our two teens (16 and 14) in Tanzania in August 2025 for three weeks. We’d like to use public transport to get around, especially the train between Arusha and Dar Es Salaam, as well as the Dar Es Salaam–Morogoro route. We’re looking for: - firsthand experiences - fares - journey durations - how to book (in advance? or on the day?) - a website to check train schedules?

Thanks for your tips!

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

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, I’d like to travel from Rabat to Tétouan. Besides the CTM option, which takes 4 hours from the CTM station, there’s the Supratours option that combines a train from Rabat to Tangier and then a bus from Tangier to Tétouan. From what I understand, Supratours is the bus company affiliated with Morocco’s national railway. My question is: where do we catch the bus after arriving at Tangier Ville train station? Is it right at the train station in Tangier Ville, or do we need to go to the bus station, which is pretty far from the train station? Thanks! Daniel

Hi everyone, I’m planning to travel from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk by train this summer but I’m a bit worried about crossing the borders. How does it work? Could anyone share their experience? (I’ve found quite a few accounts of people going *from* Russia *to* Mongolia, but entering a country is never the same as leaving it—especially in this context!)

Thanks in advance! 😊

Hi everyone, I can't seem to book a first-class sleeper from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on February 2nd using the train company's official website. At first, I thought it was because I was searching too early. But now (December 3rd), it should be working. No trains show up for that date.



Is there another way to book this train ticket? Thanks so much.

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