Trains still most interesting way to see Europe
, Last Updated: 3:28 PM ET
RIMBURG, The Netherlands -- I just discovered Eurail's handy new Rail Planner app on my recent train adventures through Paris, Venice, Rome and Barcelona. The free app works even if you don't have WiFi, and is awesome when it comes to charting train travels across Europe.
I'm still going to miss the old days though, travelling with thick, red, dog-eared Thomas Cook European Timetable tomes tucked in backpacks. Long before WiFi was even a word, some of my most memorable Eurail moments were unplanned app-less adventures -- or misadventures.
SLIDING HOME
Take the day in Dublin, when according to the red timetable "bible," my husband Brian and I were getting on a train heading for Shannon. However, the conductor checking our tickets noticed the train we wanted was actually two tracks over and whistling its departure.
Pulling out his walkie-talkie, the conductor called across to have the train held for us, while taking off at a run and telling us to follow. We raced along the crowded platform, my husband on the heels of the conductor and me close behind.
Suddenly, Brian's feet flew out from under him, sending him skidding across the platform on his slippery front-pack like a Toronto Blue Jay sliding head first into home plate. Fascinated onlookers "oohed" and "awwhed" at the spectacle.
Turns out, Brian had been hobbled by a plastic tie-wrap used to bundle newspapers and was thankfully uninjured. But we'd fallen far behind the speedy conductor, who was unaware of the slapstick comedy routine going on behind him.
Quickly I picked Brian up, brushed him off, waved to the crowd and ran as fast as we could to catch up to the accommodating conductor and our waiting train.
Hearts pounding, breathless, and drenched in sweat, we collapsed into our seats, laughing like school kids, with tears running down our faces.
I didn't blame the lovely Irish woman sitting across from the hysterical Canadian couple for picking up and moving to a different seat.
ANOTHER TRACKSIDE MIX UP
Our next memorable Eurail moment was crossing from Denmark to Germany on the train ferry. When you travel by rail from Rodby, Denmark, trains are loaded onto ferries for a 19-km boat ride across the water to Puttgarden, Germany. From there, each train continues its journey to various destinations.
Brian had decided to stay on the train and do some reading. I grabbed the camera and headed up on deck to enjoy the scenery. Nearing the German shore, I headed back down the stairs to reboard our train.
To my surprise our seats were empty ... no Brian. Glancing to my left through the window into the next train, I was even more surprised to find him sitting there happily reading his newspaper.
Trains were now beginning to unload and I was on the wrong one -- going who knows where! No identification, no money, no husband and no time to run back up and down the stairs to get over to my own train.
Once again, conductors with their walkie-talkies saved the day, opening facing doors on both trains and encouraging me to take a running leap from one train to the other. One conductor gave me a shove from behind, the other grabbed me as I hurtled across the gaping space between train tracks.
Slamming the doors behind me, the two trains rolled off the ferry and I staggered to my seat. Brian, oblivious to my unplanned adventure, looked up from his paper with a smile and said, "So how was it up there?"
I didn't blame the lovely German woman sitting across from the hysterical Canadian couple for picking up and moving to a different seat.
NEED TO KNOW
Riding the rails has always been my favourite way to explore Europe. Eurail pass in hand, you can travel from the top of Sweden to the tip of Turkey, covering some 250,000 km across 28 countries, with great discounts on European ferry crossings too. Canadian travelers must purchase their Eurail passes before arriving in Europe. There are four types of passes to choose from: One Country, Select, Regional, Global. See eurailgroup.org, where you can also download the free Rail Planner app for offline access to the European train timetables.
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