Train travel across Europe has a romance to it that no budget airline can replicate, and this guide breaks down exactly how to do it without draining your savings. I walk through the pass options worth considering versus the point-to-point tickets that often work out cheaper, the booking windows that unlock the best fares, and the overnight trains that double as both transport and accommodation — a trick that\’s saved me hundreds of pounds over the years. I share my actual route through six countries in three weeks, the mistakes that cost me money early on, and the apps and websites I now rely on to track down last-minute deals. There\’s advice on which train companies to trust, how to navigate booking in countries where the ticketing website isn\’t in English, and the small comforts worth packing for long journeys — a good book, a neck pillow, snacks bought from a local market rather than the overpriced station kiosks. I also cover the unexpected joys of train travel: the conversations with strangers in shared compartments, the ever-changing scenery outside the window, the sense of actually experiencing the distance between places rather than skipping over it entirely. This guide is proof that budget travel and beautiful travel aren\’t mutually exclusive — sometimes the cheapest option is also the most memorable one.
