Rail Tripping Europe, Part I

Sunha Kim
Acacia

There is a famous Hemingway short that is set in Spain where an American man and a young Spanish woman are waiting for a train to Madrid, talking about love, and indulging in local liqueurs on a warm summer afternoon. Europe, being home to such amorous destinations like Madrid, Venice, and Paris, has been a romantic escape for many—both young and old. As train travel has been romanticized by writers and in film, train travel in Europe has established itself as the ideal way to see this wonderful continent.

To put romantics aside, train travel in Europe is unbelievably efficient. These days, several European nations such as France, Spain, and Germany boast bullet trains that travel at over 350 miles per hour. Trains consistently run on time to the second, and their safety record is impeccable. Travel between different countries is as easy as driving between states (in America), and at speeds rivaling that of airplanes, one could easily traverse across half of Europe in a matter of hours. Of course, train travel in Europe varies as you travel from country to country. However, for the most part, the rail system in Europe is incomparable to any transportation system that we have in the United States.

If you are planning a Eurotrip by rail, consider setting up an axis point from where you can base your travels around Europe. Cologne, Germany would be a smart place to set up your axis. First, Cologne is less than an hour by train from Frankfurt am Main airport—the third busiest airport in Europe. Furthermore, Cologne's convenient proximity to other countries also allows you to easily access Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and of course Germany. Also, by basing your trip out of Cologne, you will be taking advantage of the great German train system Deutsche Bahn. Maybe I am biased, but I have never had a bad trip on a German train. To top things off, the iconic station in Cologne, with its unique glass tiled structure and neon advertisement for the original 4711 Cologne, has been serendipitously showing up in my dreams for the past several years. Simply put, Cologne is a memorable city that is worth your time and it is also a convenient place base your rail trip around Europe. 

After perhaps visiting Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris, I would suggest that you take a train from Cologne and head south towards Italy. Although Italy is a bit of a travel from Cologne, you will inevitably have to take a detour through Switzerland (which is never a bad thing). The moment you see Switzerland with your own eyes, I guarantee that you will fall in love. Switzerland is a country that is built on rolling green hills that one could only imagine in a dream. Virtually every train stop is at a delightful little town that really could only exist in a fairy tale. As your train twists and turns through the Swiss Alps you will see snow capped mountains, rolling green meadows, and smoke rising out of the opaque rivers, streams and lakes as you pass by. A train ride through Switzerland will surely refresh your body, mind, and soul. Every time I go it is as if I have a new epiphany about life. As I leave the beautiful countryside, I yearn to return one day soon.

Though not as naturally pretty as Switzerland, there is no disputing that Italy is beautiful in its own right. After all, how could you honestly look at Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson and call one hotter? The food is luscious, as the people of Italy have adopted a life philosophy of living to eat rather than eating to live. In Italy, it is not uncommon for people to laugh, talk, eat, and drink at the dinner table for several hours. Not too far south of the border from Switzerland lies Lake Como. Como itself is a small town with a handful of lakeside inns and fine eateries with the best wines in the world. The lake is tranquil and provides the best setting for lazy summer nights where one may wine and dine for hours upon end. To this day, Como is a bit of a secret to the common tourist, but it is perhaps Italy's best kept secret. It is only one hour by train from Milan, half an hour by train from the Swiss border, and it will never disappoint you.

Unfortunately, there is a catch-22 within the relaxed and graceful Italian lifestyle. Along with the “living to eat” philosophy, it seems as if Italians have taken up the mantra of “working, but not too hard”. Do not be surprised if the Italian train system Trenitalia decides to go on strike. Time and time again, trains in Italy have been the source of many of my travel frustrations. Compared to the rest of Europe, the trains in Italy are inefficient, old, and slow. To be nice, I like to think of Italy as “vintage”, and perhaps Italy's seemingly obsolete trains are merely a part of the country's charm. After all, is there anything better to do when your train gets canceled besides finding a table at the nearest sidewalk cafe and enjoying a cigarette with a glass of aged Barolo wine?

Sunha is a senior studying comparative studies. You may contact him at kim.2803@osu.edu.