Catching your train shouldn’t be difficult or complicated, but you should know a few details ahead of time to make your trip more comfortable. Not only do you want to get a seat on the train - the right train - you want to ride safely and securely.
Jumping on board with railpass in hand doesn’t always guarantee you a seat. Some trains require seat reservations. Are you traveling during typical business commuting hours? Are you heading out overnight and want comfortable sleeping quarters? You may have to make a reservation at the station ticket office… and yes, it’s going to cost you extra.
Often times, the train timetables will have an “R” next to the listings which require a reservation. If you’re ever unsure, it never hurts to ask before your train pulls in. Reservations shouldn’t be a typical occurrence, unless you have really bad timing. During my three week trip through Europe, reservations were only required once, for an overnight train from Rome to Switzerland. When you get on a train, you’ll often notice slips of paper attached to seats that indicate which seats are reserved, and between which cities. You can get away with sitting in these seats before or after the traveler with the reservation uses the seat.
Looking to travel overnight? You have a few options available to you. It’s possible you’ll be stuck sitting in a crowded car on an uncomfortable bench the entire night. There are also some compartment seats that fold out into makeshift beds. If you’re lucky, you can get one of these compartments all to yourself and can get a good night’s sleep (except for the four times per night different conductors come barging in to check your tickets). If you prefer to sleep in style, you can reserve a couchet. Couchets come complete with real (albeit cramped) beds, and may run you $20-30 a night to reserve. These are often booked in advance, so go to the station and reserve one a few days in advance if you can.
“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Don’t fall for the ol’ switcheroo. All too often, trains drop their cars in the middle of nowhere. These abandoned cars are then picked up by another train heading to a different destination. Always make sure you’re getting on a car that is ultimately heading where you want to go! During the aforementioned trip from Rome to Switzerland, my car was dropped and picked up three or four different times during the night. We even went past our destination city of Bern, were dropped, picked up and brought back to Bern by 7am… it all worked out.
How do you know where cars are heading? They’ll have signs posted on the outside of the car, or the door leading to the cabin. Always look for potential “train splitting.” Even a small train heading into the Swiss Alps from the valley floor will split apart, and you’ll get booted if you end up heading in a direction for which you have no ticket. Take my word for it…
Finally, a word about safety and security. Always enter the date on your railpass when you are traveling. Conductors and ticket-takers are unforgiving, and you can face some severe fines and penalties if you try to get a free ride on a train. Also, pack a couple of locks for your bags. While I’ve never fallen victim to train robbers, there are plenty of horror stories. Keep the pockets on your bags locked, and if possible, lock your bags to your seat or the overhead compartment in which they are stored.
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