Train Travel in Europe and Japan: Enjoy the Journey
Can we talk about land trips for a second? Specifically, the way people plan a beautiful vacation and then spend a concerning amount of it trying to get to the next part of the beautiful vacation? Like as a long-time yoga teacher, I have thoughts on this philosophically but also as a travel advisor…no. Just no.
I see it with Europe and Japan all the time. Someone has ten days and wants several far-apart destinations, and somebody inevitably says, “Well, it’s just a short flight.” I recently saw this suggested, and I could not stop the eye roll. Harsh, I know but… Because unless that airplane is picking you up from your hotel breakfast table, we are leaving quite a few steps out of the conversation and a “short” flight is not a short flight and I stand by this.
When the route makes sense, I would rather see you consider train travel as part of your vacation. You can read your book, watch the country go by, have a snack, and enjoy getting somewhere instead of treating the journey as time you have to survive or just blearily go, go, go.
A Short Flight Is Only One Part of Your Travel Day
That flight time does not include packing, checking out, getting to the airport, going through departure procedures, waiting around, collecting any checked bags (bc sometimes you are voluntold to check bags BTW), and reaching your next hotel. You might have a short flight and still spend a substantial chunk of your day relocating yourself and your shit.
That does not make flying the wrong choice necessarily but it does mean we need to compare the complete hotel-to-hotel journey before deciding that flying automatically saves time and creates a better experience. I also want to know what that travel day feels like, because arriving technically faster is not always the same as arriving ready to enjoy your evening and continue the vacation.
Train Travel in Europe and Japan Can Be Something You Look Forward To
What I like about the idea of a well-chosen train journey is that you do not have to wait until you arrive to start enjoying yourself. On a suitable service, you can settle into your seat with a book, talk to your partner, or watch the scenery without being responsible for driving. And look, maybe I am a little biased since I find train/rail travel so novel having grown up in the Deep South with no train service.
For my romance readers, train travel in Europe and Japan: Enjoy the Journey is an excellent opportunity to stare out the window like you are on your way to inherit an estate with suspicious conditions-don’t judge me but I wrote it because I thought it. For everyone else, you are allowed to enjoy sitting down without pretending you’re in a book or an actor doing a character-development exercise 😉
Japan even has scenic and themed trains designed specifically around enjoying the journey, alongside its high-speed intercity services. On long-distance trains such as the Shinkansen, an ekiben, or boxed station meal, can be part of the experience. Like, how freaking cool is that???
How I Would Choose Between a Train and a Flight
I am not going to recommend a complicated rail journey simply because it sounds romantic or because of my own aforementioned bias. A departure before sunrise, several tight connections, and luggage you cannot comfortably manage may not be the vacation experience you had in mind. And I do respect that!
When comparing train travel versus flying, these are the questions I would work through:
- How long is the entire journey between hotels?
- Is the train direct, or does it require changes?
- What luggage will you need to handle?
- Do the departure and arrival times work with your plans?
- What seating, accessibility arrangements, and onboard facilities does that particular service offer?
- Is the journey itself something you would enjoy?
A lovely train ride earns its place in the itinerary so it does not need to win on speed alone, but it should make sense for your budget, comfort, and priorities.
A Train Ticket Is Not Permission to Add Four More Cities
This is where my fewer-bases opinion comes back into the conversation. AGAIN. Replacing flights with trains does not fix an itinerary that has you checking into a different hotel every other day.
For seven to ten nights in Scotland, I generally recommend two bases, with thoughtful day trips where they make sense. That is also the approach I explain in my Scotland itinerary for couples: give yourself time for the castles, coffee stops, pub stops, scenery, and actual rest.
I would rather help you choose a few places you have always wanted to experience than squeeze in another destination because a connection exists or you have major FOMO. You should have time to unpack, find a café you like, and occasionally leave the hotel without your entire wardrobe, hard-roller suitcase, and everything else.
Plan a Vacation You Can Enjoy Between Destinations, Too
When I design a Europe or Japan itinerary, the connections deserve attention alongside the hotels and activities. A well-chosen train journey can give you time to read, rest, talk, and see something along the way, rather than becoming another logistical obligation. I also have met some really cool people on these journeys.
If you want help choosing destinations, sensible connections, and a pace that allows you to enjoy yourself, book a complimentary travel-planning call with me.
