[Anonymous]

[Cedric_Statherby]

A request for advice. I am likely to be based partly in Brussels for a while while continuing to travel around the Continent regularly. Where is the natural boundary between air travel and rail travel for someone based in Brussels?

For example, would one travel to Frankfurt by train? To Munich? To Berlin? To Copenhagen?

Grateful for advice from any regular train travellers.

[BABenji]

Frankfurt would be a definite yes. Direct service and takes a little over 3 hours, city centre to city centre.

Berlin and Munich are around the 7 hour mark, and involve a change somewhere. Even with this in mind, given that time on the train is productive (wi-fi, phone communication), I would say it requires serious consideration.

Flying will probably save an hour or two over those distances, but the feeling of arriving at your destination like you’ve been in a fight, or the feeling of arriving at your destination like you’ve achieved something/cleared a back log of emails is more than worth it.

…not to mention that train travel is infinitely more comfortable than flying.

[watersz]

As a rule of thumb on the continent less than1000km go by train

[Cedric_Statherby]

Thanks to both and the 1,000 kms guide is a very useful rule of thumb. And I entirely agree with the pleasure of train versus the scrum and cattle-market that flying has become.

In fact I have founded a club among work colleagues called the Triple-A Club – AAA as in “Any Alternative to Aeroplanes”. You would be surprised how many people laugh until they try it, then are hooked!

[DNAdams]

Cedric_Statherby,

Check out http://www.seat61.com .

It has all you need to know about train travel in Europe and beyond.

[jpmarcel]

Brussels is the top place for travelling by train. You get to use the great german ICE, the not-so-great french TGV and the fantastic European Thalys.
While I was based in Brussels, I never ever visited the airport but always used the train. Plane just can’t beat the train departing that city, just check this out :
1h30 to Paris
1h30 to Amsterdam
2h30 to London
4h to Bordeaux
1h30 to Koln
Including comfort (you have to try Thalys 1st class, it beats any Regional air business/first class in the world), space, quietness, reasonable fares, arrival in the heart of cities and environmental respect. What do you expect more ?

[Author]

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