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This has to be the best and cheapest way to travel around Japan, providing you go everywhere. It has to be purchased outside of Japan and then the invoice is exchanged for a pass at one of the stations (maybe the airport I can't quite remember). You cannot buy it within Japan as it is only for tourists.
The pass works on all national and local trains using the JR lines.
Don't forget to flash the pass as you walk pass the station guards.
I recommend you download the timetables too.
With over 35 churches to choose from, Sao Joao del Rei is a great place to view impressive baroque churches. The town also offers a train ride to Tiradentes that takes you on a lovely journey through the different landscapes aboard an authentic 19th century steam locomotive.
Chamonix train station is the chocolate-box image of a country village station with flower boxes, a clock and wooden pavillons. Built in the eighteenth century, it's one of the finest stations in France and easily beats the modern ugly train stations in the beauty stakes.
It's cheap and covers some amazing scenery in a comfy environment, even the Amtrak food and drink is cheap. I accidentally booked a hotel in Canada, forgetting when I set it up to check which side of the falls I was on. Check it out at: writeronthestorm.wordpress.com
from Penn station to Niagara Falls
Just a tip about buying a ticket and recognising the train. This site is ace for planning times reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e.
Worth writing down the journey details and the Romanian for 'first-class ticket' and handing it over - no English spoken at the train station when I was there. But the Lonely Planet guide came to the rescue.
Once you have found the platform watch out. The noticeboard flagged two separate trains - one to Targa Mures and one to Bucharest. The Bucharest train stops at Sighisoara.
But the trains appear to arrive joined as one - late. So it can be confusing.
What seems to happen is that the first-class carriage is always carriage three.
If you are on the same train as me be prepared for 50 year-old rolling stock in first class.
The scenery is fantastic. Ranging from the awesome pollution of Copsa Mica to shepherds and their flocks.
Str. Garii 1-3
Coming from Prague, the fastest way to get to Liberec is by bus from Cerny Most (at the end of the yellow underground line).
Leave the station by the exit at the front of the train, go down the steps immediately to the right, and the Liberec buses leave from stand 6. The journey takes just over an hour; the bus station is a five minute walk from the town centre.
Stay almost anywhere in Cornwall, buy a group saver ticket to St Ives. Park and ride to St Ives, changing at St Erth, where you will be treated to spectacular views of Carbis bay and have a wonderful day out at one of Cornwall's prettiest resorts. It's green, cheap and if the shuttle is delayed you can enjoy a cup of coffee at St Erth station buffet.
Any manned railway station on the Plymouth to Penzance line
Budget airlines fly into Pisa - don't bother with the bus, the road is usually very busy into Florence. Get the train, there's a station at Pisa airport with regular trains to Florence; or go to Pisa Central where there are even more trains to Florence and it's cheaper.
I recommend when you are traveling by train in Spain that you request four seats with a table between them, so that the family can talk together or play games.
I am working temporarily in Frankfurt and have found the Interrail ticket an ideal way for travelling around Europe relatively inexpensively by rail on your own.
There are five days in 10, 10 days in 22, 22 continuous days and tickets for a continuous month, which enable you to travel on an unlimited basis throughout 30 countries. The prices are higher for those aged 26 or more but are still very reasonable (the cheapest ticket for older folk like myself is 189 pounds. Eurostar is not included but if you buy in advance it is only 59 pounds return to Brussels or Paris whilst there is a flexible 'special' rate ticket available for 50 pounds single, subject to there being seats available on trains.
There are still a few supplements - I had to pay 10 Euros for the journey from Milan to Paris - but from 1st January 2008 you no longer have to pay any supplement on German ICEs.
Last Autumn I spent two days travelling from London to Bratislava, two days from Bratislava to Lake Como and 1 day travelling back to London using a TGV from Milan to Paris and Eurostar thereafter.
I was also able to buy a return train ticket from Frankfurt to London for just over 100 pounds for my Christmas/New Year stay in the UK. On the return the journey was less than six hours with one change at Brussels. With the introduction of the fastlink from London to the channel coast there are many more reasonably priced tickets to European cities available. You can go to Rail Europe for more information.
For more details you can refer to this website: www.interrailnet.com/?gclid=CM-B2sappZACFSjaXgodnjpnqg
The toy/mountain train from Siliguri to Darjeeling is surely one of the great railway journeys of the world. But, unless you're a real rail enthusiast, nine hours on an uncomfortable train, which travels at less than walking pace, is a little bit too long.
We got a jeep up the mountain from Siliguri to Darjeeling, which cost about 300 Rupees (£4) each. The share jeeps are very regular and, although they're pretty crowded, are way more comfortable than the train.
You can then take the highest altitude part of the great rail journey from Darjeeling to Ghoom, to visit the famous Ghoom monastery. It takes about 45 minutes and is probably more romantic and comfortable than doing the hard 9 hour slog from Siliguri.
Just make sure you book the train on your first day of arrival in Darjeeling. You can't book the train from anywhere else and there is a fair wait for tickets (a few days). There is plenty to do in Darjeeling in the meantime, including the Everest museum, one of the better Indian zoos, Glenary's cafe and lots of trail walking and shopping.
Don't even bother with the tourist ride unless you've money to waste, it's a complete rip-off compared to the Ghoom trip - about 10 times the price.
Nathmulls in Darjeeling has to be the best tea shop in the world. Really helpful staff and a great range of teas to test (local of course!). Well worth a visit when you're up in the mountains.
Get to Siliguri train station, then ask a cycle rickshaw to take you to where the jeeps go from. Then just climb in a jeep and wait for it to fill up.
Nathmulls is in Rink Mall, Darjeeling, next to Cafe Coffee Day.
Children love the idea of going in a tunnel under the Mersey and crossing over on a boat. Park at Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, get the ferry to Liverpool (superb, heartbreakingly lovely view) and, after a stroll, picnic and visit to the Albert Dock, get the train back from James Street station. Steep escalators, lifts and friendly station staff. Cheap and good fun.
Hamilton Square is signposted from central Birkenhead and is itself an interesting area. The ferry is a five-minute stroll downhill from the station. Ask if you're not sure.
You'll do wonders for your carbon footprint; experience the vastness of the Russian east and be able to explore the wonders of Mongolia. You'll also see a little of the old China from your cabin as you trundle south to Beijing.
In Sydney, get a Sydney Pass. We had unlimited travel on buses, including the two explorers (Sydney and Bondi), trains and ferries for A$110 each, allowing us to see what we wanted at our own pace.
Indian flights are very cheap and it's tempting. But if you have the time and the patience, Indian trains reward like no other journey.
The Indian train is a travelling village in itself. You will be sold to constantly. Some things you will want - chai in the moring, samosa in the evening - and some things you will not.
Despite the bad image of India as a hard-sell place, there's no obligation to buy and the seller will move on if you are not interested. The good bit is, you can do all your shopping in one journey, from bajee to clothing.
The trains are more than a kilometre long (which is truely awesome in itself), and are a lifeline to many Indians. And far more eco-friendly than flying.
People going to Ephesus are often ripped off by an exorbitant taxi or transfer from Izmir airport. You can avoid this by taking the train from Izmir Airport to Selçuk. There aren't many trains; they depart the airport at 8.01, 9.38, 15.32, 18.39, 19.34, 20.12 and 21.33 and take 1 ¼ hours. The alternative (if you don't have much baggage) is to walk to the end of the airport slip road (about 1 mile), cross the main road and pick up a minibus.
The train station is right next to the airport and well signposted. The train fare is 2 Lira (80p), the minibus is 6 Lira (£2.50). If you need to get a taxi, you might be able to haggle the price down to 80 to 100 Lira (£30 to 40).
If you are travelling to Sevilla by train from the Granada direction, do not go all the way to the Santa Justa station at the end of the line. It's a 30 minute walk or a nine Euro taxi to the city centre. Instead get off at the station before Santa Justa, San Bernardo, and it's just a ten-minute walk to all the sights of the city.
For quality at a fairly affordable price in Venice, simply stay outside of Venice itself. The Hotel Bologna has been recently refurbished in a modern and tasteful style. But its real beauty is that it's over the road from Mestre railway station and just 10 minutes from Venice station and the Grand Canal.
It's also just over the road from the bus stop that will take you to (Venice) Treviso airport for your budget flight home.
Via Piave 214, Venezia, I-30171, IT
Phone: 39 041 931000
Literally opposite Venezia Mestre railway station
In the recent flurry for Eurostar tickets to the Rugby World Cup final in Paris, return train tickets were costing hundreds of pounds.
My friends found that for half the price they could travel to Lille and then TGV onwards to Paris for considerably less. Although it's bit of a pain to change trains you can save a considerable amount.
Check out the new high-speed links from Paris to south-west Germany, TGV Est Européen.
From Paris it's three hours to Mannheim (romantic Heidelberg round the corner) or Karlsruhe (Black Forest nearby). Or 4-ish to Frankurt or 6-ish to Munich.
Changing in Paris couldn't be easier (10 minutes by foot) - from the Eurostar terminal at Gare Du Nord, walk round the corner to the magnificently restored Gare De L'Est and hop on your TGV or ICE (= the German TGV) towards Germany.
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