Travelling by Train

Last year we had an exciting year of travel, visiting seven countries over a combined four and a half weeks of holiday, and travelling 6,690km in the car whilst doing so.

For both of our holidays I looked at travelling by train, but although we have lived this side of the world for almost 27 years (and in France for 15 of those years) we have travelled remarkably little throughout Europe. That leaves huge swathes of countryside and smaller towns we still haven't visited - and that's only in France.

We have travelled by train for holidays: to Lyon in 2022, Milan in 2015, Spain in 2019 and 2005, and Paris and Brussels a couple of times (from London) at the start of the century. If we're travelling to Paris from Preuilly we always do so by train, because - well, why wouldn't you? Faster, more convenient, and no parking hassle.

For the near future we will probably continue to drive whilst we are able, but taking the opportunity to take the train when it makes sense. If we can travel by train to a major centre in 6 hours it makes sense to do so - especially if driving would take two days and an overnight hotel.

That's where this website comes in handy. It gives us an idea of how far we can get by train, and how quickly. It will become even more useful if the ban on domestic flights for journeys possible in less than two-and-a-half hours by train is extended.