Romanian Trains in Black and White Bucharest Romania
Bring Your Own Food and Drinks
Although many long distance and overnight trains have a food car, they can be a bit pricey and sometimes inconvenient to get to in case you’re traveling alone. That usually means you’ll need to leave your luggage with strangers or unsecured. You’re free to bring your own food and drink on board and it’ll often make you some new friends. Many times I’ve shared a bottle of Vodka or some chips with my train companions.
Train Restaurant car serving food and drink
Out of courtesy try not to bring anything with strong odors like salamis or strong sauces. I usually try and eat in the corridor if I have compartment companions. I recommend fruits and nuts. For the longer trips try sandwiches like PB&J. For the longer overnight trains try to eat shortly before you board. Then have a light snack before you go to sleep and something more filling for when you wake up. And be sure to bring a liter of water. You never know when a 10 hour train ride will become a 15 hour train ride.
Don’t Get Trashed
One of my top travel tips is know your drinking limits. A train is possibly the worse place to get drunk. It puts you in a terrible position. People you don’t know constantly getting on and off which not only puts your belongings at risk but your person if you don’t have your wits. If you cause a disturbance the attendants have the right to drop you off at the next stop which may be in the middle of nowhere. So now you’re drunk and in the middle of nowhere. And god forbid it’s in the middle of the night. Having a drink or two is fine but don’t get inebriated.
Man Waiting for Train in Budapest Hungary
Many trains have a restaurant compartment that sells alcohol. I can say with all honesty that when the booze starts flowing this is the place to be. Just be careful because you never know whose watching and sizing you up. Unfortunately trains do have criminals on it. And given their relatively low cost and low security, you really have to watch out for yourself. Being too drunk to function isn’t a good idea.
Always Keep Your Valuables on You
The last place someone is going to try and steal from is on your person while locked on a train. Most trains are designed where you can’t hold onto your luggage. Either it’s stowed above or under your seats. Having your cash and passport on you increases the thief’s risk and lowers your risk of losing the two most important things you’ll travel with. If possible always have your passport within arm’s reach while traveling.
Luggage secured on Train
People make fun of the fanny pack but those things work well. Try and find a well-fitting money belt. Be sure never to leave something you can’t afford to lose unattended. I’ve been known to leave my clothes luggage with strangers but never my gear bag. You can always buy new clothes or small accessories but losing you passport and cash are hugely problematic.
Block the Door with Tape
When staying in a sleeper compartment alone I use a little piece of duct tape on the door. This causes the door to be harder to open and will alert you when someone is trying to come in. This is especially helpful on trains that have privacy curtains. Warning though, train staff don’t take too kindly to this little trick. Small price to pay for a bit of added security. And honestly, most routes no one should be coming into your sleeper compartment during the trip anyway.
Hungarian train Second Class Seat
Many trains in Europe have reclining seats in the second class compartment. If you’re alone or with one other person you can use the seat close to the door to block access. Works quite well at keeping people from randomly joining your cabin mid trip also.
Charge Charge Charge. Power is Life
Italy, Germany, and Austria were the only countries in Europe that consistently had power outlets on their trains. Despite this, trains break and you may be stuck without power for hours. Make sure all of your devices are charged and you have an extra power bank. Also make sure you have a power converter. And be sure it’s a good one. The power flow on a train can be erratic.
Man Working on Train
I use a beast of a power bank as I tend to edit on my laptop but a small one is OK. The important thing is not to run out of power before you arrive to your destination. If you hit 30% just shut it off and actually talk to people. Novel idea, I know.
Always Know The Train Stations Hours
Many train stations in Europe aren’t 24/7. Many close around midnight and become inhabited by the homeless. This not only causes an unsafe situation but a frustrating one as well. Unless you know the city very well try not to take a train that arrives after or near closing time. Also, be careful arriving for a train that leaves near closing time. The area around many popular train stations start to get rough. Milan and Amsterdam come to mind.
Italian Train Station in the morning
Many of the smaller cities have stations that close even earlier and may not have much security there if any. I especially caution solo female travelers to this. I’m not a fear monger but it’s best to air on the side of caution and practicality. Also, be sure to know what train station you’re arriving to. Many just book a ticket to say Budapest. But Budapest actually has four train stations. Three coming from International destinations. Be sure you get off or plan to arrive at the right one.
Locate Triulze Train Station in Italy
Train travel is an efficient and scenic means of travel. Europe and Southeast Asia provide excellent and safe options for travelers to reach their destinations. With a bit of planning and foresight you’ll have an excellent experience riding the rails. Be sure to plan out your route ahead of time to ensure you have a good time.
This post was written with support from Eurail. Eurail provided me with a 15 day rail pass which I used to ride trains throughout Europe this summer.
