The passenger trains in Europe and the UK are incredible. Nearly every country has an extensive rail network. At least eleven countries have high-speed trains that travel at speeds of 100, 150, even 200 mph (320 km/h) between major terminals. The trains are not only fast, the ride is smooth and the seating is comfortable. And unlike air travel, the scenery is clearly visible as you pass through the countryside. Although, it’s a bit of a blur for things close to the train.
About fifteen years ago, it occurred to my wife (Kathy) and me that the best way to see the world (at least this large part of it) might be to fly to a central city somewhere in the country or region we wanted to explore, and train to whatever destinations seemed interesting to us on the day.
So we began traveling in this unique way — renting an apartment or condo in a centrally located town or city (the hub), then taking the trains to explore whatever destination struck our fancy (the excursion spokes). This enabled us to take day trips all across the region, explore a destination, and return to our home base every evening. Then we’d take the next day or two to relax and explore the hub in greater detail.
The hub-and-spoke map seen above is an actual trip The Vacationeers took to Italy in 2023. In two weeks, we were able to take eight excursions to some of the most interesting destinations in the country. We’d wake up early, walk to the train station, have breakfast while barreling down the tracks and enjoying the countryside. The longest trip was only about 2-1/2 hours, so there was plenty of time to explore and take in each destination. For the return trip in the early evening, we’d typically share a bottle of wine and a snack we’d bought at a local market, usually including cheese of some sort, all while the bullet train whisked us back to our beds. Then we arrive “home” in the evening to relax and retell stories of our day.
