Traveling by Railway

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   sgjeromeposted 16 years ago

   Very New Experience.
   Anyone have travel by railway for vacaution? It is really a very good expeirenece to enjoy the scenic.

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      Nickny79posted 16 years agoin reply to this

      I've traveled by rail in Europe.  An excellent mode of transportation for Socialists.

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      kerrygposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      I've done it pretty often. It's often (not always) cheaper than air travel and about 1000 times more comfortable, so if I have the time to take a little longer to get somewhere I check rail rates first. I was just about over the moon when the HSR thing passed in California. No idea how they're going to pay for it given their current budget problems, but the nation badly needs a better rail system and the CA HSR initiative was a hopeful start.

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         Nickny79posted 16 years agoin reply to this

         The rail-systems are a failure in the US because they are overregulated and run by inefficient bureaucrats.  The PATH line between Bergen County, NJ and Manhattan is one of the busiest in the nation.  And yet those nitwits in the Port Authority CANNOT make it profitable with the result that tax-payers have to yet again come to the rescue.  In all seriousness the railway lines like the PATH and the NYC Transit subways are ESSENTIAL.  But they are mismanaged by bureaucrats and abused by union bosses--always more of the same...

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      aniketgoreposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      I generally travel by railway and it is always fun.
      
      and LondonGirl where u from?

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         LondonGirlposted 16 years agoin reply to this

         Look at my name again - you get three guesses....

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            aniketgoreposted 16 years agoin reply to this

            ya u traveled in India na thats why asked.

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   sgjeromeposted 16 years ago

   I had summarize the world railway happy reading
   see World of Railway

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   sgjeromeposted 16 years ago

   Really sad to hear that US railway are so bad.
   
   As the leader in economy, it also sad to hear about the sub-prime  causing financial problem to US and around the world.

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   Teresa McGurkposted 16 years ago

   I once took a train from Burgos in the north of Spain to Hendaye, on the border with France.  The track wound up through mountains and tunnels and it was the most scenic route I've seen.  Beautiful countryside.  Stunning views.  Must be about 28 years ago, now, and I still think it was thrilling.

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   Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

   I've travelled by rail in Europe several times over the last 15 years or so.  When I first travelled, the quality was variable from country to country but always fairly reliable and reasonably comfortable.  The last time (2 years ago), the quality had risen markedly and was consistent right across the continent.  The downside is that booking systems have been introduced everywhere, so you can no longer hop on a train at the last minute.  It makes a Eurail pass (which I used to use) almost useless, because you still have to queue at the ticket office and pay extra booking fees. 
   
   The UK is a different story again!

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   laringoposted 16 years ago

   Just over a year ago my husband, myself, and our two granddaughters took Amtrak from California to Illinois. We bought tickets for a family bedroom in a sleeper car and it was very nice. It sleeps four comfortably. The meals are included in the price and you can have room service or eat in the dining car. We left at 10am on a Monday and arrived in Galesburg, Illinois on Wednesday around noon. The scenery along the route was beautiful,especially in The Sierra Nevada and the Colorado mountains. We met a lot of friendly people and just had a wonderful time. My husband has a wireless internet card so we were able use the internet for most of the way. When not doing that we had movies to watch on out Archos or on the laptop. If you have time I would highly give train travel a go.

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   rambo87posted 16 years ago

   I never thought about travelling by rail around Europe, what are the journey times like and is there many delays?

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   LondonGirlposted 16 years ago

   It's fantastic fun. I first did it aged 10, when my family took the car train from Calais to Bologna (northern France to northern Italy). Sleeping on a train and waking up as the track goes through the Alps is amazing.

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   ChrisSnilposted 16 years ago

   It's something I'd certainly like to try in future, I like the idea of getting one of those EuRail passes and just going from country to country around Europe and experiencing lots of different aspects
   
   Rail travel in the UK, however, can be shocking at times, sometimes you can be packed in carriages like sardines in a tin, and then of course there are the children who won't keep quiet for the -entire- journey, thank goodness for books and mp3 players in that case

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    Janettaposted 16 years ago

    Railroad travel in the US isn't all bad. We use it quite a bit actually. Especially when gas prices sky rocketed, commuters and travellers needed to find cheaper methods of getting around. My niece takes the train to and from Chicago all the time. She likes it much better than the drive, as do her parents. I've not heard of anyone I know who rides the train having a bad experience.

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    rmshdcposted 16 years ago

    Have anyone travelled in Indian Railways?  In Mumbai local trains are called life-line.  Travelling within India, the Indian Railways have a very large network, connecting almost every large cities and towns and villages.  Agreed that it might be World Class services, but still it one of the best way to travel in India at most cost effective way.  Despite railway tickets being cheap over here, the Indian Railways has turned PROFIT in the past couple of years and have paid dividends to the Govt (saving tax-payers money!).
    Over the years, there are some luxuary trains coming up.

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       LondonGirlposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, and I absolutely loved it. I've been all over northern India by train, from Darjeeling to Amritsar, and Shimla to Udaipur.

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    frogdroppingposted 16 years ago

    I've travelled by train from Portugal to the UK. Only because I don't like flying.
    
    In future I'll be flying.

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    LondonGirlposted 16 years ago

    I've visited India twice, once for nearly 3 months, the second time for 3 weeks. And had a wonderful time on each occasion.

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    Kid_Aposted 16 years ago

    I seemingly spend my life travelling by rail, and i have to say I despise the experience! The rail services in Britain are shambolic, overcorwded, over priced and full of idiots!
    
    Although, that said I have often entertained the idea of travelling across Europe by train. i believe it is very cheap (£500 for a ticket that allows you travel anywhere in the EU for a month). It would certainly be more pleasurable than when I travelled Europe by coach in sixth form ( 90 hours spent on a coach in one week! never again!)

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       JamaGeneeposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       I must've gotten on trains in the UK at off-peak, because they were never crowded, no idiots except for one time, and the price was quite reasonable.  Maybe because I never reserved a seat... just showed up and took my chances.

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    tksenseiposted 16 years ago

    Took a hard seat from Chengdu to Xi'an back in '95. That was no luxury ride, I can tell you.

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    LondonGirlposted 16 years ago

    I think trains are pretty good in the UK. Not cheap, though!

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    Pete Maidaposted 16 years ago

    My wife and I took the train from Washington, DC to Savanah, Georgia.  It was an eleven hour trip and it was great.  I found it very relaxing and stopping in the small southern towns on the way was fascinating.

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    jcalesposted 16 years ago

    I had an excellent railway trip from Germany, France to Spain.

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