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Global Travel Planning
Top 10 Tips for UK and Europe Train Travel in 2025 and Beyond
We share our top 10 tips for planning train travel in the UK and Europe in 2025, drawing on our extensive experience travelling by rail throughout these regions.
• Do your homework by researching routes, operators, and realistic itineraries
• Consider the time of year, mobility needs, and whether the journey itself is part of your holiday
• Book tickets in advance for the best prices, weighing flexibility against savings
• Evaluate whether rail passes like Eurail or BritRail make financial sense for your specific journey
• Understand seat reservation rules, which are optional in the UK but often mandatory in Europe
• Pack light with luggage you can easily lift onto trains and store on overhead racks
• Familiarise yourself with station layouts before travel to reduce stress and avoid missed connections
• Compare first class versus standard class, as sometimes the price difference is minimal
• Plan your onward journey carefully, considering transfer times and strategically located accommodations
• Consider sleeper trains for overnight journeys to save time and accommodation costs
• Bonus tip: Research scenic routes that offer spectacular views and unique travel experiences
For UK train travel planning, check out Doug's ebook Guide to UK Train Travel.
Contact us via SpeakPipe with your questions or to inquire about Doug's train itinerary planning services.
Show Notes - Episode 54
🎧 Listen to next
- Episode #42 – Discover Italy: Essential tips for first-time visitors with Dianne Bortoletto
- Episode #45 – Germany Travel Guide: Expert Tips for first-time visitors
- Episode #51 – Spain Travel Planning: 3 week itinerary [Trip Report]
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In episode 54 of the Global Travel Planner Podcast, doug and I share our top 10 tips for planning train travel in the UK and Europe in 2025 and beyond. From booking advice and packing tips to navigating stations and choosing scenic routes, this episode is packed with practical info to help you travel smarter by train. Hi and welcome to the Global Travel Planner Podcast. I'm your host, tracey Collins, who, with my expert guests, will take you on a weekly journey to destinations around the globe, providing travel inspiration, itinerary ideas, practical tips and more to help you plan your next travel adventure. Hi and welcome to episode 54 of the Global Travel Plan podcast. So this week, I'm joined by Doug, hello, and we're here to talk about train travel in the UK and in Europe in 2025 and beyond. Now to put some context in this, doug is our UK travel planning train expert.
Speaker 2:That's right. I've got many years of UK experience working and travelling on the railways in the UK.
Speaker 1:That's it, and also in Europe, of course. So we have, just over the last few months, spent some time travelling by train in Europe, and we have extensive experience of years past where we have done lots and lots of travels around Europe, backpacking around Europe, a few summers, school holidays, times where we used to go and travel a lot by train, and something you've been doing since you were quite young, isn't it?
Speaker 2:I have. When I was growing up, my parents, we went on a European train adventure every single year, mostly through France, spain, italy, but I've continued that love of trains my entire life. So there's not many European countries I've not travelled by train.
Speaker 1:That's true? I think so, and we've travelled a lot, actually extensively, around the world as well. So if you have any questions about train travel just about anywhere in the world honestly, doug's pretty much been there and done it or if you haven't, it's on your bucket list to do, isn't it?
Speaker 2:That's right. Yeah, rain or shine, you know We've experienced such a lot the highs and lows of train travel really haven't we. We've experienced a lot of difficulties but also a lot of great times.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we have, and we've done some recent great travels where we've travelled, well travelled Eurostar, we've taken the Caledonian Sleeper train, we've taken I don't know. We went through Germany, we went through Poland into Hungary.
Speaker 1:I travelled in Italy in November last year, and we've recently, unfortunately, wanted to do more train travel in Spain and Portugal, which is actually where we're recording the episode at the moment. We're actually in Portugal, but unfortunately there was a train strike that had been forecast in Spain, so we've had to change our plans, which was actually to go from Spain all the way to Istanbul by train, but the spanner in the works straight away really is that unfortunately, because of what we believed at the time was going to be a strike, we decided to fly, and so we're now stuck flying everywhere rather than train. But we will be back and doing it again, won't we?
Speaker 2:We'll return. I mean, that's the highs and lows. You know things happen in any travel planning. You've got to be flexible and you know make adjustments where necessary.
Speaker 1:Right. So in this episode we're going to share 10 tips that we believe are things that you need to think about if you're planning train travel, um in the uk and europe this year. And and say and beyond because this is relevant. So the first thing I want to say is why train travel? Because it's a good one to you, for you, doug. Why do you recommend train travel?
Speaker 2:because it's the best way of travel really I mean, it's plain and simple. You see more you, you experience life as locals. It's not just about high speed lines, it's about regional railways, slower travel, and you know to me well, for us it's really the true, authentic travel experience absolutely well.
Speaker 1:You meet so many interesting people. I was just actually thinking about our trip just before christmas, when we traveled from I think we were in poland and we traveled through to Hungary and we sat with a couple who were travelling back to Budapest for Christmas and their dog was travelling.
Speaker 2:It was just really good, so we had a really good chat with them.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I mean, the thing about train travel is you're straight into the centre of the city. You don't have the hassles of worrying about getting to the train station, getting to the airport, checking in, the hanging around or waiting around and that sort of thing. I think with the train you can get up, we can walk around. It's just that, I think. Well, for me it's a far less stressful experience.
Speaker 2:Oh, me too definitely definitely so.
Speaker 1:Um, you would recommend that people do the homework as well when they're planning, so I guess this is our tip number one do your homework.
Speaker 2:Most definitely. Yes, there's experts. I mean, it can be expensive travel so you don't want to be wasting time and money, so the chances are the likes of you and I. We've done so many different travels. It's to talk to the experts.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. And well, you're an expert, so you do offer itinerary consults and planning services for anybody planning their trips in the UK, and we're kind of expanding to Europe and beyond, aren't we?
Speaker 2:Oh, that's right. I mean, I never miss an opportunity to talk about trains in any country, as you probably know.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. Where do you recommend? What sort of tools do you recommend for people to use when it comes to planning?
Speaker 2:Well, it's to map out your route and to be realistic in where you want to go in that time. So it's to be certain to do your homework, to be sure exactly who the operators are in each country, because some countries still have nationalised rail industries, like Renfee, sncf in France. It's important to be aware who the principal operators are, the the small operators that may just want an individual line, um. But also you've got to look at all the all the options. You know, it's that point whether the most expensive may be the fastest, but may not be the fastest. It may not be the fastest, it may not be the most realistic. So you've got to look at your budget, you've got to look at how much time you have and really, yeah, just do your homework.
Speaker 1:So things like using the National Rail Enquiries would help with that, wouldn't it?
Speaker 2:In the UK. That's right. The National Rail Enquiries is, in essence, a government site, so that will give you your search between A and B, where you want to travel to, and it will give you a list of the operators who operate on that line.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, I think that's an important thing to think about as well, and I know one tip that you always share in the UK group is about not travelling on Sundays. Is that something that really feels relevant for Europe as well?
Speaker 2:To a degree, yes, but in mainland Europe there's more diversionary routes and so yeah, yeah, you do have more flexibility than you might have in the uk particularly. I'm thinking here that you know west coast of scotland, you know the one principal line, the west highland line, that's it. So you know if there's engineering works there, that's it. There's no, there's no diversionary route to get you there. But in mainland europe there's a lot more. There's lots, lots more small networks.
Speaker 1:Okay, so that's good. So now tip number two is to consider some specific points when planning your train itinerary. I know one thing you said is thinking about, you know the time of year, you know, consider all the members in your travel group in terms of mobility and age and getting around and that sort of thing, and not pushing too, trying to put too much into your trip.
Speaker 2:That's right. I mean, it's that part about whether the A to B travel is part of your holiday, yeah, or just a means to get you to your destination. You know we always embrace that part of it. You know, getting from here to there, you know which side is the best side of the train to sit on. You know we enjoy it, don't we? Yeah, absolutely Well, for us it is part of the holiday and for a lot of people it's part of the holiday. It is, it is yes.
Speaker 1:And I think that's worth considering when you're planning your train travel. Is it literally you just want to get, for example, from London to Edinburgh in the to go a little bit slower, maybe stop off along the way? And it's the same for some of the European travel. I mean, we did a fast trip from Madrid down to Seville, but actually there were some places. I would have probably liked to have gone off and seen places along the way, but unfortunately we didn't have time to do that. But again, if I was planning slower travel and potentially a different time of year, then I would certainly look at doing that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think that all comes back to that homework side again is to look at the different routes available between those two points.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean particularly on, say, mainland Europe. You've got the new high-speed lines, which is literally as straight as possible to get you there as fast as possible, but some of the old traditional lines are more convoluted and will take you longer.
Speaker 1:So what about booking tickets in advance? Is that something? So this is tip number three. I know because we've got all these tips listed out and I know you've said four. Number three is to consider booking tickets in advance. So is that something that you generally recommend?
Speaker 2:Yeah, as a general rule of thumb, the advance tickets are something that's going to get you the best deal, um, but that could be quite often like the uk, tied to a specific train on a specific time on a specific route. Um, but it, you know, it can vary on in mainland europe. Sometimes, looking for those at best fares could be the regional, but it also could be in advance for the a to b's. But it comes back to that best fit for you, your budget, your time, your personal preferences for your travel experience yeah, because I mean we, sometimes we just prefer to hit the slower trains because it's a bit more fun.
Speaker 1:Why? Enjoy because that's what you want to do, you know?
Speaker 2:yeah, I mean sitting on regional trains. You know people getting on and off all the time. You know multiple train stops you. You know you might have five minutes between stops. Sometimes on a high speed train you can have two hours between stops.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so again, it all comes back to that that your expectation of your rail journey I just think, though, when I think about that, the kind of regional, the fun of taking regional trains, I think about in the dodoan, when we took a regional train and somebody got on and they had a rabbit in a backpack and I know you've mentioned about a guy getting on a train was it in spain with getting garlic?
Speaker 2:yeah, the gentleman got on the train, uh, with a pet goat, whether the pet goat or not, um, but he produced a paper bag full of garlic and proceeded to eat one for him, then one for the goat so it's funny.
Speaker 1:You wouldn't see that on a high-speed train.
Speaker 2:I've never seen before or since? Have I seen a goat on a train?
Speaker 1:that's it. It's just all those fun. You make those memories, don't you? So tip number four is to consider whether a pass or rail card is the right option or not for you. So there are different passes, aren't they, that you can consider?
Speaker 2:yes, I mean the cross. You's like the uranians rail passes, uh, for multi-countries, but again, you've got to weigh up the benefits for that and what the the length of journeys that you're taking. In other words, you do a price comparison to how much that ticket would cost you, uh, or you and everybody in the travel group, or to buy the pass, um, and in the uk you've got, for example, you've got other passes like National Rail Cards, which will give you a third off the train ticket, but you're still buying that ticket yourself. And it's like many things with train tickets and passes the more flexible, the more the cost.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, you're paying for that kind of ease of use and flexibility aren't you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1:Okay, so that's worth weighing up. And we have got an article. If you're considering travelling in the UK. We do have an article about Eurail versus the Britrail passes, so that's worth having a look at. And again, if your plans are quite rigid and you know exactly what train you want to get, probably it wouldn't be worth it. You might as well just book your trains because you know what times you're going to get. But if you want more flexibility, then having the pass will give you that.
Speaker 2:That's right. I mean, we found ourselves on this trip that we're currently on, the weather or potential strikes has, you know, interfered with those plans? And it's how much flexibility you want to build into your plans in the first place. Yeah, because that's when you know problems can happen is the fact that if you have no flexibility with dates, times, budgets, Then you can actually end up losing money can't you.
Speaker 2:So tip number five is to know seat reservation rules. Yeah, that's right. In the UK seat reservations are optional, but obviously recommended during busy and peak times. But in Europe I think there's more on the high-speed lines Seat reservations are compulsory on certain services in certain countries. Yeah, yeah. So again back to the homework. You know and check when you're booking your passes or tickets whether seat reservations are included or not, because outside the UK seat reservations are mandatory.
Speaker 1:You know, uh, something you have to pay for yeah, and I think you need to add that into your budget, because if you hadn't considered it and you booked your ticket and actually realize you've got to pay another whatever, however many euros every single time for a seat reservation, it can add up yeah, I know in the uk.
Speaker 2:You can go to a staffed station. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Travel office for free yeah um, so tip number six is pack smart for train travel, and I mean this is a really good one in terms of any train travel. Actually, you need to be able to lift your suitcase on and off the train. I know when I was in, I was traveling by train in India last year and traveled in a group and some members of the group had far too heavy suitcases and I really struggled. You know, sometimes you have to get up quite a few steps with a suitcase.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right To get on or off a train. In all countries. You know, I'm not highlighting one particular country, but in all countries where there's lifts and elevators, they fail.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and you know it can be problematic to get into your platform and you're right what you say about being able to lift your bags to put them to luggage racks and stacks for storage. But there's more to you know. Also, the consideration is if there's people in your travel group that this isn't so easy, for you're going to have to do it for several people and when the train is full and busy and hot, that can be….
Speaker 1:It's not fun. Yeah, it's not fun. It's stressful. It's really really stressful, for sure. And also I sure you've got your essentials. When you go on the train, take some food and drink with you, take some snacks, have a water bottle with you, some entertainment with you. Take your charging pack. Don't depend on a train to have a charging plate?
Speaker 2:Absolutely not.
Speaker 1:And think about layers so that if it gets too hot you can take something off, if it gets too cold you can put something on. If you're doing an overnight sleeper train, again think about your luggage, because you don't want to be rummaging around in a suitcase to get bits and bobs out. So we usually have a day pack with whatever we're going to use yeah, and a tana pack within that to put specific charges.
Speaker 2:Yeah exactly.
Speaker 1:You don't want to be rummaging around, so definitely do do that research thinks you know, pack smartly for train travel. Um, I can think I took my niece for her 21st traveling around italy and that was one thing that I stressed to her before we went one small, small pull-along suitcase that she could lift up, and she actually ended up getting rid of some clothes along the way because she bought things. But, um, you know it was. You've got to also, you know, give yourself some margin if you buy some things as well. Um, that you're gonna have to have little bit extra room, but you don't want it to be too heavy because, honestly, getting on and off a train with a heavy suitcase, is not much fun.
Speaker 2:It can be, particularly in mainland Europe where the platform level is pretty low and you've got to step up several steps onto trains. Less of an issue in the UK, where the platform height is higher and you're more often straight across onto onto onto even just think we.
Speaker 1:When we arrived in porto last week, um, you got off at the with the larger suitcase and I had the smaller suitcase with a backpack and I actually couldn't get. There was too many steps for me to get down.
Speaker 1:Um, so, luckily, somebody, they got onto the platform and then I passed them a suitcase in the bag because I was struggling and you got off on the other side so we've got separated, so you've got to think about that because, honestly, it is not that easy that you don't actually realize just how high some of those trains are to step down on the platform that's right, yeah, yeah tip number seven is to understand station layouts, and this is so important because, honestly, you can miss a train, you can miss your train if you do not know which platform you've got to get to or how to get around a train station.
Speaker 1:I was in Rome Termini station in November and, honestly, we went the day before to just research where we were going to pick the train. You know which platform or even how to get at, which part of the train station it was in and how it worked at that actual train station, because it can be different and if you're not used to it, you know you have to go through a section to actually allow you onto the main platforms for the train from the actual train concourse. So it's it, you've got to give yourself the time and then you wait in that area for your train platform to be called up, and sometimes in italy it can be literally five minutes before the train leaves. So you need to be aware of what you're doing and and also have your wits about you and some of those train stations as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, from a security point of view, that's something entirely uh, that's a tip on its own, yes, but it comes again back to. The homework is to be aware of a station layout, because the bigger stations you need to be there in good time and you've got to consider how you're going to get to the station. But also you can have multiple entrances and exits at stations and it can be quite disorientating. And so you're right, there could be different levels to get onto the platform and if everybody's waiting for a platform to be announced, it can be quite a rush and quite a panic to get onto.
Speaker 1:I can't believe how busy it was initially.
Speaker 2:Particularly if it's a non-terminus station. If the train's only going to be there for a matter of minutes, it's not surprising anybody wants to get on quite quickly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, what I did find really useful is knowing exactly um the, the carriage and the seat number in in italy. It was actually quite easy because you could look up and see where you exactly had to stand and that's where the train came in and you could get on.
Speaker 1:I found that quite that much easier and that was something that is something that was really important to be aware of, because it just made life a lot easier. So when you actually got to find out what what you're on, you could find exactly where you needed to stand to get onto the train.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the carriage number can be very helpful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it does help. Now, tip number eight is to consider all classes.
Speaker 2:That's right. I mean, basically speaking, just about every country has a first class and more of a standard class of travel. Now again, not to mention in one country over another, some countries' first class could be the standard of a second class in other countries, and vice versa. So it's best, again, to do your homework. I could go back to this doing your homework. Doing your homework is sometimes the first class tickets can be not a lot of difference to standard-class tickets cost-wise, particularly if you're travelling an off-peak time. First-class may come with some refreshments, which will be cost-effective if you're planning on taking some with you in the first place, which is always a good idea anyway, just in case there is nothing, even though there should be. So it's's again looking what deals can be available, looking around to see which different operators are, because you might get a better deal for first class on one than the standard class on another yeah, no, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I definitely think that's uh worth considering. Um, I must admit I do like the first class in quite a lot of places.
Speaker 2:yes, because you know, for everything we've said before things about the luggage storage, sometimes there's just an extra rack, just a little bit more space in the first class, which can make a big difference, because standard class can get pretty busy. Yeah, and luggage space does fill up fast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm just thinking. I know this is outside Europe, but we were travelling by train in Morocco in. February and honestly um the first class was just a far less chaotic experience. That's not, you know. And I traveled india again and I would talk, not talk about europe. I traveled india in third class last year. Oh my goodness, that was a.
Speaker 1:That was an experience and a half so so again, like in europe, you still need to consider um, you know, sometimes you also can get different things. If you're a different, it depends on the class that you're at you might get a drink at your seat, you might get a meal at your seat, you might get an active service, or you might. You know, there's all sorts of different variations to look at but again, it'll depend on the operator and the country that you're traveling.
Speaker 2:And we look at places like the Eurostar going between the UK and to France, obviously Belgium and into Holland as well. But there's three classes of travel.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And that comes with different types of check-ins as well. So you know you've got to look at everything across the board as regards. You know what's provided, the cost obviously, and you know services that come with that class of travel yeah, so again lots to think about.
Speaker 1:But if you need any help with that, doug will be here to help with your we can book an itinerary uh planning session with him and he will help you now uh number tip. Number nine is to consider your onward journey. I think this is really important, actually that that's right.
Speaker 2:We've said about this before. If you're traveling from a to b and then you're going on to c, just consider that transfer time is the transfer from the same station. Do you need to allow more time to get between stations? I'm thinking a good example is france or london, paris or london. You know you come in one station. You've got to get across to another. Give yourself plenty of time. Look at your options to get between those stations. Does your ticket allow for you to break up the journey a little bit longer? You know, because there's nothing worse. If you've got two or three train journeys planned and your first one's late, or you haven't got enough time to get to the second one, your entire schedule is going to be impacted also, though I'm going to say it's worth thinking about, not only necessarily if the onward journey is that same day, if the Onward journey is two or three days later.
Speaker 1:And I'm thinking, we've just stayed in Lisbon and I deliberately booked a hotel which was actually in the train station because I knew that was the train station that we'd be leaving to take the train to Porto, which made it incredibly easy.
Speaker 2:It did for me because I could go train spotting in the evenings and mornings.
Speaker 1:But it was really easy because we'd just build a suitcase and go straight onto the train to Porto.
Speaker 1:And actually where we're staying in Porto right now is actually two minutes from the train station we arrived into in Porto, which is not the famous train station in Porto, it's a little bit out Campino, but it's just been so much easier. So I think, when I was in Florence, when I stayed in Florence in November, again, I booked the hotel opposite the train station. I did check it out, yeah, area was good, stayed in that train station, so it meant we will do luggage out. We were in the hotel within two minutes. It meant the morning that we left, I was going back to Rome and Shelley, who was on the podcast, shelley was going, going down to pool, yeah, and so it meant that it was very easy for us just to wheel up luggage over the train station and catch our respective trains.
Speaker 1:So again, it's, it's all part of that plan and process where you're trying to consider, or you are considering, what will make it easier for you, what will work, um, so that you are not, you don't want to be arriving in a train station, and then, um, well, you could, if you want to but you could, you know, catch a taxi over to the other side of town and then thinking I've got to get a taxi back over again. It's just sometimes easier to look at if it's a decent area around the train station.
Speaker 2:You do have to check because some places I would not recommend staying beside the train station, but it's again, it's all part of that plan process. It is, I mean, in in this case, here, where we are near campana station, the, the main sites are salbento, which is what? About seven or eight minutes on on the train, yeah, but the accommodation cost of where we are is far more reasonable than it will be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we found it very, very easy to do that it's about doing your homework.
Speaker 2:It's literally about that planning. So you know, you consider the station area you come into, but also where you'll be leaving from, or whatever your next onward mode of transport is.
Speaker 1:Definitely so. Tip number 10 is to consider sleeper trains. Now, we love sleeper trains, don't we?
Speaker 2:We do and we know sleeper trains are not actually for everyone, and that is true, but we, we embrace the, the whole part of it.
Speaker 1:I just think it's so much fun and I'd like to do more sleeper trains.
Speaker 1:We we've done a lot of the caledonian sleeper in the last few months for them in the uk and we both did it a couple of times the lowlander and highlander caledonian sleeper and actually we just had a podcast out. If you listen to the uk travel planner podcast, you know that we've got a couple of episodes about the Caledonian sleeper. I'll link to that episode or those episodes in the show notes for this episode of the Global Travel Planner podcast. But yeah, and we share a lot of tips about that, we do. We've done sleeper trains in Europe as well, and they can be pricey, I will say that. But if you think you're going to get yourself from A to B, so it saves you time and also you get a night's accommodation. Now some tips just to help you sleep.
Speaker 2:Yeah, some earplugs or a mask. If you're in a group as well, consider who's going to be on the top bunk, because some of the top bunks can be quite close to the roof or the ceiling of the carriage, so anybody who gets a bit claustrophobic may not be for them, so the issue is actually climbing up.
Speaker 2:Just gonna say that but it's not just that. It is, yeah, the mobility, because there's not a lot of room. I'll be honest, there's not a lot of room inside a sleeper train. But there's one thing that is for certain sleeper trains are getting more and more popular. There's more and more lines and operators in Europe who are starting services. There was a decline, but they are really coming back now because people are seeing the benefits of not just saving time, but also as an enjoyment. It's something to embrace and enjoy as part of your holiday experience absolutely right.
Speaker 1:And then we're going to one bonus tip, which is basically um consider some of the scenic routes, especially in europe. I mean, my goodness, we've done we've done so many scenic routes in switzerland, in norway. We've done the flambeau, but we've just done. We've done some kind of. We've done some scenic ones in the UK as well. Obviously, we've done the….
Speaker 2:The West Highland Line yeah.
Speaker 1:Fort William to Malague, West Highland Line.
Speaker 2:South Carlisle, one of my real favourites.
Speaker 1:I mean, there's just so many. I've done the Bernina Express in Switzerland and I've got an article about that on the website. We've done the Flom Railway in Norway, which is incredibly beautiful, so I mean even outside of Europe. We've done the Transalpine in South Island of New Zealand. That is incredibly beautiful.
Speaker 2:There's several in Spain, there's ones in Germany, but it's what you personally like. I mean, I enjoy coastal lines like the Northumberland coastline in the UK from Newcastle to Edinburgh. I thoroughly enjoy that. I like the one in Spain coming down the coastline from Barcelona. I really enjoy that. I like the one in spain coming down the coastline from barcelona I really enjoy that down to valencia and then down to alicante. I've you know it's one of my favorite train journeys as well, but there's so many. It's not just about beautiful syria. You know, what can make a great train journey is you know the places that you're visiting and talking to people is the contrast is countryside, even going through some towns and cities. I thoroughly enjoy it. I really enjoy going from different places.
Speaker 1:Well, I think that's well. We're giving you 10 tips with an 11th bonus one we do have if you're specifically planning train travel in the UK. We do have lots of podcasts on the UK Travel Planning Podcast which are specifically around UK train travel. So do pop over and have a listen to those. Doug's also written an ebook Guide to UK Train Travel which is extremely popular, and I will link to that. So if you're planning again UK train travel, I would have a look at buying that.
Speaker 1:It's been highly successful. We've had some fantastic feedback on it and, again, doug will open up some slots in a few months' time to actually offer itinerary planning and consultation around train travel in the UK and Europe and around the globe. So if that's something that you want some help with that, you want to have a chat to Doug with you have some questions? You can get back to us via SpeakPipe, which is basically you record a message. You can get back to us via Speakpipe, which is basically you record a message and we can reply to you and we'll leave a link to that in the show notes. But you're always happy to talk about train travel.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely. I will always talk about trains, and there's one thing I will note, just one little extra point. It's amazing talking to people on trains I don't know what it it is. People will happily chat away to you they will, they will it's yeah.
Speaker 1:I can think of that many, so many times, and so many people I've met on trains so I'm going to ask you the the one question I was asked at the end of every episode what would be the one tip that you would share with anybody planning train travel in the uk and or europe this year, in 2025?
Speaker 2:talk to the experts. Do your homework brilliant.
Speaker 1:Oh, that was distinct.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's exactly what you need to do, because it can be expensive. So do your homework brilliant.
Speaker 1:Well, thanks, uh, so it's been great having dug on that episode because it's been a while since you've talked, and I go last time talking about japan. We've talked about morocco, talking about spain, sharing lots of our other travels around the world, so it's great for you to come on the podcast again.
Speaker 2:I've probably enjoyed it.
Speaker 1:So, yes, as I said, all the information that we chat about today will be shared in the show notes. So links to the UK Travel Planning Podcast as well links to Doug's e-book will be in there, and for his itinerary planning consultation services we'll put all the links in the show notes. But that just leaves us to say for this week happy global travel planning.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. For more details and links to everything we discussed today, check out the show notes at globaltravelplanningcom. Remember, if you enjoyed the show, please consider leaving us a review on your favorite podcast app, because your feedback helps us reach more travel enthusiasts, just like you.