Train Travel Through Europe

Europe by rail in twenty-six days. Traveling to eleven countries and visiting 22 cities.

By: Conrad Birmingham

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

This book is my story of touring Europe by its railroad system in twenty-six days. I traveled to eleven countries and visited 22 cities – London, Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Berlin, Wittenberg, Zurich, Budapest, Warsaw, Vienna, Milan, Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome, Bari, Thessaloniki, Athens, Corinth, Barcelona, Madrid, and New York.

I wanted to travel light and fast. I planned to sleep on the train most of the time, renting a sleeping berth. I picked the order of cities to visit by how long the train ride would take and if it went overnight. I slept on my way to Berlin, Zurich, Budapest, Warsaw, Vienna, Milan, Paris, Venice, Thessaloniki, and Madrid. Every few days, I would stay in a hotel in a major city where I wanted to spend more time. I rented a room in London, Antwerp, Paris, Florence, Bari, Thessaloniki, Corinth, Athens, and Madrid. I slept one night on the ferry and the airplane from Athens to Barcelona. There was plenty of time to sleep.

I liked using the train because every train station was in the city center. I was dumped in the center of the city, where the city's historical culture is dominant. I placed my large bag in a locker at the train station, and I took my backpack with me. I started walking or caught a subway to the nearest Starbucks.

Yes, Starbucks was my office in every city. I would order my Americano and sit down and use their internet serviced. I would plan my day. Where I was going to walk and what I was going to visit. There was so much to see in each city, and I was visiting for one day, so I had to be on top of my game. I had to see as much as I could without getting bogged down in one place.

I picked locations with spectacular views or great historical value. I ventured to all the major rivers or lakes in each city. I would take their local subway up and down the line to see more of the town and see people. I enjoyed watching people and their customs and attitudes.

The trip was an overview of Europe and its major cities. My journey did not disappoint.