I have never been in GB but almost everywhere in continental Europe.

I am a car person, so I am not sure if my advice will be 100% representative. I prefer traveling with a car, since it will get you places a train will not.

However it is quite possible to travel to all major cities by train only and it is quite convenient. All larger cities have excellent public transport systems (trams, busses, ferries) that will get you anywhere from the train station. For inexperienced drivers I wouldn't advice to drive in any of the big cities. The trains can be a convenient way of traveling.

Andre

Travel Photos 

it is more convenient to travel by train as you can go to any of the major cities in europe by trains very quickly, if you are driving and you want to see all of europe it will take quite a while travelling by car. then again if you have a caravan it would be a bit easier.

I agree with callis. If you ever considered traveling by train, Europe is defenitely the place for it. The infrastructure is better than anywhere else. Most countries offer discount cards, that cost money upfront but you can save on each ticket purchase. 

Or special night discounts, student discounts, discounts for poeple over 65 or special weekend raters. Make sure you ask for discounts!

CY 

Thanks for your comments. We are thinking about it next time. As you mentioned coming from Australia over to a country we dont know much about driving the car can get very frustrating. I dont mind if it is only on a short trip to see relatives and we dont do much traveling around. But I am worried about when we intend to tour around more. I will have to try and talk my hubbey into it now though, he loves the independance of his own driving.

I can relate to your hubby though. I am not sure if you will be going to Germany, but it is one of the few countries in the world that has no general speed limit on the Freeway (Autobahn). You can rent a fast car and blast along with 250kmph (160mph). Its a lot of fun, but you need to work your way up to this speed. Don't get cocky. It takes a little getting used to, since a small sneeze on the steering weel has big consequences. Either way, its up to you. I prefer driving, but it is possible to go everywhere with a train.

I have a friend who is very afraid of airplanes, so she prefers traveling by trains even for long-long distances. She’s been very successful, I should say. So, I endorse the idea!

Depends on the country. Many countries like Italy offer relatively cheap train tickets and in other countries (Germany) it may be cheaper to drive yourself.

Andre

Travel Photos 

Remember also that, on the continent, you will have to drive on the other side of the road.

 I've always used the trains in Europe.  I wouldn't even think of a car unless I planned to only travel around in rural areas.  Trains go everywhere, and where they don't go, there are buses.  Trains can be expesive, so some people prefer bus travel.

 There are also budget airlines for really long distances.  Check www.whichbudget.com to find out which airlines fly where you want to go.  And no, I don't get a commission, I just think it is a really useful site.  So if you are in London and what you really want to do is visit Italy, you could fly to, say, Milan, and then take trains from there, rather than doing a long train trip.  Usually the budget airlines are cheaper the farther ahead you book.  They sometimes have specials, where you literally only pay a couple dollars more than the taxes.  If you don't know where to go, let the latest special decide for you.

I am confused. I thought you were from Florida. The British drive on the other side of the road, the continent drives on the right side.

Depends. Most of them offer weekend tickets or specials that allow you to go anywhere within a country (as far as you want) for a pretty low flat rate. It pays to inform yourself about those specials.

Ryanair is another cheap airline. However they have weird hubs, that are usually a bit outside of the larger cities.

Andre

Travel Photos

In Europe, the train beats the car for me. There are some very comfortable, modern and efficient trains in France, Scandinavia and the Netherlands.  Eurail passes offer many diffferent deals, such as four days unlimited travel in one country or in two adjacent countries. Many towns are well connected, and you help cut back on carbon emissions.

We always rent a car. This way you don’t have to lug any goodies you may buy along the way. Plus, it gives you the freedom more than a train schedule. And even though gas might be higher, they get better gas mileage to offset it.

I have always wanted to travel by train. I think it would really be neat. I heard that you don't get to see much because of the speed they travel. But I still would like to try it . Just once.

I think you are going to see much more then if you travel with the car, since you can focus on the landscape instead of the traffic. The drawback is that you cannot stop wherever you want.

I know many people who prefer to travel by train.