Traveling through Europe with public transportation is manageable. But before the intensity of options and travel planning overwhelms you this guide helps you to organise your trip step by step.
Europe’s public transportation network is pretty broad, with a railway network of 202 131 kilometres. And often there are multiple options to go from destination A to destination B. You want to figure out which is the best option, the fastest, the cheapest, the most flexible one. And how much in advance do you need to buy a ticket?
In this blog post I will answer those common questions and much more. You will get in -depth information about public transport traveling in Europe. For everyone that is struggling to find the right connection for carefree and sustainable traveling in Europe.
Renting a car vs traveling by public transport
When planning your trip to Europe, you may be faced with the question – public transportation or renting a car. The answer is simple if you are traveling to cities that aren’t close together. For example, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, then it is more convenient to use public transportation. Except you don’t get tired of endless driving and the border crossing fees (that apply at car rental companies) are not an issue for you. But if you are traveling to a region of a country, like the Tuscany or the France Alps it might be easier to rent a car.
The benefits of taking public transport are: you can sit back and relax, go over the pictures that you took, plan activities for your next destination or catch up with family and friends back home. You can even enjoy overnight train travel and book a bed in a nightjet to wake up the next day in a new country.
The disadvantage of traveling by public transport is that if you are traveling during high season it is very packed. It can be very exhausting traveling by public transportation in the high season. You can expect delays in some countries.
Cost effectiveness compared to flying
If you are planning a huge trip from Spain to Austria by train and bus, let me tell you it is more cost effective to fly. If you make some stops in between and your motto is ‘the path is the goal’ then do it! Or if you are an environmentally conscious traveler. Otherwise the price of air travel is likely to be three times cheaper (or more) than the journey by bus and train.
However, that doesn’t mean that these long distances are all done by airplane. You can find great connectivity between major cities. For instance a connection between Zagreb and Zürich, or Vienna and Berlin. And if you book your ticket in advance there is no need to dig deep into your wallet. Additionally, train travel in Europe is to be further expanded.
Public transportation types in Europe
Train
The railway network in Europe is pretty extensive. Every country has its own railway operator. Many of them collaborate in order to offer cross-country connections. Depending on the country, trains are more or less punctual. The rail-ranking analysed the rail network operators in European countries, in regards of the ticket price, reliability, booking experience and much more. The ÖBB (Austria), Trenitalia (Italy) and RegioJet (Czech Republic) are the three best overall performers.
Living in Central Europe the last decade I have to admit traveling by train is very easy and effortless.
Buses
Buses are an addition to the already well-developed rail transport system. The most popular operator is Flixbus. A low cost intercity bus service. The company covers national as well as cross border connections.
Flixbus is a Germany based company, already extended outside of Europe, with an interesting business model. It does not own any buses. It just created the marketing, pricing, and customer service and the bus operators/subcontractors get a commission or use the Flixbus brand as franchise agreement. It connects cities within countries but is often used for long term journeys to connect countries.
Additionally to Flixbus you can also find regional buses. It is the same as the railway operators, every country has its own operator. The bus network often reaches destinations that aren’t connected to the railway.
Blablacar
This is actually not a public transportation option but a very convenient way to get around. Especially if you are looking for an affordable last minute option. Based on the sharing economy model, private persons offer rides on the website blablacar and people who look for rides can book it. It’s a bit like Uber, but for long distance routes. You can hardly find trips for months beforehand, most people upload their trips a few days before.
City transportation options
Of course there are also the city transportation options: trams, subways and city buses. In many European cities the ticketing system is based on trust. Usually there aren’t checkpoints to access public transportation. It is expected that you have a valid ticket. If not, and you are caught by the ticket inspector, you will have to pay a hefty fine.
Many European cities have great public transportation and are walkable. You can even rent bicycles, either at your place of accommodation or the city offers a public bicycle rental. It is for sure a fun way to get around. Small cities like Ljubljana or Amsterdam are ideal to be explored by bike.
Planning your Europe trip by public transport
You are still looking for the best travel route and wonder where to start?
Or are you questioning how much in advance and where to buy tickets? The planning stage of your public transportation trip through Europe can be overwhelming. But no need to worry. By these simple steps you can ace your travels.
Research routes
You already have a specific travel route in mind and want to research the best connections and schedules for your trip in Europe? You could simply google the connections or you can go to the country’s respective public transport website. There you can find the schedules and book tickets. If you are traveling from one country to another you can check the public transportation websites of both countries. It is not likely that you find various time schedules but it can be that the prices vary.
If you don’t have a specific route yet, but specific places you want to go. You can even check on google maps if they are accessible. Google maps gives you accurate data in most of the countries. But in some instances you better rely on the official public transportation website. Such as the Balkan countries.
You can look at the extensive rail network map of Europe. This is very helpful if you decide to travel solely by train.
Booking tickets in advance
The longer the journey the more in advance you should book it. Especially if you want to get a good deal for sleeping cabins in nightjets, book early (up to 6 months before)! Depending on the time of the year you can also find good deals for shorter trips a week before the journey.
If you are a budget traveler you should book your train/bus trips 1-3 months beforehand.
It is also important to make a distinction from central and western Europe to eastern Europe. The latter is still considerably cheap, the infrastructure not as modern. Which shouldn’t be a surprise the once upon a time rich Yugoslavia came out of war 1995. The youngest country declared independence in 2008. So, in the Balkan countries everything is a bit different. These countries are also great if you are looking for hidden gems in Europe!
This is a suggested timeframe of booking your ticket. This doesn’t mean you can book an overnight ticket 1 month beforehand. These are only suggestions in order to get a good price for your train travels in Europe.
| Length of journey | + 8 hours/overnight | 4-6 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Booking time | 6 month | 2-4 months | 1 month to a few weeks |
When it comes to Flixbus you can still find good deals a few days before. But not incredible cheap prices.
Seasonality
High season of tourism in Europe is definitely summer time: the months July and August. At this time many Europeans have holidays but also people from overseas use it for their travels. In Addition to the summer time you have at Christmas time, many Christmas markets in Europe open at the end of November. The high season of this time ends on the 6th of January which is the last public holiday, the Three Kings Day. Furthermore, long weekends or public holidays are peak travel times, such as the Easter weekend or the Labour day on the 1st of May. Keep in mind that not all public holidays are the same in each country. During the high season in winter and summer the prices of public transportation are expected to be higher, especially during the weekend. Therefore it would be wise to book your ticket months or weeks before.
Reliable booking sites
I would always recommend booking your transportation tickets directly with the railway operator. Because in case of any problems you don’t need to deal with a third party inbetween. However there are some platforms that give you a pretty good ticket price. For instance trainline you can get flexible ticket conditions and cheap prices. There you can find good combinations to complex trips. The platform itself recommends booking your ticket three months in advance. You can still get good deals booking a few weeks before (might be different at high season). Another platform is Rail Europe, however it does not cover as many operators as trainline and got a lot of criticism from travelers online. For instance they charge you an additional fee if you are outside of Europe. The minimalist wrote an extensive review for Rail Europe, in case you are considering using it for purchasing a ticket.
Prices
In order to have an orientation on what you might pay for your trip, here are a few examples.
Train journeys
For a 3-5 hour trip you can expect to pay 14-22 Euros. For longer trips up to 9 hours in a sleeping cabin 140 Euros, booked 4 months before. If you book a sleeping cabin earlier you probably get cheaper deal. Or if you are traveling in Balkans, were it only cost 27 Euros (train trip from Bar to Belgrade).
A great option for extensive train travels in Europe is the interrail pass, if you live in Europe or the eurail if you don’t live in Europe.
Flixbus journeys
For 2 hour trip you can expect to pay 16 Euros or less. The 16 Euro deal is if you book last minute. Bookings further in advance you can expect 9-12 Euros. For very long 11 hour trip with Flixbus the price is probably around 100 Euros, at least if you are a spontaneous travel and you book your ticket one week before the trip.
Language barrier traveling in Europe by public transport
The booking process and the language barrier are nothing to worry about. At least not in Central and Northern Europe. In western Europe, in Spain and Portugal the language barrier can be a bit tricky in the countryside. In eastern Europe it might be challenging, especially in the rural area. But this shouldn’t turn you off. Traveling comes with challenges and communicating without speaking the same language is one of those challenges. Furthermore, in the 21 century you have the technology that helps you to navigate challenges.
Traveling across various countries by train or bus
It is easy to travel by public transport between countries. Many train connections connect major European cities. And if not there are often Flixbus connections, many times even additionally. Most European countries don’t have border controls anymore. But if there are border checks and you travel by public transport it isn’t a big deal. Either the border control checks the bus or train. Get your passport and visa documents ready. If you are on an overnight train trip, it is a bit annoying because they probably wake you up in the middle of the night. That was what I experienced on my trip from Bar, Montenegro to Belgrade, Serbia.
Travel specialities while traveling with public transportation
Unfortunately Europe still has a lot to do in regards to barrier free accessibility. Many trains aren’t accessible without stairs. Modern trains are more suitable for people with disabilities. Although every year the rules about barrier free accessibility are getting stricter, it is still not easy to get around with a wheel chair.
Carrying huge trolley luggage is pretty common. Usually trains have overhead storage for luggage. You want to take your bicycle with you on the train? You most likely need an extra ticket. In some train connections you need a bicycle ticket and bicycle reservation. Check with the respective country’s railway operator. Bicycles are usually not allowed in buses. In winter travelers carry skis or a snowboard on public transportation, for that you do not need an extra ticket.
If you are traveling with your dog you might need an extra ticket and in many countries it is obligatory to have a muzzle and a leash.
If you are traveling as a family with small kids, make reservations on the trains. Especially during high season travel time. Depending on the age of the kids, share with them the information, which train platform or bus stop. It makes them more involved in your travels.
Safety while traveling with public transportation in Europe
Take care of your valuables, as pickpockets are common in public transport. Especially in the cities and the busy main train stations. If you are carrying lots of money with you, you could use a belly bag. Other than that do not put your wallet in the bag of your trousers. Traveling by night or early morning isn’t a problem in most cases. I remember once I took the night train from Bar to Belgrade. For this overnight journey I booked a bed in a female sleeping cabin. I shared the room with a woman that spoke a different language but we still communicated. She was very nice, sharing some candies with me.
Just take normal precautions. If you aren’t comfortable to take the night train in a 4 bed cabin as a female solo traveler, then don’t do it. Listen to your gut feeling, it is most of the time telling you the truth.
Websites of rail operators in the respective country:
Albania – not significant rail network, bus connections are better
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein – here the Austrian railway operator works
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain – Renfe, Feve, Euskotren, FGC, FGV
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey – it seems that this website doesn’t work in every country
Ukraine
United Kingdom – Eurostar, Avanti West Coast, c2c, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway
The author of the blog
Lisi is an adventurous, mostly solo traveler from Austria. She likes to travel slowly, discover underrated countries/regions, and of course, learn about cultures. She has been traveling the world and creating travel content since 2016. With a degree in tourism management and a passion for travel and cultures, she wants to tell stories that inspire her readers and help them travel more consciously.
