• The UK has many train vendors. Some of these vendors resell each other’s seats. For example if you buy a Megatrain ticket at Waterloo: You’re actually buying a Southwest (UK) train ride. Additionally you’ll only be able to go on the email they sent you as a confirmation of your ticket. This is rather confusing because they have ticket machines, and typically you have to check in and get a ticket to pass the gates. There is nothing mentioning this situation, and waiting in the service queues will not result you in an answer to this. To get through the turnstiles you have to find an employee and they’ll badge you through after seeing your ticket.

  • In Germany and Belgium there is a huge difference between a Regionbahn and an ICE train. The RegionBahn is a local train network, as this is the case with the VRN in Mannheim/Heidelburg.

    • They are ticketed differently: Your ICE train is a fixed train, you cannot switch between trains with that. The RegionBahn is very flexible.

    • You can get on the next RegionBahn train without issue. [As long as it’s within your route].

      • If you’re going from a RegionBahn train to an ICE, it’s better to get there earlier than later. RegionBahn trains, like the CTA/Metr(a/o) are often late.

    • Always get a seat reservation with an ICE train, this is even more so the case if you’re travelling with someone.  If there is a busy train, then you may be split up. Also you get to boot people from your seat if you have a seat reservation (which is nice when you have large amounts of luggage).

      • Seat reservations are pretty cheap.

  • The platform for IC trains in the Antwerp, Belgium station are on the top of the station.

  • The people dealing with the train tickets and information in the Amsterdam airport, were (in 2007) and still are cranky and are constantly pissed off. The Dutch people are great people, but these people are an exception.

  • Look up the train car on your reservation before you get on the train. All German stations have a  map of the trains and their configurations on your platform. Also noting this, the high speed train platforms rarely change, you can trust your ticket.

  • It helps to look up the end of the route on the train that you will be getting on. For example, the Thalys train that I got on in Amsterdam was going to Paris, however I went to Antwerp. It also helps to keep a route map so you can be prepared to get off on the right stop.

  • This is a common sense deal: Knowing a little bit of German goes a long way on the DB.

  • The train stations are typically walkable to the city they’re connected in.  (Even Salisbury, UK and Cork, Ireland)

  • Take the London Heathrow express. It turns your train ride to the central part of London into a 30 minute ride from 1hr20m-ish. (20 minutes if you’re coming from Terminal 1,2,3)  (It’s $30 per person, but there’s always room, its smooth, and sane). When I used it, the tickets were easy and quick to purchase from the ticket box outside of the train. They even offered a chance to purchase the tickets on the train.