We’ve definitely missed more than 5, but take it as one train journey at a time!
How many trains have you missed, on the scale of 1 to lost the count? Calm down! I am definitely not referring to the Mumbai local. That’s one discussion for another day! How many outstation trains have you missed?
Rather, how many times have you watched Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge or Jab We Met? And you’ve still missed a train?
Being on time for a journey is something that I can safely say that very few people from our generation will get! We didn’t get right here in Mumbai and even there in Europe!
I guess I am about to open a can of worms.
Disclaimer: Yes, I’ve begun to enjoy writing posts that embarrass me!
With a Eurail pass and majority inter-city transport planned via trains, bookings and being on time was one thing that we should’ve gotten right! Well…
It was our second day on the trip, we were recommended to take the 7:50am train to our next stop- Karlovy Vary. We obviously didn’t want to stress so we opted to pick one of the next trains. It was a 10:05am train. 9:20am we were still munching on the delicious breakfast at Plus Prague Hostels. Now to get to the station and catch a train was a true blue challenge! It was only our second day, we were carrying with us luggage for the next 49days and we had no idea how to decide the platforms even though there was no 9 3/4.
Yes, we missed the train.
The next train was at 12:10pm. We had over an hour in hand and we desperately needed a sim card to use the internet and make calls since we had another 12days of stay in Czech Republic.
2 of us stayed at the station, the other 3 rushed to get some tourist sims. The ones staying back were clueless about the train timings and the those who were aware came back at 4 minutes to 12:10!
Hurray! Another train missed.
The next one was scheduled for 2 hours later. This time, all of us sat right in front of the train timetable to ensure we at least reached Karlovy Vary! *end of drama in the first phase*
Now the thing about a Rail Europe pass is that it can make you a little careless. Because our pass assured us transportation to the destination of our choice in any train (except those with compulsory reservations), we’d often delay our departure timing to the next one.
While leaving Bratislava, we missed our bus by a minute, only to miss our train by 5-10. What next? Couple of hours at the railway station.
We actually had to take a taxi to the Budapest station to ensure our reservations didn’t go waste! (We were headed to Vienna).
But the finale of our ‘I MISSED THE TRAIN AGAIN’ show was by far the most dramatic one!
We were to head back to Madrid from Lisbon by an overnight rail journey a day before our flight back. It was a night train so there were no hurdles like oversleeping or missed alarm! But it was that fated night when we missed the only train from Lisbon to Madrid and had already checked out of our hostel! And the rest is what’ll come up in the next post.
THE MOST EPIC NIGHT OF OUR EUROPE TRIP!
In case you’re not fond of being like my group, here are a few tips:
- Remember, trains in Europe are always on time. I’d say the ratio is as good as 10:1, unlike Indian Railways. (The comparison is only for reference)
Fun Fact: Apology announcements are made for even a minutes delay on trains in Switzerland.
- Download the Rail Europe application for Railway Schedules.
- Be prepped at the train station at least 15 minutes in advance. In countries like Czech Republic, train platforms are announced only 5 minutes prior to departure but in countries like Switzerland you’re most likely to get the platform details a week in advance.
- Be swift and alert about train switches, especially when you have to change platforms.
- Don’t forget you’re carrying a lot of luggage!
- Most of all, don’t forget your tickets and rail passes. And of course, your passports as IDs.
Here’s a bonus 😛
Happy traveling!
That was a bit scary to read for me. I guess, I belong to opposite group. I, could be found on the train platforms atleast 1 hour before time. So, by the time, my train arrive, I know the timetable of the trains on that station.
Oh my goodness, this gave me so much anxiety! I hate hate hate being late for stuff. I always arrive early. I can’t imagine the frustration of missing a train so many times!!