Originally Posted by
europegrad
Seat61 is a good website, but it is a a mix of a fansite that got commercial.
It's a site about rail travel, and a very comprehensive one at that. It isn't a site about air travel, or indeed travel in general. You can't therefore expect it to say "don't do that, fly instead". Everyone knows you can get from A to B in Europe quickly and cheaply by air, and the information on that is easily accessible. Seat 61 only comes in if you're wanting to know about rail.
In that sense, its author proposes journeys that are absolutely ridiculous as a practical matter, like travelling from London to Rome by train.
There is nothing ridiculous about it at all, if you have the time. As a student, I used to do lots of that sort of travel, and it was really enjoyable. Nowadays I don't have time. Horses for courses.
He also downplays the hell that is station transfer in Paris via subway, particularly if you have luggage
I wouldn't call it hell. It's just a bit of a pain, like London is. If it's that bad for you, take a taxi.
Don't, of course, forget the "hell" that some airports can be!
and usually understate the danger travelers incur if they buy tight connections with different train companies - one gets late, you lose your connection.
If you mean "you have to pay again", usually not. The European railways have signed up to what is called CIV, which basically gives you the right of re-accommodation on the next available train. This applies to any international journey booked (not necessarily ticketed[1]) as such, though in reality it's applied even if you booked it in separate parts so long as it is the railway that is at fault. And I don't mean in the Ryanair sense of the phrase, I mean "if you missed the connection because the train was late".
The UK can be the exception to this happy situation at times, in that TOCs can be awkward where an Advance ticketed train was missed because of Eurostar. But even then not always. And Eurostar themselves are known for being accommodating of delays.
[1] Many European trains, particularly high-speed and night trains, have what are called "global fares", which means a through ticket does not exist, so they're hardly going to penalise you for not having one.
That site has a great selection of links and how-to-do guides for buying tickets online, but I'd not jump in the wagon (pun intended) of its "fan" side that promotes 16h train journeys as opposed to 2h30 flights as normal decisions.
There's nothing abnormal about it for people who have time, enjoy the adventure, enjoy how civilised it can be[1] or don't like flying.
[1] On one trip from Salzburg to Liverpool, I reckon the best bit was waking up early as we proceeded down the scenic banks of the Rhein, and wandering along to the restaurant car for a leisurely breakfast served on real crockery. I thought at the time - this beats flying. I still think that - I just don't have time for it, sadly.
He also ignores the fact more and more train companies are curtailing seat pitches in 2nd class.
Not to the point the airlines are doing. And, except on some commuter lines predominantly in the UK, there is no middle seat.
Neil