There’s something about train travel that’s just magical. Perhaps it’s the avoidance of long lines at the airport, or maybe it’s the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful landscape as you arrive at your destination. Either way, trains are an excellent way to travel in many parts of the world. While you may be accustomed to using Google to plan your travel routes, there’s actually a much better site that travel insiders rave about. The Man in Seat 61 is a comprehensive guide to worldwide train travel. Not only does it have a wealth of information about any train route you could imagine, but it will also guide you to the proper place to purchase your tickets.
Mark Smith, a former longtime employee of British Rail, has run the site full-time since 2007. Utilizing his love for and deep knowledge of train travel, he has been educating readers of his site for over 20 years on how to create effective travel journeys. Another reason why he is passionate about train travel and the website? The environment. “If you want to get people to cut their carbon footprint, you’ve got to emphasise the experience,” he tells Fantastic Man when discussing how people can be swayed away from air travel. “It’s awful, but you’ve got to do it to save the planet.”
So whether you have dreamed of taking a train between Europe’s most iconic cities or have always wanted a rail journey past some of America’s most breathtaking national parks, you’ll find everything you need on The Man in Seat 61. Let’s dive in further and take a look at everything you’ll find on Smith’s site to help you decide which trains are right for you and how you can purchase your tickets.
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Why The Man in Seat 61 will help you travel smarter
Person standing in front of a train – fast-stock/Shutterstock
When you visit The Man in Seat 61, don’t be fooled by the site’s retro vibe. Smith built it himself using information he’d gleaned from a cheap guide to coding. What the site lacks in modern design, it more than makes up for in information. The homepage will lead you to different guides based on your desired destination. For instance, selecting the route between London and Edinburgh, Scotland will not only tell you how frequently the train travels, but will also give expert advice on how to find the most affordable, flexible tickets. In this case, Smith even includes photos of the train interiors and a short guide to the wonderful sites you’ll see along the way.
There are also larger destination pages, such as the one for Australia, that include interactive train maps of the entire country (including ferry connections), which lead to detailed route information as clicked. This is perfect for visual learners who aren’t exactly sure where a given country’s trains can take them. From timetables to average ticket costs, the amount of detail Smith includes is astounding. There’s even a guide dedicated to European train travel that spells out everything from how to buy tickets to how to take the train on a trip with your pet.
If you’re looking for the cheapest and easiest way to book train tickets, bookmarking The Man in Seat 61 is a no-brainer. It’s like having a local friend ensure that you’ll get the best prices and most comfortable seats so you can sit back and enjoy the ride. Whether you are a train aficionado or a newbie to rail travel, The Man in Seat 61 is the first place to consult when planning your next rail trip.
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Read the original article on Islands.