Author: A Plan To Go

There are over 500 Amtrak stations in the contiguous USA and 13 served by the Alaska Railroad, with only the latter offering truly wild locations. But, when you step off that comfy, civilised train and into the sort of destination where you look up and are greeted by perfectly dark skies and silence, these remote train stations will make you feel as if you’ve arrived somewhere very special.

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I’m going to do a very inexpert estimation of how many people travelled by cargo ship every year. An agency specialising in this form of travel informed me that there were over 200 such ships available to the general public, so let’s say that, with an average of two cabins per ship, an occupation rate of 50%, two people per cabin and an average journey time of 7 days…that’s 20,800 journeys/year which are no longer possible.

Why? The pandemic and the various crises in the Middle East are two key reasons. Cargo ship companies were looking for an excuse to halt passenger travel and war and COVID provided the perfect excuse to do just that. Because the media isn’t interested in this form of travel (to put it into context, the same number of people in my (very) rough annual cargo passenger estimation is akin to the number of passengers flying in/out of Heathrow in just 3 hours, so probably not on most travel editors’ radar) cargo companies have continued to quietly keep those cabins closed to the general public. That round-the-world trip you may have wanted to take without flying? It’s now even harder to do than before (the only way I can think of now would be to crew on a yacht for large sections).

I reached out to the main cargo ship companies who once offered this form of travel to ask about the future of cargo ship travel for the general public, only Maersk responded to confirm that the decision to no longer carry passengers on their fleet is permanent.

This is a great shame. Those cabins will remain empty, the crew already have their own quarters. Travellers will have to find alternative (most likely far more environmentally damaging) ways to reach their destinations. Crews on the ships will miss the welcome distraction of having new faces on board. But there are reasons for optimism.

Colin Hetherington (who was a great help with putting together this post) from Cargo Ship Voyages points out that there are still opportunities to travel on certain lines, such as Extreme E who operate the former RMS St Helena. He also mentions that short haul European voyages, deep sea voyages to/from South Africa with MACS shipping, and coastal cargo/passenger voyages in Canada and French Polynesia are still available.

Hopefully with pressure from the general public, crews, and agents such as Colin, cargo ships will one day welcome passengers back on board. For now, though, hundreds of ships continue to sail with empty cabins.

My birthday is at the end of October, not a time of year that’s ideal hiking weather but, for the past couple of years, I’ve nonetheless decided to tackle a different section of the Thames Path (source of Thames to Oxford, Reading to Oxford). In 2023 it was time for the 32-mile Reading to Windsor hike.

Day 1: Reading to Marlow

Blessed with the brand new Crossrail train route from central London to Reading it was an easy start to the day, helped by my learning from last year and actually heading in the right direction to the Thames, just minutes away. This would prove to be one of the least serene parts of the walk, thanks to the nearby presence of the railway and various main roads. Nevertheless, the city of Reading will no doubt feel blessed to have such greenery and a full flowing river on its edge.

On the other side of the river is the vast boating lake where the various London 2012 Olympics rowing events took place. Back on this side and the scenery gets more and more wilder, the sounds of roads and rails receding at last. The Thames Valley Nature Park provided the rustle of birds and unseen critters, the Sonning Bridge providing the first perfectly picturesque scene of the day.

Beyond the bridge the path became incredibly muddy, despite it not having rained for days. The Thames Path is pretty, but poorly maintained in many places. As the width of the river grew so did the size and number of its islands (which, being on a river, are called ‘eyots’). Luxury houses began to appear on the river banks, often blocking the path and necessitating a diversion away from the water.

I’ve previously walked the upcoming section of the Thames Path with my wife and so names such as ‘Wargrave’ and ‘Shiplake’ were familiar to me, as, eventually, was the scenery. It’s a very pretty and peaceful stretch of the Thames oozing with wealth. Where a river ferry was once located the path once again veers a long way around mansions and dips beneath the railway line from Twyford (which connects with London Paddington), I had to crouch down in order to follow the path beneath the rails.

Henley-on-Thames is an excellent place to reward yourself with lunch and/or cake. The Chocolate Cafe has a range of dishes and delicious baked goods and is therefore often busy. Out on the river swans glide by tour boats and private boats, sleek rowing boats flying past just beyond the bridge.

Back on the other side of the river the path continues past the gorgeous Temple Island with its delightful columned folly. Just past this is Hambledon Lock, across the water are the Chiltern Hills. Spectral white deer appear when the path diverges from the river near opulent Culham Court. Close to Marlow a key bridge had, without warning, been closed for repairs. This necessitated a long diversion along a busy country lane. I was, therefore, very happy to arrive at my £74/night Premier Inn in Marlow

Day 2: Marlow to Windsor

Starting my birthday with breakfast at Megan’s I followed my boot-blistered feet out of the ancient town and back to the path. Another fine, sunny day for hiking. Just about everyone I passed at this time in the morning was dog walker. It took a while after passing underneath the A404 for the busy road noise to disappear but, at last, peace returned when I reached Bourne End.

Bourne End followed the pretty Thames village formula: old pub with seating on the riverbank; massive houses, and; private boats tied up either on the bank or in tiny marinas. Sharing a bridge with the railway I cross the river for umpteenth time.

At Cookham the path leaves the river, loses itself in Berkshire countryside and decides to re-join the Thames on the opposite bank to historic Cliveden House. I really enjoyed this next part: a long section of well-laid path with trees to the side and, on the other side, the cliffs and wooded grounds of Cliveden.

Much as I enjoy my own company I could think of no better way of spending my birthday than having my wife (Anna) and dog (Bounty) by my side. The Thames path has Maidenhead sprung upon it and in a riverside park I met Anna and Bounty.

Our happy trio marched out of Maidenhead. Past Bray Lock (#34 out of 45 on the river) and beneath the noisome M4. Until now I felt as though I was in the countryside, the M4 motorway marked the point at which the fringes of London began to make themselves known. More roads, more homes, less serenity.

Still, there were trees and fields and riverine idyll to enjoy. I was now very tired and just about ready to head home. Just then the immense Windsor Castle appeared some distance away and above the trees. Nearly there. It had been many since I had visited this royal town and had forgotten how impressive the royal castle is. So much for just one family. We found somewhere to grab food amidst the tourist throngs then collapsed on a train back to London.

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Trip details

Total length: roughly 32 miles
Total walking time: 10 hours
Trains to Reading: direct from London Paddington and take on average 44 minutes
Trains from Windsor: to London Paddington from Windsor & Eton Central station, taking 30 minutes and changing at Slough
Where I stayed: Premier Inn, Marlow (book here)

This will be my fourth sleeper train in Europe and a service run by the largest operator in the business: Austria’s ÖBB Nightjet. The Vienna to Brussels Sleeper Train is scheduled to be a journey of 13 hours and 44 minutes, departing at 20:11 and arriving into Brussels Midi at 09:55. I’m going to give you an honest review of my experience, starting with the booking process.

Booking on ÖBB Nightjet

I recommend that you put your destination country followed by “nightjet” into your chosen search engine. For example, I searched for “Belgium nightjet” and the exact page I needed to search and book was at the top of the results.

Beneath this field you then choose your departure date and below will appear the dates on which the service(s) run and the various price options.

So far, so simple. Here’s where it got complicated. I wanted to travel with my wife in a “Couchette carriage” that comes with shower (non-shower versions also available). However, because of the puritanical attitude of ÖBB, genders cannot mix in their carriages and so we were forced to look at the sleeper cabin option. The price for that was over €500, quite incredible for a train journey and basic accommodation.

Eventually we decided that I would travel alone while my wife took a considerably cheaper and faster flight. After selecting my couchette carriage I was then given the option to pay extra for the shower (this option isn’t always available), which I did. The price came to £93.50 (€107.40), which is remarkably good value considering it included travel and accommodation.

How did I get such a good price?

• Booking as far in advance as possible (bookings are open many months ahead of departure)
• Travelling mid-week
• Sharing a cabin with a stranger

Lounge

I had been given the impression that, because I had booked a sleeper train carriage, I would have access to the ÖBB lounge at Vienna Central station. However, when I arrived at reception the man behind the desk didn’t seem certain that I could have access but, because he was busy with other passengers, waved me in with a wink.

The seating in the lounge isn’t particularly comfortable nor are the little tables conducive to working on a laptop. But there is a coffee machine that makes a decent hot chocolate, a good range of soft drinks, plus a small range of snacks including one hot pastry option. Not the best train lounge food I’ve seen, but OK.

The cabin

In my cabin is one other person who happened to be another Englishman. Of all the sleeper train cabins I’ve travelled in this is the largest. We had plenty of space to sit and work and eat.

Waking early to shower before breakfast I discovered that nothing but a dribble of water was coming out of the showerhead. I pressed the button on and off a few times in the forlorn hope that this would make a difference. Nothing. No shower for me, despite the extra price I’d paid for this comfort.

Unfortunately mine wasn’t the only cabin experiencing issues. A family in a nearby cabin didn’t have a working toilet, others’ showers weren’t working either. For Europe’s main sleeper train service this was all incredibly disappointing.

Sleep

I’m 5ft8in (177cm) – not particularly tall but I did note that I had loads of room at my feet. The bed felt plenty wide enough and wasn’t too firm (I was on the bottom bunk, which during the day becomes the cabin seating).

I don’t know if the ÖBB drivers receive special training, but they seem adept at starting the train so gently that you don’t even realised it’s begun to move. The rails through Austria, Germany and Belgium were smooth and straight enough that I barely felt a bump in the night.

Although there was a family with screaming children two doors down from my cabin the sound insulation was such that a peaceful night was had, by me at least. I’m a light sleeper, but I slept very well on this service.

Breakfast

Timing

Departing at 20:11 feels very civilised. There’s enough time, should you wish, to have dinner on board before settling in for the night. ÖBB Nightjets don’t have a dining car but the food available is good value and brought to your cabin.

Without explanation or apology the train arrived into Brussels Midi about 30 minutes late. Not a problem for me but an indication of the service’s reliability. Apparently tardiness is an issue for ÖBB which some attribute to German infrastructure – maybe routes which avoid this country are better.

Conclusion

I have received a 50% refund (€53.70) for the issues I experienced, not least the lack of shower. This seems reasonable, however, I am concerned that ÖBB’s Nightjets often have these problems. There are no showers at Brussels Midi, it’s not fun to go through the day without having had one.

I was particularly impressed with the smoothness of the ride; the key thing about a sleeper train service is, after all, sleep! If I can get a similar price in future I would consider travelling ÖBB Nightjet again. Plus, I saved 239.2kg in CO2 emissions compared to if I’d travelled by car.

At the base of the large stone gates of Azerbaijan, and off to the side, a humble little cabin in which a friendly man vends a variety of snacks and exchanges any remaining Azerbaijani manat for Georgian lari. Having exchanged, shaken the hand of my taxi driver and thanked him for the ride from Sheki, I stand before those gates. They are at the border of Lagodekhi, Georgia. The gates were locked. Various online sources informed me that it’s not possible to cross from Azerbaijan into Georgia. Do not trust the internet.

A soldier appears and asks for my passport. Having handed it over – possibly with a mumbled “could I go to Georgia please?” – he calls someone on his turn-of-the-century mobile phone and, after hanging up, opens the gate. All is quiet here, not another soul to be seen. Appropriately a lightning storm rages almost overhead. I quicken my pace up the long outdoor passageway which runs between smoked glass on one side and a tall wall on the other. I’m climbing for a couple of minutes up this steep stepped passageway wondering just how long it’ll go on for when I see at the end gold mirrored doors.

The doors are, of course, locked. I timidly knock. No response. I look behind me in case the soldier has followed. He has not. I stand there in despair for at least five minutes, but which felt like many more, when at last the doors opens. A friendly woman looks at the x-ray of my backpack as it passes through a scanner and I immediately feel guilty about buying sumac. Don’t let me go to border jail for sumac.

Instead the friendly woman chats friendily about her uncle in Brighton. Less friendly is the soldier beyond her who has the task of checking that I truly am the man depicted ten years ago in my nearly out-of-date passport. He answers his mobile phone, official business I initially assume because it, too, is turn-of-the-century. The sudden appearance of his superior causes the soldier to swiftly and guiltily hang up. Maybe this was a personal call. Now I have a stern and angry soldier to prove my selfness to. The thud of a stamp has never sounded better.

Back outside into another long passageway, the door of the building I just departed from slamming shut as if to say “there’s no coming back”, which is a shame because at the end of this particular long passageway is something that feels like a cage. An iron fence and gate prevent me from going any further. The gate is, of course, locked, this time with one of those cheap lengths of wire used to secure a bicycle. Here there is a bridge, on the other side of which I can see the Georgian border control. Beneath the bridge a river runs freely by. I glance up at the razor wire and decide not to take my chances.

A soldier, having dealt with an incoming Turkish lorry driver on that bridge, runs over to unlock the gates and conduct a final scan of my passport while a Belarussian lorry driver honks impatiently at an Azerbaijani lorry driver. Freight traffic is still allowed to pass from Georgia to Azerbaijan. My final soldier cheerily allows me out of his country and onto the no-man’s land bridge. I hurry across and am met by Georgian police wearing their best “don’t mess with me” faces. I do not mess with them, I behave impeccably and those same police officers, having processed my passport, welcome me to Georgia.

Azerbaijan was far from the friendliest country and the tourist board were absolutely useless in providing me with information about borders crossings. I visited the Azerbaijan stall at a recent National Geographic food festival and, well, let’s just say that they did more harm than good to their country’s image as far as I’m concerned. They clearly aren’t set up for tourism here, which for some of you may be a blessing (just don’t go too close to the border with Armenia).

My upcoming trip has a lot of moving parts. I’m going to dozens of different places over a period of three weeks. I’m going from country A to country B to country C, then back to country B. I’m travelling by public transport, visiting wineries, hiking along remote trails, seeing off-the-beaten-path communities. Oh, and two of these countries are kind of at war with each other.

Yesterday I discovered that a key route I needed to take was now no longer possible to undertake due to the border suddenly closing (it had been open in the direction I was going, now it’s entirely shut). Here’s what I did:

Despair

Independent travel can be monumentally frustrating. Plans that require many, many hours of research unexpectedly come undone due to one small cog falling off. When this occasionally happens to me my first feeling is one of despair.

Despair at myself for not just taking an easy organised trip. Despair at lack of information on the internet (it’s amazing, when planning independent travel, you soon realise how limited the internet is (which is why I put together travel plans that hopefully help others)). Despair at geopolitics and the petty nature of many politicians.

Once I’ve allowed myself a little despair I then become determined. It’s time to pull out all the stops, starting with some favourites.

Skyscanner, Wikipedia

Because I try my best to travel responsibly I prefer to travel overland using public transport. Only when that method is totally shut off to me do I look at flights. My favourite tool for quickly looking at flight possibilities is Skyscanner, which is why they’re one of my affiliates.

Taking the place I was planning to be in as a starting point I head to Skyscanner and see if I can fly from there to the destination I was hoping to get to. Not possible? Find the next nearest city. Not possible? Look at indirect routes. Not possible? Look at the Wikipedia pages for these airports to see which airlines fly from them, checking each airlines’ website in case Skyscanner has missed anything (95% of the time it hasn’t).

Inevitably there is a flight route which can get me to where I wanted to be. Sadly that route can often be incredibly expensive and/or incredibly inconvenient. Case in point: I needed to get from a city in Northern Azerbaijan to Tbilisi. Due to needing to fly within ten days the seats had sold out and the only alternative was to fly a long way west to Istanbul, then fly a long way back east to Tbilisi at a cost of over one third of what I was paying for the entire trip. Time for another plan.

Locals, Wikitravel

As well as being limited in information, the internet is famously good at disinformation. Was that border I need to cross actually shut? Yes, but it seems only at the point where I wanted to cross, another crossing point may still be open in the direction I need to travel.

Wikitravel has “Get Out” and “Get In” sections, which often have contact details for local transport operators. Here I found the number of a bus driver that took passengers across the allegedly-closed border point. Unfortunately he, and the hotel I was due to stay at, confirmed that the border was closed.

Asking locals can be both a blessing and a curse. They should be the best informed people. Often this is a great source for accurate information, but that information can come with a hyper-local angle or even an agenda. It’s worth trying tourist boards but, in my experience, they’re not always particularly helpful. So, who else may be using the border?

Tour operators, social media

There are some excellent group tour operators around. I’ve travelled with some in the past, and as an independent traveller I use them to plan my own travels. If they have a tour following the route you wish to follow then they probably have a very good idea about what’s happening along it. Be a bit cheeky and pretend you’re interested in the tour, asking if, for example, the rumours are true that the border is actually closed.

This is how I found out that one crossing point is, probably, still open. The tour operator confirmed that they have been crossing the border at this particular point. This was verified when I put the question out on social media, by someone who had recently taken this route. At last, some hope. Now to make new plans.

Plans C and D

My new plan, Plan C, now necessitated me cancelling the hotel I was due to stay at, telling myself that it was better to not visit that particular town/national park in order to actually continue the rest of my journey. I’m an obsessive planner, but this is one of the times where I realise that I need to rock up at a place without any accommodation booked, in case plans change again.

In fact, Plan C has opened up new opportunities. If it works out then I get to visit a well-known wine region and travel through some spectacular scenery. I’m also now extremely wary about the status of the new border crossing point, hence not booking any accommodation in case I need to implement Plan D (which would involve flying to Tbilisi via Istanbul from another airport). I will only know for sure when I get there…

Cruising between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, the Navimag ferry is perhaps the most scenic public transport journey you’ll ever take on water. What it most definitely isn’t is a cruise. Here’s all you need to know about this service.

The route

Why take this ferry

For at least three days you’ll see next to no signs of humanity. There’s Puerto Edén, a shipwreck and the occasional freighter. And that’s pretty much it. As for the natural wonders, there are fjords, forests and far-away mountains and volcanoes which edge the immense Southern Patagonian Ice Sheet.

At some points the waterways narrow to such an extent that you can almost touch the cliffs on either the side of the ferry, which is carefully steered by the skilful captain. If you’re lucky you’ll spot dolphins or maybe even whales. There are plenty of birds to keep ornithologists happy.

Your days will be spent watching the varied scenery go by, no doubt marvelling at the rugged magnificence of it all. There are also some activities to enjoy on board too, which I’ll detail below:

The ship

I took this ferry in 2019, since then a new ship has been introduced. The “Esperanza” was launched in 2021 and it looks similar to the ship I sailed on. The cabins are small, functional and comfortable. There are three categories of cabin, plus one for reduced mobility:

• Premium Suite. Queen-size bed, window, en-suite bathroom
• AA Cabin. 4 beds (2 bunks), window, en-suite bathroom
• A Cabin. 4, 6 or 8 beds (2, 3 or 4 bunks), no window, en-suite bathroom
• Reduced mobility. 2 beds, window, en-suite bathroom

Prices range from USD$2,650 for single use of the Premium cabin, to USD$590pp for use of the shared A Cabins. For this price you get breakfast lunch and dinner plus, between November and March, bilingual guides will provide talks, plus entertainment such as karaoke.

The ship has capacity for 244 passengers. As well as fellow travellers like yourself there’ll be lorry drivers and perhaps a few residents of Puerto Edén on their way to/from home. In addition to the dining room there’s a café and loads of space on the outdoor decks.

Although this video is of the old ferry it still gives you a good idea of the onboard experience:

Booking

Considering this service departs only once/week I recommend booking ahead, especially if travelling during high season. Click on the button below to book online (I don’t earn money from these bookings, if this information has been useful you can buy me a coffee here, thanks!):

You can pay in USD$ via PayPal, or in Chilean Pesos with major cards including Visa, Mastercard, American Express.

The journey

I put together this video showcasing the views to be enjoyed on the ferry route between Puerto Natales and Puerto Montt:

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Transport and accommodation

The Lauterbrunnen Valley began to welcome visitors towards the end of the 18th century. Now millions of tourists come to this popular Swiss destination every year to enjoy the mountain scenery, pushing prices sky high. But it is still possible to find solitude here, as well as visit on a budget.

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Bus timetable

A single road runs through the Lauterbrunnen Valley, as well as a well-made hiking and cycling track. Along the road runs the #141 bus, with two departures every hour between 05:06 and 22:53 and the journey between Lauterbrunnen and Stechleberg takes 20 minutes. This bus is run by PostBus and stops at:

• Lauterbrunnen Bahnhof
• Lauterbrunnen Dorf
• Lauterbrunnen Kirche
• Lauterbrunnen Ey
• Schützenbach;
• Heliport
• Trümmelbachfälle
• Sandbach
• Stegmatte
• Schilthornbahn
• Stechelberg Post
• Stechelberg Hotel

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Isenfluh

At the entrance to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Isenfluh’s (pronounced “EESen-floo”) main attraction (besides the pretty village itself) is the 1970’s red cable car running every five minutes up to Sulwald hamlet. Here is a restaurant (Sulwald Stübli) and a number of hiking opportunities.

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Wengen

Wengen (pronounced “veng-gn”) is typical Alpine village of wooden chalets, colourful flowers and cute restaurants. It’s a car-free resort popular for winter sports as well as hiking in warmer months. To get here there’s a direct train from Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald.

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Männlichen

From Wengen you can take a cable car to the top of Männlichen mountain. Here, at 2,343m, is a selection of hikes, perhaps the best of which is the 4.5km trail to Kleine Scheidegg from where you can either take the Jungfrau Railway up to Jungfraujoch, or the Wengernalp Railway down to Grindelwald.

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Grütschalp Cable Car

A short walk from Lauterbrunnen train station, the Grütschalp cable car whisks passengers on a 4-minute ride up to Grütschalp train station, which is at 1,487m altitude. From Grütschalp two to four trains run per hour to Mürren, a 12 minute extremely scenic journey.

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Lauterbrunnen

Lauterbrunnen Village is the valley’s centre of activity. It’s connected by train to Interlaken, Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg, and via cable car and train to Mürren. In peak seasons it’s hard to see the streets for people, but your attention will no doubt be drawn upwards to pretty chalet balconies and those ever-present mountains. From the centre of town there’s a steep walk up to and behind Staubach waterfall (free) from where you get a great view of the valley. Restaurant Weidstübli is a great place to try a Berner Oberländer fondue (CHF23) or raclette (CHF21).

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Helicopter tours

This is the source of the constant, annoying noise that fills Lauterbrunnen Valley. Just outside of Lauterbrunnen Valley is a field filled with helicopters. Yes, the tours may be spectacular, but they’re expensive, polluting and a massive nuisance. If that’s OK with you then I’ve included a link to book below. From CHF190 per person for a 13-15 minute flight.

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Kleine Scheidegg

Moving down the valley, or rather upwards, Kleine Scheidegg is a busy mountain pass where trains from Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and Jungfraujoch meet. I recommend not hopping from one train to another, but instead spending at least a little time here to enjoy the views and maybe embarking along one of the trails.

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Trümmelbach Falls

Inside the mountain tumble ten waterfalls creating a mist and loud roar. As you travel up through the cave system you’ll catch glimpses of the subterranean falls and no doubt marvel at their terrifying power. It costs CHF14 to enter, included in the price is the elevator ride up the inside of the mountain. Note that, while the path through the caves is wide and even, there are a lot of steps to navigate. The #141 bus stops here, or it’s a 2.8km walk from Lauterbrunnen.

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Mürrenbachfalls

Dropping from a height of 417 metres, Mürrenbachfalls are perhaps the Lauterbrunnen Valley’s most dramatic. Anyone can see them for free; they’re just a short walk from the Schilthornbahn, or about 4.7km walk from Lauterbrunnen.

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Schilthornbahn

The beginning of quite possibly the most dramatic journey you’ll ever take, from Schilthornbahn cable cars rise up the mountain between 07:25 and 16:25. This is just one of a series of cable cars that can take you all the way to the top of Schilthorn. Here’s the route:

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Mürren

Ah Mürren. Gorgeous, car-free Mürren. From this busy village, 1,638m high in the mountains, you can look out across the Lauterbrunnen Valley to the Jungfrau (4,158m), Monch (4,110m) and Eiger (3,967m). There’s a wide choice of hotels and restaurants, a wealth of hiking trails for all levels of ability, and a train station linking the village to Lauterbrunnen and the rest of Switzerland. I visited Mürren on honeymoon, that’s how much I like this place.

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Piz Gloria

OK, this is my favourite place in the whole world. Piz Gloria is a fairly large complex which has been built on top of Schilthorn mountain, 2,970m high. The highlight of Piz Gloria is the revolving restaurant, made famous by the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It’s not cheap to get here, it’s not cheap to eat here, but you will have an experience you will not forget. After all, where else can you sit on top of a mountain, eating a meal while being gently spun around among countless snowy peaks? There’s also a large terrace from which to enjoy the views.

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Jungfraujoch

Next in the showcase of frankly astonishing Swiss engineering is Jungfraujoch, a train station, restaurants, observatory, shop etc. built in the saddle between the Jungfrau and Monch mountains. Jungfraujoch train station is, at 3,454m, the highest in Europe. The train journey from Kleine Schiedeg takes 35 minutes, travelling through the mountains and behind the infamous north face of the Eiger. The Sphinx Observatory is one of the world’s highest and there are awesome views from the Sphinx terrace. Enjoy a walk around the subterranean Ice Palace, or a walk along the snow to Mönchsjochhütte. Throughout the year there are a number of winter sports to enjoy.

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Stechelberg

Far from the madd(en)ing crowds of Lauterbrunnen, Stechelberg is at the far end of the valley. It’s a small hamlet with hotel, restaurants and camping. Most tourists have been tempted away by the valley’s other attractions before they get to Stechelberg, leaving you to enjoy the scenery in relative peace. It’s a 5.7km walk along that lovely car-free track from Lauterbrunnen and you can walk towards the Breithorn range, to Staldenbachfall, or all the way to Gimmelwald and Mürren – a most enjoyable if challenging hike of 8km with a total ascent of 1,190m.

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Gimmelwald

To get to Gimmelwald you either have to walk from Mürren or Stechelberg, or take a cable car. If you don’t suffer from vertigo then the Mürren via ferrata is another option. It’s a small village that has a wonderful feeling of remoteness, although it is possible to find accommodation and places to eat here. Like many villages in the area it’s inhabited by the Walsers, who began to migrate from the Swiss canton of Valais around the year 1300.

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Getting to Lauterbrunnen

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📍 10-minute walk to Rialto Bridge
🛏️ Beds not bunks, in old building with modern interior
🚿 Bathrooms plentiful but not always totally clean
🍽️ Traditional Venetian bar, restaurant, breakfast available and some rooms have kitchenettes
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Various types of private rooms, some with en-suite bathrooms

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📍 5 minute walk to ferries which run regularly to city centre
🛏️ Spacious bedrooms, no dorms
🚿 Good size bathrooms
🍽️ Large lobby, barf, gorgeous terrace
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 All rooms are private and come with en-suite bathroom

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📍 Steps away from Santa Lucia train station, 20-min walk to Rialto Bridge
🛏️ Private rooms with up to four beds
🚿 Each room has its own bathroom
🍽️ Breakfast included, simple dining room
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 All rooms are private

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📍 Located between Santa Lucia station and St Mark’s Square (20 mins away)
🛏️ Rooms vary in size form singles to quadruples (no dorms)
🚿 Good quality bathrooms for each room
🍽️ Breakfast included, apartments include kitchen
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Private rooms with en-suite bathrooms

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📍Great location, 9 minutes walk to both Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square
🛏️ Private rooms for between one and five people, economy room is small but has double bed
🚿 Simple bathrooms
🍽️ No communal areas, no kitchen
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 All rooms are en-suite

📍 Quiet part of the city, a lovely 18-minute walk to St Mark’s Square
🛏️ Spacious one- to three-bed rooms, some with amazing views over the water
🚿 Some rooms are en-suite, shared bathrooms shared by max. two rooms
🍽️ Grand dining room in which continental breakfast is served
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 All rooms are private, no dorms

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📍 Quieter neighbourhood but just 15 minute walk from St Mark’s Square
🛏️ Basic private rooms, no bunks, with view either of open water or canal
🚿 Three bathrooms shared between rooms
🍽️ Breakfast included
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Economy, Standard and Deluxe rooms each with double/twin beds

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📍 Perfect canal-side location just 8 minutes’ walk from Rialto Bridge
🛏️ Elegant private rooms with heaps of space
🚿 Basic but clean bathrooms
🍽️ No communal areas apart from the gorgeous courtyard, reception and staircase
🧑‍🤝‍🧑All rooms are en-suite

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📍 Just over the canal from Santa Lucia station, 15 minutes’ walk to Rialto Bridge
🛏️ Comfortable, somewhat dated rooms with between two and four beds
🚿 Basic bathrooms
🍽️ Breakfast included, which is served in the garden in summer
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Two rooms share a fairly small bathroom, otherwise en-suite

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If you’ve been inspired by Venice’s top budget hotels then get your free Italy itinerary below, as well as a link to the best flight deals:

Next year will be the 30th anniversary of Eurostar train services between London and Paris, with this year marking 30 years since the tunnel beneath the English Channel (La Manche) was opened. I remember the early days of Eurostar, when I marvelled that the trains a few platforms away at Waterloo were on their way to France. Luckily for me, in 2007 Eurostar moved to newly-refurbished St Pancras which is a 15-minute walk from my front door. Suddenly the rest of Europe really was on my doorstep.

Direct and indirect links

I’ve also taken numerous indirect train trips beginning with Eurostar. London to Paris to Venice (on a sleeper train service which sadly no longer runs), London to Paris to Lausanne, London to Brussels to Antwerp, London to Brussels to Bruges, London to Paris to Luxembourg. Eurostar really does open a continent full of possibilities, especially when combined with various sleeper train services.

I love that you can take a Eurostar service to the Alps, I only wish that, as someone who doesn’t participate in winter sports, this was a service that operated year-round.

Much ado about nothing

Travelling from Paris to other destinations in the continent often involves a change of station, which also (as an abled person), is not just unproblematic but an opportunity to enjoy the French capital. Gare du Nord to Gare de L’Est is, according to Google, a 10-minute walk and, according to me, an excellent excuse to stop and enjoy lunch at somewhere such as Cafe De L’Est (this was my first post-pandemic meal abroad and so I have a special affection for it).

I undertook the one-hour walk to Gare De Lyon – it’s a direct eight-minute ride on the metro – in order to grab some boulangerie treats for my onwards journey to Switzerland. What an enjoyable day that was, what a delight and privilege to hop across from my home city to one country before being mesmerised by the view on my way to another.

Train is better than plane

There is no turbulence on the rails. In fact, the journey is very smooth despite hurtling along at up to 300kph (186 mph). OK, the WiFi on Eurostar is awful, but it’s not so great at 35,000 feet either. If I really need a leg stretch Eurostar trains are 394 metres (1,293 ft) long, over four times the length of a Boeing 777. Eurostar bathrooms are spacious and plentiful. Windows are large. I’m not particularly tall, but I can certainly appreciate the greater legroom on Eurostar vs even the best airlines.

Price

Taking advantage of Eurostar sales (I’m writing this on a day when Eurostar has a sale, one-way tickets from £35) and travelling at off-peak times can really bring down the price. If travelling to St Pancras from other parts of the country then check out London International (CIV) fares, as excellently explained on the Man in Seat 61 website.

All things considered

For the comfort, convenience and environmental responsibility that Eurostar offers it is, for me, absolutely worth paying a little extra to use this service. I’ve been taking the train to the continent for many years and can’t think of a single bad experience. In fact, every journey has been enjoyable, something I most definitely can’t say about flying. It’s just hugely disappointing that dogs aren’t allowed and bikes must be disassembled when travelling between London and Paris.

As mentioned above, the service to the Netherlands is under threat, the Disneyland Paris stop is soon due to come to an end, Ashford International and Ebbsfleet stations no longer have Eurostar stopping at them, and we no longer have the option to travel direct to Avignon, Lyon, Marseille, plans for Eurostar services all the way up to Scotland never happened.

There is such enormous potential for this long-running service. I will remain optimistic that, with such strong public desire for better travel and environmental responsibility, Eurostar will one day return to old routes and introduce new destinations.