The Nomad's Survival Kit This kit tells you how to survive, reviews cool gear and is an adventure filled ride.

No matter where you are, you’re never far from Europe; its cafes, cuisine and comedies have bled into every corner of the globe. And when you’re actually in Europe, you’re never far from a train station — or a bahnhof, a gare, a stazione, a ferrocarril or indeed if you’re fortunate to find yourself in Croatia, you’re never far from a željeznička stanica (pronounced Ze•li•je•ni•ky•cho•ka•lo•ka•ni•chi•ka•ka deep breath Sta•n•ee•cheee•a) With this in mind, is there a better method to weave a way through Europe, than by train? For me, It wins hands down, and this article is going to put you on track to what I believe to be the most diverse, exciting and spontaneous continent on the planet.

Which Europe Rail Pass?

If you’re travelling for more than a week you’ll benefit from a rail pass, for which you have two main choices. If you’re European, or have lived in Europe for the past six months then you need an InterRail Pass. If not, you’ll need a Eurail Pass.

How much is a Europe Rail Pass?

Non-Europeans do tend to miss out here. Those aged 25 or younger and lacking heriditary Europeanisms will pay around €159 more for their 1-month Eurail Global Pass (approx €586), compared with an equivalent InterRail Global Pass (€427), which will score you entry to 9 more countries — the main InterRail ticket covers the entire Eurail portfolio plus the UK, Turkey and Poland, most of the Balkan countries andblameless Slovakia. It hits even harder for non-European adults (26 or older) whose only option is a first-class (€900) jolly, and while Europeans in the same age bracket could buy the equivalent (€865) they can also snatch a more pocket-friendly second-class fare (€641).*

If like me you’re a European and thinking of grabbing a European rail pass to cut back the cost of the morning commute, then your luck is out. The Fat Controller is quite adamant: “this pass is not valid in the pass holder’s country of residence.”

You have your ticket, you have a backpack full of baguettes, an earful of football and a head full of Shakespeare. So mon ami, where should you go?

Take the Train to Croatia

Everyone’s talking about Croatia, and rightly so. Its stoic character has meant Croatia has withstood the test of time and since 1998, echoes of peacetime have brought with it a bloom of prosperity. Its sights are now firmly set on one thing — obtaining the coveted EU ticket.

As a traveller in Croatia, you’ll be allured by the romance of the Adriatic and fuelled by hearty treats such as spicy sausage, cheesy štrukli pasta and some of Europe’s most sublime seafood. Whether you’re looking to spot a real Dalmatian, or see the sun drag its shadow across Dubrovnik’s chess-sets, you’ll find it all within Croatia’s abiding landscapes.

Visit Scandinavia by Train

The European rail passes are also a great way to check out the bombshells of Scandinavia, by which I mean those beautiful folk. Have you ever seen an ugly Scandinavian? I thought not, and it’s little surprise when you explore the lands that they’re bred on.

But be aware, Europe’s far north isn’t riddled with rails like you may expect — it is the Arctic Circle after all. But don’t let this Finnish your dream. You can still nuzzle your way down Norway’s combed coastline, swank your way through Stockholm or get kinky near Helsinki.

If you’re prepared to bust the myth that Scandinavia is the bane of global budgeteers, then you’ll be rewarded with a softly-lit enchantment, and perhaps you’ll spy the myriad creatures of their velvety Norse mythology.

What is The Schengen Area?

Also worth knowing, is that exactly half of Europe’s fifty countries make up a friendly region known as the Schengen Area. It excludes the UK, but incorporates much of the rest. This means that if your visa enables you to enter one of these countries, you can crisscross the zone freely. No miserable border guard is going to whip you in your sleep. Ever. Again.

Planning your Railway Journey

Looking for another insider tip? The Man in Seat Sixty-One is an incredibly detailed and wholly independent resource for people looking to travel by rail in Europe, or indeed anywhere on the planet.

You don’t really need to look anywhere else. He is the Man. Literally. End of. BUT WAIT! You have to promise you’ll finish reading this article first.

Looking for a failsafe European Timetable?

Whether or not you know how to use the internet thingamajig, you’ll need a copy of the loyal Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable. This book is definitely worth buying before you leave home, for two simple reasons.

Firstly, even brain surgeons must struggle with understanding the intrinsically complicated columns. You’ll find you need five thumbs and fifteen fingers to plan your way from Zagreb to Zaragoza, so grab the book early to learn the ropes. Secondly, you’ll need to know how much room it takes up in your backpack, at 576 pages it’s not small — but thankfully it’s surprisingly light.

Backpackers’ Staple Diet

In terms of food, if you’re travelling by budget on European trains you’ll need to become familiar with the following five;

• Nutella; a morish chocolaty hazelnut spread
• Baguettes; available from Frenchmen everywhere
• Plastic Cheese; also known as processed cheese slices
• Pesto; useful to disguise said cheese
• <€4 wine; the saving grace of everything, and not to be confused with Antipodean goon.

You’re sure to find many other local delicacies, these are just the readily available products.

When’s Best to Train it in Europe?

Travelling Europe by train is a rite of passage, I personally recommend avoiding the American Invasion that occurs each summer (June-August) when ‘schools out’ — and Bank of Mum & Dad pays out — unless you’re fascinated by the fact that Josh can crush fourteen cans of Bud on his head, before banging Amanda the Texan down a Munich side street. This is the period when you’ll find Europe is truly as small as you believed.

Perhaps instead, visit during the winter. The crowds are visibly less, and the locals are visibly relieved. To be stood, frosty-breathed, in the silent cold of a medieval old town, considering the life of an aged-peddler before backing into the warmth of a tipply crowd, is to me much more appealing than a summertime of sweat and Speedos. But then again, I’m not Josh.

I most definitely, wholeheartedly recommend you don’t stick to the rails too rigidly. Much of Europe’s most fascinating regions will still need alternate methods of transport to explore.

What the European rail network does brilliantly, is give you an assured, safe way to enter and exit a country, with time between to think. They’re great value for money and will rarely let you down — unless that is, the French are on strike or you’re travelling during London’s rush hour. Train travel is the vogue for a variety of great reasons. It’s good value and it’s green, and while the trains get newer, faster, bendier we’ve never lost our notion of the romance of the rails.

*Currency conversions correct at time of this article being written. Non-European prices are based on “All Other Non-European Countries”, therefore prices will differ slightly for North Americans and considerably for South Africans. World Nomads and the author cannot be held responsible for price fluctuations and both parties recommend you fully research your options before purchasing.

Written by the footloose Englishman, Ant Stone; World Nomads very own guest blogger and the solo scribe of the charismatic travel blog Trail of Ants. Ant's currently drenching a thirst for travel during his third year of dragging a smudged and odorous backpack around the world.  You can track Ant down via his Twitter feed.