Rail operators and specialist rail ticketing agents have been slower than airlines to develop online booking facilities but are now getting their act together. One of the first sites where you can research and book rail tickets for travel in Europe is Rail Europe, but it only covers a limited number of European cities. There are some specialist agents that offer a comprehensive European Rail Booking service. Many individual European countries have their own rail booking sites - see below.

Click here for UK Rail Booking and information pages.
Click here for Rail Pass pages

Switzerland

The Swiss Rail System is legendary for its efficiency and rightly so. For all the information you need about travel by rail (and other public transport) in Switzerland and especially all about the fantastic Swiss Travel Pass tickets that save you loads of Francs, click on the big banner Swiss Travel System link above.
To go straight to the Swiss Rail online timetable in English click here.

Germany

German Rail Web Site (in English) - This is perhaps the most comprehensive and reliable of all the European national rail web sites and is generally best for train times and indeed journeys by public transport generally not just for Germany but for many other countries in Europe (other than Switzerland - see above). The option to buy tickets doesnt usually apply outside Germany but for checking routes and schedules its great.

Italy

Italian Rail Web Site (in English) - OK for checking timings and prices in Italy - and you can buy your tickets in advance if you wish.

France

The French try to be clever and make it easy for you but end up complicating it! If you want a French Rail site in English they insist on sending you to the site specially designed only to send you on TGVs - which is fine if that's what you want but no good if you want to do anything else - click here to go to TGV.com.
If you want to find out about trains in France from a French site you have to go to the French language French Rail site here. Take Care - this site is OK if you want to check out straightforward main line journeys - but for real accuraccy and comprehensive searches of all possibilities - especially for more complex itineraries in France - most rail experts recommend you use the German site!!