How the fares work
Most countries with good railways run two pricing systems. High-speed and long-distance trains are priced like flights, with a limited number of cheap fares released two to four months ahead, tied to one specific train and often non-refundable. Regional and commuter trains have a fixed price, never sell out and cost the same five minutes before departure. Buy from the national railway's own site or station machines, since resellers add a fee. A rail pass pays off only when you make several long journeys in a short period, and many high-speed and night trains demand a paid seat reservation on top of the pass.
At the station
Departure boards use the 24-hour clock and list each train by its number and final destination, which may not be your stop, so match the train number on your ticket. Platforms are often posted only 10 to 20 minutes before departure. Long trains sometimes split along the route, with the front and rear halves going to different cities. Sit in the car printed on your reservation, or read the destination sign on the side of the car. In some countries an open paper ticket must be stamped in a small machine on the platform before you board, and Italian regional trains are the best-known case. An unstamped ticket is fined as no ticket. A phone ticket for a named train needs no stamp.
Night trains
A night train sells three grades: a seat, a couchette, which is a bunk in a shared compartment of four or six, and a sleeper, which is a private cabin with proper beds. Sleepers sell out first, so book early. Lock the compartment door from inside and keep your passport, phone and wallet in the bunk with you.
Long-distance buses
A coach usually costs about half the train fare, takes longer and reaches towns that have no railway. In much of Latin America, the Balkans and Southeast Asia the bus is the network. Bus stations often sit at the edge of town, so budget time and money for the transfer. Put the big bag in the hold, keep the claim tag if one is offered, and hold the small bag with your valuables on your lap or at your feet, never in the overhead rack.
Tip Screenshot your tickets and the day's timetable before you leave the hotel. Station wifi is unreliable, and rail strikes in Europe are usually announced days ahead, so check the operator's site the night before.
