Train Travel In Europe

Here are some photos I took while traveling in Europe by train in the mid 1970s. I had a Eurail-pass so I could take trains at any hour to any place. the Berlin Wall was still up, and travel through communist countries was difficult. The remains of World War II bombing was still evident in Eastern Europe and the communist countries.

Station in Paris

Photo taken from West Berlin side of the wall. The buildings in East Berlin had their west facing sides cemented over. This was to prevent people from escaping from Soviet East Berlin by means of wires and cables over the Berlin Wall.

Buildings in East Berlin
Close up of WW II bombed out building in East Berlin

Night trains

Night trains were a great way to get around Europe. I was able to Save precious sightseeing time by moving between cities while I slept (?) and arriving in the early AM to have the whole day in a new city. 

Rail Tunnel in West Germany

Scenic trains

Europe is a beautiful continent in itself, and seeing it from the window of a train can be an awesome experience. Scenic trains carry you through amazing mountain and rural scenery.

My special sunrise

I remember waking up at sunrise and looking out my window to see the Arles train stop sign as we pulled into the station where Vincent Van Gogh developed his style. He sought the softer, brighter light, and I woke up to it that morning on the train. It was an almost mystical experience for me as we continued on, past the town where he painted some of his most well known scenes.

Photo from website CultureTourist.com

The train station clock

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *