But for all the climate benefits—plus the enduring romance of overnight train journeys—it’s not always simple building a vacation around them.
“I’ve always gone around on trains and boats and buses, so it was normal for me,” said Cat Jones, founder of the flight-free travel agency Byway. “But friends would say, ‘Oh, that sounds amazing, but no way am I going to plan all that.’” Other carriages have sleeper cabins with anywhere from one to six beds, which likely fold up when not in use. It’s possible to book an entire cabin for a family or group of friends, but you’ll pay extra.
But if you search for tickets now for summer travel, chances are you won’t see the routes available. Many railways do not open ticket sales until two or three months in advance. Several factors influence the timing, but it’s mostly because track maintenance usually is scheduled overnight to minimize commuter disruption.