4 Trains, 5 Cities: A Whirlwind European Odyssey
A century after the original golden era of railroads, trains are once again the talk of travel. In Europe, especially, train travel is surging as an environmental alternative to short-haul flights, with more night trains, high-speed routes and transnational collaboration… A century after the original golden era of railroads, trains are once again the talk of travel. In Europe, especially, train travel is surging as an environmental alternative to short-haul flights, with more night trains, high-speed routes and transnational collaboration among rail companies. Political ties between European countries may be jittery, but the cities are more linked than ever. Trains also return us to the romance of travel. The pacifying hours invite reading and contemplation as the landscapes reveal the geography between destinations -- the Zen opposite of air travel's frittered tedium. I travel to Sweden annually from my home in Florence, Italy. Seeking the contemporary culture of other cities a...