As an American accustomed to long haul flights, the novelty of train travel when in Europe is something I always find appealing, even though sometimes the reality is less so.
During my recent trip to Europe, I traveled by train from Bratislava, Slovakia to Prague, Czech Republic. It was refreshing have travel logistics research involve checking European train schedules on www.bahn.de more often than airfares on Kayak.
Bratislava Hlavna Stanica
But European train travel isn’t always glamorous. While Bratislava impressed me with it’s cleanliness and lovely statuary, it’s main train station, Hlvna Stanica remains a decrepit remnant of the cold war, albeit one with wifi. There were tons of stairs and no porters. No elevators and only one small ramp. When I asked a question at an information kiosk and was met with cold, Slavic annoyance that reminded me of that old Wendy’s commercial about the Soviet fashion show.
Window light in a train lavatory. A typical scene from a train ride, traveling by train from Bratislava to Prague
But the train ride from Bratislava to Prague reminded me of one thing I always like about trains: the dining cars. I can’t say I’ve ever eaten a great meal on a train, but a visit to the dining car always is always a treat. It’s nice to get up, stretch your legs and head to the dining car to get a bite to eat.
Dining Cars are always a fun place to pass the time on a train
I find the white tablecloths and attempts at making a sit down meal a dining experience kind of hopeful. The waiters are always characters and patient when I try to pay them in the wrong currency, which I always seem to do. I find the menus are wrapped in plastic to prevent against spills oddly charming. It’s always nice to go and have a drink and people watch and watch for little stories to unfold in the dining car and sometimes the atmosphere is more pleasant than back in the seating compartment, which can get stuffy in the hot summer weather.
You can find the information about train travel from Bratislava to Prague here. The ride takes a little over 4 hours and a first class ticket cost 40 euros.
I love the formality of the dining car, and how it collides with the practicality of eating and drinking during a bumpy ride.
I love people watching on the dining cars. The waiters always have so much character
I can’t say I’ve ever had a great meal on a train. I though I ordered chicken paprikash, Mobile photography (Hipstamatic)
After the dining car experience is over, it’s back to my seat on the train in a stuffy compartment. Fortunately I sat across from this lady who was fun to watch. I’m not sure if you can call it street photography of it’s on a train, but I just loved how familiar she was with train travel, which to me, will always be a bit exotic. (mobile photography)
Self-portrait on a Czech train (Fuji X100)