For these destinations, you just take the train
New year, new resolutions, new trips to plan. At least, that's always how I like to start the new year. January always flies by, I think, in February the (cold) sun shows itself every now and then, and that is also the ideal month to plan that first trip.
Now you can of course go full throttle and book a return trip to Indonesia, but starting small is also nice. So my good resolution: take the train more often. You're also kind of working on your ecological footprint (like 2020). And let's look a bit further than the Thalys to Paris, okay? 2020 will be the year of the train, and to these destinations. And, NS, let's leave all those delays behind, alright? That's just so not 2020.
1. Lille
Yes, that Thalys also goes to Lille and that's a city that's definitely worth a visit. Well, the French baguettes and French cheeses, but a lot less travel time than to Paris. From Amsterdam about two and a half hours and from Rotterdam just under two hours. Oui oui, forget Paris.
YES, finally we can take the train to London. The Eurostar, one of the most fun newcomers from last year. Okay, you do sit for a while (about four hours from Rotterdam), but with flying you also spend that time from door to door. And not having to check in, definitely more comfortable seats and just a laptop with wifi (hi Netflix)... So I think I will never fly to London again. to London, I think.
3. Cologne
To be honest: Germany has never really attracted me. Yes, of course: Berlin is nice, but that was about it for me. Until I discovered Cologne (and the place that comes next at number 4). Really a nice, cozy city, where you can not only eat bratwurst, but where they also serve delicious tapas. No pints of beer but a nice glass of wine. So something for everyone, less than three hours from Amsterdam and can be combined with the place that comes next.
4. Düsseldorf
A city that – to be honest – is not necessarily very special, but you can shop really well there. Yes, so that combination is really nice. During the day plundering the shops here and then taking the train back to Cologne to eat and drink something there. Because you probably have seen Düsseldorf after one day, unless you go in the winter months, because the Christmas market here is super fun.
Maybe a bit silly, but I had really never thought about the fact that you can just take the train to this city. It does take a while (around eleven hours), but they have night trains so you arrive early in the morning in the heart of Copenhagen. How fun is that? The seats may not be super comfortable for sleeping, but they are a very nice budget option. With a bit of smart booking, you can get a cheap return ticket.
6. Zurich
If you book this a bit smoothly (and stay updated on offers and promotions), you can also go to Zurich for a pretty good price. The train itself stops in Basel (also a recommendation), but if you travel another hour further, you’ll be in this Swiss capital in no time. Also nice to combine these two cities. And just a bit of a different-than-usual city for an original weekend away.
