Growing up in England during the 70s, I commuted by train three hours a day in and out of London for school. Eurail, however, was just a concept, something useful that backpackers used to get around Europe. What a great surprise and delight it was, then, to finally discover first-hand the great ease and convenience of the Eurail Pass as an adult. Covering much of my travel across southern Sweden and southern Finland in the spring of 2007, my Eurail Global Pass proved to be a charm. Traveling first from Copenhagen Airport to the Swedish city of Malmo, successive rail legs took me to Alvesta and Stockholm.
Swedish Railways’ completely refurbished and modernized fleet of high-speed X 2000 trains were a dream. The wide, comfortable, well-spaced seats came with AC outlets, boosted mobile phone coverage and surprisingly steady wireless Internet, even when sending picture files. Personal in-seat light meal service was a gracious affair, and even at top speed, the trains ran like whispers.
Following a sea crossing to Helsinki aboard Eurail partner Tallink Silja's Serenade cruise ship, Finnish Railways continued the smooth ride, connecting me to the historic towns of Tampere and Turku before bringing me back to Helsinki in style aboard a double-decker InterCity train. Again, the personal on-board service, the impeccable cleanliness and amenities like the well-stocked bistro made for an experience that you just wanted to keep going.
Eurail's broad range of rail and sea travel packages naturally appeal to the leisure traveler, but with several meetings on this journey, I can highly recommend a Eurail pass as a convenient, cost-effective tool for business travel.
Jeff Heilman