Theotherbrian,

You sound like an appreciator of train travel. Thank you the tip-off about clicking on France on the map. I also find Rail Europe a little lacking.

I travelled in 1999 to Barcelona and then onto Venice by train. I managed to go mostly at night over a week so that I got the sleeper services. From Barcelona to Milano the train tracks up into the Alps and then descends via Switzerland and glides past the Italian Lakes. It was at this point that I woke up at dawn and pulling the blinds up in my cabin was greeted with the snowy Swiss/Italian Alps. It was blindingly good. I could hear angels singing.

I had enough time to eat a silver service breakfast (included in the fare) in a half empty train before arriving in Milan to spend the morning before heading onwards for the last little bit to Venice.

I think the Barcelona to Milano bit was a little less than EURO 150. When the x-rate was about GBP1 = EURO 1.50. Not too bad for first-class cabin accommodation with ensuite, dinner (5 courses, no less), brekkie, and transport. This is travel.

Trains, huh? The love runs in my family. My folks have recently done the 4,000 kilometre, 2 or 3 (I can't remember exactly) night trip from Perth to Sydney on the Indian Pacific. For these two Octogenarians this is the pinnacle of easy travel. My father can barely walk now-a-days and this got him out and about on land. They usually are cruising on big ships around the South China Sea or the West and South Pacific. They live in Perth so it's relatively cheap for them to do that.