The United Sates has a thing to learn from Europe’s high speed trains. Blasting tunnels through mountains, improving tracks and purchasing the most modern locomotives, European countries are achieving a major increase in their high-speed rail facilities.
- In the Netherlands and Belgium, after 10 years of construction, a high-speed rail line will link Amsterdam and Brussels starting in early 2010.
- In Italy, the Florence-to-Bologna leg of the nation’s high-speed Milan-Rome-Naples service will open in December after the completion of 45 miles of tunnels.
- In Austria and Switzerland, a high-speed train will begin operating from Vienna to Innsbruck to Zurich in December.
- In early 2010, high-speed rail will begin operating between Helsinki and St. Petersburg, followed by high-speed rail on the 650 mile route between St. Petersburg and Moscow.
- In Spain, the high-speed AVE train is traveling the 404 mile route between Madrid and Barcelona.What a challenge for our country!Written by C. Kennedy
kennedy@atlastravelweb.com
Why Europe Remains the World’s Most Rewarding Travel Destination
After more than 35 years of sending clients to Europe, our advisors at Atlas Travel Center can tell you something the guidebooks don’t always say clearly: every European country rewards slow travel. The travelers who come home raving aren’t the ones who checked twelve cities off a list — they’re the ones who lingered in a market, had a conversation with a local winemaker, or watched the light change over a harbor at sunset. Europe is best savored, not rushed.
That said, there are real logistics to master — and that’s where our expertise makes a meaningful difference. Rail passes versus point-to-point tickets, which airports have the smoothest connections, how far in advance to book the most popular museums and restaurants, which neighborhoods to stay in versus which to avoid — these are the details our agents have spent decades learning firsthand. Many on our team have visited the destinations they book, which means the advice you get from Atlas is grounded in real experience, not just brochure copy.
How Atlas Travel Center Plans European Trips
We work with a carefully vetted network of overseas partners — local guides, boutique hotels, and transportation providers — who share our commitment to quality and authenticity. Whether you want a fully escorted tour with a group, a custom independent itinerary, or a river cruise through the heart of the continent, we design the experience around you. Our group travel program is especially popular for European destinations: we handle all the logistics so you can focus on the experience.
Start Planning Your European Journey
Contact Atlas Travel Center to speak with an advisor who knows Europe deeply. We’re CLIA-certified, ARC-accredited, and have held an A+ BBB rating throughout our 35+ years in business. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or returning to a destination you love, we’ll make sure your European trip is everything you’re imagining — and more.
