My fingers are crossed I'll (we'll) be able to travel to Europe this summer! I'm in the planning stage for two trips and looking at train schedules. It seems to me there are fewer train departures, longer travel time and longer layovers. Is it just me or are there fewer options? Thanks!

I agree with your assessment of train availabilities but with no data to back it up. Just seems not as good somehow.

Certainly in Italy they are. But it depends on what you're looking at. The high speed trains are reduced more than the local commuter trains. The commuter trains should actually be increased in some cases.

You don't even see commuter trains on the French national railsite, so for France, it can't be that. There are a lot of trains in-between high speed and local commuter trains. IN france, that would include TER trains.

Who knows, I just checked one random example, Paris to Lyon midweek and there were trains almost every hour, so didn't look reduced to me. Same thing for Paris to Strasbourg, almost a train per hours.. But of course any rail company would reduce runs if demand were reduced. Paris to Bayeux also looked pretty normal.

Train schedules are reduced by at least 50% in France.

I'm so sorry! I posted a response and a thank you to all who replied on January 13th. It's gone! So, thank you (again). You've confirmed my suspicions that train schedules are greatly reduced. Just one example I found was 9 +/- hours to train from Marseille to Milano!

It can also be mentioned that only one Eurostar a day is currently operating between Paris and London. Normally there are 18.

With the actual Western European train, intercity bus and ferry timetables, it's absolutely impossible to plan a journey for next spring or summer.

Wow kerouac, only one Eurostar a day! That says it all.

I agree neckervd, it is impossible to plan at this point. How I wish we all had a crystal ball.