If you want to really see Europe, train travel is by far the best choice. There is no better way to see a place than a leisurely train ride where you can see everything, from the countryside to the mountains to the dazzling lights of European cities.

Furthermore, Europe is made for train travel. Trains conveniently link every city from Athens to Helsinki (and everything in between).

There are many ways to organize a European railroad trip. There are Eurail passes that cover the entire continent, as well as more limited ones if you only want to visit certain parts of Europe. Which you should choose depends, of course, on your schedule, preferences and budget.

There is no "best time" to visit Europe, as there are advantages to going in every season. Summer is most convenient for many people, though it will be crowded and more expensive. Winter is great if you like sports like skiing. Fall and Spring offer both moderate temperatures and fewer crowds. But there are unlimited activities throughout the year in Europe.

If you plan a train trip to Europe, the most challenging thing is choosing the right train ticket or pass, as there are many choices. If you only get to visit Europe rarely, or if this is a once in a lifetime trip, you should see as much as you possibly can.

The great thing about Europe is that you have many countries close together with distinct language and cultures (even if most of them use the same currency now).

If you are traveling to Europe from another continent, you may want to fly into London and take the Eurostar to Paris. England and other parts of the UK are not part of the same train system as continental Europe, so your Eurail passes will not be honored there. Still, a trip to Europe is not complete without seeing London.

You can visit Eastern Europe as well as Western, though you will have to get a separate train pass for some of these countries. There is one pass that allows you to go to Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic.

If you get a train pass in Europe, make sure that any train you board will honor it. Not all trains do, and if you find yourself on a train that does not accept your pass you will have to pay for an extra ticket.

When visiting Europe, train travel is the way to see the most scenery, meet the most people and absorb as much as possible of the continent's myriad of natural and cultural sites.