Who needs organised rail tours? @ Trains on the BrainTrains on the Brain

Who needs organised rail tours?

Hey dummy, forget the tours - book your own rail break! Pic: www.qunospotter.co.uk

Seriously, in this day and age who really needs to shell out hard dough on organised rail tours? There is no shortage of companies offering multi city tours, escorted or not, in Europe, Asia, the USA and beyond.

Many of these take out full page adverts in glossy newspaper supplements and consumer magazines, week in week out, and while press ads have arguably never been more affordable in the current climate, it’s still a significant outlay if you’re doing it regularly. To me, this suggests that these companies are still doing a roaring trade.

I’m not talking here about luxury train journeys though these are obviously a staple of the tour operators’ inventory. They’re a different deal altogether. I’m talking about escorted tours taking in multiple must-visit cities through a schedule of pre-arranged journeys in standard class. (Sleepers are rarely included in the packages but can sometimes be bought as an added extra.)

No doubt the companies behind them have put a lot of thought and effort into curating attractive and convenient routes for their customers and have taken the trouble to personally check out the journeys and bundled hotel options (nice work if you can get it!) but a quick squizz at their prices compared to assembling your own trip shows that it’s a no-brainer if you have the time, inclination and wherewithal. And therein lies the rub of course…

Cost isn’t the only factor here. These tours often lack flexibility. I may want to go to Prague, Berlin and Krakow for example, but what if the tour goes to Vienna instead of Krakow? That’s generally the point where I head back to the drawing board and my trusty Thomas Cook Rail Map. (Equally I may prefer to seek out my own accommodation and dive into the bottomless time drain of contradiction that is Tripadvisor)

I can picture a recently retired couple of empty nesters from Idaho. They’ve worked hard all their lives and finally have a bit of cash to treat themselves. They’ve always dreamed of seeing Europe and if they don’t do it soon, who knows when they’ll get the chance again?

They’re no longer of an age or mindset to ‘rough it’ with inter-railing / eurailing like their kids did. They want to just book their tour, jump on a plane and meet their friendly, smiling, placard-waving representative at the other end to be whisked off on the journey of their lives, staying in whichever generic 3 or 4 star hotel the tour operator has lined up for them.

And I don’t blame them really, but I wonder how many other people snap up these tours not knowing that there are often better value alternatives out there by researching trips independently. There’s no shortage of all inclusive deals out there, if that’s what you’re after.

So, I guess it’s obvious really who needs organised rail tours:

People with little or no internet access / web literacy

The cash rich / time poor brigade (maybe a dying breed in today’s economy?)

Those who want to include a certain amount of heritage / steam routes as part of their itinerary

People who generally like to be escorted and pampered (nothing wrong with that I spose)

And those who simply aren’t aware of the many handy trip planing resources out there on the web.

Those of you who fall into that last category might want to look at my round-up of handy rail planning sites.

Do you think these tours are worth the large sums involved?

Ever been on one and want to share your experiences?

Just post a comment below

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Tweets that mention Who needs organised rail tours? | Trains on the Brain -- Topsy.com on December 12th, 2010 at 10:33 pm

I escort tours throughout France and Europe. To me the greatest pleasure is to pick-up my “clients” from the airport and give them three magical weeks of escorted travel. I often have clients who are busy business people who want to be looked after. They deserve to get pampered – they’ve worked hard all year. I seduce and entertain them with stories and history of the areas they pass through. I take them in to family homes to experience a side of life that an “a la carte” tourist can only experience in exceptional circumstances. But your point is valid – people need the time and inclination, but even then their experience will be completely different to that of having a knowledgeable, entertaining guide!!

John in France on December 13th, 2010 at 3:00 am

I don’t know if you have been to Idaho, but people in Idaho don’t dream of going to Europe! (I kid, I kid!)

Seriously, though. Tours are simply not Kent and I’s bag at all. For us it comes down to value, flexibility and – quite honestly – the need to travel at our pace, not the pace of others. Having said that, I think you are right that these tours fill an important role for many travelers. They offer a level of comfort and ease that is very attractive to a large number of people. And if it makes it easier for people to travel, it’s a good thing.

The NVR Guys on December 13th, 2010 at 3:28 am

Oh I don’t doubt that you give great, personalised tours John, as do many other indy tour operators no doubt. What I’m talking about here though are the bigger cos who specialise in doing rail packages. In Europe these include people like Great Railway Journeys, Treyn Holidays and Railbookers. Also most of the big national operators, Amtrak, Via Rail, DBahn etc, tend to offer similar packaged deals. I’ve looked at them many times and never been tempted enough to give them a try, they’re just not keenly priced. Though no doubt it’s possible to get lucky with the odd last minute deal. I have to wonder if cos like that can offer anything like the ‘insider’s experience’ that you do.

Jools Stone on December 13th, 2010 at 3:47 am

It was delightful to meet you tonight on the weekly Twitter chat – BlogChat. Yes we do have travel in common – both in my history at ClubMed and with my current interest in Kauai.

I look forward to following your articles about train travel.

Linda Sherman on December 13th, 2010 at 5:05 am

I guess it comes down to whether you are a tourist or a traveler. I am the latter, never have been and never will be on an organised tour of any kind. But I can see the advantage for those, maybe already older, who venture out for the first time and need sort of a safety net. It was also interesting to read what John/France had to say. Very thoughtful post.

inka on December 13th, 2010 at 5:34 am

I think your article and the comments have covered it pretty well — it all depends on the who, why, when and how much $$ questions. Wish I had been on an organized rail tour so that I could offer a personal experience opinion. Alas, I have not, but enjoyed reading your thoughts on the subject.

Cathy Sweeney on December 13th, 2010 at 6:33 am

Thanks Linda
It’s nice to meet someone genuine through blog chat. I’ve stayed away for some time now as I was getting fed up of encountering people who make offers to help & give advice ONLY during the chat and then conveniently ignore you afterwards!
Funny you should mention Kauai too. The NVR Guys – commenting right above you on this very post – are just back from there and did a series of posts about it.
They also persuaded one of the local tourism businesses to donate a stay there as one of the prizes in Passports for Purpose, which raises money to build a village in India.
There’s still time to make a $10 donation actually if you’re quick, closes tonight!
See you around
Jools

Jools Stone on December 13th, 2010 at 7:18 am

We rarely take tours, preferring to have the flexibility to do it on our own. We always feel we can do it much cheaper, at a slower pace and have a more authentic experience. I have taken them before and it was all related to my purpose at the time, and my time restrictions. So for certain reasons and the comfort level of some travellers, tours are a good option.

Caz Makepeace on December 13th, 2010 at 7:54 am

Like many of the people here, we are also not tour people, though we have taken organized tours a time or two when no other option was necessary. I understand why people may enjoy them, though, it’s just not for us.

Adam on December 13th, 2010 at 9:28 pm

Jools, just curious – how do you really feel about these tours?

I think there are benefits to these. It all depends on what you are looking for. I think tours are for those who want to see places and not have to worry about the details. I believe there is a time and place for that so I can’t discount them completely. However, I tend to agree with you on this that independent travel on the rails gives you more flexibility, can save you money, and gives you better overall experiences.

No offense John! I think small, intimate tours with a local are much different than big tours by tour companies.

Jeremy B on December 14th, 2010 at 1:17 am

Thanks for the comments everyone. I’m not surprised that you travel savvy guys would eschew such organised tours. Time and a place as Jeremy says. I have no strong feelings against them really – and can see how they would appeal, especially on a route like the Trans Siberian where the buying of tickets in western Europe is more complex – just think they should be more competitively priced.

Jools Stone on December 14th, 2010 at 10:47 am

I don’t think you are their target client, nor most of the other commenters.

I think the rail tours are simply an alternative to a coach tour . And probably a bit more fun to be on a train than a coach.

Often an organised tour appeals because you don’t have to worry about the details, ( in this case queuing in foreign railway stations to get your tickets perhaps ) and some people also find it more relaxing to be on an escorted tour.

I have a highflyer friend who always travels to out of the way places with a tour – her argument – her job is stressy and on holiday she doesn’t want to be working everything out.

And if you are lucky enough to have a good guide I think they can enhance a trip enormously, as John said. I am all for independent travel but sometimes a guide can open all sorts of doors and provide experiences that it is hard to find independently.

Rhiannon on December 14th, 2010 at 11:15 am

I’m an independent traveler, so I would probably never take this type of tour. I wouldn’t be able to afford it and I wouldn’t like the loss of freedom.

Also, I prefer to ride with the locals….and to interact with them. I once took the Chihuahua-Pacifica train in Mexico (so I could see Copper Canyon) and had a blast because I met mostly locals and very few tourists. This, I think, is a great way to go.

But for older people with health issues–and money to burn–a full tour might be the way to go.

Lisa E @chickybus on December 14th, 2010 at 1:32 pm

I”m also not a fan of organized tours. The railway in Canada is a perfect example of an organized train ride that is ridiculously expensive and not very flexible. I have yet to meet a Canadian who’s been on it because of the $$$ and lack of flexibility.

Laurel on December 14th, 2010 at 6:16 pm

I don’t like the idea of organised travel. I have tried it a long time ago and found it constricting in many ways. So until I’m an old retired person who needs looking after, I wouldn’t consider it.

However, I do think it has a place for some people. They’re probably not the type who read and comment on travel blogs

Corinne @ Gourmantic on December 15th, 2010 at 7:33 am

Couldn’t agree with you more. One of my pet peeves are the Trans-Mongolian/Siberian ticket purchase websites (usually via the UK). Basically, they just buy the exact same tickets you can buy with no problem from the train station in Russia for about half the price. And yes, it is that easy.

Michael Hodson on December 18th, 2010 at 4:51 pm

Having done a mix of independent travel which is the bulk of our travel and organized tours, I think that they both have their advantages. If you are short on time an organized tour is an excellent way to experience a lot. There are amazing companies out there that offer small groups and flexibility.
Independent travel takes a lot of planning and time and most people in the world don’t have the time to plan and organize for their two weeks vacation. For them, i think an organized tour is an excellent choice. Balance is important.
Seeing the comments above, it is mostly travel bloggers and independent travellers answering the question, but ask people that take organized tours regularly and they will disagree with you all:)
We love our independent travel, but at times we love having others do the work for us. Both work fine, just get out there and travel, that’s our motto:)

Dave and Deb on December 19th, 2010 at 12:28 pm

Thanks guys, yeah it’s not surprising that my indy travel commenters here would thumb their noses at these packaged tours and I suppose that if they completely vanished it would put a lot of people in the travel industry out of work too, so there’s something to be said for them.

Jools Stone on December 22nd, 2010 at 5:04 am

Thanks Michael, Useful to know that those journeys outside of Western Europe are just as easily booked. Seat61 always makes booking them yourself sound like it’s more hassle than they’re worth!

Jools Stone on December 22nd, 2010 at 5:08 am

Oh I hear you on that Laurel! Canada looks like an amazing country to see by rail but Via needs to seriously revisit its fare structure to compete with airlines or come anywhere remotely close. To go coast to coast costs the best part of $3000 each one way. Wasted opportunity definitely.

Jools Stone on December 22nd, 2010 at 5:10 am

I personally abhor 99% of tours, the price and inflexibility do not interest me at all. However, I do understand how some people could be drawn to the benefit of not having to worry about anything as they take care of everything for you.

Ayngelina on December 27th, 2010 at 3:50 pm

http://www.bottomlesstimedrainofcontradiction.com

Yep, better than Tripadvisor.

So why can’t I stop going there?

I have an organised tour phobia. I am a snob about them probably but I can live with that…

Robin on December 27th, 2010 at 4:59 pm

Look forward to seeing this thread develop until some of those companies come and weigh in…

You’re paying to have the hard work taken off your hands. There are people who just don’t see the point in researching a place themselves. They’d equate research with time wasted that could be spent earning money, or with family after a long day at the grindstone. They want to turn up, be served an experience, enjoy it, and leave. And they will happily pay extra for that. Emotionally I can’t understand it – I want to shout “look what you’re missing! It’s not your trip, it’s someone else’s!” – but I can understand that some people want other things from travel.

The good tours (in an ideal world) would say “We’ll do it for you, so you don’t have to” rather than “Our way is best”. That sounds the honest approach, to me.

Mikeachim on January 6th, 2011 at 6:42 pm

@ Mike I wouldn’t hold your breath re those rail tour cos commenting here, but yes agree that we should be able to have our cake and eat a bit more. By all means package up certain routes with transfers and accomm, but I could do without the set excursions thanks. And surely there should be some savings to be passed on to the customer?

@ Robin Yes, TA is deeply addictive. I can’t resist it either, plus I notice I tend to be swayed much more by negative reviews than positive ones. Prob says a lot about my psychology. I wish they would let you filter them by category of criticism, e.g I just want to look for reviews of the beds or the bathrooms. i can work out the location for myself.

Jools Stone on January 6th, 2011 at 7:38 pm

I must say that the best fun I ever had on trips was when I took the first train available, I didn’t even have a seat (amazingly:)) ), but that’s what made it fun=compromise – as in compromise with the situation in order to get where I wanted to, no matter how. Besides, that way I gathered quite some storries and nobody really minded:) So, for me, I’d have to say that I don’t need an organized rail tour, just the courage to try the rest:)) Cheers!