Whether you are making a long grand tour or just planning a couple of weekend breaks, Europe by Rail is the perfect guide. The book describes over 50 key routes in detail. Together, they span mainland Europe and — brand new for this 16th edition — now also the British Isles. Each route can be followed in its entirety or used as a building block in a longer itinerary. Beyond the main routes you will find worthwhile excursions well off the beaten track. Written by two highly experienced travellers, Europe by Rail contains useful tips about how to plan your journey, what tickets to buy and where to stop off along the way. There are special sections for holders of rail passes, including Interrail and Eurail, as well as information on night trains. The country guide summarises key information about travelling by train through each of the four dozen countries listed. Apart from being full of good advice and up-to-date information, Europe by Rail is also a great read. With its nicely opinionated style and lots of cameo accounts of travel history, there's plenty here for armchair travellers too.