Yes, it is a refrain we have heard a hundred times. You too, probably. "Of course, I would really like to travel across Europe in a more environmentally friendly manner, but the plane is just so much cheaper." And often that is absolutely true. But not always. We've been casting around to find some of Europe's best railway travel deals. How far can you get for 100 EUR? Well, the best we've managed so far is a train ticket that will entitle you to over twenty thousand kilometres of rail travel.

But, on the face of it, 100 EUR might not get you a very long way. Some of Europe's premier train routes will gobble up 100 EUR in just an hour or two, particularly if you haven't had the foresight to take advantage of any special deals by booking well in advance.

The 38 minute journey from Frankfurt Airport to Siegburg / Bonn on one of Germany's sleek silver inter-city expresses comes at a price. 51 EUR one way, or 102 EUR return second class - although in fairness cheaper fares may be available if you book tickets a few days in advance, and commit yourself to a specific train.