About WayRail
WayRail is a rail travel site for people who want to know exactly what a train journey is like before they book it. Not the romantic version. The real one. The Wi-Fi speed, the coffee quality, the legroom, the ease of the connection, and whether the booking app actually works on your phone.
I've taken scenic and sleeper trains across 15 countries on three continents. Every route on this site is one I've personally travelled, filmed, and documented. If I'm telling you to take the 09:15 instead of the 08:30, it's because I've taken both.
Patrick Hughes
Irish travel writer and video creator. Based in the north of Ireland.
I'm a former broadcaster turned content creator with a project management background that makes me a bit obsessive about logistics. I've spent 20+ years running Planet Patrick, covering flights, airports, and travel at large. I launched WayRail because my train content kept outgrowing the main site.
Here's the thing: I don't collect engine numbers. I don't care what year the rolling stock was built. I care about the passenger experience. Can you charge your phone? Is the Wi-Fi good enough for a video call? Is the coffee drinkable? Where do you put a full-size suitcase? That's what I review.
Where I've travelled by train
Canada
VIA Rail's The Canadian (Vancouver to Toronto), the Ocean (Montreal to Halifax), and all three main intercity corridors.
USA
Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner along the California coast and the Silver Meteor from New York to Florida.
UK
East Coast Main Line, West Coast Main Line, Caledonian Sleeper, Great Western, CrossCountry. If it runs on British rails, I've probably sat on it.
Ireland
Enterprise cross-border service, all main Iarnrod Eireann intercity routes.
Europe
French OUIGO, German ICE, Austrian Nightjet sleeper, Hungarian MAV sleeper, Polish PKP First Class, Portuguese Alfa Pendular, Swedish regional rail, Norwegian Flam Railway and Bergen Line.
Oceania
Every KiwiRail scenic route including the Northern Explorer, TranzAlpine, and Coastal Pacific. Australian regional services.
That's 15 countries, three continents, and a mix of sleeper cabins, scenic routes, high-speed services, and regional trains. Every review and route guide on WayRail comes from that firsthand experience.
The WayRail approach
Most rail travel information online falls into two camps: massive desktop-first encyclopedias that are impossible to navigate on a phone, or shallow listicles that tell you a route is "stunning" without mentioning which side of the train to sit on.
WayRail sits in the middle. Detailed enough to actually plan a trip. Structured so you can find the answer you need while standing on a platform. I'll tell you the exact fare I paid, the app I booked through, and whether first class was worth the upgrade. If the Wi-Fi dropped for 40 minutes through a tunnel, you'll read about that too.
I also shoot video on every journey. You can find my rail content on the WayRail YouTube channel, where I document routes, walk through stations, and show you exactly what to expect before you book.
What WayRail covers
Route reviews
Scenic routes, sleeper trains, city-to-city connections. The full passenger experience, not just departure times.
Booking guides
Which apps and websites work, step-by-step booking walkthroughs, and how to avoid common failures.
Rail pass advice
Honest assessments of Eurail, JR Pass, and regional passes. When they save money, when they don't.
Station guides
Connection logistics, luggage storage, food options, and how to navigate the transfer without stress.
Frequently asked questions
Is WayRail only about luxury train travel?
No. WayRail covers all classes of train travel with honest assessments of whether premium is worth the upgrade, plus plenty of standard class guides. If a EUR 22 first class ticket is genuine value, I'll tell you. If you're better off in standard, I'll tell you that too.
How is WayRail different from other train travel sites?
Every route on WayRail is personally travelled with professional video and photography from the actual journey. The focus is on the full passenger experience: Wi-Fi, plugs, food, legroom, luggage space, and connection logistics. Think of it as a UX review of the train, not a timetable.
Do you review the same route more than once?
Yes. Timetables change, operators upgrade rolling stock, and fares get restructured. I revisit routes and update guides, with changes clearly flagged.
Why did you split trains off from Planet Patrick?
Train content needs space. A proper sleeper train review runs 3,000+ words with a 30-minute video. That's too deep for a general travel blog but exactly what a planner needs before booking an overnight cabin. WayRail lets me go properly deep on routes, booking strategies, and rail-specific logistics.
Do you accept sponsorships?
I maintain editorial independence. Any partnerships are clearly disclosed. The site includes affiliate links for hotel bookings and travel resources, which help cover the cost of producing detailed guides. These never affect honest assessments.
Can I trust your price information?
I quote fares I've actually paid, with the date of travel noted. I verify current pricing before publishing and flag anything I can't confirm. Rail fares change seasonally and with demand, so I give you the tools to check current prices yourself rather than promising a number that might be wrong next month.
Part of the Planet Patrick travel network
WayRail is the specialist rail site. For flights, airports, and lounge reviews, visit Planet Patrick. For Ireland-specific travel, check out Ireland Explore. The three sites cover different ground but share the same editorial approach: honest, personal, tested firsthand.
WayRail is a property of PHD Projects Ltd.
Route notes and rail wisdom
New route reviews, booking updates, and honest rail pass advice. Sent monthly from the north of Ireland, read by train travellers worldwide.
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