High Mileage

Believe it or not, Rome has a subway/metro.  Many tourists visiting the city never realize it exists, and just how useful it can be.  For only 1 Euro you can buy a ticket good for 75 minutes of travel.  And for 4 Euro you can get a 1-day pass.  Considering what a taxi would cost this is a bargain.  And no traffic to worry about, which in Rome can be a real log jamb.
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The train is a great way to explore Europe in a relaxed manner. There are many reasons to prefer trains over planes, cars and buses for travel in Europe.  Nearly every city has one or more stations which are served by trains many times each day. There are no time-consuming check-ins and often you arrive in the heart of your destination.  While traveling you can admire the view, talk to fellow passengers, go for a stroll or read a good book.  Plus you can eat any time you want without the hasstle of finding a good place.  And you can meet interesting people that always seem willing to share travel tips and ideas.
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In my opinion, most all American drivers have no clue how to really drive.  Very few understand the basic rules of the road and show absolutely no courtesy.  It seems the style here is poke along making use of every distracting toy we all possess, with almost no attention paid to actually driving.  Food, water, drinks, cell phones, music players, and personal hygiene activities occupy most of the time behind the wheel.  And all traffic lanes are fair game at any speed. So are American drivers prepared to drive in countries where a more aggressive style is prevalent?
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Great title for a Hitchcock movie, and a great way to learn from travelers and locals.

My very first trip to Europe started in Frankfurt and Paris.  Found it very daunting and a real challenge to understand the ins-and-outs of train and subway travel.  In the USA we navigate by numbers (roads, trains, etc.) and compass directions.  Not so in Europe.  They use endpoints and cities, so lots of local knowledge is crucial.  For example, if I wanted to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco I simply take the I5 North.   But if this were Europe, I’d need to leave LA and “head in the direction” of San Francisco.  But wait, it’s not that simple.  There are no signs in LA that indicate where San Francisco is.  What you must do is find somewhat close towns to LA, and towns along the way, to head towards!  So to do this trip I need to look for a road going to Burbank, Santa Clarita, Frazier Park, Bakersfield, etc.
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Train and metro travel in Europe is pretty much the same.  There are probably multiple routes, called lines, that get the trip done. And there are probably multiple stations as well.
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