First, determine if U.S. train travel will work for you

If you live in the northeast U.S. and routinely travel within that corridor and to parts of Canada, you'll find plenty of train travel options. Other population-intense regions of the country like the Chicago and West Coast regions benefit from Amtrak rail travel service as well. In all, Amtrak serves more than 500 destinations in 46 states.

I recommend: Amtrak's well-known Acela high-speed train that runs from Boston to Washington, DC, is popular for business train travel. You'll find an interactive train travel route map on the Amtrak website to help you select the best routes. Amtrak also teams up to provide commuter train service in areas such as California (Caltrain), Maryland (MARC) and the Shore East Line, among others. You'll find a comprehensive list of state-by-state train travel links here

Foreign train travel can be a breeze for business travelers

Foreign train travel, especially in Europe, across Canada, and in parts of Asia has a lot to offer the business traveler looking for efficiency. High-speed trains that whoosh through rural and urban areas are known for their on-time performance, comfortable amenities and reasonable fares (and they serve food too!).

I recommend: Look into foreign rail travel options from VirginTrains and BritRail in the UK and VIA Rail in Canada. Check into across-Europe train travel options (including online quotes) and travel the Channel Tunnel from London to Paris or Brussels via Eurostar. At Rail Connection, you can review options for Europe train travel passes that will take you cross-country, from one country to another, from city to city and throughout regions.

Book train travel and train passes on the Internet

Once you know where you're going and how you want to get there, it's easy to book both domestic and foreign train travel online and track down the commuter train options at your destination too.

I recommend: If you travel with a web-enabled phone or PDA, you can download Amtrak schedules, make or change reservations and check the status of trains. RailChoice is one of Great Britain's leading European and International Railpass, Flexipass and train travel ticket suppliers. Eurail Pass (this is the official USA site) offers Europe train travel passes for visitors from the U.S. You'll want to be efficient when you arrive in London, so check out the Heathrow Express for a fast transfer to Central London. And don't forget The Tube for getting around once you're there. You can use the handy Journey Planner feature ahead of time and download route maps to use when you're there.

Use your air miles or earn new rewards for travel by train

Just because you choose to travel by train instead of wrestling with the hassles of air travel doesn't mean you have to let your air miles lay dormant, or lose out on the opportunity to earn more rewards for your days on the road.

I recommend: Check out Rail Rewards for details on earning and using rewards. Look into the Amtrak Guest Rewards Program for both individuals and businesses (you'll need a minimum of three employees who are members to qualify for business train travel rewards). Via Rail, the train travel company that crosses Canada, offers rewards through its Via Preference Program. And don't overlook the rewards you've already accumulated in your frequent flyer and frequent stay programs; many can be used for business train travel.