An affordable hotel close to a railway hub can be just the ticket for a city break, or a convenient base for a fleeting exploration before embarking on the next leg of a rail adventure. For example, London has the Wesley hotel, a 15-minute walk from St Pancras station’s Eurostar terminal; Paris has the Terminus Nord hotel, opposite the Gare du Nord; and Brussels has the Urban Yard, a boutique hotel five minutes’ walk from the Gare du Midi. We’d like to hear about your best layover discoveries while hitting the rails in Europe.

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet, will win a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on Monday 11 September at 9am BST

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

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