PalenQ

Your pass would not cover the local train that runs from Naples to Sorrento at all or any transport within cities/towns.>

Yes and this costs all of about 4 euros - about the price of a couple of gelatos! As for Tuscany and rural areas yes take the dirt-cheap buses - use your 10-day flexipass for 10 long-distance journeys and buy cheap local or bus tickets as you go along.

PalenQ

As for any overnight trains, unless you are willing to share a cabin with 5 other people (6 person couchettes), your pass won't get you much.>

If you have a first-class pass you can usually get a berth in a 4-person compartment (first-class ticket or pass required usually) but saying the pass won't get you much is not right as it does pay for the basic train fare - not sleeping accommodations much like it don't pay for hotels either - a train pass covers the train fare not anything else save in some countries in first class, like Italy, complimentary drinks and a snack and a free Italian newspaper.

Your pass can help you save money in fact by taking a night train as you save on the cost of a hotel.

Christina

I don't know other countries, but in France, I believe the reservation fee for a TGV is more than 3 euro with a Eurailpass. The last time I had one many years ago, I think it was already 7 euro. Hard to believe they lowered it, but I don't know for sure--I thought I had read it was about 9 euro now. And you have to reserve on other trains in France than TGV, like TEOZ and Lunea (night trains). TEOZ only runs to connect large cities without a TGV, I believe. And I think there is a higher fee for reservations on some days if it is busier, also.

this guy has a lot of info on train passes and fees and the website says it partners with Deutschebahn so I would hope it's fairly accurate http://www.raildude.com/en/france/train-type-country/fr

kyotos

@PalenQ and @Christina, thanks for the help!

Great to hear that the supplement is not that big and is still under my expectation of 10 euro per trip. Christina, you're right! the reservation fee for France TGV has increased to 9 euro!

The long distance train journey costs me 80 euro to 130 euro each. A 5-day Eurail Selected Pass might be helpful to cover most of my Germany and Switzerland route. Then, purchase point-to-point local train tickets in advance and bus ticket as I go along.

@kybourbon and @dwdvagamundo, Thanks! I'm fully awake now! Duration isnt really my main issue, but budget. Unless I get free accommodation in Italy and really spend sparingly, I guess I will have to stick with your suggestion - drop Sicily and Turin from the plan.

Transportation wise, I will take the local train and bus service to reach the outskirt.

Thanks for the heads up on overnight train. Erm... in fact, I don't really mind sharing a couchette with five or six pax.

I understand that there's never enough time to see the entire country. I will just make the best out of my budget and save the rest for next trip (if it ever happen).

PalenQ

The last time I had one many years ago, I think it was already 7 euro.>

Many years ago it was 3 euros for every TGV except on the TGV-Est line Paris to Basel/Strasbourg so maybe you were on that line - currently I believe it is still 3 or perhaps 4 euros on most TGVs - but maybe it went up in the last half year or so since I last rode TGVs and paid 3 euros.

kybourbon

>>>Thanks for the heads up on overnight train. Erm... in fact, I don't really mind sharing a couchette with five or six pax.<<<

You will still need a reservation and have to pay a supplement even for a 6 person couchette. Before buying a pass, you need to calculate the real cost and not just assume a pass is best or cheaper. Many overnight trains have discount tickets (such as the Smart fares from Italy I'll link) available for advance purchase. This can be cheaper than the cost of the pass plus the mandatory supplement. So don't assume a pass will save you money. If a pass is costing you $100 + per day and you can buy that overnight couchette point-to-point ticket in advance for only 35€ ($47), it would be foolish to buy a pass and pay $100 + supplement (25-50€/$34-$68 = $134-$168) when you can get the point-to-point ticket for $47. You would be paying more than double with the pass.

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...008916f90aRCRD

>>>but saying the pass won't get you much is not right as it does pay for the basic train fare - not sleeping accommodations much like it don't pay for hotels either -<<<

Basic fare can mean very little on these night trains. While some night trains have seats you can access with no supplement, others charge a supplement fee even for seats or don't have seats at all and you pay the couchette supplements when there aren't seats (or other sleeper car supplements).

>>>The long distance train journey costs me 80 euro to 130 euro each.<<<

Perhaps at full fares? Advance purchase discounts can be as little as 1/2-1/4 of the amount of full fare on some trains (especially international day trains.

PalenQ

kybourbon - the point of a pass is its flexibility - to chose which trains to take once there- not book weeks or months in advance with restrictions or penalties on changing - so that a pass pays for full-fare train fares is nothing trivial.

It all depends on flexiblity - if not go the discounted ticket route - at least if the cost of a discounted night train ticket is about as cheap or even cheaper than using a pass and paying for the sleeping fee.

Calling the sleeping fee a supplement is not accurate - passes pay for the rail fare not sleeping accommodations - nothing in pass conditions say anything about paying for sleeping berths on night trains - just that the train fare is paid for.

Same as railpasses do not pay for hotels!