Hello everyone!

A friend and I are planning a backpacking trip to Europe for May of 2014.
We plan to hopefully visit the following places: Berlin, Salzburg, Prague, Munich, Fussen, Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre (Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore), Paris, Madrid, Barcelona. (Would be a dream if we could add Switzerland into the mix, and Colmar, France.)
We are hoping to stay for 1 1/2 - max 3 weeks. I know we'll probably need at least two to truly get the most out of the experience.

We are both fine with just taking one backpack, so originally I had planned on perhaps booking a few flights, but I will have a small camera bag (purse sized) with me at all times as well, and I am unsure if I can take both a backpack and purse onto a flight without having to check luggage.

So we turned to trains, thinking the rail pass would be a good value since we were going to be in so many different countries for such long a period of time.
The problem I am running into however, is that the train schedules are not posted very far in advance at all, and the schedules seem rather sporadic.
In order to book accommodations (Hotel, Hostel, etc.) and entertainment, I'd need to know in general what time we would be getting in and leaving.
I've been doing some research for a few weeks now, and it seems that most hotels are already booked far in advance (I understand that May is the beginning of tourist season). And with us trying to fit in as much as we can (unsure of when I'd be able to get back to Europe in the future) I'd like to pre-plan this as far in advance as possible.

If we get a rail pass, can we still reserve our spot on a train? I understand paying the reservation fee, but is there a way to tell the online reservation that we have a pass and therefore shouldn't be charged for the ticket itself?
Are any overnight trains included in the pass?
I've been looking at some of the perhaps more obscure routes, like Prague to Fussen, they don't show any schedules, they simply ask you to call the EuroRail office to handle it.
Has anyone called their office before to set up a trip? Would that be a better bet?
What happens when the train it gives me as an option for that rout just has Train 1234, not the name of the train company like TrenItalia, DB, etc.
Do you suggest printing train tickets out far in advance or printing them at the station? (Even if we have a rail pass, printing confirmations or reservations for an overnight?)

I have also heard that buses are a good option, does anyone have any suggestions for sites with bus schedules and information?
We're open to taking night trains or buses, but have heard that rail passes do not cover all trains (only the national rail systems?)


Also, if anyone has any advice to share on the following questions, you would be a life saver!
1. If I take overnight buses, do any fellow backpackers have suggestions for where / how to shower if we don't book accommodations for those nights? I heard someone say that if you ask around some hotels will let you use the facilities?

2. We hopefully plan to couch-surf at some point, but if we don't, do you have any suggestions for where to do laundry so we only need to bring a few items with us?

3. I am in dire need of mobile phone suggestions! I have U.S Cellular, not the typical AT&T, Spring or Verizon plan. I want to be able to use a phone for emergency needs, but would like to have a smart phone so I can download train apps, maps, have access to emails with confirmation numbers, etc. Any suggestions for the best way to go about this?

So sorry for such a massive set of questions, I wanted to try and cover it in one post.
Thank you all so much, looking forward to hearing your travel expertise!

That's a lot of places for such a short time. Seeing all of them in just 3 weeks will be difficult and won't make for a great trip - you'll no sooner get somewhere and then be having to move on. Have you checked out www.seat61.com - this was the most helpful site I used but I still found it fairly difficult.

Ask the same question on the Lonely Planet site - its a younger crowd there more used to couchsurfing!

advance at all, and the schedules seem rather sporadic.>

Don't worry trains run hourly or more between most cities - zillions of trains - for schedules check www.bahn.de/en the gErman Railways site that has schedules for all of Europe -of course not loaded for a year from now but they rarely change much so put in a dummy date.

In most countries a railpass lets you hop any train anytime - except Italy, Spain and France most other countries you can just hop on and that can be priceless as such full fare fully flexible tickets can cost of a ton of monye. When you need seat reservations you do have to pay a few euros as the pass only covers the train fare.

Are you under 26 - if so the Eurail Youthpasses can be great great deals and if you have one of those you can buy a BritRail Youthpass at 50% off and that would be a great deal for touring the U K.

Anyway for lots of great stuff to plan a European rail trip I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sources - www.seat61.com as mentioned above though it is somewhat oriented to folks traveling from the U K to and around the Continent - and www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - be sure to download the latter's free online and superb IMO European Planning & Rail Guide for a wealth of rail-oriented itineraries in each country, maps, etc (http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id2.html).

You've listed far too many places for such a short amount of time. Are you sure you want to spend a big chunk of those weeks on trains and in stations? You can't travel to 11 places in 2 weeks (or even 3) and see anything of the actual destination. As far apart as much of your list is, you will lose a day to travel every time you change locations. Closer cities, you will lose 1/2 day.

To plot this out, look at current schedules (they won't change much for next year if at all). Realistically look at how long you will be riding a train between each place. You also have to factor in checking out of your hotel, transporting to the train station, finding your way/transport in the new location, checking in, etc.

>>>is that the train schedules are not posted very far in advance at all, and the schedules seem rather sporadic.<<<

Most countries have their schedules(summer schedule) posted through mid-Dec 2013. Winter schedules (Dec-June) will be posted this fall. Some countries train companies lag behind (Italy usually) and don't get everything entered until a few days before the change.

Don't rule out flights. There are a lot of budget airlines in Europe. You can often fly much cheaper/quicker than taking a train or bus. Many times you can get a flight for 40€-50€ between Paris/Venice or Paris/Rome on Easy Jet. Most fares are cheapest earlier on like many airline tickets.

www.whichbudget.com

www.easyjet.com

>>>I've been doing some research for a few weeks now, and it seems that most hotels are already booked far in advance <<<

Are you sure? If they aren't showing availability, they might not have decided prices for next year or be taking bookings this early.

>>>Are any overnight trains included in the pass?<<<

Some overnight trains are included in the pass (not the cost of sleeping arrangements), some aren't included at all. For an idea of supplements and which trains require (all trains in Italy the slowest R trains require it - 10€ each ). Of course, these fees can change by next year.

http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/pdfs/reservations.pdf

You can save yourselves a huge amount of time, money and get good ideas for your trip by reading the Seat 61 website.

1. If I take overnight buses, do any fellow backpackers have suggestions for where / how to shower if we don't book accommodations for those nights? I heard someone say that if you ask around some hotels will let you use the facilities?>

Overnight trains also run between many cities far enough removed and train stations - large ones may well have pay showers you can use.

. We hopefully plan to couch-surf at some point, but if we don't, do you have any suggestions for where to do laundry so we only need to bring a few items with us?>

shampoo and your hotel sinks can do a wonderful job on a few items - carry two pair of socks wear one whilst the other is drying, etc.

another budget flight site: www.skyscanner.com

You actually could do it all by train but be aware of the necessary routing:

Berlin to Prague to Munich to Fuessen and then BACK TO Munich to Salzburg to Venice to Rome to Cinque Terre then to Milan for a change for a train (perhaps the night train) from Milan to Barcelona to Madrid to (possible night train again) to Paris.

Do you realize how many hours just the rail portions are going to take?

Sorry - but you are incredibly overambitiuos with the number of places you want to see. What you have outline would be busy for a 6 week trip. As it is you would be spending the bulk of your time in train stations or riding on trains and buses.

I don;t think you realize how far apart these places are - and how long it will take to get from one to another.

Really suggest you go to bahn.de and look up train schedules.

Then lay out your trip day by day. Not that you CANNOT list any day 3 times (as in being in city 1, traveling from 1 to 2 and being in city 2. You need to allow 1.2 to a full day each time you move from one city to another. So - with your list of cities you are looking at 7 to 9 days of just travel from one place to another. Also you are talking about 6 countries, 6 different cultures, 6 different languages and ways of doing things.

If you have a full 3 weeks (21 days) you should stick to no more than 5 CITIES - not countries - so you have at least 2 or 3 days in each place - and have time to actually see something - other than out of a train or bus window.

Are any overnight trains included in the pass?>

Most are with a few exceptions (like Paris-Italy Thello night trains) but railpasses pay the train fare and not the optional or required extra sleeping accommodations which can range from a reclining seat (which in some cases barely reclines) to couchettes - 4 to usually 6 berths in a compartment and often the cheapest type of sleeping accommdation on 'hotel trains' - which do not have regular or reclining seats but couchetes as a minimum - to private quads, triples, doubles and singles - all very expensive. So with a pass the actual train fare is covered but not the sleeping arrangement but still you can save a lot over the cost of an average overnight accommodation IME.

Thank you all so much, your advice has been extremely helpful. I realize I've been overambituios with this trip so we've slowed down the pace a little bit.
Only planning to hit three countries (Italy, France, and Germany)and add in the options for flights not exclusivly trains.
Thanks again for all of your help!

You can spend time IN places or in BETWEEN places Brileigh.

The way to 'see as much as possible' is to spend time IN places. The word 'much' is not synonymous with the word 'many'.

In travel, less is always more.

There is no way all hotels are booked for next May. I rarely book a hotel ahead of time unless I will be arriving in late evening at my first stop. I have yet to have to sleep on a park bench.

For initial planning a good rule of thumb to use is the 'Rule of 3s'. That says, never spend less than 3 full days/4 nights in a place unless it is just an overnight stop between A and B.

Note the 'less than', it is a minimum. Most people would agree that places like Rome for example need more than 3 days. Also note the 3/4, that allows for travel time. Every time you move you lose most of a day. The 3/4 allows for that travel day between places.

Using the Rule of 3s means in a 21 day period, after removing your arrival and departure day which are always a write off, you have 19 days to spend IN places or BETWEEN places. That means planning to visit no more than FOUR places and allows for a day trip perhaps from one of them to somewhere nearby.
Even your current comment re 3 countries is ambitious when you look at it that way.

Visiting 3 countries in Europe where there is something of interest to see/do around every corner is the same as visiting Mexico, USA and Canada in 3 weeks. Or Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. Sound like a good idea to you?

Only planning to hit three countries (Italy, France, and Germany)and add in the options for flights not exclusively trains.>

Including France narrows down your railpass options if you are traveling enough to warrant one as France is no longer a part of the Eurail Select Pass, having selected to opt out of the scheme at the end of 2012 - you can consider a Germany-France railpass or France-Italy railpass or a Global Eurail though the latter would be hard to realize the cost of IMO.

I heard someone say that if you ask around some hotels will let you use the facilities?>

Man IME I would not count on that - unless they charge you a high price can't see that happening!

There are however quite a few public swimming pools, often cached in seemingly normal buildings where you could douche off if necessary - Paris for example has public piscines or indoor swimming pools all around town.

"Visiting 3 countries in Europe where there is something of interest to see/do around every corner is the same as visiting Mexico, USA and Canada in 3 weeks."

I agree with your idea of spending several days in a place but I don't really agree with the limitations to countries. From where I live in Germany (Heidelberg) I can get at least as fast to Paris as to Berlin. If you have a fast train connection (or fly) there isn't much reason not to cross borders if you really want to visit a place in another country.

And by taking overnight trains you can literally move all over Europe - Germany to Rome; Rome to Vienna; Copenhagen to Germany; Paris to Italy or Spain; all over Germany, etc. save on the cost of a hotel or hostel and say travel time and in couchette cars you will find lots of folks you age to party with if that is your bag!

If you have a railpass then that will pay for the train fare on overnight trains but NOT the extra sleeping charges which vary from around $20-25 for a multi-person couchette - at times higher to much more for private compartments - some trains still have regular seats that cost nothing but you have to sleep upright and have some security issues IME (not so in locked compartments) and more and more have reclining 'Pullman' seats for a few extra euros.

<i>Advice needed on travel and booking Trains for first time Europe trip!
Posted by: Briileigh on Jul 26, 13 at 4:57pm
A friend and I are planning a backpacking trip to Europe for May of 2014. We plan to hopefully visit the following places: Berlin, Salzburg, Prague, Munich, Fussen, Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre (Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore), Paris, Madrid, Barcelona. (Would be a dream if we could add Switzerland into the mix, and Colmar, France.)
We are hoping to stay for 1 1/2 - max 3 weeks.</i>
I suggest about two months for that itinerary.

<i>The problem I am running into however, is that the train schedules are not posted very far in advance at all, and the schedules seem rather sporadic.
In order to book accommodations (Hotel, Hostel, etc.) and entertainment, I'd need to know in general what time we would be getting in and leaving.</i>
Look at the schedules you can get at this time. Train schedules change but only slightly. For an illustrated introduction to the trains of Europe see http://tinyurl.com/eym5b.

<i>I've been doing some research for a few weeks now, and it seems that most hotels are already booked far in advance (I understand that May is the beginning of tourist season).</i>
May is before tourist season. Germany has a lot of Thursday holidays in May so people take the "bridge day" off and do short trips. Most of Europe stays home until the school holidays. France suffered the usual huge summer traffic jams last weekend. The American college crowd won't be going until after graduation which is usually in early June. I can't imagine that you can't find hotels, but then again I can't imagine that you would book so early. Backpacking and traveling by train, especially with a rail pass, is the ultimate in "go where you want to go."

<i>Also, if anyone has any advice to share on the following questions, you would be a life saver!
1. If I take overnight buses, do any fellow backpackers have suggestions for where / how to shower if we don't book accommodations for those nights?</i>
Many train stations, usually within shouting distance of inter-city bus depots, have shower facilities for a few dollars. But why bother? Go French. Change your panties and slap on some perfume. You're not going to die if you don't shower.