PalenQ

So nearly every major European airport has trains into the nearby big city and sometimes these trains are, like Rome's Leonardo Express and London's Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Expresses, dedicated non-stop trains with oodles of room for luggage, etc.

Other airport rail connections may be more commuter type and metro trains and not so luggage friendly.

Many folks with luggage find airport transfers better than rail links - though they may cost more than public transit these mini-buses or large taxis will take you right from the plane to hotel. these service should be booked in advance (and much has been written about them on Fodor's in places like Rome, Paris and London

Airports of course have regular taxis as well but these can cost a fortune - thus you may consider taking the airport rail link into the main station in the town and then take a taxi from there to your hotel - a much cheaper taxi ride (or take the excellent public transit if not overloaded)

PalenQ

BUYING TRAIN TICKETS AT AIRPORTS
Even airports without a national rail station (like Madrid and Milan) will usually have rail desks run by the state rail system where you can buy tickets and activate railpasses.
but most airports have full fledged train stations with ticket windows, info offices, etc.

and usually you can make all your train ticket purchases and reservations (such as ones with a railpass) at these places for all your trains you will be taking in that country
not only are the lines often much shorter at airport train station ticket windows but the staff invariable seems to speak good English - not always the case at the in-town main station.
ditto with activating railpasses - could wait long time in line in main intown stations but often just a few minutes in airport train stations.

PalenQ

AIRPORT WITH MAINLINE TRAIN SERVICES
And where you can rail from them

FRANKFURT
Frankfurt Airport has two train stations - the older S-Bahn or RegionalBahnhof (Bahnhof meaning station in German) with S-Bahn trains both into Frankfurt's Hauptbahnhof (Hauptbahnhof being the Germany for main station) and regional trains to nearby towns such as Mainz and Weisbaden and hundreds of suburban Frankfurt stations.
The Airport's Fernbahnhof (long-distance station) is a newer train station right in the airport and has mainline train services to Amsterdam, Cologne, Mannheim (interchange point for many other towns), Munich, etc.
thus in a few hours you could be in Amsterdam, etc. rather than spending your first night in Frankfurt, to many tourists a dreary modern city.
consider taking a train from the airport to the nearby Rhine Gorge, a Mosel town like Cochem, Heidelberg (probably changing in Mannheim) or other much more dreamy towns you expect of Europe

AIRPORTS WITH MAINLINE TRAINS
TBC

PalenQ

ZURICH AND GENEVA AIRPORTS
If landing in Switzerland at its two main airports - Geneva and Zurich - you can hop on trains right from outside the arrivals hall to practically any place in Switzerland - be in the Interlaken area in a few hours after landing - even quicker from Zurich.
Swiss Railways have a neat Fly and Bag program where for around $15-20 a bag you bag is automatically transferred from the plane to the train and sent to any train station for you to pick it up at your convenience - and similarly in reverse.

NEXT - PARIS CDG AIRPORT

Gynna

Thanks PalenqueBob for the valuable information about European train travel.

Next up is CDG - will await your post and then ask my questions if they are not answered.

PalenQ

thanks Gynna for your nice comments

CDG AIRPORT TRAINS
Since the TGV station opened in terminal 2 some years ago you can now hop direct trains from the airport to places like Lille (for interchange with Eurostar trains to London), Brussels (connections to Amsterdam or Cologne) and points south like Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Nice, St Pierre-des-Corps (Tours), Bordeaux, Rennes in Brittany and east to Nancy, Metz, Strasbourg and Dijon (those these services are currently quite limited)
There is also an RER station for Paris metro RER trains into Paris with direct trains from the airport to Gare du Nord (some non-stop), Chatelet-Les halles- St Michel-Notre Dame, the Latin Quarter or with a platform change at Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon. At many stations there is an interchange with the Paris metro to any metro station in Paris
If landing at Terminal 1 in CDG hop the new VAL people mover from there to the terminal 2 TGV station or RER station - there are two RER stations at CDG - one in terminal 2 by the TGV station and a separate station as well. Makes little difference which one for the RER

All TGV trains require reservations and Americans can only buy tickets at ticket windows as most credit cards we have don't work in the machines since they lack a needed chip

www.voyages-sncf.com have plenty of deeply discounted TGV fares if you buy them far enough in advance but if landing you should leave a big fudge factor time in between plane and train of course as these are non-refundable non-changeable i think for the most part and if you miss the train then you'd have to buy a much more expensive full fare ticket.
Of course you can always also take the RER/metro or airport buses from CDG into Paris' Gare Montparnasse or Gare de Lyon to pick up much more frequent TGV trains. this transfer time would take about an hour from the airport typically.

Gynna

Taking the TGV from CDG to Avignon with husband who is in a wheelchair and 87 year old mother. There will be 3 bags between us, one is a large suitcase and I cannot get mom to compromise. Questions:

1) We will arrive CDG from Copenhagen and hope to be over jet lag from our stay in Denmark. There is 2 3/4 hours between scheduled landing in Terminal 2 and train departure. Do you think this should be sufficient?

2) I am planning to try to buy 1st class PREM tickets 90 days before our departure. Do you have any information about the ease of boarding in 1st class? Of course if we get to the station early as planned, I will consult with the staff about a ramp and possible assistance.

3) Can you advise on selecting seat assignments for 3 on this trip so we can be together?


Thanks,
Gynna

PalenQ

1- Yes plenty of time, plenty

2- Boarding in first class. No problem at CDG - on the platform there should be both a Composition des Trains (sp?) board indicating where each coach or car on the train will stop and this will correspond to the car or voiture number on your tickets so you will know where that exact car on the train will or should stop

and i believe in this station on the platform itself there are numbers in the flooring at each point that TGV train will stop at (all TGVs being the same make-up generally this is possible) and there will be staff most likely here.

3- as for 3 seats - there should be wheelchair seating on these trains and a seat for a companion and no doubt another seat across the aisle - don't know if you can specify wheelchair seating when you buy the PREM ticket but if early enough i'd go up to the ticket window at the CDG TGV station and explain your situation. Sorry cannot be more definitive in this response but French Railways do have a lot of previsions for wheelchairs and in first class there is more room in the cars as well for chairs i believe. A wheelchair companion may even get a special reduced fare.

PalenQ

Some more notes on CDG Trains

There is also a once daily service CDG to Les Aubrais and Orleans that began last year. TGV train.

If needing to go to the ticket window to activate passes, buy tickets or retrieve tickets leave oodles of time. I have on occasion seen long long queues - i waited once 45 minutes to get a passholder TGV reservation - lots of business types in line were fuming and looking at their watches.
And again American credit cards are mainly unuseable in automatic ticket machines due to a lack of a chip of some type that French ones have. And passholder fares can only be made at the ticket window IME
And Terminal 2 is a sprawling complex so if landing in terminal 2 don't expect the TGV station to be a five-minute stroll

Gynna

Thank you for the information

PalenQ

MAINLINE TRAINS AND AIRPORTS - LONDON GATWICK
Unlike Heathrow Gatwick Airport is smack on a main rail route - the Brighton to London line and thus it's easy from the airport arrivals hall to hop trains to Brighton and the south coast towns or to several points in London including Victoria (Gatwick Express, a dedicated airport service that runs non stop and has special facilities for luggage, etc.), London Bridge, Kings Cross/St Pancras (for Eurostar trains to Brussels or Paris) and points north of Kings X.
From Gatwick there are also direct trains to Reading (on the London-Bath mainline) and Watford Junction (on a mainline to the Midlands) and to Tonbridge, on the line to the Kentish Coast - Canterbury and Dover.

PalenQ

A FOOTNOTE ON GATWICK TRAINS TO LONDON
if going into central London though the Gatwick Express gets all the ink there are also Southern Trains that go to Victoria, same as Gatwick, just about as quick but much cheaper.

But there is a big difference between the two trains besides price. The Gatwick Express is a dedicated airport service that is inevitably waiting for passengers on platform one until it takes off and another GatEx train comes in to wait - thus you can always board these trains leisurely

Southern trains come from points south of Gatwick and stop for the usual few minutes at most - meaning a bit more harried boarding process for folks with bags, etc. and since it's coming from elsewhere it could always be quite full by the time it stops at Gatwick, esp duing rush hour. Gatwick Express trains also have special room for large luggage, etc. making them a dependably leisurely ride in.

I scrutinized these differences recently by observing several of each train roll into Gatwick - Southern trains were often not that crowded but at times were quite crowded and not as comfy as the Gatwick Express.

Capital First trains (formerly Thameslink trains) into London Bridge and Kings Cross/St Pancras are similar to Southern trains but there is no alternative by rail to these.

PalenQ

AMSTERDAM SCHIPHOL AIRPORT AND MAINLINE TRAINS

If landing in Amsterdam and not wanting to go into Amsterdam Centraal Station (C.S. in schedules) then it's easy to hop trains right from the airport south to Leiden, Den Hague, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels and Paris (Thalys trains) or with a simple change in Amsterdam C.S. to Germany, either the routes to Berlin or Cologne and Frankfurt.
As Cologne is but a few hours from Amsterdam now via German ICE trains that could be an easy first day's destination - Frankfurt only an hour beyond Cologne on the new high-speed route.
Domestic trains also from the airport, with a change in Sloterdijk before Amsterdam C.S. would take you to Haarlem, Alkmaar and points north.
(For Haarlem however a direct express bus link runs frequently from in front of the arrivals hall at Schiphol to Haarlem and is quicker and cheaper than the train. This bus runs on a dedicated right of way - like a tram without wheels.

PalenQ

AMSTERDAM SCHIPHOL TRAINS INTO TOWN
If going into Amsterdam from the airport - to me the easiest and fastest way - hop on trains from right outside the arrivals hall - in Schiphol Plaza (train station underneath) - buy your tickets from the ticket window as said previously American credit cards or most of them don't work in the automatic ticket machines.
Caution there are two destinations that trains from Schiphol serve - Amsterdam Centraal Station or C.S. in schedules is the main station in the heart of town and close to many hotels - taxis are waiting always at the station or trams leave from the station to go within a few blocks of any hotel probably.
The other train that i've seen folks at Schiphol get on by mistake is the train from the airport to Station Zuid/WTC, RAI and other places in Amsterdam's southern suburbs - about every other train takes this different line which does NOT service Amsterdam C.S.
The alternative way in from the airport are KLM or even local buses (the latter take forever) that go to some key hotels and places.
Since Schiphol is only several miles from Amsterdam a taxi ride can be reasonable as well, esp for more than one passenger sharing the cost.
As for the train be sure to read the overheard signs that clearly indicate on the platform where each train is heading... and as many Dutch speak English simply ask to confirm as well.

PalenQ

CHANGING DIRECTIONS - NEXT ALL ABOUT RAILPASSES FOR THE CLUELESS
By Palenque Media special correspondant Hope Bonnhoff

PalenQ

Before going into talking about railpasses themselves let's talk about the term Eurailpass.

A Eurailpass gives you unlimited access to trains in 20 countries - all trains run by the state railway - virtually 99% of all trains. There are NO Eurail trains - but a Eurailpass is valid on all trains virtually in that country - you just show the pass to the conductor once he/she comes around.

So i want to dispose of this common clueless question first and now will go into breaking down all the many different Eurailpasses and other railpasses.

As always questions are welcomed.

TBC- TYPES OF PASSES
Eurail Global
Eurail Select
Saver passes
Children's passes
Youthpasses
Flexipasses and consecutive day passes
Two-country passes
single country passes
and all about validation, refunds, pass protection plan (PPP), where to buy, resources and relevant Internet sites, etc.
and sample itineraries
vs point-point tickets
ETC.

PalenQ

RAILPASS TERMS
To understand railpasses you need to know some terms like:

EURAIL GLOBAL PASS - a new name for the grand-daddy of railpasses the Eurailpass. Years ago there was only the Eurailpass. Period. Now Eurailpasses have morphed into literally hundreds of various types of Eurailpasses - some, like the Global one, good in 20 countries - practically every European country west of the old Iron Curtain except the U.K.

A EURAIL SELECT PASS has the same benefits as a Eurail Global Pass except that it is valid in only 3, 4 or 5 neighboring countries - limiting the geographical scope and a much cheaper pass because of that. This is the pass that most find better for their needs than the Eurail Global Pass.

A SAVERPASS is a pass with two to five names on one pass - about 18% cheaper than haveing individual passes. Since all names are on one pass you obviously cannot take separate trains so this pass is for folks who will not want to take different trains and will always be traveling together. German passes only come in Twin forms - same idea but only two names on each pass, meaning the third in a group of three would need an individual pass at a higher price. (Though often putting three names on a Germany-Benelux or Germany-Denmark pass may be cheaper than a German Twin and solo since those other passes allow 205 names on a saverpass.)

However all of the parties on a Saverpass need be present for the pass to be valid so one person could use it by themself - a day of use would be needed of course.

TBC - FLEXIPASSES VS CONSECUTIVE - PASS VALKDITY

PalenQ

FLEXIPASSES VS CONSECUTIVE PASSES & PASS VALIDITY

Flexipass is good for a certain number of days over usually a 2-month, sometimes in single country passes, 1-month period.

Consecutive day passes are, DUH, good for a certain number of consecutive days. They will be better for folks who are traveling a lot - either doing day trips from a base or just the peripatetic types like myself.

Flexipasses are esp good for folks on a longer than normal trip - say a month or so where they will be moving between rather far-removed bases every 3-4 days or so - and not using trains once in say Rome or Paris, etc.

A Flexipass will have the number of boxes for which the pass is good - a 5-day flexipass would have five boxes on it that the passenger must fill in ink with that day's date for it to be valid - do this before the conductor comes around and if you don't could fine you for being considered to be traveling without a valid ticket.

A consecutive day pass is good from when you activate it until it expires at midnight of the final day for unlimited trains in countries covered. No need to do anything - just hop on board (except trains requiring reservations before boarding)

Most passes these days are flexipasses except for some Eurail Global Passes, BritRail Passes and Swiss Passes, the only exceptions that i can think of.

NEXT - ACTIVATION; REFUNDS; PPP

German vets incident

PalenQ

A quick story about the possible ramifications of not filling in your flexible travel date in the box on the pass --

i was talking to an old guy who had served in the U.S. army in Germany not that that has much to do with the story but interesting

and a few years back he was on a train with a German flexipass and forgot to fill in the date, etc.

The German conductor then proceeded to fill in the date for him AND fill in an extra date as a penalty for not having the date filled in by the passenger

ACHTUNG! Fill in the date before the conductor sees you - before you board the train.

PalenQ

ACTIVATION; REFUNDS; PPP

ACTIVATING A PASS
Passes are generally issued un-activated meaning that you, generally within six months of the date of issue, must take it to a ticket window, show your passports to prove the pass matches the names on it, and then the clerk will ACTIVATE it for however long it is good for.

A consecutive-day pass would normally start from that day but you can activate it in advance but in this case tell the clerk what date you want him/her to write in or they will automatically think IME that you want it to start today.

A flexipass is activated for the overall validity period - usually 2 months and for most folks this is not important when it begins as few will be in Europe two months.

Once a pass is activated it is no longer REFUNDABLE - non-activated passes are refundable usually up to one year after issue (some cases six months) and then less than 20% (some cases 15%) cancellation fee.

In some instances passes can be re-issued by the original seller for a small fee as long as you don't want a cheaper pass - if want a more expensive pass you just pay the difference for the upgrade, applying the cost of the previous pass against it.

If passes are lost, stolen, etc. then it's like losing cash.

TBC - next Pass Protection Plan (PPP)

notes for myself:
pre-activation
why buy in advance?
activating saver pass
Specials
Pass Specials
even after flexi days used up
home or travel insurance
money belt
Eurail Aid offices