PalenQ

another example of the discount perhaps being better than using a day as required if 100% covered

is the Chemins de Fer de Provence, a narrow-gauge train line that runs a scenic route into the hinterlands of the Alpes Maritime up from Nice

It's a really sweet day trip IMO - and to take the train to Annot or other sleepy Provencial town and perhaps walk between stations, etc.
could cost say $40 round trip - perhaps less - so since this is covered 50% off using the pass for the discount yields you about $20 saving and you don't use a day on the flexipass - making the pass overall benefits more in $ terms.

PalenQ

Author: hopscotch
Date: 01/06/2008

PQ,
NO FREE RIDE HELSINKI-STOCKHOLM
these overnight boats and also ones from Turku now are 50% off with railpasses and not 100%

This is a total bummer. Where did you get this info?

Also, I checked the Eurail Map at http://tinyurl.com/yo4pev for Croatia and Slovenia. The map does not include these countries. Do you have advanced insider info? Or is eurail.com not the official site?

Author: PalenQ
Date: 01/06/2008
Yes i believe eurail.com is the official site

as these changes only took effect JAN 1, 2008 they may not have updated

this info comes from the major pervoyer of railpasses in North American - Raileurope message entitled "New 2008 products and Product Changed - dated 12/28/08

I'm going to have to double check to see that what they have about the Stock-Hel boats is correct

For years ScanRailpasses only gave 50% off the boats whilst eurail gave 100% and a free berth to boot i believe

yet the web sites of the boat companies said 100% for both

Another change in 2008 that the Scanrailpass is now being called a Eurailpass (most country or regional passes have been incorporated into the Eurail pass name - i'm not sure this is a creation of RailEurope (owned by French and Swiss railways) or the Eurail Committee in Utrecht Holland i believe that sets Eurailpass prices and conditions and perks

I'll research - as always for the most likely correct answer i always advise calling BETS 800-441-2387 which i may have to do to get something definitive from an expert who IME i can always trust to determine the right answer to see if this Scan boat thing is correct

but again in the past 50%, if on a flexipass and not consecutive day pass may be better for most than 100% where you must use a day of travel.

I'll report back

BTW these Stock-Hel boats are tremendously scenic - fabulous scenery most of the way and luxury kind of boats so is a great Eurail perk

Author: hopscotch

PQ,

Thanks for bringing all this to light.

I have used Eurailpass several times to cross on Silja Line to/fro Stockholm and Helsinki. My most recent trip was two years ago. Silja has two magnificent ships. The dinner buffet is world class and all-you-can-eat and drink. A bunk in a 4 bed same-sex cabin was free with my Eurailpass. Great entertainment on board. Stores galore. This crossing was one of the highlights of my trip.

Author: PalenQ

Hops- just got the 2008 Eurail Travlers Guide along with my pass for my upcoming Jan-Feb rail sojourn and it confirms that the Sweden-Finland ferries are 50% off with a Eurailpass, thus no longer free.
www.tallinksilja.com (Silja Oy) www.vikingline.fi

also as now you get 50% off Stockholm to Riga and Tallin from Silja Oy

and it says all discounts are granted on cabin category C-A so no longer free berth but 50% off

Silja Oy also offers 50% off Helsinki-tallin services

In fact the big news seems to be that the benefits by boat in Scandinavia that were formerly afforded to ScanRailpass holders - 50% off many boats is now extended to Eurailpass holders

including: Norway (all 50%) Frederikshavn-Oslo - day sailings only
Frederikshavn-Larvik
Hirtshals-Oslo
Hitrshals-Kristiansand
Hirtshals-Bergen/Stavenger
Hirtshals-Larvik - day sailings only

Bergen-Stavenger Flaggruten 50%

Buses Andalsnes-Alesund 50%
Andalnes-Molde 50%

though these were previously given discounts the discounts were 25-30% mainly

so anyone traveling much around Scandinavia on boats could find a Eurail Select or Eurail Scanrail flexipass to afford more benefits than just the 100% covered travel days

PalenQ

Author: PalenQ
Date: 01/12/2008, 09:28 am
And there are good changes vis-a-vis Switzerland and the Eurailpasses

Now the new guide says trains between Zermatt and Disentis, Andermatt-Goschenen (a short few mile shuttle connecting the Glacier Express route with the Gotthard mainline) and also that cable cars Zermatt-Gornergrat would all get 25% discounts with a Eurailpass - and of course on flexipasses not have to use a day of travel.

Thus the Glacier Express route, previously which gave Eurails no discounts Zermatt-disentis now at least give 25% off and don't entail using a day on a flexipass

Swiss Passes of course have always covered the Zermatt-disentis portion of Glacier Express route in full - and as they give 50% off virtually everything in the country in terms of lifts, cableways, etc. that they don't cover in full still have much more benefits than Eurailpasses for folks doing indepth Swiss travels - most intercity buses, city transport, lake boats, etc. also being 100% covered.

But for folks transiting the country a Eurailpass has more benefits now than before.

PalenQ

EURAILPASS 50% DISCOUNTS INCREASE IN SWITZERLAND -Continuing the increase in Eurail perks in Switzerland:

Mountain conveyances up Mt Titlis and Mt Pilatus near Lucerne also are now 50% off with a Eurailpass - same as a Swiss Pass

this includes:

funicular Alpnachstad to summit of Pilatus (Eurail Travelers Guide says funicular but i believe it's a cog railway more and one of the most dramatic in the world)

and cable car from Kriens to Pilatus - thus the whole excursion Alpnachstad-Pilatus-Kriens would be 50% off www.pilatus.ch

Titlis - 50% off titlis Rotair Cableway from engleberg up to Mt Titlis www.titlis.ch

and Vitznau/Rigi - 50% on mountain railway up Mt Rigi www.rigi.ch

So again a Eurail Flexipass or eurail Select pass would not entail a day of useage to get the discount

PalenQ

EUROPEAN TRAIN STATIONS: MINI-CITIES

Part of the thrill for me in railing around Europe are the mammoth often hectic European train stations with literally hundreds of trains coming and going each day - mainly commuters to work but also folks on long journeys - often girlfriends or boyfriends blowing kisses to folks hanging out the doors as the train slowly departs

But stations are becoming more and more like mini-cities themselves, with a shopping mall atmosphere. Indeed many now seem to top underground shopping malls, which even have long shopping hours so they may like have the only supermarkets, pharmacies, bookshops, hair dressers, etc. open in cities on Sundays and at nights, etc.

Many main stations - most cities will also have several lesser main stations and innumerable suburban stations - but the main or central station is a hubbub of activity - rows and rows of restaurants, cafes, luggage lockers, etc. There is always some quick fast junk food being hawked for hurried travelers.

THE TRAIN INFORMATION COUNTER
The Train Information Counter will always help you with schedules - printing them off their computers for any trajectory. If in doubt head there.
And those these places inevitably have racks and racks of free printed schedules the POSTED TIMETABLES all over the stations will list all trains serving that station in chronological order (0:00-24:00 - 24 hour clock). But be sure you know the footnotes for these as though they duly list in order the times of departing trains footnotes or universal symbols may mean that some or many of the hundreds listed do not run everyday - some may go only on weekends, Sundays and Holidays, during certain periods noted by Roman numerals usually and in the European style - day first then month. So knowing the symbols, which are universal on printed schedules as well is imperative.

TBC - STATIONS, ARRIVING, FINDING YOUR TRAIN, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, TOURIST OFFICES, HOTELS, TAXIS, CRIME POTENTIAL, ETC.

PalenQ

GERMAN RAIL IN GERMANY PHONE FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS

A while back i said i'd confirm the English language phone service in Germany of the German Railways - the Deutsche Bahn (www.bahn.de) for where you can talk to someone with any questions about reservations, with railpasses, on trains throughout Europe apparently and make these reservations

Anyway the envelope please:

011-49-(0)1805 141514

this is for from U.S. - 011 Int'l access code - 49 Germany country code - the (0) means not to dial that from outside of Germany but in inside Germany then include the 0 - this is typical of nearly all European phone numbers - don't dial the extra 0 unless inside the country where you must to get connected.

PalenQ

TRAIN STATIONS CONT
When arriving there will be luggage trolleys near you car - like said before be sure to carry small change to disengage them
You may, depending where on the train you are, have to walk quite a ways along the platform to get to the station concourse
Pictograms will then point you to luggage lockers or left luggage desks - taxis, buses or trams or metros - information offices, etc.

TOURIST OFFICE/ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
Many large stations may well have Municipal or Regional Tourist offices where you can get brochures and maps of the town and usually book accommodation.
Sometimes there is a separate Accommodations Service - sometimes a private concession and sometimes run by the local tourist office. These places IME can almost always find vacancies in hotels or hostels except perhaps in the busiest seasons or during special events. There can be long long lines at tourist offices in peak travel seasons like July and August.
In some countries - especially Germany, Switzerland and Austria many stations will have hotel boards where seemingly most of the town's accommodations are listed and detailed and there is a free phone to call the ones with green lights lit - incidicating room availability - red lights of course mean full.
Switzerland especially is known for these and nearly every station seems to have them.
MORE ON STATIONS
TBC

PalenQ

HOTELS AND STATIONS
I find going by train i enjoy having a hotel awaiting me within walking distance of a station

And most stations oblige by being ringed by hotels - within steps of Rome and Florence stations for example there are literally dozens and dozens of hotels

And though these areas are not the dreamiest parts of town perhaps they are perfectly safe IME

Thus if you have a rolling backpack or suitcase you can rather effortless wheel over to the hotel instead of wading onto public transport or waiting in an oft IME lengthy queue for taxis - and save money to boot

And when it comes time for the train you're just a short stroll away - savings in time as well

I often, if the hotel is not near the station, will stow my big backpack and take just a day pack to the hotel - leaving the heavier one in the station lockers in countries where lockers are available.

Many backpacks also have a detachable day pack so put your stuff you need for the hotel in there and leave the backpack with stuff you won't use in the locker or luggage storage.

NEXT - STATION CRIME ALERT

PalenQ

MORE ON EURAIL 2008 CHANGES FROM JUST ABOVE

Actually after looking at 2007 Travelers Guide some of these changes in the Swiss Pass/Eurail perks were apparently made last year

yet this year some are up from 30% to 50%

ROMANTIC ROAD BUSES
For years a nice perk of a Germany Railpass or eurailpass valid in Germany was it covered the Romantic Road buses to Rothenberg-Fussen-Munich and Castle Road Mannheim-Heidelberg-Rothenburg-Nurnberg

a few years ago when Deutsche Bahn divested of its subsidiary that ran the buses the 100% went down to a discount of 60%

Now i see that the discount has shrunk to 20% and Castle Road seems not covered at all.

PalenQ

NOTES FROM THE ROAD

railroad that is

been traveling on a eurailpass for two weeks now

taken five night trains with varying degrees of satisfaction

prices for couchettes i paid

amsterdam _ munich CNL

25 euros 6 per couchette

munich to rome 25 euros 6 per

rome to lecce italy 30 euros '
4 per comfort level night train '
4 per compartment

brindisi to rome 17 euros -
6 person non comfort couchette

venice to paris 25 euros 6 per couchette but only two berths occupied

i ll later go into detail of some rather negative feelings about these trains and positive experiences as well

for one thing the toilets were the pits = worse than usual

but i had absolutely no problem making reservations as i went along often on the same day

PalenQ

EURAIL SELECT PASS SPECIAL 2008
For the last several years Rail Europe has had a sale on Eurail Select passes of 6-day duration and longer where if you buy before the end of March you will get an extra day free. And in 2008 this is the case again.

Thus a 6-day flexipass becomes a 7-day for the same price - this could especially be attractive to folks who needed 7 travel days and would have bought an 8-day pass (since normally there is no 7-day Select pass)

In any case an extra day is worth around $50-60 p.p. or so.

I believe this is RailEurope's reaction perhaps to 911 or terrorists attacks when business suddenly dries up - so they put some bait out to get you to bite on this sale and then later if you cancel you'll pay the 20% cancellation fee. Either that or RE is simply trying to get some money in the bank

In any case, especially for those using passes in the near future it can be a bargain worth persuing.

Sales are rare for Eurailpasses but have occured during off-seasons - in spring and fall. I'm not sure if or not other Eurailpass originators besides RE are having the same special or if it's just a RE deal.

lovisa

Palenque: Thank you for your head's up regarding the extra day sale with Flexpasses.

My question is can you give a citation for the information contained in your 1/13/2008 post regarding 50% discounts on various funiculars, etc., in Switzerland with a Eurail Flexpass without using a Flexpass day? I can't find this information anywhere on the web.

We will buy a multicountry Eurail Flexpass which will include Switzerland, but I'm trying to decide whether to purchase Swiss half-fare cards as well for 8 days in Switzerland.

PalenQ

lovisa: I do have the documentation and will try to find it soon.

KL467

Thank you. This is SO helpful!

PalenQ

The info on discounts with Eurail passes on Swiss funiculars, cables and private railways is listed in the Eurail Travelers Guide 2008; pg 32. This is where i got the info from. Note that it's only a handful of such conveyances in Switzerland albeit some of the ones travelers are most likely to take.

lovisa

Thank you very much.

PalenQ

Lovisa:

The Eurail Travelers Guide 2008 lists the following discounts:

Pilatusbahn 30% discount
Vitznau/Rigi 50%
Titlis 50%
Stanserhorn from Stans 50%
Burgenstock Lake Lucerne 50%

that's the only mountain railways/ gondolas, etc. listed so assume others give zilch

The Jungfrau Regional railways however is 25% off - including Jungfraubahn and maybe but i'm not sure other conveyance the Jungfraubahn operates such as perhaps Schilthorn? not sure.

and of course many private railways and lake boats are 100% covered and for the first time that i've noticed trains between Zermatt and Disentis (Glacier Express route) are 25% off

Note that if it's a discount you do not use a day of travel on a flexipass so it's a pure bonus in that sense - only your 2-month overall validity period (Eurail Select Pass) needs be in effect. Does not matter if you've used up your last flexible travel day.

lovisa

Thanks again! With your information, I have finally decided that it's better not to include Switzerland in Flexpass and buy a separate 8 day Swiss Pass.

PalenQ

thanks again

an 8-day consecutive Swiss Pass provides so many more benefits than does a Eurailpass covering Switzerland - though for many folks transiting the country that works well

but if taking the non-eurail covered trains like in BOB, etc. and postal buses, etc. the Swiss Pass is great - just hop on. Like in Lauterbrunnen area near Interlaken the thrilling cable cars up to Grutschalp, the tremendously scenic mountain railway from there to Murren and then another scintillating gondola that's like riding an airplane from Murrren via Gimmelwald back to valley floor at Stechelberg for postal bus back to Lauterbrunnen - all covered in full by a Swiss Pass. And you also get 50% off things like the Schilthorn and 25% off Jungfraujoch railway (down from 50% two years ago however) - makes it all so easy IMO

PalenQ

Maddi recently posted this question on the Europe forum and i think it's a question of general interest to novice rail travelers:

Author: maddi
Date: 02/25/2008, 04:06 pm
How much in advance should you get to a train station- ie. going from Avignon to Paris. Train leaves at 6:40 am. What time should we get there?

Author: PalenQ
Date: 02/25/2008
In France you should be at the train door at least 2 minutes before scheduled takeoff

I was recently in France and there were signs that train doors could close 2 minutes before scheduled departure

As the Gare de Lyon is a huge station with some platforms in different locations leave about 15 minutes to figure it all out.

In general in other countries most train doors don't seem to close until the scheduled departure or a few seconds after

but anyway best to board a few minutes early to find seats, etc.

The U.K. seems to say one minute prior but i've rarely seen this actually happening.

And as train stations are often huge humungous places with dozens of tracks and may a few different levels or areas arrive there at least 15 minutes early if not familiar with the station lay out.