Trains between countries can have discounts, but with a pass you might have to pay a supplement>

There are no trains TMK that impose a supplement simply because they cross borders - rather it is the country of the train itself that imposes a supplement - it has nothing at all to do with crossing borders.

Decided to skip Bavaria and take up fussgaengers advice of going to Strasbourg and colmar!

go to Basel first and then it's a short train ride to Colmar from there - then a short train ride to Strasbourg. Two wonderful places.

Yes thinking of doing that except I was thinking of Basel to Strasbourg and staying in Strasbourg for like two days and make a day trip to colmar while I'm there!

Makes sense especially if just wanting to see Colmar - Colmar is a neat base for the wine villages along the Alsace Wine Road which meanders along the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. But as it is a smallish city its sights can easily be seen in a day - Colmar has a Statue of Liberty - a scaled down copy of the original which was cast here and sent off to the New World.

I based in Strasbourg some days and did day trips to Colmar and into Germany - my favorite was Baden-Baden one of the original spa towns in Europe and a place where kings and queens and the rich and famous used as a spiffy watering hole long ago - the ornate main casino can be toured before it opens - around noon and the whole city is a lush park-like setting - about an hour or so from Strasbourg - you could also easily day trip to Freiburg, another neat neat city.

Basel to Strasbourg via France and Colmar - the quickest way vs going thru Germany is by Regional and TER - fast regional trains where there is not much of a savings if any for booking in advance and then being stuck to that specific train. Just buy those tickets in Basel unless the savings is significant - www.voyages-sncf.com or www.capitainetrain.com for fares and booking. Reservations are not required on those trains I think. 1 h 11 mins Basel to Strasbourg via Colmar.

Since both France and Germany are in the Schengen area, there's no passport control, and no trip between the two would count as two entries.

I don't know where Palenq has found all these crowded, trashy second-class cars on Italian high-speed trains. I <b>have</b> traveled in both first and second class cars, both with and without luggage, and I only choose first class when the cost is about the same because of discounts. In fact, there are usually more discounts in first class, because they have more trouble selling the tickets. Why do you think that is?

Last week we took a long trip, with luggage, from Milan to Senigallia, second class all the way. Perfectly comfortable and I didn't see a speck of trash.

I only choose first class when the cost is about the same because of discounts.>

Why would you bother with first class at all - there must be some plus in first class if you chose it over 2nd class right? What is that difference that makes you go first class if the price is about the same?

Umh - very telling!

bvlenci do u have any pics of the trains from ur trip?