Next April, we plan to fly into Berlin, stay a few days and then take night trains to Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Hamburg, London...staying 4 nights in each city. What is the best option for ticketing? A Eurail pass? Some sort of Senior fare? Buying each leg as we need it once we are there?? Help and information from those who have done this route would be very appreciated.......thanks

Here is a thread on how to order the train travel guide with all kind of passes, it's free, so why not?

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34879708

Not sure if there is anything for seniors specifically, at least you can use the maps!

Offhand it doesn't seem a Eurailpass is in your best interests but you should investigate the European East Pass, much cheaper than a Eurailpass, which covers travel in Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria - that it's good in Austria makes it a better deal as trains are more pricey there than in the old East-Bloc countries.

I have checked out the East European Pass, thanks for the suggestion.... We fly into Berlin, so we have to first get from Berlin to Budapest by train before starting the Eastern European part of our train trip. If we want to then take a train from Vienna to Germany (Hamburg) or London would we be better off buying those segments once we are there? or getting a Eurail pass?
I"ve written away for the book you all recommended and that might answer some of my questions.
Thanks

since you could use your European East pass to get to Salzburg, the ticket from Salzburg to Hamburg or to the German border en route to Brussels (best place for you to catch Eurostar to London i believe) then you'll be better off buying segments for Germany and Belgium as you go along. You can check fares in Germany at www.bahn.de and see what Salzburg-Hamburg costs and compare to a German Railpass - but i don't see any Eurailpass that would benefit you.

No senior fares on these passes by the way.

As for the London Eurostar train from Brussels or Paris, yes you should buy before you get there as walk up prices can be literally a hundred bucks or so more expensive than some of the cheaper advance purchase fares, which are sold in limited numbers to begin with. There is a Senior Fare for the eurostar trains for those 60 and over - about $95 one way and is nice because it can be changed once in Europe i believe without penalty whereas the cheapest fare, at $89 cannot. BETS (800-441-2387) are Eurostar experts i always recommend as i also always recommend you check fares in euros at www.eurostar.com, www.eurostar.co.uk and www.voyages-sncf.com - butnot sure what site is good for starting from Brussels.