dzaman75

Hi everyone Were traveling to France(1 day in Paris), Italy (Venice, Rome and Naples) then off to Spain (Malaga, Cordoba and Grenada). I read through all the advice of seat61.com but still am confused! trying to book this vacation has been overwhelming!
so my question to all of you is:
1. Eurorail offers select country passes which we are thinking of booking. however seat61.com suggests we book thru trentalia. Does anyone know which is better?

RonZ

Buy your Italy tickets here, 4 months in advance for the best fares:

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

For Spain, some trains 90 days ahead, some 60:

http://www.renfe.com/

dzaman75

so you dont recommend Eurorail passes?

janisj

>>so you dont recommend Eurorail passes?<<


Not for your itinerary -- especially in Italy point to point train tickets are are quite economical.

And I wouldn't take a train from Paris to Venice -- you can get very cheap flights.

PalenQ

Not even close to benefitting from an Eurailpass or railpass of any kind - book as Ron says above thru national rail sites for best prices - you can always buy tickets as you go but then you pay full fare - booking in advance can yield sweet discounts.

anyway for rail info in general check www.seat61.com- yes the guru now of discounted fares; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

You can take an overnight train between Paris and Venice - say daytime travel time even over flying and if book in advance (www.thello.com) it can be really cheap - you also save on a hotel. but like janisj says above a daytime train trip between those places is a long long haul thru so-so scenery.

pookymimi

I've purchased Eurorail for both countries and been there done that, not worth it.

Unless you are going to be traveling everyday for long distances in fast trains, it's just cheaper to buy tickets every time you travel. Having the Eurail doesn't guarantee you traveling for free when you have it, unless short distances, but for long distances/fast trains you have to pay a reservation fee on top of what've you already paid.

I've done the math and for us (3) it's cheaper just to buy tickets before hand or there, no more passes. Trenitalia and renfe are easy to navigate and everybody speaks English at the ticket offices in either Country.

PalenQ

I've done the math and for us (3) it's cheaper just to buy tickets before hand or there, no more passes>

I would not dismiss usually railpasses out of hand as there are many factors here that come into play but in OP's case there is just not enough travel on trains long enough to make a pass pay off unless perhaps the OP wants first-class trains and full flexibility to chose which trains to take once there - then a Italy Railpass especially could be cheaper or even then not.

You can't judge a railpass on price alone but in OP's case it just does not even add up pricewise.

spaarne

<i>Eurorail Booking HELP!
Posted by: dzaman75 on Apr 26, 16 at 9:55am
Posted in: Europe
Tagged: Italy
Hi everyone Were traveling to France(1 day in Paris), Italy (Venice, Rome and Naples) then off to Spain (Malaga, Cordoba and Grenada)</i>

The German rail site https://www.bahn.de/p_en/view/index.shtml provides very good information on schedules all over Europe, though buying a ticket there is usually not possible except for trains originating in Germany.

The Bahn site provides information on night trains from Paris to Venice. For example you can leave Paris Gare de Lyon at 19:23 on a TGV to Dijon and then catch a EuroNight arriving at Venezia Santa Lucia 09:35 the next morning. This route does not appear on the Italian or French rail sites. For an illustrated introduction to night trains in Europe see http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap17/rail3.htm. Night trains are a great way to travel city center to city center. I suggest that you call the folks at http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/ to confirm schedules and make your bookings. They are experts and provide excellent service.

Southam

What's confusing about Seat 61's advice? Don't do the pass, even though his site sells them. You've got lots of good advice above but the first step is to get over the antique idea that passes are a necessity. Also, why a day in Paris, or at best a part of a day if coming trans-Atlantic? Fly direct, or connect, to Italy.

StCirq

Seat 61 isn't confusing. A rail pass is a bad idea.

Agree that a day in Paris isn't worth the trouble. You won't see a thing, and then you zoom off to another country? Why on earth?

PalenQ

the only railpass that would even come into play would be the 2-country Italy-Spain Pass but again check the prices vs what's available online and in each country you must pay a 10 euro or so supplement with a pass to use it on each train you take.

PalenQ

1. Eurorail offers select country passes which we are thinking of booking. however seat61.com suggests we book thru trentalia. Does anyone know which is better?>

Just to be clear Trenitalia.com only books trains involving Italy you have to go to the even more fickle www.renfe.com for Spanish ones - again you can always buy those tickets once there and that would probably still be cheaper than a pass - check www.seat61.com again for tips on sidestepping the two official sites that flummox novice users so much it seems.