How early to purchase rail passes before trip?
 

How early should I purchase railpasses on the internet, before my trip?<BR><BR>I want to make sure they reach me in time..

That depends on WHO you purchase them from I suspect. RailEurope (which a LOT of people here don't seem to care for but from whom I've never received anything but excellent service) will send your documents to you within three days of purchase. The delivery services for others may vary so I would check that VERY carefully before ordering. You don;t say how soon you are leaving so, hopefully, you'll have enough time. Regardless of what people SAY, rail passes CAN be purchased in Europe but at a higher price.<BR><BR>Jon

If you're sure of your plans, why wait to buy them? I'd allow a couple of weeks, just to be sure.

&lt;&lt;Regardless of what people SAY, rail passes CAN be purchased in Europe but at a higher price.&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Conversely, for MOST itineraries, point-to-point tickets can be purchased at a LOWER price than you are planning to spend on a rail pass.<BR><BR>The web site www.railsaver.com offers a very useful little tool for doing the comparion.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR><BR>

If you haven't finalized your itinerary, visit www.ricksteves.com (Europe Through the Back Door). You'll find a many-paged online railpass guide--you can also order a free hard copy--and tips on how to determine when point-to-point tickets might serve you better than a pass. Also, if you buy your pass from Rick, you'll get some good &quot;freebies&quot; along with it.

I purchased my Italy rail pass on Tuesday and I had my passes on Thursday.<BR><BR>Before you purchase, read the rules and regs carefully. When I called RailEurope's 800 line, I spoke with two people who were very courteous, however, clueless about traveling in Italy. Even the Italians we met there agreed that train travel in Italy can be confusing if you are not 100% sure of all the rules.

First determine that passes are less expensive than point-to-point tickets by going to www.railsaver.com and typing in your itinerary. If you still want to buy a pass, check out your local AAA office. They publish a nice brochure that explains all the options and will not add on extra charges. If you're not an AAA member, then the Rick Steves option is probably a good one.