PalenQ

I love trains. I love European trains. I have been riding and writing, professionally, about European trains for decades (retired now, writing only on Fodor's currently) - i love writing about European trains and especially a railpass adventure.

I have had zillions of railpasses of every type annually since 1969 - yup i'm an old fart but try to keep up to date on European trains and railpasses.

And though i have driven and biked literally all over Europe as well to me i just love riding the rails and the freedom to go anywhere and ride as many trains as i want without much thought.

That said railpasses are often overhyped for less intensive travelers, etc. But what i hope to do informally here is to help prepare one for a railpass trip like i do and it is NOT for everyone.

But if you have any inkling of riding the rails around Europe i'll try to inform you as much as possible from my years of riding the rails around Europe.

TBC - Things to be informally covered.

travlsolo2

I love trains, too. The first time I used a railpass, the German Rail Tourist Card, I think it was called, was in 1984. That hooked me on train travel! I LOVE the hopping on and off. I've used railpasses 4 times since then, and my upcoming trip probably doesn't warrant an 8-day pass, but I just couldn't resist. The convenience just tipped the scales for me!

With your experience, I'm sure your insights will be really valuable to anyone planning a railpass adventure.

Dukey

Pal, I'd rather you tell me how to get to the Trenitalia English page and actually have it SHOW UP!!!!

TravMimi

trenitalia is redoing their website !!! Shhhhhhh I don't want to jinks it.

bratsandbeer

PalenQ Hi there!

I do have a question. We have had one trip using a Eurail Pass and loved it.

This trip will be point to point purchase. However, we did purchase our tickets for the overnight train from Budapest to Venice - Oct.3.

From the pictures I have seen, the train doesn't look too great and I am a bit worried about safety on that train. Do you know anything about that particular sleeper train?

Thanks. K.

PalenQ

brats-beer: I'll address your question but first need to know what type of accommodation you have booked - a private double, a quad, couchettes, regular seats, etc. thanks.

And i have, and others have added their impressions of such questions in a now very long thread i have been working on - anyone night train safety was covered in detail and well as many other things in planning a rail trip.

Fodors.com > Travel Talk > Europe > CDF's Guide to European Trains and
Railpasses for the Clueless!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35055458

PalenQ

Czech Republic, preliminary word has it, is finally coming aboard and joining the Eurailpass countries, making 21 all together now that many Eastern European and Balkan countries have climbed aboard.

So finally a Eurailpass will take you to Prague from Germany and Austria without any hassle of buying supplemental tickets for the Czech portion, etc.

PalenQ

DISCOVER EUROPE IN THE SPRINGTIME WITH EURAIL Promotion!

Starting on Oct 3, 2008 anyone who buys a 6- or 8-day 3 country Eurail Select Pass before 30 Nov 2008 will get two extra days gratis - over $100 savings. Travel however cannot be initiated until March 1, 2009 and must be finished before May 31, 2009.

And anyone buying either a 15- or 21-day Eurail Global Consecutive Pass and these turn into a 21-day or 1-month Global Pass respectively - huge savings for the few profiles that will be traveling on trains that much in a consecutive-day period.

PalenQ

for folks in Korea or Aussieland only - travel on the spring special can commence anytime from now and be finished by May 31, 2009

PalenQ

bratsandbeer - as i hinted at the type of accommodation you have booked - if it is a private double or single you are very secure as you have a private compartment that has locks on the inside that these days typically even a conductor with a master key cannot open (bolt lock on inside) - so only if you do not lock the locks (usually more than one) should you worry.

If you are in a shared compartment - 4 or 6-person couchette, these have locks on the inside as well but IME often folks going out at night to the loo often do not lock them upon return and then the chance of a theft increases.

I always enjoy having the uppermost berth as there is extra room up there for bags and i always put my bags up there rather than leaving them on the floor or under the lower beds where they can be snatched easily if the doors remain unlocked.

I have no special word on the Budapest night train but generally there are attendants in sleeping cars (where the singles, doubles and triples are) that monitor comings and goings at each stop - adding to security over couchette cars which may share an attendant with several couchette cars.

In general i think you have little to worry about if you are vigilant.

PalenQ

topping to bring up to work on again

worldtraveler1960

Hello PalenQ,
I'm an American from a small town in South Carolina, presently living/working in Khartoum, Sudan. I've lived over half of my adult life overseas (16.5 years), between living, working and traveling to a total of 41 different countries. I'm planning a solo Global RailPass trip, starting in Frankfurt, Germany on 15 July 2009. I want to cover 14 new countries (Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Ireland,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco,
Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia,
Switzerland) and revisit another 15 countries(Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy,
Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Spain,
Sweden), all in 75 days, would that be possible and still come away with a unforgetable experience. Any and all responses are welcome. Thanks, WorldTraveler1960

PalenQ

worldtraveler- your question's answer will yield wildly varying opinions on the efficacy of such a wide-ranging trip, even though over two-months in a Europe that is not really that big - about same as U.S. about and with trains speeding along at up to 200 mph it is certainly possible.
It's an interesting question that i will visit more probably Monday - check out the two following sources for tons of objective info on european rail travel and passes - www.ricksteves.com and esp www.budgeteuropetravel.com - the latter site lets you download their free and recently re-written European Planning & Rail guide with chapters on all the various railpass countries or regions - it really is a fine premier for planning any European rail trip - pass or no pass.
I've had some pressing family problems this week but will come back and give my thoughts on your question - and encourage others to weigh in. I have gone by train in all those countries.
Cheers, PalQ

TellYa

Planning a trip to Rome to see my daughter in January. We are planning on getting a railpass and going up the west coast of Italy, and hitting Geneva (if possible) on our way to Paris and then going to Madrid / Barcelona. Do you see any concerns on this trip or a better way / options of seeing the West Europe end. I am open to ideas / thoughts / what to see when I am out there. We plan on not making any reservations until we are there as the train stops, so will we. Our plan is for 14 days.

Thank You.

PalenQ

Well i'll Tellya my opinion:

first of all if doing it all by rail i'd investigate the Eurail Select Saverpass (Saverpass is for two or more names on one pass - cheaper than two individual passes and fine if you are traveling together all the time - a 4-country Eurail Select pass good in Italy, Switzerland, France and Spain.

It's first class only if you are over 25 and that has its benefits - esp in finding seats together almost always without reservations (which though are required on many trains in Italy and are easy enough to make, but you cannot just hop on at will)

There are youthpasses for those under 26 but if you, who over 25 i presume, have to buy a regular solo eurail select pass and she buys a youth pass then the total price will be about the same as two Saver Passes so you both should be on one saver pass and daughter would travel with you in first class (youthpasses are 2nd cl only and often in different wagons)

Now many Fodorites will say that 14 days is not enough for all of that - esp Paris and Rome and Barcelona, cities where most would prefer to spend three or four days. I do travel like you do, however, so it's a matter of preference really.

Train-wise it can be done but only really if you use overnight trains (which i often do - saves hotel cost and you save travel time obviously)

You could take a night train from Italy to Geneva and from Paris to Barclona or Madrid. Switzerland is so gorgeous i would travel there in the day, from northern Italy.

Or you could investigate putting a flight in your plans - say from Rome to Barcelona or Madrid and then from Barcelona you could hop an overnight train right to Geneva, arriving the next morning - or from Barcelona or Madrid to Paris, which is only 3.5 hours then by day train to Geneva.

Obviously it will make a difference on the best places to fly into and out of. And Rome to Barcelona or madrid could cost a lot or it may not (www.whichbudget.com) will clue you in on any cheaper flights between any two cities.

I'll give this some more attention soon. Please ask any questions.

For pass info and prices consult the two sites i recommended in my last above post.

Note if your daughter is going to be in Europe before or after you then she may well want to get her own Flexipass youth - good over a two-month period and then be able to use it in Italy or to go from Italy to nearby countries (and overnight trains link Rome, Florence, etc. to many northern cities.

PalenQ

Rome - the west coast of Italy, and hitting Geneva (if possible) on our way to Paris and then going to Madrid / Barcelona. Do you see any concerns on this trip or a better way / options of seeing the West Europe end. I am open to ideas / thoughts / what to see when I am out there.

Let's consider your hoped for itinerary, rail-wise:

Rome up the west coast of Italy - are you talking about the Cinque Terre - besides Pisa that's the main (and a great place) that attracts most - each of the five villages has a train station - if thinking of flying to Spain check Pisa's Int'l Airport for flights - it's close to the Cinque Terre or Florence if you want to take the inland route from Rome up.

There is an overnight train from Florence to Geneva (direct)

Geneva-Paris is via TGV, French high-speed train going up to nearly 190 mph.

Paris you can take an overnight train to either Barcelona or Madrid, arriving in morning

and a new high-speed line links Barcelona and Madrid in about 4 hours or less (not sure you wanted to go to either Barcelona or Madrid or both)

So by train it is possible but you would not have lots of time in Rome or Paris probably.

From Geneva you could also take an overnight train direct to Barcelona and then to Madrid and then an overnight train up to Paris (where you end up depends on where you find the best air fare from IMO)

Unless you do the night trains - and if you get a private double it is rather plush on those trains - daytime travel throughout would just be too much IMO - already stretching it as is.

Now if you fly from Italy to Barcelona then you could do the overnight train from Barcelona to Geneva, then day TGV to Paris, cutting down overall train travel substantially and allowing more time in cities.

<We plan on not making any reservations until we are there as the train stops, so will we.>

I'll address this next as it will also be of interest to others perhaps.

PalenQ

<We plan on not making any reservations until we are there as the train stops, so will we.>

this has always served me well though for overnight trains, if they are a linchpin in your itinerary you may want to book ahead, when you buy your pass (to do so separately would be to incur a mailing fee) - most trains can only be booked up to 60 days in advance - some longer in advance, but generally 60)

But it depends on day of week and time of year - summer and Fri and Sun sees IME fuller overnight trains

But for day trains there are usually so many trains that you can book right up to time of train (talking about trains requiring mandatory reservations, like many in Italy and Spain and overnight trains to/from Spain and Geneva or paris) - i do these when i arrive in a city if it's important for me to be on one exact train - otherwise if flexible just pop in station a day or so early (can have long lines and miss your train if you leave it to the last minute IME)

But yes feel comfy that you can book any day trains easily once there and when you know exactly when you want to travel. You can generally book any train inside a country from any station in the country - you need not be in Milan to book a Milan to Geneva train. Rarely however IME can you book trains from outside the country at stations in another country unless that train involves the other country (like in Milan to Geneva example - you could book this in Switzerland i believe)

PalenQ

Your railpass of course covers train fares but NOT reservation fees that may be required. Usually these are optional in most countries and only cost a few euros.

But in Italy if you ride the Eurostar Italia high-speed trains then there is a supplement of 15 euros charged or $20 or so on top of the pass (includes reservation) - in your case you do not have to take any of these if you go up the west coast where the IC or IC+ either don't require reservations or it's a simple reservation fee. But for folks traveling extensively in Italy the fees can add up as they may ride several Eurostar Italia trains - one reason the Italian railpass is often uneconomical for travel just inside Italy

PalenQ

And on overnight trains again a railpass covers the train fare but not the optional (usually) sleeping accommodations - which are from a minimum of a reclining seat to couchettes to singles, doubles and triples - you pay the price for those by showing your railpass at the ticket window and then just paying for the sleeping option, the larger train fare covered by your pass. On a flexipass, due to the 7pm rule, if you board an overnight train after 7pm then you put the next day's date in as the day your pass will be active - thus you travel 7pm to midnight gratis - anyway usually one day used on a flexipass on an overnight train - and you can really cover a lot of ground in one day on the pass if you want or need to:

Night train from Paris to Madrid, then in day go on to Seville, Granada, etc. and only use one day of say a Eurail Select Flexipass, thanks to the 7pm rule.

PalenQ

TellYa & Others - i have dwelled on reservations; reservations & passes; night train options & passes, etc. in my much longer older thread:

Fodors.com > Travel Talk > Europe > CDF's Guide to European Trains and
Railpasses for the Clueless!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35055458