Arielle

I`m planning a trip next year to Europe with a few friends. We haven`t decide where to go in 21 days yet but at this point in my research i`m asking myself if I should go with the Rail Pass or are the point-to-point tickets a cheaper/better options.<BR>and Yes, we are all on a tight budget.

Sue

Try www.railsaver.com<BR><BR>You put in your itinerary and it decides if it's better to do point-to-point or railpass, and it will suggest which kind of railpass.

Barry

Hi Arielle -<BR><BR>Traveling in a group you can do well with the Eurail SaverPass. Also, once you get there you can make reservations and wind up with a "private compartment" (if there aren't more than 6 of you). Some people on this board will disagree with me on that , but the 3 euro a person reservation fee wound up putting my wife and I in a 1st class compartment for 6 right by ourselves, for trips from Salzburg to Munich and back, from Salzburg to Budapest, Budapest to Prague and Prague to Vienna... now... that was worth it to us!<BR><BR>Best wishes for a great trip...<BR><BR>Barry

Kay

I have done better using point-point.

Linda

It depends on how much you will be traveling. If you plan a lot of cities, then rail pass is good. If you are going to stay in one area and see it and the surroundings, then buy the tickets there point-to-point. Compartments are available whether you reserve them or not and are not extra and, to me, are the best option because you do get some privacy.

Sue

It really does not depend on how much you plan to travel since there are so many different kinds of Flexipasses (and Flexi-saver passes for 2 or more traveling together) available. Plan your trip, figure out which rail pass would suit your plans, then go to railsaver.com or to the individual rail sites to figure out if the pass would be worth it. If it's about even, I'm with Barry simply for the ease of it all.<BR><BR>And for certain trains, with or without the pass you have to make reservations; for others, not. I personally always make reservations (they only cost a few bucks) to make sure I get on the right train (or the right car on that train). Yes, I am a bear of very little brain.<BR><BR>Rick Steves has a detailed explanation of it all at www.ricksteves.com/rail/howrailworks.htm as well as descriptions of the various passes.