After much thought I have decided that it would probably be in my best interest to go ahead & purchase a rail pass for my backing trip to Europe this summer... For those that have used the pass before/recently could you help me out by letting me know how many trains this pass works with/if I need to book for most of them in advance? And also how common the night trains are/how safe. (I bought the 2nd class global rail unlimited pass for 2 months)

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Hi Alexandra,

Amazing that you've got such a long trip planned. 2 months is definitely enough time to really start to explore Europe by train, we're jealous! To answer your questions:

* The majority of countries in Europe [map: http://bit.ly/GSMBwU] are part of the interrail scheme with the notable exception of Poland, and the United Kingdom. Polish trains are generally affordable though so that shouldn't cause a big problem. In the UK however, trains are much more expensive so it's annoying the pass isn't valid.

If you intend to travel within the UK, you could research different types of rail cards to get a discount off trains. The Young Persons Railcard can give you one third off lots of trains.

Eurrail pass holders *do* get a discount on Eurostar trains from Paris to London (booked over the phone on +44 1233 617 575), or consider a ferry which offers discounts too.

* Reservations are almost always recommended, and for high-speed trains and night trains often compulsory. The cost of reservations varies a lot between countries, but expect to pay anything from a couple of Euros to 12 or more for the most popular trains. The Interrail website [http://bit.ly/yAftzL] provides a list of how much you can expect to pay in different countries.

It's easy to book reservations at the station if you're flexible. When I did it a few years ago, my friend and I usually booked out reservations for our next train the day we arrived. So we'd arrive in a city and immediate book our reservation for 4 days later. We never had any problems and it always meant that we could choose how long we wanted to stay on a whim, instead of booking up way in advance and being tied to a pre-decided schedule.

If you want to find trains without reservations there is a trick to finding non-reservation trains. If you go to DBahn [http://bit.ly/GNAsLI] and select the button which says "all without ICE" then it should show you slower trains. ICE stands for intercity express - which are usually the most popular, fastest trains with compulsory reservations. If you tick this box it will show you the ones where you won't have to pay extra.

* Night trains are frequent around Europe but it all depends where you want to go. Very popular routes run every day, while others go every other day and others once or twice a week. The best way to find out is to research the exact trains you want online, and check which days they run.

* Lastly, but probably most importantly is safety. Travelling by train in Europe, even as a solo woman is very safe but you should always be careful. I travelled on my own for 4 months and encountered nothing but kindness from my fellow passengers. The worst thing I had to deal with was snoring old lady in the same cabin! You should always be self aware and make sure you behave in a responsible way. Never decide to sleep in a train station for example, and always make sure if you're travelling late at night or early in the morning you know where you're going before/after the train.

Have a great trip!!

Answers to many of your questions can be found in these IMO superb European rail sites - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves.com. Your pass is valid on virtually every train in Europe with a few exceptions like trains in Switzerland that only go to mountain tops or a handful of private railways you will never probably encounter.

Trains in Italy, Spain and France mainly require seat reservations before boarding and easily arranged IME of decades of having railpasses as you go - In Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Scandinavia, eastern Europe and Portugal and Ireland do not generally require seat reservations so you can just hop on any train anytime - the beauty of a pass in those countries.

With a 2nd class Eurail Youthpass you qualify for 50% off a BritRail Pass so if going to the U K keep that in mind!

And also how common the night trains are/how safe>

If you have a compartment door that locks - like in couchettes and up to private ones and IF the door is kept locked then theft will not be a problem - if not kept locked it could be - physical safety seems IME of decades of taking overnight trains not to be a problem - really never heard of anyone being mugged, raped, etc although I am sure it has happened rarely. Do not sleep in regular seats as folks come and go there and I have witnessed several thefts from open-seating overnight trains.

In a nutshell, suitably simplified:

In France, Italy, Spain EVERY long distance train requires a reservation, for which a passholder will pay (again simplifying hugely) 10 euros a train ride. This needs to be factored into your budget.

In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark you can usually just hop on any train without a reservation and show your pass.

On night trains, ALWAYS book a couchette (flat bunk in lockable compartment, 4 or 6 per compartment = youth hostel on rails) or sleeper (proper bed 1 2 or 3 per compartment = hotel on rails). Then you'll be safe and snug. NEVER sit up all night in a seat, it's a false economy for both comfort and security. Expect a couchette in 6-berth to cost 20 euros supplement in western Europe, 11-15 euros in eastern Europe. Expect a bed in a 2-bed sleeper to cost 50-70 euros in western Europe, 30 euros in eastern Europe.

In France, Italy, Spain EVERY long distance train requires a reservation, for which a passholder will pay (again simplifying hugely) 10 euros a train ride. This needs to be factored into your budget.>

so this has increased in France from the 8 euros you said recently for many TGVs? Or am I mistaken about that?