Well this thread certainly strayed from my original question. And now, for the rest of the story. First, yes, as Rex said, I am over 60. However, I posted on behalf of my daughter, who is 24 and thus eligible for youth fares. Finally, she priced out her itinerary on point-to-point tix and found that a pass would save her money. As I recall, she's getting a five-country, 12 days in two months, pass.

It seems that Rex is on a mission to liberate Fodorites from their Eurailpasses.

Although I agree that it doesn't make sense to blindly purchase a pass for European rail travel, the Passes are a good deal IF you are doing a serious amount of traveling.

By "serious," I'm talking about four hours of train travel per Pass Day. Kids do this all the time. (They really clean up on the Overnights.) Twenthysomethings do it too.

But the older (pardon me: "more seasoned") crowd common to Fodors may not be as accustomed to the joys of extended train travel. For them, point-to-point travel often is a moneysaving option.

Still -- I just LOVE being able to hop on ANY train passing through, without futzing with tickets, etc.....

>By "serious," I'm talking about four hours of train travel per Pass Day. Kids do this all the time. (They really clean up on the Overnights.) Twenthysomethings do it too.<

I did this once. A 4-week whirlwind through Europe by train.

By the 3rd week, I was so wiped out that people thought I was doped up.

I remember almost nothing about that trip.

((I))

A four-week train marathon? That's past serious. More like obsessed.

Of course, the European transportation scene has changed a lot since your whirlwind, due to the emergence of Low Cost Carrier airlines.

<<Passes are a good deal IF you are doing a serious amount of traveling...>>

Some of us here equate a &quot;serious&quot; amount of traveling with a <i>foolish</i> amount of traveling. By car, air and/or train. I speak from personal experience.

Long distances =&gt; air, nowadays, as you have pointed out. Shorter distances, especially when cities are involved =&gt; train. Seeing some of &quot;the best of the rest&quot; of Europe =&gt; car, and occasionally hiking.

Leaves only the rare plan best-suited for a EurailPass, even the discounted kinds.