dips_rathod

Hi all,
My hubby n i r plannin our 1st euro trip from 17th oct to 5th nov. sydney-london and returning from rome... i was looking for some more information on how beneficial is the eurail global pass...!!! can the global pass be used on all trains in the selected countries offered on the pass!!! We intend to be in UK for 4 days, 4 days in France, may be 2 days in swiz n around 4 days in Italy... also, wanted to know the best places to go to in France and Italy apart from the regular tourist-y stuff... v would luv 2 c the county side n try lots of local wine... all suggestions r vlcm... dnx

ipod_robbie

Suggestion #1. If you want to be taken seriously here on thie forum then you would be better to write in English, not text message speak. There are some grammar police who lurk here, so I'm willing to bet your writing style gets more commentary than constructive answers to your question.

Suggestion #2. Be prepared for the fodors itinerary police to jump on you. You are visiting four countries in 14 days, when the norm around here seems like it's more slow travel oriented. Two or 3 cities (not countries) in 2 weeks, max. You barely have time to see the top tourist-y (sic) stuff.

Suggestion #3. Be prepared for the fodors train pass versus point-to-point ticket gangs to jump in. There are some who strongly advocate using a pass, especially 1st class pass, while others insist that point to point tickets are the better way to go. There is no single right or wrong answer, only opinions.

Now, to your question about trains. Short answer is "it depends." In Italy you are required to have a seat reservation on any train except the slow, regional trains. That means you cannot just hop on any train. A seat reservation on the fast trains will cost you as a pass holder 10 euros per seat. Seat reservations are included in point to point tickets. Since there are frequent trains between most cities and trains don't sell out you can buy a seat reservation right before you hop on a train, so you can still get good utility & flexibility out of a pass in Italy.

In Switzerland I believe you can use the pass at will. I'm not sure about UK and France.

Sarastro

Second to suggestion #1.

For virtually all travel between major cities in France, you will need to purchase reservations (all TGV, Téoz, or Lunéa trains. iDTGV trains are not open to pass riders). The French rail people limit the number of reservations available to pass holders and seats can be hard to come by if you do not reserve well in advance. Interestingly, if you do reserve well in advance, you just as well purchase tickets as ticket prices are dirt cheap, starting at 16€ for night iDTGV trains and 25€ PREM fares for regular TGV and Téoz trains.

dips_rathod

Hi ipod_robbie, thank u for ur 'free' advice. I was only looking for suggestions on railway passes and possibly best places to visit. Anyway, dnx for the heads up...!!!

Sarastro, thanks for ur reply. I will do a search on normal tickets n match the fare to the pass fare... However, would you have any suggestions on must see cities other than Paris in France!

Sarastro

Do not use the raileurope to make schedule or cost comparisons. Raileurope does not make discount fares available nor do they display all available trains. Use one of these sites for train information:

www.voyages-sncf.com (in French only)
www.tgv-europe.com (those from the USA should select anywhere else as their home country to preclude being bumped to raileurope)
www.idtgv.com (tickets are listed 4-6 month before any give travel date.

_____

I have been travelling all over France for over 30 years and still find places new to explore. You might look at Lyon, Nice or even Dijon as locations of interest but much depends upon what interests you.

PalenQ

can the global pass be used on all trains in the selected countries offered on the pass!!! We intend to be in UK for 4 days, 4 days in France, may be 2 days in swiz n around 4 days in Italy>

Yes all trains the average tourist would take with very few exceptions - but the U K is not included on the Global Eurailpass - all other countries you are going to are. But forget about the Global Pass if traveling by train in just Italy and France and check out the France-Italy Eurailpass - much cheaper than a Global Pass because it is valid only in France and Italy.

a Fodor mantra is that railpasses are rarely a good deal - well after using passes for decades I can say ignore that misinformation. Not that some folks who know little about it all may buy railpasses when regular tickets would be cheaper but in many cases - especially yours where you, like me, travel a lot, can be very cost effective - and do not forget the first class pass should be compared with first class fares - and in years of incessant travel on European trains I can strongly suggest for the average tourist on the trip of a lifetime to definitely go first class - a lot more relaxed trip, especially for folks hauling luggage around as there is a lot more room to easily store it in first class.

Anyway - check out these fantastic IMO sites for more than you probably want to know about European rail travel and passes... www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check out their online European Planning and Rail Guide that offers rail itineraries for each country - and www.ricksteves.com and especially www.seat61.com - this site will give lots of info on online discounted tickets in France and Italy though with those you lock yourself into often a non-refundable non-changeable train that to get the discounts must often be booked weeks in advance.

An advantage of a pass is that you can decide en route which trains to take when.

and yes in France and Italy to ride many trains with a pass there is a supplement of in France 3 or 4 euros per seat and in Italy 10 euros per seat - factor those into your cost analysis - but IMO cost is not the only way to judge a pass - the flexibility to chose which trains you will take as you go along is priceless to me at least - if it is to you then compare the pass to full fare and fully flexible tickets that often cost a ton, espeically in first class.

Mimar

Flying from Australia, you'll be tired and jet-lagged for the first day or two. So all your 4 days/5 nights should be in London with maybe a daytrip. Then take the Eurostar train under the channel to Paris for another 4 days/5 nights with maybe a daytrip. Skip Switzerland (late fall is not a good time there) and fly to Italy for the rest of your trip. Maybe fly into Venice and train to Rome.

Even with the daytrips I don't think there's enough train travel to justify a railpass. Do buy your Eurostar tickets immediately or as soon as you determine your date of travel. There are are very good prices early on; much higher prices closer to your travel date.

As for the countryside and secret places no tourist goes, well, there's a reason tourists go to all those popular places. Plus as the fall and winter close in with their shorter days, cities are a better place to be. Lots to see and do, day and night. Console yourselves that you're going out of the high season unlike all those other tourists and seeing real life in Europe.

lindy27

I would look into the, if you are under 26 which I am assuming you are, youth Select Pass. You can choose the three country: France, Switzerland and Italy. This will let you ride the trains in those countries but you will have to pay reservation fees in Italy and France.

If you want to see the countryside you will have to spend more time in each country. I would consider cutting the UK and adding time to France and Italy. Paris and Rome each deserve 3 days, we spent 4 in Rome and felt that was right to see most major stuff. If you like wine, Tuscany in Italy has some great wine.

PalenQ

But if only going to France and Italy from the UK a Select Pass costs more than the France-Italy Youth Eurailpass - but I'd consider goig to italy via wonderful Switzerland and thus a 3-country Eurail Select Youthpass would be a complete bargain - even with the surchages - this pass is so cheap it is a no-brainer for the type of travel previewed - if under 26 that is.

spaarne

<i>
ipod_robbie on Aug 23, 11 at 8:20pm
Suggestion #1. If you want to be taken seriously here on thie forum then you would be better to write in English, not text message speak. There are some grammar police who lurk here, so I'm willing to bet your writing style gets more commentary than constructive answers to your question.</i>

Agreed. The OP writes like an idiotic 15 year old rapper.

alanRow

The seat61 website has a section on railpasses. I suggest you read it but the main point is that they aren't the bargain they were a couple of decades ago.

PalenQ

alan - I suggest you look at the prices of say a France-Italy Pass or even a Eurail Select - youthpasses and I do not think you would make that statement - youthpasses for anyone traveling more than a few days are a complete bargain - I'll take some time and show this later.

dips_rathod

hi all, thank u so much for the responses... however, v would classify as an adult...

PalenQ - considering that we would be in France, Switzerland (may be) and Italy for around 14 to 15 days, the select passes wont seem to be the best choice as only 5 countries select pass has a 15 days validity... so, if we chose 5 countries select pass, it would cost around $870 AUD, might as well go for the global pass 15 consecutive days travel for $625 AUD... would u agree...!!!

Also, is the global pass valid on all TGV trains...!!!

and yes @spaarne - - - thank u for nothing...

lindy27

A 3 country select pass is 428 American dollars for 5 days of travel in 2 months.

If you are only going to France, Switzerland and Italy, not sure why you would need a 5 day select pass.

dips_rathod

hi lindy27,

3 & 4 country select pass are for 10 days max n v will be in the 3 countries for 15 days... hence...

easytraveler

If you are going to purchase point-to-point tickets, then you have to be very sure of your itinerary and you should purchase the tickets as soon as possible, as the tickets get more expensive the closer you get to your travel date(s).

Since you will have to make reservations in both France and Italy, it may be cheaper to get point-to-point single trip tickets because it appears that you are planning to take a limited number of train trips.

The advantage of a railpass is the flexibility and also you don't have to purchase tickets every time you take a long-distance train or a local train. Personally, I prefer the first class global pass, because it allows me unlimited travel and tremendous flexibility and so am willing to pay what may or may not be a premium (depends on the particular trip). However, you're going to have to determine for yourself what matters more to you and is most advantageous for your own needs: price, flexibility, something else.

PalenQ

3 & 4 country select pass are for 10 days max n v will be in the 3 countries for 15 days... hence...>

Well a maxs of ten unlimited travel days to be used over an overall 2-month period - use one day to get to a town - stay there a few days - use another day to relocated. So if you are in 3 countries for 15 days you certainly can use the Eurail Select Pass for all your train trips as it is valid over a 2-month period. Yes you have a max of ten unlimited travel days but even I would not use 10 unlimited travel days in a 15-day period.

So the Eurail Select Pass would be a natural possibility for a 15-day trip in 3 countries.

PalenQ

. I suggest you read it but the main point is that they aren't the bargain they were a couple of decades ago.>

But they can still be bargains - take the Eurail Select Youthpass - good in any 3 countries you want (as long as you can hop from one to another to anotyher) - a 5 day unlimited travel pass (5 unlimited travel days from midnight to midnight to be used over a two-month period) costs $327 or $65 a day or about 43 euros - and the way most youth travelers go that means 43 euros for long train trips - even the online discounts that must be booked weeks in advance and are train specific (vs pass which can be used as you go along on any train) are not much cheaper and they are not always available for international long distance travel.

and if you take an overnight train after 7pm you can travel on one day until the following midnight - literally can go from one end of Europe to another.

alan- I do not know what you call a bargain but I call 43 euros a day for unfettered long distance train travel a bargain.

Sarastro

<i>even the online discounts that must be booked weeks in advance and are train specific (vs pass which can be used as you go along on any train) are not much cheaper</i>

There are many of us who believe that 19€ (16€ at night) for an iDTGV train, booked in advance, is a lot cheaper than paying 43€ plus the cost of the reservation fee.

www.idtgv.com

lindy27

Ditto what PalenQ said.

You can get on a train for 5 or 10 days spread out over an entire 2 month period. If you plan on being in Europe 15 days and traveling on every single day you are there, well that's a whole other issue I think.