eurail pass

[nakita]

is it true that you cant buy a eurail pass in an eu country? Im an australian living in the uk who wishes to purchase one, and im not going home any time soon. Can it be purchased by a friend/family member in your home country and sent over? do you really need one? Help! ;D

[Kim]

Eurail passes aren't usually sold in Europe as they are only for non-European residents.

I can't see why you couldn't get someone from home to buy one and send it over for you though. Just make sure you use it for the first time within 6 months of them buying it for you. Get them to insure the package though, don't want something like that lost in the mail!

As far as needing one, it really depends on what you are going to do. If you are just planning a trip here and a trip there, it might be better for you to buy point to point tickets. If you are planning a longer trip with travel every 3 days or so, I would get a pass.

Kim

[nakita]

thanks kim, i really appreciate the (prompt!) advice. Also, are they expensive, i imagine you would only know the price in $us.?

[nakita]

by the way i think this website's fantastic.

[Kim]

Yeah, the passes are pretty expensive which is why it's important to figure out how many days you would actually travel on.

Rick Steves has a very good section on passes that includes the prices here:
www.ricksteves.com/rail/home.htm

To find out the convert the prices, here's my currency converter:
members.shaw.ca/guideforeurope/currency.html

Glad you like the site!
Kim

[Sli]

I was wondering if eurail passess are sold in Canada too?

I want to avoid the US shipping cost if possible.

sorry for using your thread nakita

[Kim]

Oh yeah, you can get them anywhere. Any travel agent can order them in but phone around and get prices then compare them to the internet prices.

For example, RailEurope ( www.raileurope.com ) has an option at the top of their page for Canadian residents.

We got ours from our travel agent but now realise we could have got them cheaper.

I think I would have gone with RailConnection:
www.railconnection.com/default.asp?af_id=7365
as they give them most free things with their passes. Looks like they ship to Canada too.

Kim

[nitsansh]

nakita:
If you stay in Europe for at least 6 months you are eligible to buy passes for European residents: Inter Rail or Euro Domino.

[nakita]

thanks everyone, ive just been informed by sta travel that eurail passes no longer exist, i dont know if that is correct or not, but interrail looks pretty much the same. However, im looking at combi vans for the cheapest and most flexible way to go, as where i want to go isnt accessible by train. But i'll probably change my mind again! ;D

[Kim]

I would switch travel agencies immediately. If that's what they are telling you, that's terrible.

The Eurail pass has not been discontinued and I doubt it ever will be.

One version of it is being discontined as it's being replaced with the Selectpass.

Kim

(STA Travel=Student Travel Agency, it's a travel agency for students and young people)

[nitsansh]

nakita said:

thanks everyone, ive just been informed by sta travel that eurail passes no longer exist, i dont know if that is correct or not, but interrail looks pretty much the same. However, im looking at combi vans for the cheapest and most flexible way to go, as where i want to go isnt accessible by train. But i'll probably change my mind again! ;D

No. EURAILPASS still exist. EUROPASS has been discontinued, and SELECTPASS has new versions of 4 or 5 countries.
These are all passes for non-Europeans, which you can't get in UK. INTERRAIL and EURODOMINO are passes available in Europe for European residents only. They are quite different from the non-European passes.

The most important factor is your travel plans. After you make up your plans you choose transportation solution, and there are many possibilities...