Airfare and rail cost?

[rookie]

Hi I'm new here. I'm planning on travelling to Spain, France and Benelux next summer. The youth SelectPass for 3 countries(10 days in 2 months) at raileurope.com says the price is $352. Does the price increase in the summer during busier days? And how much would a flight to Madrid cost from Detroit(eastern US) in July? Thanks for your help.

[Kim]

Hi Rookie,

No, it won't increase in the summer. The passes occasionally increase, as in once a year, but not in high or low season. They are regulated, which means everyone has to offer them for around the same price, so you want to go with a place that has the most freebies included with your pass. So far the one I've found is the best is RailConnection:
www.railconnection.com/default.asp?af_id=7365

Not too familiar with flights to Madrid but what you want to do is go talk to a travel agent. Sometimes flying into an alternative city is cheaper then you can just take the train. Go in and ask her/him which is the cheapest to fly into and mention that you are going in high season. Prices may not be out yet for the summer though.

Kim

[me]

hello, rookie
as i understand, prices for eurail passes go up on 1 Jan. season of travel doesn't make a difference. but, air fares *do* change based on high season, low season. for your trip, i'd suggest looking into an "open-jaw" ticket, flying into madrid and home from, say, amsterdam.

as close as detroit is to new york city, look into prices there, compared to detroit. it might be *much* cheaper to hop a bus in detroit/winsor and fly from nyc.

october, when i was there, was a warm month in madrid. july would undoubtedly be worse. you might want to go to benelux first. check temperature ranges to plan timing for your trip, as well as local festivals. (those can be *fun!*)

[Kim]

Yep, July and August when I was in Madrid was HOT.
As in the 40's...(104+)

K

[rookie]

Thank you both. Seeing as how the rail cost won't change, all I need now's a good flight deal! It'll be interesting, that's for sure. I've never been out on my own for a month before.

[me]

don't sweat "being alone for a month." it's no big deal.

i'd like to make a change to my last suggestion. if you fly open-jaw, make the iberean airport in Portugal.

Portugal is beautiful, fun, cheap, and most people there speak english.

[me]

if you're quite sure that you will go in july 2003 before late december of this year, you could go ahead and buy your railpass before the price goes up at the beginning of the year.

once you've bought it, you have 1 year to use it, as i understand.

[nitsansh]

me said:

if you're quite sure that you will go in july 2003 before late december of this year, you could go ahead and buy your railpass before the price goes up at the beginning of the year.

once you've bought it, you have 1 year to use it, as i understand.

Good idea... except that the pass should be validated within 6 months of issue date.

[rookie]

Thanks me, I've thought about changing my itinerary. It's either southern Europe(in which case I now want to see Portugal) or northern Europe. What I don't do next year I'll have to do the year after. Buying a rail ticket early on is a good idea, thanks

[nitsansh]

News came out that Rail Europe will introduce 4 and 5 countries Selectpass in 2003. These may suit your travel plans better than 3-countries only.