Hello bs1313:
Rick Steves does a bang-up job of describing the innards of rail passes. Other good sites include
Rail Europe and
Seat 61.
The LowdownRail passes give you more flexibility and the ability to save money on long journeys that would otherwise be more expensive.
Pros:
Hop on most local trains without tickets
Easier to keep track of - as opposed to 10 sets of train tickets
Less need for exact departure/arrival dates to be known in advance
Cons:
Can be super-expensive
Reservation fees for high speed trains must be paid separately IN ADDITION to rail pass itself - fees vary depending on type of train
There may not be enough room on the train for you
Things to consider:
How solid are your dates? Is your itinerary set it stone or subject to whims and fancies?
Sample cases:
I am spontaneous. On my last trip, out of 5 round trip reservations, I kept one fully. When I travel, my schedule is tied to other people's. Friend A will only be in Town A on Wednesday, so I cannot go on Thursday, even it's cheaper. Friend A can only meet me at 8am, meaning I have to take the rush hour train, which is more expensive. I make mistakes. I board the wrong train and travel 5 hours west of my intended destination, arriving in a strange city at 11pm. Instead of buying outlandishly priced tickets that may not be available, I just use an extra rail day. Rail passes are my friend.
John Doe loves to plan in advance. He knows for sure, barring unforeseen emergencies, that he will be in City A on Thursday and will leave for City B on Friday. He knows how to buy tickets in advance online and get the best deals. He can't afford to change his itinerary if something else pops up. He prefers point-to-point tickets.
These are very simplistic examples, but I'm sure you get the general idea. To decide which one is for you, think about your travel style, review your budget, calculate point-to-point costs, and compare them to the cost of a rail pass. I did the last two for you:
London -> Paris - $58 USD = ~ 39E -
www.eurostar.comParis -> Bruxelles Midi - 25E -
www.thalys.com or
www.voyages-sncf.comBruxelles Midi -> Amsterdam - 25E-35E -
www.thalys.comA'dam - München - airplane
München -> Venezia - 33E-96E -
reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en - look for special fares
Venezia -> Roma - ~56E -
trenitalia.com - I used March dates for this one. It did not display prices for April.
Train ticket total = as low as 178E or ~ $260 USD
(If purchased at least 2-3 months in advance (these rates were for early April), tickets will be less expensive.)
Rail Saver suggests this rail pass:
Youth (Under 26 years old) Rail Pass Price: Eurail 3 Country Benelux/France/Italy 5 Day 2nd Class Youth Select pass (does not include Munich to the Italian border) = $305 at Eurail.com; $306 at Rail Europe.
The Math: $260 USD in tickets or $305-6 + Munich -> Italy + reservation fees
At first, the prices seem rather close, until you factor in the journey not covered by the pass and the notorious Thalys reservation fees. If you're inflexible about flexibility, spend the extra cash for a rail pass. Otherwise, I would recommend you become very comfortable with your itinerary and buy point to point tickets.
