Eurorail Pass Info

[aggie10]

Ok. I am looking into passes for a one month trip in Europe. I will be visiting: The UK, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Italy.

I plan to stay in Amsterdam for about a week or so and travel from there to places "near by" and use it as a sort of central hub.

Then I plan to do the same from Florence.

Of course some places I want to visit like Vienna are a bit further and I will be staying there for a few days.

What type of pass would you suggest for that type of travel?

[Eagle]

aggie10,

There are a huge variety of Railpasses available, so it's important to have a look at all of your rail journeys to determine whether a Pass will be cost effective. You might have a look at www.railsaver.com to see what type of Pass the website suggests for you.

One thing to keep in mind is that Railpasses do NOT include the reservation fees that are compulsory on some trains, nor do these include Couchette fees or other "special" charges. Those will have to be paid separately, so be sure to include that in your cost estimates. As you're travel schedule is going to be irregular, a Flex pass might be the most suitable? Some Railpass provide "bonus" deals in some countries, such as a reduction in fares in a particular country if the pass includes that country. That's another thing that has to be factored into the calculations.

I'm also working on estimates for a trip this year, and after working out the approximate cost of P-P tickets, I've concluded that these may be less expensive than using a Pass.

You might find it helpful to download the free PDF Rail Guide at www.ricksteves.com/rail/ (look in the lower right corner).

Good luck and happy travels!