Peter Greenberg: Eurail Passes
By: Peter Greenberg | Source: AARP.org | Date Posted:
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Q: We are traveling to Europe in March, going to Amsterdam, Munich, Vienna, Venice and Rome. Is a Eurail pass worth the money, or should we rent a car? Also, if we get a Eurail pass, does it cover all trains?
-Robin, Londonderry, N.H.
A: The decision of renting a car while in Europe vs. buying a Eurail pass and traveling by train during your holiday can be a difficult one.
If you choose to rent a car, you will definitely have the freedom to take short day trips to small towns located outside your destination cities. Many travelers enjoy these driving trips because they have an opportunity to travel beyond the major cities of the countries they're visiting.
However, an automobile adventure does tend to cost a bit more. Aside from the obvious fact that you will have to purchase fuel during your road trip (gasoline in most European countries is considerably more expensive than in the U.S.), the average fee for renting a vehicle in one country and returning it in another is likely to be more than traveling by train. The price varies depending on how long your trip is, where your pick-up and drop-off points are, and whether you will incur taxes during the time you are on holiday. At www.autoeurope.com, you can expect to spend approximately $1,850 (U.S. dollars) for a two-week travel period in car-rental fees and taxes, not including the cost of gas.
On the other hand, if you choose to travel by train, you can expect to pay much less. At www.eurail.com, you can purchase a Eurail Select Pass. That allows you five, six, eight, or 10 travel days within a 2-month period when traveling through 4 bordering European countries. These passes range in price from $890 to $1,310 (for two passengers if you purchase passes at the first-class saver rates). With this option, if you get a Five-Day Select Pass, you can take a day trip to a less-visited location surrounding one of your major city destinations. This would still allow you the experience of venturing off the beaten path.
Since you will be traveling in Europe during the off-peak season, you shouldn't have to worry about making train reservations. It's fairly normal for travelers to show up at the train station about an hour and a half prior to departure, to order their tickets from the ticket booth, and to grab some lunch or coffee while waiting for the departure time. If you choose to make your reservations online prior to departure, expect to spend an extra $150 to $300 in reservation fees.
Additionally, as long as you get a train-schedule booklet directly from Eurail, you should have no problem trying to figure out which trains are covered by your passes. The only real exclusions here will be the high-speed trains.
-Robin, Londonderry, N.H.
A: The decision of renting a car while in Europe vs. buying a Eurail pass and traveling by train during your holiday can be a difficult one.
If you choose to rent a car, you will definitely have the freedom to take short day trips to small towns located outside your destination cities. Many travelers enjoy these driving trips because they have an opportunity to travel beyond the major cities of the countries they're visiting.
However, an automobile adventure does tend to cost a bit more. Aside from the obvious fact that you will have to purchase fuel during your road trip (gasoline in most European countries is considerably more expensive than in the U.S.), the average fee for renting a vehicle in one country and returning it in another is likely to be more than traveling by train. The price varies depending on how long your trip is, where your pick-up and drop-off points are, and whether you will incur taxes during the time you are on holiday. At www.autoeurope.com, you can expect to spend approximately $1,850 (U.S. dollars) for a two-week travel period in car-rental fees and taxes, not including the cost of gas.
On the other hand, if you choose to travel by train, you can expect to pay much less. At www.eurail.com, you can purchase a Eurail Select Pass. That allows you five, six, eight, or 10 travel days within a 2-month period when traveling through 4 bordering European countries. These passes range in price from $890 to $1,310 (for two passengers if you purchase passes at the first-class saver rates). With this option, if you get a Five-Day Select Pass, you can take a day trip to a less-visited location surrounding one of your major city destinations. This would still allow you the experience of venturing off the beaten path.
Since you will be traveling in Europe during the off-peak season, you shouldn't have to worry about making train reservations. It's fairly normal for travelers to show up at the train station about an hour and a half prior to departure, to order their tickets from the ticket booth, and to grab some lunch or coffee while waiting for the departure time. If you choose to make your reservations online prior to departure, expect to spend an extra $150 to $300 in reservation fees.
Additionally, as long as you get a train-schedule booklet directly from Eurail, you should have no problem trying to figure out which trains are covered by your passes. The only real exclusions here will be the high-speed trains.
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