“All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it.”
Samuel Johnson
Here in the states, train travel is not something we think much about. I know that on the east coast it is more common, but at least here on the west coast, and all the areas in between, train travel is not considered to be that convenient. I suppose that part of the reason is that we are such a big country, it takes several days, even by train, to get from one side to the other. And Americans are all so tied to their cars, so we haven't made train travel that convenient.
But in Europe particularly, train travel is an excellent way to get from one place to another. The trains run frequently and on time, for the most part. And you can get just about anyplace you want to go. Once you arrive at your destination, then you can rent a car, or use public transportation, depending on whether you are in a large city where there is plenty of public transportation, or whether you are in a small town or village.
You can purchase your train tickets before leaving home. In fact, if you plan on doing most of your traveling by train, you can save a lot of money by purchasing your Eurail or Britrail tickets before departing the U.S. I would suggest going to your local AAA office and purchasing them there, or with any travel agent. The travel agent can answer all your questions, and can get the pass that is best suited for your needs. You can also go on line and purchase them. http://www.eurail.com/eurail-passes or for Britrail passes go to http://www.britrail.com/passes/britrail-pass for Britain, Scotland and Wales.
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| Picture taken from internet - Eurail train |
The Eurail pass can be purchased for just one country, for 2, 3, 4, or 5 bordering countries, or you can purchase a Global Pass that you can use in all 23 countries that Eurail travels through. You can purchase tickets for as few as 10 days within a 2 month traveling period, or you can get a pass to travel every day for 3 months. Only non-European residents can use a Eurail Pass. The pass must be activated within 6 months of the issuing date.
Some trains require you to have seat reservations in advance, and particularly during high season (May-Sept.). The overnight trains always require reservations for sleeping accommodations. So you may need to do some advance planning as to when you will be taking the train, and make those reservations as far in advance as possible, to be sure you get what you want.
You are free to start from any country, and can travel back and forth between the countries, but you must decide which countries you will be in and purchase the pass for those countries. You are not allowed to travel through a country where your pass is not valid, even if you don't stop there, unless you buy a separate ticket that covers just that one portion of the journey.
When traveling between 2 countries that are considered bordering, but that are actually separated by water, the ferry is quite often covered by your Eurail pass. For example, Greece and Italy are considered bordering countries, but to go from one to the other you must take a ferry. The ferries operated by Superfast Ferries, Blue Star Ferries and Minoan Lines are covered by your pass.
Benelux is three countries in one. Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are considered one country for Eurail purposes. And Benelux and Ireland are considered to be bordering countries, though they have no direct rail or ferry link. While Finland and Norway are not considered to be bordering.
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| Picture taken from Internet - Britrail train |
The Britrail pass is good in England, Scotland and Wales only. It can be purchased for as few as any 3 days within a 2 month period, and up to 15 days within 2 months. Another option is a consecutive days pass for 3 days up to 1 month. It provides access to all trains on Great Britain's National Rail Network and you can hop on and off the trains as you wish. You also get a discount on the Eurostar, which is the train that goes through the Chunnel to Paris or to Amsterdam. Once you get there you would need a Eurail pass to continue traveling by train. The Britrail pass can only be purchased by non-UK residents.
Train travel in Britain and Europe, is relatively inexpensive, easy, comfortable, and a great way to get around. I recommend you give it a try.
Countries that Eurail covers:
Austria Finland Italy Slovakia
Belgium France Luxembourg Slovenia
Bulgaria Germany Netherlands Spain
Croatia Greece Norway Sweden
Czech Republic Hungary Portugal Switzerlad
Denmark Ireland Romania
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