1. Yes there’s a difference. Some specials are only available on-line. Others have limited seats, so while they’re available today it’s VERY UNLIKELY that they’ll still be available on departure day.

Railsaver uses an estimate (based on distance and countries involved) of “standard” fare. That’s what you’ll pay at the station for a ticket that doesn’t require a reservation. It doesn’t reflect any advance purchase or on-line specials. If the specific train you choose to take requires a reservation, the ticket will cost more because it includes the reservation. Trains seldom sell out and on many routes there’s another option in an hour, or even in a few minutes, so that really isn’t much of a problem. However, there are sometimes lines at ticket and reservation counters and they used to quit selling reservations an hour before departure time, so while “last minute” usually works, I don’t count on it. I usually buy a day or so in advance. One way to avoid a trip back to the train station is to buy the ticket/reservation you’re going to use when you leave Stuttgart, for example, is to buy it before you leave the station when you arrive in Stuttgart.

Hi oldlady thanks for all your help so far!

So for example, a one-way trip from Stuttgart to Munich booked online is either 19Eur Special fare or 47-53 Eur Standard Fare (not sure if this link works: ).

I know buying standard fare online is more expensive than at the station, but realistically how much would I be paying for this ticket if I bought it at the station?

Also, would a rail pass give you any priority over just buying individual tickets for seat reservations/ticket bookings. I’m planning on meeting up and travelling with a friend in Munich, and I’m just wondering if it will make any difference if I have a rail pass or not.

No, standard fare is what you should pay if you buy in person at the station.

Nope, no difference in priority.

Oh really? Wow I guess it really makes a big difference to book in advance then. If that’s the case I might have to get the rail pass just for flexibility sake…

I guess what it boils down to is either:
1) I set my schedule (no flexibility) and book the tickets individually, possibly saving some money
OR
2) I spend more money and get a rail pass but it gives my schedule much more flexibility

As Augustin25 says, standard fare is standard fare — what you’ll pay at the station and what you’ll pay on-line from the national rail company website in the country you’re traveling in — links are in a sticky at the top of this forum and under “transportation” on the “travel tips” tab. You might find an advance-purchase special on that national rail company website that’s considerably cheaper than standard fare. You’re unlikely to be able to take advantage of a special if you buy a ticket at the station — but always ask for the cheapest fare or if any specials are available. What costs about 35% more than standard fare is “global fare” — that’s what travel agencies (like raileurope.com, eurail.com, etc) charge. It’s easier to book from a travel agency website, but you’ll pay a lot for that convenience.

As for priority, Augustin is correct that a railpass doesn’t give you priority. However, there are a few trains, like Thalys and I think some of the premier Spanish trains where there’s a a special “passholder” reservation that may be cheaper than the regular one or offer some “bonus” like a specially priced 1st class reservation that might include a free newspaper or cup of coffee. A railpass offers some other discounts and bonuses that might make it worth your while — but you need to do a fair amount of research to know if these bonuses will work for you.

i feel your pain my friend. Ive gone back and forth on what to buy. In my case, i decided to buy a select pass because I’m really going all over the place. I figure its best to have it prepaid for the longer trips and not have to deal with figuring out the costs/currency conversions while on vacation. if I was staying in just 2-3 countries or areas, i might have gone point to point. enjoy

Exactly — just like your plane ticket. You’ll spend $1,000 for a non-refundable ticket for a specific date and time. Flexibility and refund-ability will more than double the price. What I can’t figure out is why people agonize so much about $100 difference in the total cost of transportation for a $6,000 trip.

In the railpass vs. point to point issue, there’s also a pretty big time and effort commitment involved in searching out the absolute best train ticket prices on a multiple websites which may or may not be user-friendly in English. Since specials often sell out the 1st day they’re available you need to look for each individual ticket 60 days in advance. You’ll need to check 2 months before 1st train trip, then 2 months before youf second train trip, etc. etc. etc.