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General Travel Questions
Sat, 01/13/2007 - 18:52
mustangt125
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This summer we are flying into london and we have a schedule to get around to a lot of countries.  The question is, what prices could we expect on a flight from London/Paris/Amsterdam/Berlin (Northern Europe, no specific city set yet) to Rome?
 
Norhtern Europe to Italy.  Or would it be better to jump on a night train?
 
I read posts about EuroRail and such.  Is it possible for us to fly in to London and play it by ear.  Meaning not having rail passes ordered in advance but just buying the ticket when we get there.  That would give us more flexibility with our time. Same question with night trains.  Can you just up and decide to buy a night train pass?
 
If it is possible to randomly buy train passes, how much would it be for an average trip? Say,  Berlin to Amsterdam?
 
Thanks in advance.

Sat, 01/13/2007 - 20:51
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oldlady
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Quote:
Is it possible for us to fly in to London and play it by ear.  Meaning not having rail passes ordered in advance but just buying the ticket when we get there.
Yes, you could easily do this, however it will probably be more expensive than using some sort of rail pass.
Quote:
That would give us more flexibility with our time.
  No, it wouldn’t.  A railpass is just as “flexible” as buying individual train tickets when it comes to time.  The only thing “not flexible” about a railpass is that you’ve already paid for it — if you fall in love with Amsterdam and decide to spend 6 weeks there, you will have wasted money on a railpass, but there’s no waste of time.
Quote:
Can you just up and decide to buy a night train pass?
  Yes, just buy a ticket and reservation.  Night trains occasionally sell out, so you’ll want to buy it a couple of days in advance if possible — especially for Friday night or Sunday night.  However you can usually get some kind of seat/berth as late as an hour before departure time.
Quote:
If it is possible to randomly buy train passes, how much would it be for an average trip? Say,  Berlin to Amsterdam? ]
  Not sure what you’re asking here.  You seem to be confusing railpasses with individual train tickets.  You can buy a ticket for any train at the rail station with no problem.  The advantages (and converse disadvantages) of a railpass are:
1.  It will often save money — but it depends on what kind of pass and your specific itinerary
2.  It’s already paid for — less waiting in ticket lines (not a big problem), less expense while you’re on the road

Individual train tickets are much cheaper to buy in Europe than to buy before you leave home.

Railpasses are much cheaper and easier to buy before you leave home.  They cost at least 20% more, they’re only sold at a few locations (although at least one location in each major city) and not all types of passes are available in Europe.

Mon, 01/15/2007 - 14:32
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Not worth buying a railpass in Europe. Figure out if you need it ahead of time. Point-to-point tickets all vary in cost depending on country and distance. The most reliable website for checking schedules and likely prices is:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en