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Help with Railpass and tickets combination
lusian
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I’m in need of some help regarding train traveling, railpasses and tickets.

The train routes of the trip are:
Rome – Vernazza – Venice – Munich – Gimmelwald
and then
London – Bruges – Paris

I’m having trouble coming up with the best railpass and tickets combination.

We’re traveling overnight between Venice and Munich. Within this segment we have to pass through Austria.

The problem is there’s no 6 country railpass. It might have just solved it. So I don’t know what’s the best way around it.

Should I just get the Eurail Global pass for 10 days within 2 months? (even if the trip is only 1 month long?)

And additionally get a single ticket to cover London – Brussels (eurostar) or London – Lille and then use the Eurail Global 10 day pass to finish the segment to Bruges?

Anyone has any suggestions or recommendations to help me solve this problem?

Thanks!

I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, Barcelona, London, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, London, Bruges, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
Don
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What does Railsaver.com recommend? Will your travel dates be firm ahead of time, or do you prefer flexibility?

lusian
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Hi Don,

Depending on the option chosen (“Always railpasses”, “If less Expensive”) it gives me different recommendations.
For example, if I pick “If less Expensive” it tells me to buy everything as 2nd Class Youth City-to-City Ticket. But it seems to come out more expensive when I go on italiarail and Db Banh to buy each journey separately.

When I pick “Always rail passes” it tells me to buy the 5 Country Eurail pass for 6 days. When it comes to the Venice – Munich segment it tells me:

Use the Eurail 5 Country Benelux/France/Germany/Italy/Switzerland 6 Day 2nd Class Youth Select pass to cover the segment from Venice, Italy to Brenner, Italy, then use the 2nd Class Youth City-to-City Ticket to cover the segment from Brenner, Italy to Kufstein, Austria, then use the Eurail 5 Country Benelux/France/Germany/Italy/Switzerland 6 Day 2nd Class Youth Select pass to cover the segment from Kufstein, Austria to Munich, Germany

I don’t know where I’m supposed to buy the 2nd Class Youth City-to-City Ticket that covers Brenner – Kufstein. Also, as previously mentioned, we’ll be traveling from Venice to Munich overnight so I’m not sure if buying a ticket for part of the journey affects it or not. Can it still be done overnight?

Thank you Smile

I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, Barcelona, London, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, London, Bruges, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
lusian
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Sorry Don I forgot to reply to your second question. All the dates have already been set ahead of time. In fact I’m leaving tonight to start our trip in Greece and on the 2nd of September we’ll be traveling by train for the first time from Rome to Vernazza. That means I have a week and a half to figure this out Smile

I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, Barcelona, London, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, London, Bruges, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
lusian
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Another question that I just thought of:

Will I be able to buy the railpass in Rome? If so, does anyone know where?

Thanks in advance!

I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, Barcelona, London, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, London, Bruges, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
augustin25
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I can’t answer all of your questions, but here are a few of things.

1) The first thing I would do is book your Eurostar ticket because prices will go up and trains will fill as your travel date gets closer.

2) You should be able to buy a railpass in Rome since it’s a major station, but they might not have the exact pass you want since they don’t sell every pass that’s available online, and it will cost more than buying it online. That said, if you’re currently in Paris (I’m not sure) I’d consider two things. First, find an online railpass vendor and see if they’ll ship to Europe, as the total cost might be less than buying in person at a 20% premium over online prices. Otherwise, go to a station in Paris, find out what passes they have, and try to buy it there.

3) You should be able book any point to point tickets you’ll need in Paris, like the Brenner–Kufstein ticket.

Don
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At this point—since you will leave tomorrow— it sounds like you’re stuck with point-to-point tickets. Be sure to price them with the starting country’s national rail website, the destination country, and sometimes intermediate country railsites might have it — sometimes for less. Momondo.com, primarily for flights, sometims has some international rail in it’s results too. Since your travel dates are firm, I’d book them asap.

oldlady
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Quote:
Will I be able to buy the railpass in Rome? If so, does anyone know where?
Yes, you can buy the railpass at the Eurail Aid office in Rome’s Termini station, but it will cost 20% more than the price listed to buy it from your home country and I’m guessing you’ll spend some time waiting in line.

If you are going to be in Rome for a few days and have an address you could buy a railpass from a site that offers international shipping. I believe railpass.com, raileurope.com and eurail.com all do.

lusian
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Thanks everybody for the quick replies!

I definitely don’t have time to get it delivered home since we’re catching our plane tonight to Greece. (Leaving from Montreal, Canada)

So I either buy the Eurail 5 Country Benelux/France/Germany/Italy/Switzerland 6 Day 2nd Class Youth Select pass at the Eurail Aid office in Rome, as oldlady suggested (20% more), or have it shipped to my hotel, which might be trickier since it might be delivered before or after I’m there.

Following railsaver’s suggestions, additionally to the railpass, I’d just have to buy the Brenner–Kufstein ticket and the London-Lille ticket. As augustin25 recommended, I’ll have to buy them as early as possible. I’m also going to be in Athens, a few days before Rome, so is it possible to buy everything there (railpass and individual tickets)?

Lastly, I am going to guess that if I buy a ticket to cover Brenner-Kufstein it will not affect our “0 stops/ 0 changes” overnight journey from Venice to Munich (i.e. we won’t have to get out of the train, change trains etc).

Once again I really appreciate all your help Smile Now I’ll just wait to hear back about the possibility of buying everything in Athens. Thank you beaucoup!

I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, Barcelona, London, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
I am leaving from Paris with $3500 for 32 days
Santorini, Athens, Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Munich, Gimmelwald, London, Bruges, Paris
Requesting help with Transport, Hostels, Budget, Itinerary, Nightlife, Food, Sights
oldlady
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Quote:
or have it shipped to my hotel, which might be trickier since it might be delivered before or after I’m there.
Tricky is an accurate description as railpasses are considered negotiable instruments and are shipped “secure” so someone has to sign for receipt. International shipping is fairly expensive, too.

Book the London to Lille ticket ASAP at www.eurostar.com Cheap leisure fares on Eurostar sell out quickly. If you can’t find a good fare, then check into “passholder fare” since your pass covers France. If you have a youth pass it won’t help any over the regular youth fare, but it may allow you some more options on scheduling, changing plans or refunds. If you have an adult pass, 2nd class passholder fare is a good deal if you can’t find a cheap leisure fare or other special and the 1st class passholder fare is a nice (though certainly not necessary) splurge if you have extra cash. You’ll have to buy passholder fare eurostar tickets at the International station at St. Panceas in London. While you can buy all regular eurostar tickets on-line, over the phone or at any other London train station, you can only buy passholder fare tickets at the International station.