Trains will be no problem. It’s really easy — more like taking the subway in a major city than like taking a train or plane in the the US. You’ll quickly figure out how to buy tickets, read departure boards and train diagrams, etc. There’s almost always somebody who speaks English to ask, but you really won’t have questions once you’ve taken a train or two.

I’d suggest browsing around the "info centre" at http://railpass.com/… Read the "excerpts from articles" and all the "using your pass" stuff (good info even if you aren’t using a railpass). There’s similar good information at ricksteves.com if you click on the railpass option and browse around a little through "using your railpass" stuff.

quote:I am also a bit confused on trains. Do people speak english everywhere? Or am I going to have trouble.

Good advice from oldlady. Just to expand a little more, in the more touristy places you’ll find more people who speak English. Also tend to see it more in smaller countries (or at least those without a signicant number of people speaking their language).

I would recommend learning a few phrases in the native language (excuse me, thank you, where is the train, do you speak english, etc.) It’s always polite to begin speaking to somebody in their native tongue and I’ve always found that people are more helpful then. In general, they’ll figure out that it isn’t your native language and will begin to converse in English if it’s easier for both of you. They appreciate your effort though.

All of your destinations are large cities. Why don’t you try to add a few small towns in between – kind of like a vacation from your vacation. I promise you, you’ll need it. Plus, I found I liked the small towns and villages even better than the larger cities for the most part.

I am still trying to figure out what to see and do in Europe I am very confused with all the scheduling if anyone has any suggestions on where to go and what to see…

Scheduling is ultimately "no problem" as there are 80,000 train departures a day in Europe. There will generally be a train every hour to choose from between the major cities you’ve outlined. What you need to do FIRST is get a map and plot out a logical route between the cities you’ve chosen.

After you’ve figured out your general route then use the maps at ricksteves.com ( http://ricksteves.co… Click on "time and cost maps&quot to get the approximate train time between cities. For anything over 5 hours look at a cheap flight instead of the train.

As for what to see and do, that’s way too personal to rely on advice from strangers. What do you WANT to see and do? Invest in ONE guidebook — most of us prefer "Let’s Go" or "Lonely Planet" as they’re designed for backpackers and budget travelers. You can check out other guidebooks from the library and use the tourism websites for the cities you want to visit to find out additional information. Once you have more specific questions, we can help — but be sure to include information about what you’re interested in, your age, and how much time you’ve got to spend.

quote: Can anyone recommend places I just have to see in Europe I have never been and I have a bit of time.