Experience Europe by train – cheap and easy travel with a Eurail Pass
If you plan to visit Europe, rail travel is an excellent option. Modern international trains are at your disposal are the most advanced in the world and on many routes, rail travel is not only cheaper but faster than traveling by plane. France to train at high speed flagship, the TGV (High Speed Train – "TGV"), recently set the world record for the fastest wheels on the train during a test in which he reached a speed of 575 kmh (357 mph). International routes are: London to Paris (Eurostar) Paris to Brussels (Thalys), Paris and Geneva. Germany Intercity (ICE) trains are also an excellent and very quick options for connections within Germany.
Once you've decided to travel by train, the next question is how does it cost? Enter the Rail Pass. If you plan to visit more than one city Rail Pass may be the cheapest solution. Buying train tickets individual before leaving the house may end up being much more expensive than buying locally and your route will be less flexible if you change where you want to go after your departure. A major benefit of travel by rail is the freedom to choose your destination from one day to another.
Rail passes allow the holder to travel by train in a specific geographical area or for a certain number of days or any number of days within a specific time period. Perhaps the best known is the Eurail Youth Pass allows the holder (under 26) to travel to Europe for an unlimited number days for up to two months (for residents of Europe can buy a similar card called a pass Inter Rail). Equally popular are assists countries like France Rail Pass or Eastern Europe Rail Pass, which allow travelers of all ages to travel 3.4 days or more during a period of one month in a country or group of countries. Other options are possible, including "Ride and Drive" passes that allow the holder rent a car and part of the period of validity of the card.
In practice, using a Rail Pass is much more convenient than buying individual train tickets as you do not have to worry about booking tickets in advance and daily planning your travel route before arriving in Europe. The Rail Pass is validated by the driver on the first day of travel and from that date the period of Validity begins and the owner can travel to the specified number of days during the period of validity without having to purchase individual tickets or queues. There are some exceptions however, when driving trains require seat reservations, such as the TGV trains in France and Germany Intercity (ICE) trains, Rail Pass holder must also purchase a reservation (sometimes called a surcharge). The reserve should generally not cost only a few euros. But if you're late and you do not want to wait in line, just jump on the train, I hope you can find a seat without reservation, and pay the driver the cost of the supplement when it comes around to stamp your Rail Pass.
If you intend to spend three days traveling by train in more than one country, as a rule, a rail pass will probably save you money. The additional advantages of having a flexible schedule and the tendency to use the train for more days than you would otherwise, means that you Rail Pass will see new places and different than you would without the Rail Pass. And it means that your vacation has the advantage of being much more memorable.
About the Author
Joshua Green writes about travel and tourism and has lived in Paris since 1994.
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