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12 days trip covering 4-5 countries - Wanted to check Euro global pass vs individual tickets

V

Hi Community, 

Im Vijay from India, planning a trip with my spouse in April - its our first trip to Europe. Wanted to get feedback/input from you all on my travel schedule, especially on train tips. Does Euro global pass for 10days works better or buying individual tickets makes sense?

12 Apr- Rome airport to hotel and local sight seeing

13 Apr - FB8606 to Pisa and later RV4046-FR9428 to Venice same day

14 Apr - Plan to take EC42-EC334 to Zurich (do i need reservation in advance for any of the above trains, even after buying Euro pass?)

15-18 Apr - wanted to rent a car and roam around

18 Apr - Initially i planned to take Zurich-Amsterdam flight, but would love to explore the overnight train 'Nightjet - 402', but unable to book the sleeper. Have they stopped sleeper in this leg? And with Euro pass can i get to book sleeper?

19 Apr- Amsterdam to Lille in morning

19-21 Apr- Keeping Lille as base, wanted to explore Brussels and around (not decided yet)

21 Apr- evening from Lille to Paris 

23 Apr- Back to India via Dubai

Im confused and unable to figure out:

  1. Does Euro rail pass works cheaper for my itinerary?
  2. How difficult is it to buy individual tickets at train stations if i donot opt for Rail pass? I only know English and am worried on communication to buying tickets etc (looking more for convenience)
  3. Does train ticket vary as the date nears? (like flight tickets, is it dynamic)
  4. Are there any options of buying open ticket and pay difference on train as we hop on in Europe? :)

Thanks in advance

Vijay

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Best answer by Hektor 3 March 2024, 08:07

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15 replies

Hektor
Rank

Hi Community, 

Im Vijay from India, planning a trip with my spouse in April - its our first trip to Europe. Wanted to get feedback/input from you all on my travel schedule, especially on train tips. Does Euro global pass for 10days works better or buying individual tickets makes sense?

12 Apr- Rome airport to hotel and local sight seeing

13 Apr - FB8606 to Pisa and later RV4046-FR9428 to Venice same day

There is a mandatory seat reservation for long distance trains (FB and FE) for pass holders. 4046 is reservation-free.

14 Apr - Plan to take EC42-EC334 to Zurich (do i need reservation in advance for any of the above trains, even after buying Euro pass?)

There's a mandatory reservation for both trains (did you mean EC44?), but there's also a direct train to Zürich in the afternoon that may cost less (you'd have to pay the reservation fee for each train). You don't need a reservation for trains in Switzerland (without crossing the border).

vijay wrote:

15-18 Apr - wanted to rent a car and roam around

Personal opinion: Don't do it. Switzerland has one of the best public transport systems in the world (you may find all public transport at sbb.ch where it is also possible to search for an adress), it's frequent, you don't need any reservations when holding a rail pass and to buy just more travel days when buying a railpass anyway might be much more cheaper than going by car.

18 Apr - Initially i planned to take Zurich-Amsterdam flight, but would love to explore the overnight train 'Nightjet - 402', but unable to book the sleeper. Have they stopped sleeper in this leg? And with Euro pass can i get to book sleeper?

Directly from Zürich, there's no private sleeper left (sold out), just single beds in 3 person compartments or couchette beds (both not private). There is availability for a private compartment from Basel SBB (one hour from Zurich).

19 Apr- Amsterdam to Lille in morning

19-21 Apr- Keeping Lille as base, wanted to explore Brussels and around (not decided yet)

21 Apr- evening from Lille to Paris 

23 Apr- Back to India via Dubai

Im confused and unable to figure out:

  1. Does Euro rail pass works cheaper for my itinerary?

You need to check all prices to be sure. And it depends. There are no fixed prices so prices are just true for the given momentan and may be different tomorrow. 

  1. How difficult is it to buy individual tickets at train stations if i donot opt for Rail pass? I only know English and am worried on communication to buying tickets etc (looking more for convenience)

It's no problem at all. But it will be much more expensive doing it that way as prices are dynamic. There may be no cheap fare available when buying late. 

  1. Does train ticket vary as the date nears? (like flight tickets, is it dynamic)

It does. You should buy normal tickets ASAP.

  1. Are there any options of buying open ticket and pay difference on train as we hop on in Europe? :)

If you'd like to have flexibility, then a global pass might be the way to go. You'll need reservations but they have a fixed price and are much easier to get (of course when a train is sold out it's sold out). Only exception is the sleeper train that should be booked ASAP. When buying a cheap advance fare ticket, you get a fixed train. Compared to open tickets you should opt for a rail pass.

Thanks in advance

Vijay

 

V

Hi Community, 

Im Vijay from India, planning a trip with my spouse in April - its our first trip to Europe. Wanted to get feedback/input from you all on my travel schedule, especially on train tips. Does Euro global pass for 10days works better or buying individual tickets makes sense?

12 Apr- Rome airport to hotel and local sight seeing

13 Apr - FB8606 to Pisa and later RV4046-FR9428 to Venice same day

 

There is a mandatory seat reservation for long distance trains (FB and FE) for pass holders.

14 Apr - Plan to take EC42-EC334 to Zurich (do i need reservation in advance for any of the above trains, even after buying Euro pass?)

There's a mandatory reservation for both trains (did you mean EC44?), but there's also a direct train to Zürich in the afternoon that may cost less.

15-18 Apr - wanted to rent a car and roam around

18 Apr - Initially i planned to take Zurich-Amsterdam flight, but would love to explore the overnight train 'Nightjet - 402', but unable to book the sleeper. Have they stopped sleeper in this leg? And with Euro pass can i get to book sleeper?

 

Directly from Zürich, there's no private sleeper left (sold out), just single bedeutet in 3 person compartments or couchette (both not private). There is availability for a private compartment from Basel SBB (one hour from Zurich).

19 Apr- Amsterdam to Lille in morning

19-21 Apr- Keeping Lille as base, wanted to explore Brussels and around (not decided yet)

21 Apr- evening from Lille to Paris 

23 Apr- Back to India via Dubai

Im confused and unable to figure out:

  1. Does Euro rail pass works cheaper for my itinerary?

You need to check all prices to be sure. And it depends. There are no fixed prices so prices are just true for the given momentan and may be different tomorrow. 

  1. How difficult is it to buy individual tickets at train stations if i donot opt for Rail pass? I only know English and am worried on communication to buying tickets etc (looking more for convenience)

It's no problem at all. But it will be much more expensive doing it that way as prices are dynamic. There may be no cheap fare available when buying late.

  1. Does train ticket vary as the date nears? (like flight tickets, is it dynamic)

It does.

  1. Are there any options of buying open ticket and pay difference on train as we hop on in Europe? :)

 

If you'd like to have flexibility, then a global pass might be the way to go. You'll need reservations but they have a fixed price and are much easier to get (of course when a train is sold out it's sold out). Only exception is the sleeper train that should be booked ASAP.

Thanks in advance

Vijay

 

Thanks Hektor for your inputs- was really helpful.

From Zurich to Amsterdam, is it the same Nightjet 404 or a different train where i can get sleeper? Any particular site you suggest where i can book it?

And should i decide not to go ahead with global pass, then is there a single site where i can book all my train tickets instead of doing it in individual train sites? 

Thanks again

Hektor
Rank

BTW: I did update the previous posting to clarify things (and did add my opinion regarding car renting in Switzerland). 

It's the same nightjet that gets more carriages in Basel SBB. Best way to book the night train is https://shop.oebbtickets.at/en/ticket (add your railpassed as reduction for both travellers before going to the ticket page if yo'll buy them).

It's always the best idea to buy from the original carrier. Otherwise you may try https://www.raileurope.com/ for the day trains (even for passholder reservations; desktop version only).

V

BTW: I did update the previous posting to clarify things (and did add my opinion regarding car renting in Switzerland). 

It's the same nightjet that gets more carriages in Basel SBB. Best way to book the night train is https://shop.oebbtickets.at/en/ticket (add your railpassed as reduction for both travellers before going to the ticket page if yo'll buy them).

It's always the best idea to buy from the original carrier. Otherwise you may try https://www.raileurope.com/ for the day trains (even for passholder reservations; desktop version only).

Thank again Hektor, got your point on renting car. Its just that wanted to book airbnb in a village and was worried on transit. But ya thanks will look into.

Will explore the links you sent, thanks again

R
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Thank again Hektor, got your point on renting car. Its just that wanted to book airbnb in a village and was worried on transit. But ya thanks will look into.

Check Swiss timetables on sbb.ch. It contains all public transport.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
V

One more question- once i buy Eurail pass, how do i book seat reservation? Again in rail Europe site or respective train/carriage site?

Hektor
Rank

For your itinerary, Rail Europe is the best. You may add your railpass at the bottom of the page before searching for a connection ("add railpass"). 

I'd just book the sleeper train with the operator (ÖBB). 

V

I just bought Euro global pass and trying to book sleeper from Basel to Amsterdam, but the OBB site is not showing any such option. Only option it is showing is seat reservation. Can someone please guide me?

R
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +9

I just bought Euro global pass and trying to book sleeper from Basel to Amsterdam, but the OBB site is not showing any such option. Only option it is showing is seat reservation. Can someone please guide me?

You can do it on the ÖBB website but it's easier on www.nightjet.com: add the Interrail/Eurail discount.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
Hektor
Rank

I just bought Euro global pass and trying to book sleeper from Basel to Amsterdam, but the OBB site is not showing any such option. Only option it is showing is seat reservation. Can someone please guide me?

I assume you did choose “seat reservation only”? Then you’d get just the option to reserve seats.

You need to add your Eurail pass when selecting two adults twice and then proceed with “one-way tickets and day tickets”.

Pay attention to select the direct NJ, not any other trains. The reservation fee for a private compartment for two should be 289,80 €.

V

Yups, it says ticket not available. Guess only seat (seating) is allowed in global pass and cannot book sleeper/bed at discount with eurail global

V

But again, by choosing “book ticket one way” shows options whereas “seat reservation” shows no options for the same date. Guess global pass doesnt work for couchette/sleeper. 

 

T
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

You must add Interrail/Eurail as a discount and then select one-way tickets. It is the only way that works.

The price is different with or without the discount, you can check.

Night trains aren't exactly cheap, even with a pass.

Hektor
Rank

Your screenshot does show that you did search for April 17th. There's no private sleeper compartment available for two.

You itinerary says you want to leave Switzerland April 18th - that's what I did look for. There's availability. 

But it also seems that you didn't add an Eurail pass as reduction for each passenger. 

V

Hi Hektor, yes my initial itinerary was taking an early morning flight from Zurich, but this night train looked tempting and went ahead and bought global pass. But unfortunately unable to book via pass, not sure where is the issue. Anyways thanks - will look for taking flight - maybe this time from Basel (easyjet early morning looks throwaway price)

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