Eurail Pass or Point to Point tickets ?

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  retiredfeline on 17/03/2013 - 09:32

  In Italy use PtoP. In Switzerland use a pass. Lots of online merchants, even your travel agent can get them for you. Unless traveling on a peak day no need to buy PtoP tickets that far ahead. Just buy them when you're there, a day or two ahead of you like.

  Read the pass conditions. Premium services require a supplement and perhaps booking fees. Also sleepers are extra.

  If you look at a rail map Switzerland and Austria are well connected.

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  ultimate_behemoth on 17/03/2013 - 12:21

  I found it cheaper and more flexible to do point to point tickets. One tip I used was that if you were travelling in the same direction you could get a point to point ticket from the first to last destination and it was much cheaper than getting individual tickets for each leg. I can't remember how long the ticket gives you to finish the journey but it was sufficient for me, ask at the ticket windows, they are usually pretty helpful. Also if you are travelling in a group some countries have special group tickets for 4 people and again it works out much cheaper than each buying a ticket.

  Enjoy the trip!

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  MITM on 17/03/2013 - 14:14

  I used a Britrail Pass to visit rellies from Scotland to Ramsgate and then a Eurail pass to explore Europe.
  (Flashback:) Sometimes in Europe, at a train staion I would look at the time table and take the next train leaving that took 4 hours to somewhere overnight, then take the train back to where I started just to get 8 hours sleep. True OB spirit.

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  keithality on 17/03/2013 - 16:04

  I did almost exactly the same trip that you are describing last year.

  For me, Ptop tikets were definitely cheaper than the eurail, especially for italy, and especially if you can book them in advance.

  I could write an essay about this, but pretty much:

  • if they know the dates they want to travel, you can book all the tickets in advance over the net, print them out and bring them along. Check up seat61.com for more info on how to book. If you book this early, likely you can get sale fares on most of the routes which really make a difference. Also booking direct from the country's train company websites (eg. trentitalia for italy, OBB for Austria, SBB for switzerland) is almost always cheaper than booking from an aggregator, such as raileurope, but also a lot harder (bad website design).

  • if they aren't sure of the dates and want to go from city to city when they please, or not have to worry about trying to book tickets in advance and printing them out and bringing them along, get a eurail pass.

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    rohanp16 on 17/03/2013 - 18:54

    I've done some online searches and the Italian providers website is quite decent to book tickets. And the prices seem cheaper in Italy for point to point.

    However, I'm confused with the numerous scenic railway journeys in Switzerland. I would definitely like them to the Golden Pass and the Glacier express, maybe the Bernina express too. But I'm having a hard time trying to make a 'good' itinerary out of it.

    Did you happen to do any of the scenic railway routes in Switzerland ? Thanks !

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      retiredfeline on 17/03/2013 - 19:27

      The Bernina Express is quite spectacular but unless you want to end up in Tirano, Italy, you'll have to go back the way you came. But there are plenty of spectacular mountain and lake scenery in Switzerland and you'll be spoilt for choice. It's a tough job.

      Anecdote: A friend and I did a hike around the Poschiavo (Puschlav) valley. We walked to Tirano, Italy for dinner, just a few minutes down the mountain. Coming back I had to buy a PtoP ticket for the Italian segment since my pass was only valid for Switzerland. As soon as we passed the last station in Italy the conductor came around and asked why I didn't have a ticket for Switzerland. Sharp conductor he was.

      The other thing your parents can do, if they feel up to it, is to go to the main station in the city of arrival in Italy and purchase all the PtoP tickets they will need for their stay. For this you should research ahead of time and write down their itinerary for them to show the clerk. But don't make connections too tight in Italy, it's Italy after all, not Switzerland. :)

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        rohanp16 on 17/03/2013 - 19:53

        Thanks greenpossum, you have been very helpful ! :) I just had a light bulb moment reading your post !

        Firstly, yes I'm planning to organise it all for them so that they have the least hassle. I'm sure they're capable, but they'd be more comfortable that way :)

        I'm thinking, after seeing Italy and ending up in Milan. Head to Lugano and start the Bernina Express from there (first via bus to Tirano) ending in Chur. Then do the Glacier Express to Brig/Zermatt. Head to Montreux somehow and then do the Golden Pass to Lucerne, ending in Zurich eventually. It has a 'flow' to it that they'll like I reckon.

        Have a look ! :D

        http://www.railplus.com.au/europe-by-rail/swiss-scenic-train…

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  Leeny57 on 18/03/2013 - 10:25

  The German train website if very helpfuland I used it to book anything in and out of Germany. If in France book on the French site (IN FRENCH) exactly 90 days in advance and you will get tickets for 15 - 25 euros anywhere in france. For any of the trips book exactly 3 months in advance and you will get good deals. Log in first thing in the morning as the 90 days is ticking over in Europe. In 2010 I booked Paris, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Paris including 2 sleepers for about $300. Note - the Austrian trains didn't seem to have any specials. Definitely go to seat61 - it has everything you ever wanted to know about train travel anywhere in the world pretty much.

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    rohanp16 on 19/03/2013 - 09:51

    Thanks Leeny ! Seat61 is very helpful. I'm just doing the calculations to see what works out cheaper. It's so many calculations when these many trains are involved ! The German train website is very helpful with schedules.

    The only thing is the 'reservation fee'. It's becomes the summer timetable early May and the reservation fees are so much more expensive for some of these Swiss trains. I'm contemplating about the Swiss Half-Fare card too ! Decisions, decisions :)

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  Leeny57 on 18/03/2013 - 10:27

  As an aside - last night I booked a French ticket for a friend. I got 2 tickets for 15 euros each (from the SNCF website in French). The Rail Europe website did not even have that particular departure time listed, so if I had booked from there I would have probably paid 45 euros each ticket.