Eurail flexi pass

I don't see why it would be. You DATE it with first use and that sets the clock rolling. I suspect your travel agent has misadvised you however since Eurail passes are almost never a smart choice and rarely save money. Most travel agents have no clue about actual travel in Europe.

The flexi pass was cheaper than point to point travel. I have been reading not to write your passport # because they do that when they validate it. I just don't want to have a problem when I try to validate.

I highly doubt the facts that a Eurail Pass was cheaper than point to point. From where did you get the point to point prices?

Travel Agents are a thing of the past just like Eurail Passes and Traveler's Cheques.

First trip to Europe so I wanted to use a travel agent. Anyways the train ticket is purchased so if I really paid more I don't care. That isn't my concern. I asked about the passport # being filled in ahead of time before I validate.

That is fine; happens fairly often. Don't fill in any dates until it is officially activated at a train station.

Since you have posted this under France, I hope that you have also made any TGV reservations that are important for your trip. There's no reason to assume you paid too much. Math is essential to any comparison.

Well. I've read some reports that people have had trouble. If you really can't get past the rail pass agent then try another one (some large stations will have 2 or 3 agents validating passes). Absolute worst case you'll need to buy tickets, then try again at the next station.

But...you will probably be just fine if you simply present your pass WITH your passports, just like nothing is wrong. This is what most people have reported doing with good results. (Seems like WE even goofed-up something like this once - with no problem). You may have to explain that your travel agent didn't know what they were doing and filled them in already...if necessary, really play up the 'we're stupid tourists who just want to visit your lovely country' angle ;-) Mainly the agent just needs to believe that your pass hasn't been used yet, and to verify the passport numbers already filled in. I would validate the pass as soon as possible, though - you don't want the agent to believe you've already used it. If you don't need every day on the pass for travel, get it validated on the first day possible without using up a needed travel day; you really want to avoid the agent thinking that you've already used your pass!

Please return to this thread and let us know what happened. It should be OK...but let us know.

Thanks for the responses. I will let you know if I have any trouble but hopefully it will go smoothly

Dianne, I hope you have a great time! I see value in travel as more than the cost of an item. The Eurail pass has some advantages beyond just price. You will be traveling first-class on routes where this is available and have a great deal of flexibility in your schedule if you like. That isn't important to some people while it is to others.

Let us know how your trip goes and happy traveling!

Don't let the warning from Laura, above, go by. If you are trying to use a Railpass in France on the high speed TGV services you MUST get and pay for your reservation asap because it is in not included on railpasses (included on point to point) and the reservations are rationed.

If you don't you may find yourself having to pay for a full fare ticket at the station even though you have a valid pass in your hand.

Laura and Nigel thanks for the advice on getting reservations. I already have reservations.

Thank you Carol. Traveling right now and having a wonderful time. Eileen I went to validate my Eurail pass and he did say I wasn't supposed to write the passport #'s on it but he validated it anyways for me. Such a relief.

LI just want to warn everyone about my experience with my Eurailpass. This goes back to 1975, but based on what I was reading in the above posts, it appears to apply today. Be sure to write the dates on a piece of paper and show it to the rail official before they write the dates on the pass and agree that those are the right dates. I failed to do that when I had the pass validated in Bad Kreutznach Germany and the rail official thought my pass was for a month, but it was only for 21 days. When I told her she made a mistake, she crossed out the date and wrote a new date above it. Now it looks like falsified the pass. I took the train to Frankfurt and pretended to be asleep when the conductor came. He left me alone. In Frankfurt, I went to the Eurailpass office and they said the pass was no longer valid. This was all I had for travel and I had 21 days left of travel to do. They said I had to go to the Eurailpass office in Munich and they might be able to help. On the way to Munich, I almost got kicked off the train. Once I got to Munich, I explained what happened and the only thing that saved me was that the supervisor at the Eurail office was leaving for a vacation at Disneyland and I told her I used to work there while in college. I spent the next two hours planning her trip to Southern California and she returned the favor and called the Eurail office back in Frankfurt and they gave her the authorization to give me a new pass. They wrote the dates in correctly and then sealed it in plastic just to make sure no one would change the dates again. She also told me that if this would have happened in France, they would have stopped the train and kicked me off between towns.
Bottom line, make sure the dates are agreed to before they write it on the pass.

@ Dianne....I'm glad that you were able to validate the Pass. I have never had any problems having the rail Pass validated, even though I wrote in the passport numbers myself. That's all. Whether the Pass was validated in Germany or France, the only two countries where it has been done, no clerk at the DB or SNCF counter ever said anything about my writing in the passport numbers. Admittedly, I've had an easier time of getting the Pass validated in Germany,... just present the passport, told the clerk on which day I wanted to start the Pass (either today or tomorrow...those were the choices), the clerk fills in the days of validity, then stamps it. That's what you want...the stamp activating the Pass. No clerk at DB or SNCF ever drew attention to the passport numbers being filled in.

It shouldn't matter to the agent who validates your rail pass, although they will want to see your passport to verify that the numbers your travel agent wrote on it are correct. Be sure you get it validated as soon as possible after you arrive in Europe and must write the current day of your travel where indicated BEFORE getting on the train. If you don't, and I learned this the hard way on my first trip with a rail pass in 2007, the conductor who checks you rail pass will think you're trying to cheat the railroad and fine you (and it will still cost you a rail day). Be sure to read everything in the rail pass section on this site to make sure you are prepared to use it. If you need reservations, and on some trains they are limited for pass holders, make sure you get them a few days before you travel to ensure you don't miss out and have to change your plans. I disagree with others who say a rail pass is not a good deal. It all depends on the number and length of the trips you are taking and to some degree, the comfort level you have (or don't have) buying tickets as you go. For future reference, consider buying your rail passes through Rick Steves web site. Never had a problem and they offer lots of help. Making my fourth trip to Europe in September and all with a rail pass. Good luck.

Yea, Dianne!!!

I'm guessing there was lots of 'Oh, I'm soooo sorry; we'll never do that again! Thank you soooo much!' ;-) All's well that ends - or begins - well! I hope you're having a great time.

Thanks, yosemite1, for that reminder! This goes for dates, name spellings, city spellings ('Genova' ain't 'Geneve'), etc.

Thanks so much for all the advice from everyone. I am still here in Europe and I am only traveling on the train 2 more times. I still have to go from Florence to Naples and then Naples to Rome. The trains were pretty easy to use. Hardest part was in Switzerland when I had to transfer trains quite a bit and they were inner city trains. A bit more confusing and rushed than the high speed trains. I had reservations ahead of time for all of my trips. Thanks again. Europe is amazing.