You all are the experts & I need to make this decision asap…
I’ve read all the pros and cons of rail pass but am still not 100% sure.
Cutting to the chase, these are the rail days I’m sure of (it will be me…adult & my 2 daughters…20 & 17 students)
*Eurostar from Amsterdam to Paris
*Rail from Paris to Munich and then to Salzburg (right away)
*(staying in Salzburg for a week - venture into Germany…use rail pass or buy point-to-point…not sure)
*rail from Salzburg back to Munich (flying out of there to Dublin)
*from Dublin, we’ll be flying into Manchester (rail to Thurnham Hall…thinking point to point would be cheaper rather than “waste” a day of rail for that
*(staying at Thurnham Hall for a few days…might venture out on rail one or two days)
*rail from Thurnham Hall to Manchester and then on to London (then get tube pass for our 4 days there)…fly home from London…
Whew…thanks in advance for advice if we should buy the pass. And then do we get 5 day or 7 day pass?
I’m just not sure if the Manchester to Lancaster trip is worth a day of pass…or the Salzburg to Munich is…
Appreciate (and welcome) any advice!
Posted by
Chicago
8122 posts
Not a rail pass in your case since you have set plans so just book point to point.
Moreover you would need to pay for reservations from Amsterdam to Paris and Paris to Munich and there is no guarantee that you will be to get a seat for the time you want.
Posted by
Bern, Switzerland
1024 posts
There is not generic answer. The various European rail companies offer various discounts depending n the time you travel and the routes you take. I live in Switzerland and travel frequently in Europe, sometime a pass works out cheapest sometimes individual tickets. You are going to need to sit down and calculate your prices and in doing so be careful of using special discounted tickets unless you can buy them easily as you may discover they are not available when you actually go to buy them.
Posted by
Nederland, CO
1519 posts
I am much more of a railpass fan than most on this board, but I think for your itinerary point to point will be better. On Eurostar and french trains there is a pretty hefty reservation fee and it can be difficult to get a reservation as they limit the number available to pass holders. Between Salzburg and Munich the tickets prices don't justify the cost of a pass. I really did the numbers before deciding to. buy a pass for our upcoming trip in December. It only worked because they were having a fairly significant sale on railpasses at the time.
Also - one big benefit of a railpass is having flexibility, but with the Eurostar and French trains requiring reservations you lose the flexibility for those journeys.
Posted by
Washington DC
27604 posts
I believe there are very good deals on rail tickets between Munich and Salzburg (and they get better when multiple people are traveling together), so you wouldn't want a pass day for that trip (in either direction).
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thanks y’all!
I know I need to book Amsterdam to Paris asap…for the others, do I book in advance or don’t need to? (Still debating the Paris to Munich trip…questioning train vs Flixbus)
Also - particular line better than others?
Posted by
Lake District, England
7280 posts
Manchester to Thurnham- Buy an Airport Advance Single for £16. Even the most expensive ticket you can buy (a totally flexible Off Peak Single) is only £24.
Then the broadly hourly bus 88 or 89 - £2
If you fancy a day in the Lake District buy a Lakes Day Ranger- covers all trains (with no morning time restriction) north of Lancaster to Windermere, Penrith and Workington, all buses in the Lake District and south to Lancaster on the 555, and the lake steamers and launches on Windermere.