Europe Select Rail pass question

You have to purchase the number of days you want to travel, and you'll have to purchase seat reservations at an additional cost if the journey you choose requires mandatory seat reservations.

Be HIGHLY skeptical of Eurail Passes. They're not as friendly or useful as you might think. You can travel easily by just buying your train tickets at the ticket counter when you want to travel. If you plan ahead you can get super cheap tickets that will cost far less than your Eurail Pass.

Joe, Correct, assuming it is a pass which covers all days in your 2 months (NOT a flexi-pass where you get a limited number of days) then you can travel on as many trains as you like.
EXCEPT:
1) Passes only cover major rail companies. Some local lines and all city run metros will be excluded. Read the small print.
2) In some countries you need to reserve a seat (extra cost) before you can get on many long-distance trains. In some cases the reservation fee for passholders is nearly as much as the advance fare.
3) Sleeping accommodation in overnight trains is extra (and must be paid before you board the train).

You haven't said which pass and which countries, so I cannot comment on value-for-money; and you haven't said 750 what (Batavian Spondulas? Pobble Beads?).

Thank you Tim and Chris for your replies, let me add the figure of S 750.00 in U.S dollars, Amsterdam to Germany (Frankfurt, Rothenburg, Munich)., Paris, Beaune, Cotes du Rhone, French Riviera(various stops), Provence (various stops), Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, end up in Lisbon (5th country). Further explanation appreciated. Thanks guys.
Joe C

Also Eurail pass looks to include other benefits, could be used.

I haven't bought a rail pass since before the turn of the century. Do you qualify for some super deal on a rail pass? If not, buying point to point tickets is cheaper than paying a day on a rail pass for all but the longest rail trips. If it's a super long rail trip, you probably should look at a flight to save both time and money.

The Eurail Select pass covers a maximum of 4 countries and is always a flexi-style of pass, so you do choose your number of travel days within a 2-month window. Within a single day, you can travel as far as you like, but with a seat reservation required for most of your trains in France and Spain. You listed a price for one adult in 1st class, or you could pay $607 to cover your 10 longest travel days in 2nd class.

I would leave off Portugal, since the only direct services from Seville to Lisbon are by bus or air. Trains do not run across the border there. You also don't seem to have much train travel in the Benelux countries. A regular ticket from Amsterdam to the border near Arnhem costs about $20, if you want to shave the pass down to cover just Germany-France-Spain for $560.

Passes do offer some discounts on other services, such as 20% off K-D boats on the Rhine and Mosel rivers, or coverage of S-Bahn connections on pass days that you're using to arrive and depart Munich or Frankfurt by train. Not much else worth mentioning, although the full list is online when you purchase. Frankfurt is not a typical tourist destination, while smaller towns along the rivers are.

I think the term "Eurail Pass" must instill some sort of safety net feeling for some people. But actually they'll turn out to be more trouble than just buying your own point to point tickets. And if your destination is super far away then just fly.

Hi Laura, thank you. I forgot to mention, the 4 country pass for about $750.00 was total for 2 of us traveling together. Train rides I'm thinking would be Amsterdam to Frankfurt, Munich to Paris, Perpignon Fr. to Barcelona, Barcelona to Madrid, Madrid to Badajoz Sp.---- 5 single daily trips. Does the Pass make sense? Maybe not considering reservation fees we might have to pay.

Thanks Tim and Brad.

Actually, rather than spending $718 for two people with the partner discount for 5 travel days in 4 countries in 2nd class, I'd would choose 10 days for $1036 total. Those 5 extra days only cost $31.50 per person, per day and it seems like you'd use them.

Do you plan to visit Seville or to Badajoz? There's no point in taking a train from Madrid to Badajoz if your destinations are Seville and Lisbon.

Also, when you said "Provence," I envisioned you catching the train to Barcelona at Marseille, Aix, Avignon, Nimes, or with a connection from Arles, rather than starting as close to Spain as Perpignan. But perhaps you will visit Perpignan, too. Makes a difference in the comparison value of a single train ticket.

You haven't said when the trip is or how far ahead you'd be comfortable to reserve tickets, which also affects any cost comparison.

Hi Laura, Trying to get in some car rental driving time also, see the countryside also......this is getting tricky. Think I just get point to point train tickets when necessary, too many variables. Planning on September 2019, just working on general costs. Thanks for your analysis.

Sounds like a good plan!

Thanks Tim
Thank you to all who have replied.

Joe C