Hi all! My husband and I are planning a month long Europe trip for over the summer, and I'm a little confused about the EU Rail pass vs. local trains. We're going from Amsterdam > Belgium > Germany > Switzerland > Austria > Czechia. We're planning on utilizing our EU Rail pass for the longer trips, but particularly when we're in Belgium and will visit Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels and Bruges and then when we're in Germany and will visit Munich, Fuessen, Herrsching, Freising, and Gmund, should we be relying on local trains instead to not use up our EU Rail days? Thank you!!!
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
9278 posts
Figure out what your longer travel days are, then determine what a "pass day" costs you, and compare.
For example, a 7 day global pass for a couple, 60+, Second Class, cost about $50 a day right now. The train from Amsterdam to Ghent, if bought ahead, is about 34 euro (~$40) so the pass for that leg would be more expensive, so maybe buy the ticket rather than use the pass. If you needed the 15 day pass, then the daily cost drops to about $34 a day, then using the pass for that trip makes sense.
Do watch for trains that require additional reservation costs, or surcharges for passholders (Like Eurostar), but the good news is that for the countries you list, there are not many of those (Not sure about Switzerland, there are some restrictions for special trains)
In Germany specifically, there are day passes in the various regions that range from 15 to 20 euro/pp, some restrictions on times of travel. There is also the Deutschland Ticket, good for all regional trains/S Bahns/ U Bahns/Buses/City transport for about 60 euro per person within a calendar month. The Deutschland Ticket can pay for itself in a few days, or even a single day.
One resource you might look at is The Man in Seat 61 https://www.seat61.com/ lots of good info on each country.
Posted by
Paradise
8055 posts
Munich, Fuessen, Herrsching, Freising,
Do you have specific journey's in mind? Point A > Point B, in other words? That would be helpful to know for further advice.
Also, what specific journeys will you make into and within the Czech Republic? Are you flying home out of Prague?
I don't know what/where "Gmund" is. Details?
Posted by
9883 posts
We visited Bavaria, flying into Munich last Summer prior to a Danube cruise from Regensburg.
We purchased a Bavaria pass that was very inexpensive. Since we bought it on Friday, it was good for Saturday and Sunday as well.
We visited Augsburg for a couple of days then back to Munich then on to Regensburg.
It was a great deal, but we used Regional Trains that were very crowded and sometimes standing room only. Also, the trains stopped frequently.
Posted by
Washington DC
30470 posts
Swiss trains are very expensive on a per-mile basis, and the situation is complicated since some high-mountain transportation isn't fully covered by a Eurail Pass. For an accurate financial decision, it will help to figure out as precisely as possible where you will travel in Switzerland.
Are you returning home from Prague, or will you have one final travel leg at the end of the trip?