Train travel in 4 countries

To me, this trip plan does not sound firm enough to make a pass-vs-tickets comparison. Or maybe it's just that I don't appreciate the plan. Why Frankfurt? Why Bern? Why Milan? Any other train rides that you haven't mentioned?

Do you have to fly in and/or out from Frankfurt? Are you visiting anything near Frankfurt that would mean another train ride? Ideally, you would fly into and out of cities that you want to visit, and they would be at the two farthest ends of the trip. Book the plane tickets as a "multi-city" trip.

Is your destination the city of Bern or the Alpine beauty of the Berner Oberland? It's a longer train ride, as well as a pass offers lift discounts during a mountain stay.

Is Milan your only destination in Italy? And if it is, I'd fly from there to Vienna; see www.skyscanner.com.

Train reservation fees for passholders are minimal in these areas, about $12 for Italian trains and optional in the other countries. Train tickets go on sale mostly 3 months in advance and discount tickets sold at that time are not refundable or changeable. See more at https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains.

Oh sorry. We have tickets from Las Vegas to Frankfurt already. We want to travel by rail exclusively from Frankfurt( after a couple days in Frankfurt) to Bern ,stay there 3 days, then train ride to Milan for 3 days with a trip to Venice for 1 of those days. Then train ride to Vienna for a 3 day stay, then 2 days in Munich , finishing up in Frankfurt where we fly back to Vegas the following day. Altogether 14 days in Europe.

Check out www.seat61.com for all you'll need to know about trains across Europe. You might also go to www.tripadvisor.com, Frankfurt forum or Vienna forum for specific advice about individual cites rather than just countries like on here.

Assuming that you stick to the plan, including a same-day roundtrip to Venice, an estimate of full-fare ticket prices is about $675 per person in 2nd class. Advance-purchase discounts might cut that in half, but only if you do lock in most trips well in advance. In comparison, a Select Saverpass for 6 days of 1st class travel in 4 countries (5 days + 1 free if you purchase by April 29) costs $355 per person and does not require you to lock in reservations much in advance (or at all on some routes). I consider the pass the winner for this route.

From Milan to Vienna, the most convenient daytime connections are 10.5 or 12 hours with one change. There's also a direct overnight train.

Yes, why do a day trip from Milan to Venice, then turn around a day or so later and go from Milan to Vienna where Venice is on the way. Much better, IMO to go to Venice for at least 1 night (2 better) and a full day, then on to Vienna. There is a direct EC train from 3:55 pm getting to Vienna at 11:35 pm. There is also a night train.

That makes sense. I'll look into it. Thanks