Eurorail passes

Have you already purchased the Eurail Pass? If not - then don't. Chances are your travels will be cheaper and simpler traveling on point-to-point tickets.

BTW - Germany to France to Italy is the route you inquired about...without passing through Austria or Switzerland

You don't need a 4 country pass. Buy a ticket covering the Austrian portion of the ride, tell the ticket counter person that you intend to use the pass but basically need a ticket for transit through Austria. There is a night train Munich to Florence, arrives at 06:19 hrs....very doable from Munich. Munich Hbf is a night train hub.

There is also a night train from Munich to Venice (Venezia), arr 08:12 hrs. Both these night trains are Austrian Night Jet trains.

If you go for the night train option, it is certainly available. I take night trains on the trips too, mainly to squeeze out another day.

Thanks for the comments but I’m using the pass because my 2 kids travel free with us and we are going to be 35 days in those 3 countries. I love night trains! Took one in Egypt and another one in Spain. The other concern I have is that even with the eurail pass the night train is more expensive, which i have to pay and I need a reservation, any idea how much additional is the night train, i don’t seem to find an answer on the DB or Italian train sites. I very much appreciate your comments.

The prices for the overnight trains are here: http://www.nightjet.com/en/angebote/nightjet-sparschiene.html
This is the website of the company that runs the trains, Nightjet, which is a subsidiary of ÖBB (Austrian Railways). You can also buy tickets on the same site.
With an overnight train you are paying mostly for the accommodation (as well as the travel), and a Eurail pass only covers the travel.

I too would say that in Italy it is very difficult to get a pass to pay. If you book in advance on the Italian Railways website ( http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en ) you can get, for example, Venice to Rome for €35.90, Florence to Rome for €19.90.

Hi,

On the night trains the options of the sleeper and couchette are offered. Those options even with the Pass are extra, ie not covered by the Pass. With the Pass the cheapest way to is reserve a seat in a six seat compartment or in the general seating area, which ever is available. You just pay for seat reservation. The Pass covers getting on the train.

On the night train given the choice, I prefer the general seating area, the compartment could get a bit cramped, just depends but still satisfactory.

The arrival times for both Venice and Florence are ideal, for me actually anytime after 6 am in the summer is when the night train pulls in.

The cost of adding a 4th country on the pass (if you have not yet bought it) is similar to buying the missing link at a German train station - about $40 per adult for full fare in 2nd class.