Help with Rail Travel Passes for Europe

Just curious why, if you have a railpass at your fingertips you will keep it in your pocket in Germany and rent a car. Germany has some of the most comprehensive, fast and frequent trains in the world.

Even if you don't want to use a pass day, there are some incredibly cheap deals available with no advance planning in the various federal states of Germany.

So I wonder where you will be heading to....

That could help answer your questions in your original post.

Where will you cross into Germany and where will you cross into Austria?

Regarding the Swiss Travel Pass, the longest time you can buy it for is 15 days. Info here:

https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/inspiration/international-guests/swiss-travel-pass.html

The Swiss Half Fare Card will probably work better for you as it is valid for one month. Info here:

https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/inspiration/international-guests/swiss-halffare-card.html

Of course, if money is no object, you could go with multiple Swiss Travel Passes. 😊

Nigel. The places our trip is taking us in Germany it is better for us to have a car. Plus I have always wanted to drive on the autobahn.

I have always wanted to drive on the autobahn.

Please be aware that this could end in great disappointment. The German autobahn network has been overloaded for years and there are currently a whole series of roadworks at neuralgic points. If you want to drive really fast, you have to do that at night, preferably somewhere in a sparsely populated area of eastern Germany. By day, there's a good chance you'll learn what the word "stau" means.

The autobahn is just like the highway between any US cities…

You're planning to drive in Germany; you will probably do best with a dedicated Swiss pass or half-fare card. So that leaves just your 8 days in Austria (a small country, so I'm wondering how much you can manage to spend on train tickets there), Italy (where trains are comparatively cheap and you only plan to travel between Venice and Como) and France. You have 3 weeks in Switzerland in the middle of that time, which makes a continuous pass even less likely than usual to pay off. I am doubtful about a rail pass here. What trips do you plan to take in France?

Since you have time to take a two-month trip, I wonder whether you are seniors. Italy has substantial discounts for those 60 and up. France does, too, but requires you to buy a senior card (Avantage Senior card) to access them, so you'd need to be doing a fair amount of travel in France to make it pay.

Outside of Switzerland, you'll generally find a rail pass doesn't cover boats or buses unless you bump into a situation where the rail company itself is operating the bus, as sometimes happens when there's work underway on a rail line.

Plus I have always wanted to drive on the autobahn.

Why? Don't overestimate the autobahn, it is just a regular motorway that is not that special. And summer is when a lot of road construction takes place, so you might end up spending a lot of time sitting in traffic jams.

On the other hand, don't underestimate German public transport. It will take you almost anywhere.

Plus I have always wanted to drive on the autobahn.

I appreciate that. I drive in Germany most years, in my own car.

A very helpful post from a couple of years before covid is

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/driving-in-germany-60f26755-71c4-4f06-862b-976eb945c0dc

and you will see all sorts of really good information about both driving in general in Germany and plenty of advice about driving on and staying safe on the Autobahn.

What is there is still true.

I don't think you want to tell us where you will be in Germany so those of us who could help with specific knowledge about driving in much of Germany can't give specific hints.

You may be aware, but most sections of most Autobahns are only 2 lanes wide - there is usually no middle lane, and if there is one you can be pretty sure that you are in the vicinity of an urban area and speed limits will likely be low.

Two other pieces of unsolicited advice, one about pretty much guaranteed Stau, and a story about a ticket.

My experience is a Stau is almost guaranteed on the A5, the A3, the A96, anywhere around Stuttgart, Munich, Nuremberg, Frankfurt am Main,and for accidents going through the winding steep hills east of Kirchheim unter Teck on the A8. Worst accident I've ever seen was east of there, and I've unfortunately seen my fair share and some.

My only ticket received in over 50 years of driving was in 1999 on a German Autobahn with a sudden reduction of speed from 130 to 80 and I missed the sign because of passing a line of trucks, and Flash! and a couple of weeks later the ticket arrived in the mail. And I drive in Germany almost every year (until covid).

One final thing... unmentioned by others... please understand your responsibility to make a rescue lane (Rettungsgasse) in both Austria and Germany. It is the law so that emergency services can get to the scene of the crash. Merging follows the zipper rule.

A very good summary and explanation of German road driving information is at http://www.gettingaroundgermany.info/autobahn.shtml

I don't want to discourage you, I just want you to know what you are getting into, and how to stay safe...

A slight correction to Carrie’s information about the Swiss Pass.

While continuous-day Swiss passes are limited to 15 days, a Flex Pass is valid for 30 days from the first day of use. So a 15-day Flex Pass would be valid for a full 30 days, but could only be used for free travel (or discounts on lifts and museums) for 15 days within that time.

Since we plan our Swiss trips around multi-day stops in various villages for hiking, we find a Flex Pass for 8 days is often the best value for a 2-3 week trip, since there are many days we do not use transport ( other than our own 2 feet) at all.

My wife and I are going to be in Europe from 5/25-7/29, our first trip!

I will be in the minority here, but since this is your first trip to Europe, I would suggest getting the Global Pass if the price does not offend you. While experienced travelers have no problem dealing with ticket purchases on site, it can be overwhelming for someone new to European train travel to deal with little things like, using kiosks, validating some tickets before boarding, etc.

Two Global passes for two people for two months will cost you either $1,622 or if seniors $1,460, second class. Global Passes can be used in Switzerland as well, so no need for special Swiss Passes. Global Passes may not always be the cheapest, but they are the easiest to use if you are traveling to many different cities over a two month period.

In Italy, just be sure you are not boarding some private trains and you will need reservations on some train trips. Also, I would ditto the remarks to reconsider driving in Germany. In the places I traveled on the autobahn it wasn't pedal to the metal everywhere, you have to pay attention to when speed limits change.

Enjoy your trip.

You can get a lot of information here:
https://www.eurail.com/en/eurail-passes/global-pass

Part of the itinerary is in France, a country that is notorious for its quotas on seat reservations for pass holders. Even if you have no trouble getting them you must pay for them. The cost of the passes doesn't cover all your rail expenses, even aside from the high-mountain transportation in Switzerland.