We are starting with close to 2 weeks in Portugual and Spain. We have that segment planned, pretty low key and some built in beach/down time. We have 2 weeks to get from Barcelona to Berlin. We will have 2 teens in tow, so need some down-time recommendations, nice mix of big city and villages. We were planning on getting a Eurail Global Pass for 10 days. We would prefer not to rent a car if possible. Does that seem the right way to manage it? In general terms we were considering: Marseille, to North Italy (?) and Austria (Innsbruck worth the stop/Salzburg better?) Prague to Berlin? River cruises part of the Eurail package as they were when I first traveled many, many moons ago? Looking forward to your thoughts and don't misses. Of course, this is the kids first trip and there will be more to come. It goes without saying that we are covering lots of ground in a short period of time..your insight is appreciated.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
Assuming you intend to travel by train rather than hop on the low-cost airlines, consult www.seat61.com as your guide to riding the rails. Don't assume a pass is a good deal. You can't tell until you research point-to-point tickets, with the above link steering your investigations. Much has changed since many moons ago.
And don't tow your teens. They are probably Internet-literate. Ask them to do the research, and listen to their advice.
Posted by
OP
USA
3 posts
Thanks for the quick reply. Of course, "in tow" was an attempt at humor and yes they are participating in the process. What we were hoping for was insight on locations that we shouldn't miss. I do appreciate the thoughts on rail vs. air and will look at that more deeply.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Lisa I did a rail pass 30 years ago, when they were a good deal, nowadays they are not such a good deal for everyone . Keep in mind some trains ( longer distances and nighttrains) require reservations and charge supplemental fees. Sometimes by pricing out your route point to point and well in advance you can come ahead without a pass.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6790 posts
I think you're going about this wrong. Rather than figuring out train details (railpass vs. point-to-point, what routing to take, etc.), you should first figure out where and how you want to spend your time. Sure, the logistics of getting around may have an impact on that, but the 'where and how' should determine the transportation details, rather than just choosing a way to get from Point A to Point B, and then filling in the details between the two points later. If it were me, I'd get out a map and start marking the places you want to go (based on interests), noting how long you want to be in each place. Then play connect-the-dots. The details will be easier to choose then. Hope that helps.
Posted by
OP
USA
3 posts
I think you are right David. We were starting based on our start location (Portugual and Spain) and working to our end destination (meeting in Berlin). But with transit options more affordable then originally assumed, the big question now appears to be "what do we want to see" vs. how do we get from point a to point b with interesting stops along the way. Thanks