train tickets in europe

In general, there is no difference in the full fares shown on the train websites vs buying them in Europe. This would include www.tgv-europe.com for France, www.rail.ch for Switzerland, www.bahn.de for Germany, www.trentialia.com for Italy and others. This does not include RailEurope or other ticket brokers. What can be different is the great discounts and mini-fares that you can buy in advance online. These lower fares are limited and usually non-refundable or transferrable. But, the prices are great if you can lock in on them. Or, you can buy them as you go once you get to Europe.

Buy them when you arrive, you may want to see or do something else once you arrive. Trains run frequently, not like here in the good old U.S. of A.

Keith, As this is your first trip to Europe, I'd suggest reading Europe Through The Back Door prior to departure, especially the "Rail Skills" chapter. You could also download the free PDF Rail Guide from this website (click the "Railpasses" tab at the top of the page). For planning your rail journeys, use either the bahn.de website or the websites for the rail networks in each country. A few points to note - The schedules are only posted a few months in advance, so you won't find information on trips far into the future. Also, they don't always show the prices. You may find it helpful to have a look at This short (albeit slightly "dated") short video. Happy travels!

The one you may want to buy in advance is the Eurostar ticket from London to Paris, assuming you are going that way. You can save a lot by buying this ticket well in advance.

We always buy our rail tickets at the first opportunity, 90 days in advance of travel, and print them at home. We usually opt for the 1st class tickets on long trips like from Paris to Monte Carlo since they are so cheap bought in advance. Shorter trips, you can buy upon arrival but that means you might get to stand the entire journey. Go to www.seat61.com for all the tips on rail tickets. For sure buy the Eurostar tickets at 120 days prior to travel to get the lowest price and the best selections of times. It books up early around weekends and holidays, and their holidays are different than the US holidays. Train travel in Europe is delightful.

I usually go short distances on regional trains, using Länder-Tickets or point-point, all bought on the day of travel. However, on a recent trip I wanted to go farther - Cochem to Bad Harzburg and Walkenried to Karlsruhe- so use of fast trains (IC/ICE) was desirable. By purchasing ahead on the Bahn website, I got tickets that would have been $250 (at the then exch rate) at the counter over there for about $90. I'll commit to a few specific trains to save $160.

"Will they be cheaper at the station than on a website? " Cheaper on the websites. Sometimes, some prices are the same as at the ticket counter. Do you know yet exactly when (dates) and where you're planning on using train tickets? Gig 'em! 2011 National Champions Texas A&M Womens Basketball Team! Whoop!