We are looking at buying a Select Pass for 3 countries, for 5 days. We need help in understanding the following: I understand the adults are 1st class, but the youth shows that it would be 2nd class, so to ride together we would have to all ride 2nd class, is that correct? However, if I put 3 adults into the choices, it costs the same as the above ticket. Will there be an issue with my 20 year old daughter buying an adult ticket? I know the ticket has to be validated with passport, and that would show that she is 20. Has anyone had experience with this scenario?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
"if I put 3 adults into the choices, it costs the same as the above ticket."
???
Per the Eurail website, two people with Saver Passes (which are only 1st class) would pay $444 each.
The third person would pay $444 for a 1st class adult Saver Pass, but only $341 for a 2nd class Youth Pass.
Two adult Saver plus a Youth pass for 5 day 3 country would cost $1126 or $225 per day. In almost all cases, you could buy tickets in 2nd class for $225/day, average.
What is your intended routing.
The 2nd class youth pass is just an extra offer. There would be no reason you could not include her as an adult in a 3 person Saver Pass, but you'd be wasting money vs tickets.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5475 posts
Why are you buying a pass? It rarely makes sense in today's Europe.
Posted by
Whittington
984 posts
Have you done any comparisons? Is it really correct passes are the way to go for your party? Read the article linked above.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks for everyones input. This is our first trip to Europe and we are trying to soak all this information in as well as we can. It seems like everyone's thoughts are that we should buy point to point, and that is fine, and I definitely see the advantage, especially since we can buy tickets ahead of time and have them reserved, our trip is busy. We are traveling this summer, so just trying to figure this all out. Just a bit of background into my question, I used the link in Rick Steve's Europe to estimate price of select pass, and it was where the price was same for adult and youth, so it gave me a price of US $1329 for the 3 of us for 5 days, 3 countries, basically $88.60 per day. This is when we would use them, and my estimate on what cost of point to point would be (and maybe one of these is totally wrong, if so, please let me know). Basel-Lauterbrunnen $36.43, Lauterbrunnen-Füssen $167, Füssen-Dachau, then Dachau to Rothenburg ob der Tauber $91, Rothenburg to Bacharach $79, Bacharach-Amsterdam $118 which averages out to $98.29 so $10 more per person for those 5 days. So basically being equal, does everyone still fill point to point is best? We are also plan on ascending Schithorn or Jungfraujoch and that would save maybe $26 or $46 more per person, correct?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
First problem I see, "Füssen-Dachau, then Dachau to Rothenburg ob der Tauber $91". $91 per person, I assume, or $273 for all three.
Where did you get this price? The German Rail website shows both all-regional connections and connections using express trains taking about the same travel time, 5½ hrs. They show the standard (full fare) regional price for 3 adults as only about $200 (145,50€). Further, since you can go all regional, you can use a Bayern-Ticket at $43 (31€) for 3 people.
If you are willing to commit to specific trains, you can get advance purchase tickets for travel as early as Feb 25 from Rothenburg to Bacharach for $94 (69€) for all three of you.
Again, using advance purchase, Bacharach to Amsterdam, I found $140 (102€) for three on Feb 25, even lower with more advance.
Lauterbrunnen to Fuessen with advance purchase, about $240 (177€) for all three.
Unfortunately, Rick's guide only uses full fare fast train prices and doesn't account for changes in the $/€ rate. At best, it's an upper limit.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you, I am at such a learning curve with purchasing these train tickets, that is why I am using this forum. The Bayern ticket was a total eye opener, and still working on the specifics of the other ones. Yes, point to point, advance tickets will be the way to go!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
You just have to be able to commit to a specific train because the tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable, but if you can, big savings can be seen.
How many people buy their airline tickets to Europe the day of travel?
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5475 posts
"RailEurope/In Partnership with Rick Steves" - doesn't that say it all? Look at the top of this link, which is where the Rick Steves' website takes you:
http://ricksteves.raileurope.com/rail-tickets-passes/eurail-select-pass/index.html
Of course if you use this website to compare rail pass fares with the prices of point to point tickets, the seller (RailEurope/Eurail) will make sure that the point to point tickets come out more expensive.
As noted above, NEVER use RailEurope - their prices, schedules, etc. are inflated and incorrect. Only use the websites of the national rail carrier of the country where your journey originates to buy tickets. I can guarantee you that a rail pass will be at least twice as expensive as point to point.