Do overnight trains count for two days?

Any night train that leaves after 7 PM counts as only one day (the next one) on your Eurail pass. This is assuming that you stay on it until after 4 AM. See, www.ricksteves.com/rail/usepass.htm, using your railpass, 7 p.m. rule.

No, one day but you have to board after a certain time -- maybe 10 PM -- uncertain of the exact time but the pass should tell you.

Hm. This would be good news if it wasn't a Prague to Salzburg trip I guess. The Eastern European lines have their own rules?

Was this a trap, where you already knew (or thought you knew) the answer? Do Eastern European rail lines make their own rules? Or does Eurail determine the rules for rail passes they issue? See www.eurail.com.

Not a trap, ha! I just read that on the link YOU posted at the bottom of the page. Thanks for the help.

Are you the Jennifer who is going because of getting in the trip before your pregnancy prevents? With the small child? If so, you may want to reconsider overnight trains. They generally have common toilets at the end of the cars, and sleeping is often difficult if not nearly impossible. If these are issues for you, please be pre-warned.

Different Jennifer....thankfully. Can you tell me more about these bathrooms? I don't plan to sleep since I have an allergy to sleeping in all modes of transportation it seems. Trains, planes, cars....you name it, I can't sleep.

The toilets are the same as any train toilets. Small (slightly bigger than airplane toilets) and at the end of each car. Most couchettes do have a sink and fresh water is provided in a sealed cup (sink water is non-potable). If it makes you feel better, almost no one sleeps on overnight trains.

I think the 7 pm rule in the Czech Republic is something we need to clarify. On the Eurail website, when the 7 pm rule is described, no mention is made of an exception for the Czech Republic. I contacted Eurail online and asked if the 7 pm rule were valid in the CR and they replied, "Yes, the apply in each participating country." ( Sound like someone with limited English ability) I looked at the wording on this website under "Using your railpass", "7 pm rule". It says, "the rule does not apply with Swiss, Czech ... passes". What is meant by "the rule"? The previous sentences were talking about the 4 am rule not applying to small countries. I emailed ETBD about the apparent discrepancy between their statement and Eurail's answer.

Wow Lee, that's really nice of you to go out of your way like that! Please let me know when you hear something. Many thanks!

I heard back from ETBD. The case where the 7 pm rule does not apply is for the Czech Republic pass (only for the Czech Republic, no other countries included). For multi-country, where the CR is one of the countries, the 7 pm rule still applies, even for a night train starting in the CR.

Lee, thanks so much this is great news!