Eurail Global Pass

Since this promotion does have limited travel dates, you have to let it go. There may be other specials between now and July, more likely for sale in the spring than actually in the summer. Since special offers are nonrefundable, you want to be pretty sure of your trip plans before choosing a pass.

Thank you! I am locked in on dates and lodging... just need the transportation.

As you will see on many other threads on this website, Eurail passes often don't pay for themselves, and add a layer of impracticality when you have to book train reservations to use with the passes. France limits the railpass reservations and when they are gone, you can either purchase a full price ticket or choose another travel date when reservations are available. Likewise, point to point in Italy is often much less expensive than using a pass. Have you done the numbers yet? And BTW, second class is a pretty good way to travel. Many opt to do that rather than paying extra for a seat on a train car that arrives 30 seconds earlier.

If your trip is still focused on Switzerland, as in an earlier thread, then I still expect the Swiss Travel Pass will be a better fit.

Thanks for the info. I have gone back and forth with the numbers and a Global Pass vs. a Swiss Pass. We will be in Lyon France from June 30-July 9th then to Switzerland until the 14th. I suspect most of our train travel will be in Switzerland but we may venture off from Lyon too. The promotion certainly looked appealing but that was before I saw the details about travel times. Is it the case in Switzerland too where there are limited number of rail-pass reservations?

When traveling in Switzerland set yourself either a Swiss Travel Pass or a Swiss Half Fare Card.

There is never a good reason to buy a Eurail Pass. People who choose them are either newbie travelers or have too much money and don’t mind throwing it down the drain or both.

Most of the day trips from Lyon, Beaune, Grenoble, Annecy, Aix-les-Bains, Le Puy, can be accessed by TER trains, which can be bought on the spot, don't have reservations, prices that don't change. and not very expensive to begin with.

The SNCF webpage is the best source for French rail fares.

I don't know what trips you are contemplating from Lyon, but at this moment you can buy €28 tickets (one-way) to Annecy for June 20, a date I selected at random. Those tickets would be non-refundable and non-changeable. There are also €29 tickets to Geneva.

If you are 60 or over, you can get the Lyon-Annecy TER train for a 25% discount, 21 EUR. You can also use the Ouibus for 9 EUR from Lyon Perrache and it is only 15 minutes longer travel time.

I disagree with Tim’s sweeping statement. There are two good reasons when it could make sense to purchase a pass.
1. You absolutely need flexibility in your plans and have no real set itinerary so advance ticket purchases aren’t likely.
2, You have carefully priced out both options (point to point) and pass, and the pass was less.

I really dislike assuming that everyone travels the same way or has the same needs.

Hi,

I would ask whether you need the Global Pass, maybe another would do. I use a rail pass, 10 days/2 months to be used up in 5-7 week trip but not the Global since i don't need that one.

If you intend to do long distances in Germany, taking the ICE trains, France, Sweden, crossing borders, or plan on taking night trains (I do 2-3 of those every trip), then I would say get the Pass. Keep in mind that Americans are not the only travelers buying Eurail passes.