Eurail Pass help

May 15: Arriving in Brussels by air, will take train to
Antwerp to our hotel (3 nights)

Cheap IC tickets. No reason to use expensive pass day

May 16: Train to Amsterdam for day trip

Use pass day

May 17: Train to Ghent+ Bruges for day trip

Again, cheap IC tickets

May 18: Train early to Cologne and stay 1 night

Use a pass day

May 19-24: Train to Munich

Use a pass day to Munich

include day trips to Neuschwanstein castle, Zugspitze, Berschtesgarten, Salzburg.

Use Bayern for these. 49 EUR for 3 of you for the day.

May 25- 28: Train to Varenna, Lombardy

Use a pass day for this. This will be a 9 to 10 hour journey and require seat reservations for Italian EC and Freccia trains.

We will be using ferry for day trips to other towns in Lake Como.

Eurail Pass does not work on lake ferries.

May 29- 31: Train to Milan

Cheap Trenitalia tickets. 22.20 EUR for 3 people.

So you only have 4 days you need a Eurail pass. The other days just buying tickets is cheaper.

A day trip to Amsterdam from Brussels will be a long day. You should take the high speed train for that, and you can get a return ticket fro 50 Euro if you do not mind an early departure. See www.b-europe.com
With an Eurail Pass you would still need to get a reservation for that train. These cost 27,- per way, so just buying a ticket in advance is going to be cheaper (and easier).

For the train to Munich also just buy a ticket in advance, but this time on www.bahn.de

Thank you both for all the info.
Another question how far is Keukenhof garden from Amsterdam central station and do we bus/ metro to get there. We plan to go there May 16- are we too late for tulip blooms? Or will there be other places we can see gardens with tulips?

The Keukenhof closes this year on May 12th. So, yes, you will be too late.

Hi Sam and WengenK
Am I getting this right? I need 4 day global Eurail pass? As I haven’t used the pass in the past, once I get my pass I can just book/ reserve my travel dates online? And what site do I go to?

You don't "need" a pass at all. You can just buy train tickets like a normal person from the operator of the train.

Hi Emily
Can you tell me the reason why I don’t need a pass?
I did some calculation of the places others suggested I should get a pass which are 4 of the trips as mentioned previously. Without a pass I will be spending total 200 Cnd. dollars more than if I had a pass.

what resource did you you use which showed you would overspend by 200 cdn?

It wasn't RailEurope or Eurail or Rick Steves point to point train map was it? Those are all last minute walk up fares - most people get their tickets a little ahead which allows for much lower fares, or use regional lickets like the Bayern Ticket in Bavaria which provides real rock bottom fares.

I looked under Rail Europe and ask me my country of origin. There is also a Spring sale til March 12 on global pass, was looking for 4 days within a month. We are 2 seniors and 1 youth travelling. Then I went to check on the fares for each of the 4 days we are travelling, and that’s where I found that without pass we will pay extra 200 Canadian.

So essentially you have priced the point to point fares on a third party reseller who is noted for over charging. Not on the web sites of the relevant national railroads. Not using any of the special fares which may exist when you book direct with the railroads concerned.

I'm sorry to say that you have been comparing the most expensive point to point fares. RailEurope doesn't show the discounted fares, they want you to buy the pass.

I have to head out now but I am sure that another of the folks around here can help you work out the true comparison.

Hi Nigel
Thank you for your response.

Any other folks around who can give me how to fugure out cheaper way to find tickets then? What site do I go into? I was under the impression that getting rail pass is more economical.

The Man in Seat 61 has all the info on where to buy tickets.

Until the internet made buying train tickets directly from each country's train companies possible, at advanced reduced fares, using a pass was what visitors from overseas did. RailEurope still sells it giving jacked-up prices for comparison. Luckily you came here to ask. I just wish our host would get this product off his website.

As Emily wrote, the Man in Seat61 has every bit of train information anyone could need. https://www.seat61.com/
If you need help after reading the parts that apply to you, please come back with your questions. Bon voyage.

Just for clarity as no-one is giving you actual fares, just redirecting you-

The 4 pass days are-
May 16 Antwerp [Antwerpen Centraal] to AMS day return;
May 18 Antwerp to Cologne/Koln
May 19 Cologne/Koln to Munich
May 25 Munich to Varenna

For the first look at NS International- https://www.nsinternational.com/en You need to decide if you are travelling on Eurostar or on the cheaper and slightly slower InterCity trains on this route. On the IC services it is 21 Euro each way

For 2 to 3 bahn.de should give you the answers- https://int.bahn.de/en/

For 4 see sbb- https://www.sbb.ch/en

18 May 55Euro Sparpreis; 19 May 38Euro Sparpreis; 25 May 125 Euro Munchen HBF to Varenna-Esino

So a total of 260 Euro compared to whatever the 4 day pass costs.

Thank you everyone for your feedback about the pass. I did a lot of reading Man in Seat61 and now understand how that works. Appreciate you all.