Europass? Transportation when in Europe

Cassedy, Do you still have time, with fewer than seven business days before your departure, to order a Eurail pass? I'm genuinely asking, as I don't have the answer, but I am doubtful. With the countries you're traveling in, I'm not sure what pass would work in any case. Guessing your number of travel days in each country, I tried the website and got quotes of $600-$800 per person for a combination of passes (one Italy; one France/Spain; one Swiss.) Most people on this board will tell you that booking trains early and paying point-to-point is usually a better value. Well, in your case you can't book very early any more. But what is the best value can only be calculated if you know where and when you're going. Remember that each time to change locations, you waste at least half a day and add to the overall expense of your trip. Do you have a more specific itinerary or do you just plan to make it up as you go? How many days are you in each place? Is saving time or saving money your priority? All are relevant questions in trying to answer you.
Matt

What do you mean by Europass, Cassedy? The Europass is a common European resume (CV). Do you mean Eurailpass - an international train pass? Or is it some sort of bus pass for college kids? I'm a tad concerned that you and your friend appear to have left your planning to later than the last minute - oh well we'll fight the good fight and see what lemonade we can make. Virtually no discounts will now be available. Is money a concern for you or do you have rather "deep pockets"? Many hostels may now be booked up - it will take a few hours of homework for you both to hook up the interweb and get checking availability for the days and places you are interested in. If it is indeed a train trip you may have to hunt for trains which still have mandatory pass-holder reservations available, especially on the TGV between Paris Gare de Lyon and Basel or Zuerich. Do you have any guidebooks? What do you think of what you have read?

Cassedy, This is something that should have been addressed LONG before now. A Railpass may or may not be the best solution, keeping in mind that these don't include the reservation fees that are compulsory on "premium" trains such as the TGV in France. I would STRONGLY recommend that you take a drive to Edmonds TODAY and speak with Rick's travel experts at ETBD! If it turns out that a Railpass will work for your situation, they should be able to supply one on the spot. It would also be a good idea to have a chat with one of their travel advisers - spending a few bucks on that will potentially save you from a lot of pitfalls! As this is your first trip to Europe, I would have suggested reading Europe Through The Back Door during the planning, as it contains a wealth of information on "how" to travel in Europe. If you go to ETBD, you can have a look at it in their FREE Library. Regarding Hostels, I usually look at HI Hostels first, as they often have several properties in each city. They're "safe" and well run. Having a membership provides cheaper rates and preferred booking. You should be able to pick up a membership (for each of you) at the local HI Hostel at 520 S. King Street, Seattle. What other "travel advice" do you need? Will you be travelling with electrical appliances, Cell phones, Cameras or other gadgets? BE SURE that all the Chargers are designed to operate from 100-240 VAC. You WILL need Plug Adapters (which you can buy from ETBD or The Savvy Traveller which is just around the corner from ETBD). If either of you is using iPhones or other Smartphones, you will need to be EXTREMELY careful with data roaming, as the costs can be HUGE (ie: five figures). You MUST also have Money Belts (again, buy at ETBD), especially for Barcelona. Happy travels!

Is this sort of a 30 day trip? What is it about the places you listed that attracted the two of you? Are you going for the art, the scenery, the night life, the ??? Just like Matt said - the more you tell us the more we can help...

Cassady,
Love ya, but they're right...to enjoy the max, do as much upfront research as possible. In Switzerland, Interlaken is high in the Alps and a beautiful destination, where you can visit other Alps destinations. Try Balmer's Hostel. Check the trains from Paris via SNCF. You can easily get to Cinque Terre from Pisa or from Firenze/Florence. Monaco/Antibes is only a short half day visit compared to your other destinations. Prioritize Paris 30%, Alps 30%, Florence + Cinque Terre 20%, Barcelona 20%.

Is Cassedy still in the building?

Hi Everyone! Thank you all so much for your responses - a special shout out to you Nigel. I ended up going to Rick's Edmonds office and got it all squared away! You guys rock and thanks so much for your informative Euro info. I will be sure to let you all know how it goes! Much love