eurorail pass ???

That's the problem with the Eurorail Pass, at the end of the day, you need to pay reservation fees to get a seat on high speed trains. Local trains are dirt cheap (at least in Italy). A lot of the scenic trains and cable rides you mention are in Switzerland are private companies. You only get a 25% discount over the list price. But no, you do not have to buy individual country passes on top of the Eurorail Pass. France is opting out of the Global Eurorail Pass. I think the handwriting is on the wall for these passes. Everybody is buying point-to-point tickets these days and saving money. Nowadays, you have to pay a premium for the rail pass flexibility.

Your pass covers what it covers. and nothing else. Meaning, the terms are different for each kind of pass. Do you have a Eurail Global Pass, a Regional Pass covering several countries, or a one-country pass? Is it a regular pass or a Flexipass? For instance, in Switzerland, Swiss Passes have better discounts on the high scenic lifts than Eurail Passes do (neither one covers them completely). Swiss Passes cover many museums in Switzerland; Eurail Passes don't. If you have a flexi-pass, some things are discounted on non-pass days, but other things are not. A German rail pass covers S-Bahn trains within cities, but no U-Bahn trains. So, which kind, exactly, did you buy? And if you haven't bought one, please post your planned itinerary, so people can help you pick the best one (which may turn out to be no pass at all).

Lynda, As the others have mentioned, the specifics will depend on which type of Railpass you buy. NOTE that Railpasses DO NOT include the reservation fees that are compulsory on some trains (usually the high speed trains such as the TGV in France and the Freccia trains in Italy). In some cases, reservations for Pass holders may be limited, so once they're sold out you'd have to buy P-P tickets at full price (and not use your Pass). If you're caught without a valid reservation for the train you're riding on in Italy, you'll face hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! The fines start at €50 PP and increase from there. Finally, Railpasses will be of NO use on some rail systems such as the new Italo trains or the Circumvesuviana in Italy (AFAIK). Railpasses often don't cover the lifts or scenic trains, but they might provide discounts for some. You may find it helpful to download Rick's PDF Railpass Guide from this website. Click the "Rail Passes" tab at the top and then look in the lower right corner for the link. As Harold mentioned, the best Pass may be NO Pass, depending on your travel specifics. Cheers!

http://www.seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm#Should

I just want to clarify that the Eurail Global Pass is accepted in France. If you have a set itinerary & travel dates and do not want/need any flexibility in your travel then you will probably be better off (cheaper) buying point to point tickets in advance. The rail pass is best for folks who do not have a set itinerary and do not make advance reservations.

Hi, Your puchase of a Global Pass won't have any adverse effect when using it in France. France opted out of one Pass arrangement...a pity really. I suggest reading the literature that come with your Pass. I have been on a train where my Pass was not accepted, last summer Vienna to Salzburg. With the Pass I had boarded the Westbahn train, only to be told that it was not valid and I had to get off at the next stop, St Pölten, or buy a ticket from this controller. I chose to get off, a few minutes later an IC train stopped which went on to Linz and Salzburg. This won't happen this summer as Westbahn is accepting the Eurail Pass as valid along with other trains in Austria.