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Need suggestion for rail pass

Hi. We are planning to travel on July this year for 15 days (excluding travel time) in the following cities: ?France- 3 days ( Paris, Versailles) ?Switzerland- 3 Days ( Zurich, Interlaken, Lucerne) ?Germany -5 days (Bavaria, Munich, Rhine Valley) ?3 other days in London.
Questions: What is the best rail pass for this trip? I have read about Eurostar, Eurail with some Select pass or flexi pass. But others have suggested a point to point pass since we will be travelling few days each city only. I know this may be a frequently asked question, I can really use suggestions. Thanks

Posted by
6663 posts

"others have suggested a point to point pass since we will be travelling few days each city only." I think you mean point-to-point TICKETS - not passes - which are just regular tickets from one city to another. This is probably your most economical plan. Tickets between Paris and Koblenz (Rhine) are discounted if you purchase in advance - perhaps as low as 39€ if you purchase when they first go on sale (92 days in advance.) 39€ tickets are possible for Koblenz - Zürich too. You are visiting some expensive places, so getting these cheap tickets will be quite helpful. Use the German Railways scheduling page: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en Check sample prices by inputting travel dates 92 days from today's date - but finding prices for July travel is not possible until later. Eurostar is quick between London and Paris - and some of the advance-sale prices aren't bad.

Posted by
6663 posts

(cont.)
I think you are really rushing your trip and staying in too many places for 15 days. Your first day in Europe will be spent just adjusting to the new time zone - you'll be groggy. 3 days isn't enough for London or Paris or to 3 places in Switzerland. And 5 days certainly isn't enough to see Munich and Bavaria and the Rhine Valley. I'd suggest this: Arrive London (4 nights) - Paris (4) - Rhine (3-4) - Interlaken and/or Lucerne (3-4). Depart Zurich. Now you have a Eurostar trip (or flight), 2 major train legs, and one trip between Interlaken/Luzern and Zurich. A regular ticket from Interlaken to Zurich airport runs about 70 CHF from a ticket window there. So, Eurostar to Paris: $57; add 2 train legs into and out of Germany at 39€, and 70 CHF to Zurich = $219 total per person. Of course you'll have to pay for transport in London and Paris and for daytrips on the Rhine to the villages and castles there, but you can get daypasses for that over there.

Posted by
2 posts

Hi Russ, Thanks for the great suggestion. I will check out the details and really appreciate the info.
Thanks