Rail Passes and transfers

"Do most people who travel in Europe purchase a rail pass with reservations ...?" I can't speak for most people, but I have studied the rail system in Europe extensively, and I never use a rail pass and almost never get reservations. Before every trip I compare all my options, and rail passes are always more expensive for my travel than point-point tickets and regional passes. I think that most trains in Europe, particularly for the short distances I travel, are regional trains without seat reservations. A train is not a plane; you don't have to remain seated until the train comes to a complete stop in the station. Know the time that your train will arrive and, if possible, the track number of your connecting train. Before the train stops in the station, get up, gather your luggage, and go to the end of the coach, so you can get off as soon as the train stops. Locate the stairs to the connecting tunnel and go there. If you don't already know the platform of the connecting train, check the schedule board on the platform. A lot of people will be going the same place; stay with the herd. The conductor for the next train will be standing on the platform watching the people board. He isn't going to release the train while there are people getting on.

I usually buy all my tickets on line 30 to 60 days in advance. There are substantial savings over a railpass and the reservation is part of the ticket. The downside is that these are nonrefundable and incur penalties if you have to rebook. So the tradeoff is less flexiblity and less money vs more flexibilty for more money (albeit railpass is better deal than buying tickets on the spot). If you do get a pass, lots of trains require reservations for a small fee. I remember standing between cars from Lyon to Avignon because I skipped that step. Transfering could not be easier. Even if your ticket shows only a 5 minute change, it shouldn't be a problem. Note on the reservation which track you arrive on and which track your connection leaves from. Step off the train when you arrive (you've already got your bags and are standing near the exit with everyone else changing). Go down the steps and walk underneath the tracks to your next track, up the steps, and you're there, 2 minutes.

Jane , starting out to acquire travel skills we are all novices in the beginning . There is a method to doing this and when it applies to rail travel one needs to address this in a certain order . There are many sources of information that serve the basics , and looking at them would help give you a firm grounding in advance of looking for specific answers. In other words , don't put the cart before the horse . Rick's * Europe through the back door " is a good start. As well there are many web sites that are extremely helpful . While not all of them are specific to your particular trip . they are great in familiarizing a traveler with the general principles of european rail travel .Some things to try: Ron in Rome ; trenitalia- italy not where you are headed , but very informative . The man in seat 61 ; even though you won't start in the uk ; a fount of useful information . The sites for German ( DBB ), French ( SNCF ) , Swiss (SBB ch.) national systems to name several . Several hours well spent in giving you one of the best travel skills you can have . As far as transfers , It's really not very complex . Get off one train and get on another . The details aren't a huge problem , particularly if you travel LIGHT ! have a great trip!!!

I am in the process of planning a trip for myself (72) grandson (28) and his GF (24) next year. At this stage we plan to visit Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Czech Republic. I am preparing a spreadsheet listing our train trips in order. One column will indicate cost of Point-To-Point tickets....next column will indicate cost of a Rail Pass Day (if any). Also in determining IF I need a Rail Pass and where it is needed ... I use this site: http://www.railsaver.com Play with it a few times.

I'm afraid I don't have much confidence in RailSaver. For my trip last May, I put in my itinerary, and RailSaver said to buy a rail pass for 3 times what I actually paid. Admittedly, I used a lot of regional passes, like Bayern-Tickets, and a Saver Fare ticket to keep my cost down, and they don't take those into account, but still, they were way off.

Jane, you will find that most experienced people on this website do not use RailEurope or their Eurail pass. RailEurope pays big money to appear first on all search engines when you begin your research. They are a ticket agency and not a train website. I think you will discover that most experienced travelers on this website buy point-to-point tickets either in advance online or 1-2 days in advance of travel while they are in Europe.