I'm trying to do logistics for an upcoming trip to Rome, Florence, Amsterdam, and paris, my question involves the three country select pass. We'll be getting the three country (Italy, France, & Benelux) rail pass, but when looking at the rail schedule, the route (and timing) that I want to take from Florence to Amsterdam has two changes, one in Zurich, the other in Basel. Would this mean that I would have to get a four-country pass instead of a three? Do they consider the final destination as the prerequisite for the qualifier of the pass? Or would I just use my rail pass up to the border, then pay whatever the fare would be, while inside the border of Switzerland before exiting that country and reentering the country that I have a pass for???
Posted by
OP
Tampa, Florida, USA
2 posts
I appreciate that bit of info...the route that I was looking at is an overnight route from Milan that has me arriving at 0859, as opposed to the overnight trains that go from Italy into Paris that I could then make a connection north from Gare du Nord...I was just looking to get into Amsterdam as early as possible, that's all. I have a Cook's Schedule on it's way, that will help me dig deep into other alternatives. Thanks again for the info about the select pass. After pricing what p2p fares would be, that would be the least expensive way to go afterall, as opposed to adding another country to my rail pass.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19100 posts
If the train stops in Switzerland, whether you get off or not, you have to have some kind of ticket coverage for Switzerland. You could add it as a fourth country or you could buy P2P tickets for Switzerland.
There are also some routes, I believe, that go from Italy to France directly, south of Switzerland, via Aosta or Torino.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23301 posts
Are you sure you have enough train travel to justify a pass? Now days it is difficult to justify a pass unless you have a large number of trips and especially long trips.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19100 posts
I'm not sure if this is still true or not. It might have changed, but it used to be that there were some night trains from Milan to France that went through Switzerland in the middle of the night, through Brig and Lausanne, without stopping, and it was not necessary to have Switzerland as one of the countries.