Travel by Class: Rail Passes vs. Point-to-point

Be absolutely certain that you need a rail pass. In the older days it was a no brainer but rail passes are expensive and you often have to be pay additional fees to use certain trains. So lay out your travel schedule and price point to point before making the decision to buy a pass. The is little advantage to first class train travel. No like flying coach.

Whether or not you have a railpass doesn't make any difference as to what class of point-point ticket you have to buy. As long as you sit in 2nd class, just give the conductor your ticket.

The only reason you have to "pay for first class" with a Eurail pass is that there is only one type of Eurail pass sold, and it allows you to ride in 1st class. No one will stop you from riding in 2nd class with a Eurail pass.

Most, if not all, of the single country passes, like the German Rail Pass, are sold as either 1st or 2nd class passes.

I guess what I'm asking is if I'm allowed to travel 2nd class when I'm calculating those point-to-point tickets? Do I have to travel 1st class, or do I only have to travel 1st class with the Eurrail pass?

If I can travel 2nd, then I think I may be able to save a lot of money by skipping the Eurrail pass or buying a very limited one- just for the longer legs of the trip.

Rachel,

Yes, you can purchase 2nd class point-to-point tickets at the 2nd class price.

That's what I was hoping to hear! Thank you!

Of course you don't have to buy tickets if it is covered by your pass . . . but I guess you know that. Be careful because some trains require reservations and on top of the rail pass you will have to pay for the reservations. If there are no "rail pass seats" the rail site will offer you tickets on the train at the full price (without telling you that, but you can tell the prices are high). Check for other trains that do have rail pass seats available. Then you may only have to pay like $12 or $35 depending on what train. Local trains don't require reservations.

Adding to what Jon said, the term "reservation" is misused. On certain trains, like Italian EuroStar and Thalys, they charge a "supplement" to railpass holders because it is a "premium" train. With this fee comes a seat reservation, so they call it a reservation fee, but it is, in reality, an extra charge. On Thalys, in particular, and maybe on others, they limit the number of passholder reservations on any train, and, in popular times, these "reservations" are sometimes sold out, so if you want to get on that train, and there are no more passholder reservations, you would have to buy a full fare ticket.

Note that in Germany, there are no premium trains on the regular Bahn lines (exc Thalys into Köln). Seat reservations for a pass holder cost €5 in 1st class at a counter or online; 2nd class are €1 less.