I will be traveling with my daughter and her 2 friends (all 19 years old)though Germany, Austria and Switerland for 3 weeks. Would it be cheaper to rent a car or buy 4 eurail passes. Also which is easier and more fun.
Posted by
Bellevue, WA, USA
81 posts
I think it depends on where you are going in those countries. Some cities are easier to travel to via train because of expesive parking or lack of parking. Big cities - train. Countryside might be better in a car (it all depends on what cities).
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
Like Alicia says, it really depends on where you are going. You have to determine this on a case-by-case basis, and that takes some hard research. If you don't want to do the work, rent a car. In 12 weeks of travel in Germany this century, I have always analyzed point-point vs. a car vs a pass. I have always found point-point to be the best deal. And remember, when looking at car rentals, make sure the car is big enough. You have four people plus luggage, and women are not particularly noted for packing light. Check out the model they are quoting and see if you can find them at a dealer. European cars have notoriously small trunks.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Janet: Apart from the cost difference, you also should consider what kind of trip you want to have. Travelling from place to place on European trains can be fun, but the places you get to are only the ones accessible by rail. (Not that that's a bad thing !) With a car you can explore what takes your fancy, any little village, castle or church you happen to come upon. You can stop at a village market for supplies and then find a lovely place on the road to picnic. And it is such a lot of fun to drive in Europe.