Pricey fast-train supplements: Passes lose their luster when fees are tacked on. (To learn whether your destinations are served by train, check online train schedules.) Sparse rail coverage: In some areas, such as southern Spain, coastal Croatia, much of Scotland, and all of Greece and Ireland, rail passes make little sense because trains don't reach a lot of places you're planning to go. If your price comparison doesn't produce an obvious winner, take a closer look at factors that could tilt your decision one way or another, such as: If you're traveling in Germany, however, a pass is likely a smart move.

If you're sticking to moderate distances in Italy, for example, it's unlikely a pass will save you money. Several countries, mostly in southern and eastern Europe, have train fares so low that rail passes rarely beat out point-to-point tickets. How does your point-to-point ticket cost compare to the price of a pass? Look up the cost of a pass that covers the region you'll be in and the number of days you'll be on the train (see the country-specific pages linked in the sidebar, and see my tips for choosing among passes).Roughly how much would your point-to-point tickets cost? You don't have to laboriously look up exact train fares - to get a rough idea of what you'd pay for tickets if you didn't get a rail pass, check my cost-estimate maps.No matter what, it's smart to figure out. If you're planning a whirlwind trip all around the continent, a pass (specifically, a Global Pass) is almost certainly the way to go. How many countries will you be visiting by train? The more countries you plan to visit, the more probable it is that you'll save money with a pass.The more time you expect to spend on the train, the more likely you'll want a pass. How many days do you expect to ride the train? If you'll be on the train for just one or two days, you almost certainly won't benefit from a pass.To figure out whether you want to buy a rail pass, sketch out your itinerary, then answer the following questions: It's simplest to buy these in train stations as you travel, but they're becoming easier to purchase online (especially handy if you need to secure an advance reservation for a certain train).īy contrast, a rail pass covers train travel in one or more countries for a certain number of days (either a continuous span of days or a number of days spread over a wider window of time). Point-to-point tickets are just that: tickets bought individually to get you from Point A to Point B. It pays to know your options and choo-choose what's best for your trip. Many travelers make a costly mistake by skipping over the details of this decision, as rail passes are no longer the sure bet they once were.

A train traveler's biggest pretrip decision is whether to get a rail pass or stick with point-to-point tickets (or use a mix of both).

Make a pass at