Eurail Select Pass

Home

Maps | Timetables | FAQs

FAQ Search

Agent login

Contact

Manage booking

Specials

1. "It was fantastic - so easy to use and value for money."

Rachael
(Auckland)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

We thought the eurail pass was fantastic and would recommend it to any travellers who are doing a lot of trips by train around Europe. It is so easy to use and the flexibility of it is great. When you consider that single tickets often cost around 100 euros per trip on their own, paying for a eurail pass does save you a lot of money! Travelling 1st class all the time was a bonus, too.

2. "Go by train"

Mary
(Wellington)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Trains in Germany are the best way to travel. No messing round waiting like you have to in airports, comfortable seats, plenty of room for luggage, good connections, fast and run to time.

3. "Fantastic way to travel."

Yvonne
(Buderim, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

The Eurail Select Pass made our trip very easy with every thing reserved for us. Wonderful way to travel and see the countryside.

4. "Train travel was effortless with our Eurail Saver pass. With the Saver Pass our first class ticket was the same price as a single second class ticket so great value. Highly recommend the Saver Pass."

Clare
(Brighton, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

We reserved seats on most journeys before departing. Next time I'll compare the cost of reservations made from Australia and those made when in Europe to get the best value for money.

5. "Great way to travel as usual!"

Robyn
(Brisbane, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Just today I was telling a fellow traveller how great the Eurail Passes are and how economical they are as well. There are so many choices so you can always find the one that suits you perfectly.

6. "Great way to travel in Europe"

Craig
(Carindale, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

The trains always left on time and were easy to travel on with room for baggage. Staff were helpful and no problems with speaking English as rail employees could understand. I do beleive it is the most cost effective way to travel in Europe and see some great scenery. One thing we must stress is to pre book your tickets to ensure you have a seat. There are train strikes in Italy while it did not effect us there were people we spoke to in some towns that were effected by the strikes and they had to seek other means of transport to there next destination.

7. "Austria's Railjet was a great experience"

Peter
(Seaford Rise, SA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Dissapointed that the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn not covered in Eurail Select Pass, Could this be fixed?

8. "Everything went smoothly, no problems with bookings etc..."

Mr & Mrs Reade
(Christchurch)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

9. "Beats flying from city to city"

Reginald
(Belmont, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

10. "Value for money for groups and families."

Vicki
(Gold Coast, Australia, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Value for money was very good using the pass for us because we were a group of four. However, I did have to check the internet to find out which platform our trains were leaving from before we set off on the next leg of our trip otherwise trying to find this information once you are at the station on the day can be a nightmare especially in a non english speaking country. Also, make sure you pay attention to the carriage or couch you are in and check the platform for diagrams on the trains which will show you exactly where you will be on the train. Example, couch 2 first class is at the end or start of the carriages normally next to the bistro/food carriage so you can position yourself to where you think the train may pull up and be ready to board. If you don't do this you are running frantically around with very limited time to board and may end up on the wrong carriage and then fight your way through the masses to get to your seat. We were travelling first class with seat reservations. Lastly, be organised and fill in your paperwork before getting on so you are ready for the conductor. Eg. dates on the pass.

11. "The product suited us and worked fantastically. Great way to travel and see Europe. "

David
(Hawthorn East, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

People make the product. From the purchase process, the collection of tickets in Melbourne, and then the railway staff in Europe. All provided friendly service and our travel, all beit at late notice due to our short notice commitments, all went smoothly. Clean carriages (sorry wagons). Will use again. Thanks to all.

12. "excellent if you have a set itinerary"

Polly
(Herston, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 4/5

Having the Eurail Select Pass for us was really good because we had already booked our accommodation and had set dates of where we had to be on particular days. So pre-booking the tickets saved us time as we could just rock up to to the train station and not have to wait forever in line to buy a ticket.

13. "easy travel"

VINCENT
(AUSTRALIND, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

this is a good product but make sure you way up the cost of the pass compared to the straight up cost of tickets.

14. "Quick, comfortable and easy. "

Vicki
(Canberra, ACT)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

15. "Ease of travel and great trains made this the perfect journey."

Peter
(Auckland)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

This is a brilliant way to travel - no check-ins, no delays, no hassles. I didn't have a single problem travelling Europe by train - the views along the way make it worth it alone - and the Eurail Select Pass ensures it's affordable. I'll be back to Europe and I'll be on the tracks.

16. "Very easy way to travel"

Raewyn
(Auckland)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

17. "Fantastic trip and great connections all the way."

Bernard
(Wheelers Hill, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Couldn't fault both the service of Rail Plus. Purchased an 8 day select pass to travel through Switzerland, Italy and France. Rail Plus were most helpful prior to departure giving advice and assistance with the journeys we planned to make and the bookings. As they are based in Melbourne I was able to go there to pick up tickets. The journey itself was fantastic! Train services are so efficient and Rail Plus assisted with time tables etc so it all worked beautifully. Highly recommend Select Pass and Rail Plus.

18. "Makes life easy!"

NJ
(Melbourne, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Product online needs a bit more basic information & explanation for first timers - ie: If I'm travelling to Zurich (Switzerland) from Salzburg (Austria), and my trip terminates in Zurich, does Switzerland need to be one of my included countries, or is it only the country of origin? (The answer apparently is: Yes, any country you travel from or through or into needs to be included)

Moderator: "Any country you travel to/from or through needs to be included on the pass"

19. "Perfect for European travel"

Brian
(Kogarah, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

20. "Fabulous way to see the country and very cheap."

Helen
(Kingsley, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Go to the loo early as it seems when the toilets run out of water the doors lock automatically.

21. "Austrian train service was brilliant"

Dr
(Lismore, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 5/5

The quality of first class train travel declined noticeably beyond Berlin

22. "great way to have transport all sorted Before you go on holidays"

Cory
(Bunbury, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

It's great cos I got the trains paid before I went, so when I got there the only thing I paid for was a couple of reservations during peak hour. I went from Frankfurt to Munich and back in a day for €10 cos of the Eurail pass :-)

23. "Cost-effective and hassle free means of getting tickets."

Paul
(Hamilton)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

The pass is excellent for long journeys or several trips on the same day covering a lot of ground in First Class. When making reservations check that you are getting seats in First Clas Probably too expesive if using second class regional trains.

24. "Even though the information sent on how to use the pass was abit daunting, in practice it was quite easy and no hiccups were experienced in the whole trip. "

Robert
(Bowral, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

The only critism I have was in obtaining the pass and making my seat reservations. I booked through the Austalian branch and as it was all electronically processed I could not; (a)get answers to my queries; (b)was given 24 hours to pay for my seat reservations; (c)got delayed email responses to my queries;(d)the phone contact was a joke, there is not enough years in my life to wait for it to be answered and the promps to go online were not of assistance. I also had difficulty following the website instructions (maybe I'm not all that savvy) however, I also booked seats for a Eurostar journey on their wesite and found their site and seat reservations system very easy to follow and payment made at time of booking was so much easier. Having now travelled to the destinations in France, Italy and Switzerland I would never pre-book my seat reservations again, but rather reserve as I go. (obviously in peak seasons this might be a problem, but I don't travel in peak times)

Moderator: "We have a 36 hour email turnaround and in peak season our phones are very busy. We are very sorry for the issues caused."

25. "For first timetrain travellers in Europe, the eurail select pass worked brilliantly, simple hassle free travel."

Judith
(Tauranga)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

This was our first time traveling in Europe other than a trip to the UK & Spain, where we had a vehicle of our own. After a lot of discussion with other travelers, reading the Lonely Planet and the Rail Plus website we decided that the select pass would work well for us over 50's(hopefully). On arrival in Amsterdam we went to the tourist counter at the ticket office at Central Station and once we had worked out the system (again outlined in Lonely Planet or on the Eurail site), how to get a number and wait your turn, we validated our pass and asked a few questions re use,the staff were helpful and were happy to make suggestions. We found we could use it on most of the intercity or local trains through Austria, Benelux, Germany and Switzerland. Traveling first class was great esp as we were away in April/ May so the trains were never full and we didn't need to prebook seats, just turned up and hopped on. However we had seats allocated on our two longest trips, Berlin to Munich and Salzburg to Zurich which we had organised in NZ before we left, which was easy and saved any concern re getting a seat together. In Switzerland we were able to use the pass for a reduction in cost to go up the Jungfrau. Coming back to Lucerne our conductor explained the dining car was unavailable but told us to get off at the next station and we would have 12mins to get a coffee and something to eat before the train left again, which we did with some apprehension, however true to his word he did check to see we were back on the train before he blew the whistle.!! Overall the Swiss train service was superb but our experience in all the other countries was also excellent. Quite a few of the stations were under reconstruction but were clearly signposted to make it easy to find your way. I would definitely use a Eurail Pass again.

26. "great way to travel"

HELEN
(Albert Park, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

27. "Very Convenient. No Queues"

Rowland
(FRENCHS FOREST, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Best used for long trips. Regional and suburban trains are very cheap compared to Australia. Overnight train trip was a disappointment compared to the old Southern Aurora. Other trains were great. I'm still not clear on which trains booking is mandatory, or advisable. Lost one days travel due to mistaking the date. There should be some way of rectifying this.

28. "Train is THE way to see Europe."

ROBERT
(Wilberforce, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Travelling through Europe by train is relaxing and comparatively hassle-free. No wasting half a day getting to airports where you then have to undertake rigorous security measures, not to mention the cost of transfers on account of the fact that most airports are necessarily a long way from city centres. Train enables you to see the European countryside even though one's primary aim may be to experience it's vibrant cities. If you are the driver, you can't do this when travelling by car. I thought well before our first train journey on a recent trip that train travel would be good but it actually thoroughly surpassed all our expectations!

29. "Easy to use and a great way to travel"

Anthony
(Albany)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Easy to use and great way to travel. Third time I have used a Eurail pass and have had no problem with them at all.

30. "Easy to use. Had to show pass on every leg. Have to prebook all seats.Go by the train time rather than desination when looing for platform numbers released 10mins before train departure."

Catherine
(Port Macquarie, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

31. "The Golden Pass in Switzerland was spectacular!"

Peter
(Dianella, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

11 days of train travel in 42 days of travelling through 4 countries in southern Europe. A bit daunting doing the first reservation, but easy after that, and only one instance of not being able to get the specific train we wanted resulting in only a minor modification to plans. One case of a train running late (in Italy) that caused a missed connection resulting in a delay of less than 2 hours, again not a major problem. It was a great way to travel, and I would do it again without hesitation. The Golden Pass railway and other day trips out of Bern (Switzerland)were spectacular. The value for money was exceptional (or so the French locals thought!) and the quality of the high speed trains was excellent.

32. "great value for money"

Byron
(Flemington, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 5/5

33. "Fantastic, it worked beautifully throughout Switzerland, Italy and France."

Roselynd
(Bassendean, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

We were a bit apprehensive at first as we had only ever booked separate train trips before. We used the pass extensively and reserved some seats (at a small cost) at the suggestion of the Railplus team. If you are not sure of anything ask someone from Railplus. We travelled on a first class Pass and would highly recommend that, mainly because you are more likely to get a seat there than in second class as that is how most of the locals travel.

34. "Easy to use and provides good access to lots of trains in Europe"

Karen
(Wahroonga, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Love travelling on trains in Europe. It is so easy and you only have to be at station maximum of 30 minutes before, not like travelling on planes and having to have luggage weighed. Though it is better if luggage is smaller and light to get onto the train easily. Trains run very much to time and you get to see the sigts and villages you pass through on the way.

35. "Great & easy way to travel around Europe."

Malcolm
(Tamborine, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

We found it very easy to get around and would recommend you ask at information desks for a printout to your destination, that will provide you with train times and platform numbers, which makes it a lot easier.

36. "Rail pass was great and easy to use. Took worry out of travel."

Kate
(Corinda, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

We had no problem using the rail pass and would recommend it to all travellers. Travel went very smoothly. However carriages weren't were they were supposed to be so boarding the train was quite difficult at times. Had to rush down platform. Also not enough room for baggage.

37. "Great way to travel Europe-so comfortable!"

David
(Watson, ACT)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

38. "an easy way to travel across Europe"

Mrs
(Modbury North, SA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

We enjoyed the train travel, with great scenery through Europe. The trains were always on time.

39. "Excellent value for money"

Ulli
(BASSENDEAN, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

You can get to virtually any part of Europe via rail, it is comfortable, clean and fast. Train schedules are easy to follow and very efficient. It is a highly recommendable way of getting around.

40. "Rail travel is fantastic - sit back and relax."

VIVIANNE
(NORTH BEACH, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Travelling by rail enabled me to sit back and relax as I did not have to drive. My family and I enjoyed all our travels by train. Tip - if you are travelling with your family, reserve your seats for all journeys. It does'nt cost much and you don't have to stress trying to find a seat.

41. "Eurail Pass is convenient, safe & fun."

Vanessa
(Richmond, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 5/5

fantastic to have,we could get on & off most trains without any hassle of buying a ticket or work out what time etc.The only thing I didnt like waa that initally we didt know we had to reserve a seat which left us in trouble at the start of the trip.

Moderator: "Rail Plus provides information on passholder seat reservations in the Eurail Guide (page 6) that comes with your pass, also there is a yellow sticker on the pass cover informing passengers about seat reservations and we also enclose an 'Important Information' sheet with all documents."

42. "Just a wonderful way to organise our travels linking our holiday destinations"

Godelieve
(West Pennant Hills, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

One tip, as we and some other passengers were caught out, was that using your rail pass for the Glacier Express only takes you legally up to VISP. You need a further ticket from Visp to Zermatt. This is besides booking reservations for your seats. Definitely worthwhile using your railpass for both the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express. The scenery is magic!

Moderator: "Seat reservation fees are an additional charge for this train. The following passes require compulsory seat reservations and cover the entire journey on the Glacier Express. Swiss Pass and Swiss Fleixpass. The following passes require compulsory seat reservations and a point to point ticket (between Disentis and Zermatt/Brig). Eurail Pass, Eurail Flexipass, Eurail Select Pass (must include Switzerland), Eurail Germany-Switzerland Pass, Eurail France - Switzerland Pass, Eurail Austria - Switzerland Pass. The above Eurail Passes (that include Switzerland) are only valid between Davos/ St Moritz to Disentis. The additional point to point ticket between Disentis to Zermatt/Visp/Brig must be purchased because it is a private line."

43. "Excellent product, printed timetable very helpful"

Alisa
(Lane Cove, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Many ticket inspectors are not familiar with the Eurail passes. They stamp and hole punch the pass continually. Having had a 3 month global pass previously, I didn't have much of a pass left after it had been stamped so frequently. It would be ideal to see ticket collectors educated about the Eurail passes, their validity and the fact that they do not need to be stamped/hole punched.

44. "Switzerland / France 2006 - Eurail"

Karen
(Milton, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

Our family of 5 - 2 adults and 3 kids were travelling from Zurich to Paris on the night train, then on the metro to Paris Montparnasse to catch the TGV to Tours. As usual we had way too much luggage and so couldn't fit ourselves AND the suitcases into our 6 berth cabin. The train attendant very kindly opened the linen closet for us and we had the difficult decision on whether to put the luggage or the kids in there. We arrived into Paris Gare ESTearly the next morning after a comfortable nights sleep, bought our metro tickets for the trip to Montparnasse, boarded our train and then discovered that although we were on the right line, we were going in the wrong direction! So we jumped off at the next station and grabbed the next train we could to Montparnasse. By this this stage we were running very short of time to catch our TGV to Tour and Montparnasse is huge. we seemed to be travelling up and escalators in all directions. By the time we found the platform, the TGV was actually leaving!. I don't know how we did it, but we actually managed to squeeze 5 people and 5 suitcases into a slowly moving train! OK, we're on! However quite a few carriages away from where we were supposed to be, so after many "excuse moi"s we gratefully sank into our comfortable seats and grabbed a well deserved coffee.

45. "Adventures Unlimited - Eurail"

Barbara
(Melbourne, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

This exciting rail journey happened almost exactly years ago, when I was rail-passing around Europe on my own, visiting friends and family in the UK, Holland and my final destination, Spain. The trip from Amsterdam to Paris was pretty uneventful. The trains run painfully on time, they were clean, conductors polite and smiling. Back then the difference between rail systems in the north and south of Europe was enormous. The real adventure started in Paris, changing stations across town. Having no French, I was concerned about approaching the man at the Ger-du-Nord information counter about the connection. What a pleasant surprise; he was friendly, spoke perfect English and gave all the right information about which line I had to take to get to Gare de Lyon. I started to regret I didnÂ?t stop in Paris for at least a few days. That is, until I got to Gare de Lyon and tried to find out which platform the train to Madrid departed from. I can still remember the woman sitting at the information counter. She had straight back, stern expression on her face. I approached her with, Â?Eexcuse me, do you speak English?Â? Â?No.Â? was her reply Â?Espanol?Â? Â?No.Â? Â?Deutch?Â? Surely, she would have to speak at least one foreign language. Â?No.Â? The expression on her face didnÂ?t change one bit. Â?Seulement Francais?Â? I asked the obvious. Â?Oui.Â? Thanks, lady. IÂ?ll wait for the announcements on displays. The compartment on the overnight train to Madrid was crowded, there was no way anybody was getting any sleep. Most of the passengers were guest workers from North Africa, going home for summer holidays. It was interesting to listen to their stories, of how they were received and their attempts of adapting to the new homes so completely different from their home countries. In early morning we got to Irun, the border between France and Spain. I was excited. WeÂ?re getting closer now! Too soon; we were on the Spanish train for about an hour when an announcement of a bomb threat came through on the intercom system. Am I hearing this right? We all disembarked Â? I cannot recall if there was a station or if we were in the middle of nowhere. The busses miraculously appeared and we set off toward Madrid without further ado. Â?DonÂ?t tell your mum,Â? was my first thought. I donÂ?t remember much of the bus trip; I was drowsy from lack of sleep, scared of an ETA attack and travelling on my own only just out of school I was getting worried if I was ever going to get to Madrid. I did. Not to Atocha Station as I presumed 9one last confusion), but to Chamartin, which is quite out of the way. I rang my friend and could not be more relieved when they came to pick me up. We went to a fiesta that night, fireworks and all, and my long journey was soon a memory.

46. "Europe 2006 - Trenitalia Pass"

Sonia
(VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

My husband and I left our hotel in Venice very early in the morning in order to take the ferry to the main station and board our train to Milan which was then connecting us to flights to Skopje. After just making it to the station, we boarded the train and sat in our carriage that we were sharing with a nun, a priest and a couple of other locals. Half way through the journey the inspector came around asking for our tickets. I showed him our rail passes and our pre-booked seat tickets, he then proceeded to tell me that because i hadnt validated our tickets by writing todays date on the ticket that i would need to pay 50EURO per person directly to him. I thought this was ridiculous as we had travelled on 4 other legs and this was never mentioned by any other inspector. I refused to pay him the money and told him that I felt he was trying to rip us off as we were tourists. He took the tickets off me and tried to tell me that if i didnt pay him he would not give back the tickets and that he would call the police. I told him that he could do whatever he wanted to but I refused to pay him the money. By this stage the coversation was getting quite heated and I had to keep biting my tongue out of respect for the nun and priest sharing our carriage. When we arrived in Milan I looked out of our window and sure enough there were the police with our ticket inspector giving them a run down of the story. Luckily enough, another train had just arrived at the platform across from us, so my husband and i grabbed our bags, ducked our heads and tried to blend in with the crowd. Once we had pased the police we ran for our lives. We can now look back and laugh, but the idea of spending time at a police station when we had a flight to catch was not an option. Would I go back to Italy again? In a heart beat! Would I travel on their trains again? Absolutely, the best way to get around. Moral of the story - read all of the conditions on your tickets, even if you are a travel agent and think you know everything :)

47. "A Christmas Journey from Venice to Zurich"

DIANA
(QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

After holidaying for a month from November in Europe, having spent some time in the UK and Europe, this was the final stage of our travels. With me was my husband Nev, and our two grown up kids. We had been using hire cars up to this stage. All of us, but (especially Nev as he did the majority), were tired after driving, remembering to keep on the "wrong side" of the road, crazy Italian drivers, through hazardous roads with black ice from Milan to Venice. The kids, initially, were not too sure about "training all the way to Zurich". Little did we know that this would be one of the best experiences of our holiday We boarded the train at Venezia S Lucia as I booked us to travel during the daylight .Our initial journey was to Salzburg, Austria.(alternately this service can be done overnight on direct service) The train was right on time and we found it easy to find our cabin. Initially we shared a cabin with two girls travelling to Kufstein, so this especially entertained our 20 year old son! Although they only spoke a little English, by the time they left us we were almost family!! The scenery through this area is breathtaking. As it travels into the North of Italy of course the mountains are there immediately, with the tunnels opening onto picturecard scenery. However even more importantly, we were able to just sit and relax with the kids as although we had been together travelling for a month, mostly we had been dashing about sightseeing. We played cards, talked and laughed about the trip sofar, and admired the beautiful scenery. Being the week before Christmas, we arrived in Salzburg to drop our luggage off at a hotel close to the station, and then go to the amazing Christmas Markets, and after two days there we travelled onto Kitzbuhel for a White Christmas in the snowfields at a little town on the outskirts Reith-bei-Kitzbuhel. The train is by far the easiest way to the skifields. I kept thinking I was in a postcard, this area is so beautiful. The skiing in this area is also excellent, especially as it covers all levels. A few days after Christmas we left for Lucerne. This train journey proved to be an adventure. After picking up the local train from Kitzbuhel to Salzburg, we thought we had a seven hour journey to Lucerne but ended up being nine because at this time of year trees can come down with the snow and cover the lines. When this happens, they have very good coaches (bus) that take you to the next station, to reboard the train. It was done with great efficiency so obviously this happens often in the winter months. So we ended up having a two hour tour of the alps between two towns on our journey. Excellent! It did not concern us that we were arriving into Lucerne a little late as we had already booked accommodation ahead and were there a few days. Our final leg was a short journey to Zurich where we caught our flight home. We found the trains all quiet, clean and efficient. Nev was able to relax instead of having to drive, he found this excellent and he snoozed aften. We had no problems if we had to change trains, and we met several friendly interesting people on our journeys. Using the trains helped make it a fabulous, unforgetable Christmas.

48. "Kelly's No Dust Tour - EURAIL PASS WITH SEAT ALLOCATIONS"

Elizabeth
(NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

After rising early for our 5.10am to Dijon econmy sit anywhere. Lots of people travel at this time of the morning , we commence our day long trip to Italy by Train with many connections along the way. Lyon we arrive and connect for the train to Geneva CCF first class. Unbeknowns to us the train divides at a station, cant remember the name) we arrive at Marie Anne (a suburb or Geneva). Off to the Eurail office to change our tickets for a later train and instructions on how to get to Geneva CCF for our 2 hour unscheduled stop. 10 minute walk from the rail station to the Lake. Coffee at the lake watching the Simpleon ferry cruise, the spout shoot up crystal blue sky. Time to board our train to Milan find our compartment...first class. Full compartment... Out with the map as we travel along Lake Lucerne water shimmering in the afternoon sun and the snow covered Alps on the other with grapevines on the lower levels just starting to show green. Awesome comes to mind. Our travelling companions provide us with a commentary of the places we travel pass... the locals just love their country. Our travel companions regularly travel from Geneva to Milan and stops in between. It is fast and relaxing. With no battery left in the camera for shots . You can charge your camera and lap tops in first class. we enjoy a coffee provided on the train Eur2.50 (not bad at all) and enjoy the scenery and company. We arrive into Milan tired and at the same time excilerated by our all day adventure travelling by train in Europe.

49. "Porto to Biarritz - Unexpected meeting - Eurail"

carol
(Brighton, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

After an overnight train journey from Porto (Portugal), we disembarked at the French/Spanish border to change trains on our way to Biarritz. A group of Americans said Hi to us an commented on my husbands surfboard. We tried to ignore them, but they persisted. 'Goin' surfin' at Biarritz??', they yelled. We stopped to talk to them and in one of them said he was from Huntington Beach, California. 'I have cousins in Huntington Beach' said my husband, 'but I have never met them". My husband told him that one of his cousins had a strange nickname and the American's jaw dropped! 'That's my cousin!', he said. So, it turns out that this guy on a train station in the middle of nowhere was my husband's cousin.

50. "Unexpected stopover - Eurail Pass - Europe"

Chris
(QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

At the time, I did not know that boarding the train from Prague to Vienna, Austria would be one of the highlights / most strangest experiences of my whole European trip. For some strange reason, about 4 hours into the journey ( about which time we should be arriving into Vienna) the train slowed down, stopped and started to go back the way we came. After about an hour of constant reversing and stopping, we were notified that we had been diverted to Bratislava due to some unknown reason. We then eventually stopped at some rural town bordering Slovakia and Austria where we saw around 50+ solderiers armed with AK - 47 rifles boarded the train. The soldiers of the Slovakian Army then went through the train checking everyone's passport. They eventually got around to checking mine and they noticed that I was holding an Australian passport, the soldier then shouted to his other troops " aussie , aussie " and in less then 10 seconds I was surrounded by about 6 or 7 soldiers all talking in Slovak so I had no idea what was going on. I was then asked to exit the train, surrender my passport and was placed in an interview room, all the while the train left without me to Vienna. About about an hour, the door swang open and a senior army soldier came in with my passport in hand along with 2 beers. He then sat down in front of me and expressed his deepest apologies, as the person they had been looking for was an Australian who was living in Slovakia illegally and there had been a big mistake as there were similarities in names and appearance. After a bit of a laugh , the soldier in charge then led me outside to an Army Jeep where 2 soldiers were waiting to drive me all the way into Vienna ( about an hours drive) straight to my Hotel. Fantastic experience. Chris Mckee

51. "Great for Germany, but beware of Italy"

Michael
(E. St Kilda, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 3/5
Suitability: 4/5

In Italy you get conflicting advice from various people in Trenitalia. In my case this conflicting advice resulted in a 16 Euro fine for being on an empty train without a reservation. More information is needed from both RailPlus and Trenitalia on this issue-their conductors are unhelpful and officious.

52. "Very easy for mature age travellers"

Jim
(currambine, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 4/5

Initially I was a bit confused with the online booking system used by rail plus however the end result was excellent and I will recommend to my friends . There is a big differnce between 1st and 2nd class on most European trains. 1st class is worth the extra cost French and Swiss trains are modern , clean and usually adhere to timetables while Italian trains are older but you will eventually reach your destination

53. "Excellent product"

Carolyn
(Buderim, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 5/5

54. "Good value and convenient, but having to make seat reservations in person wasnt. "

Nadia
(Glen Forrest, WA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 5/5

Moderator: "You can book seats with Rail Plus before you leave Australia. Trains generally open up for reservations 90 days in advance."

55. "Easy to use & great value for money"

Kevin
(Auckland)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 4/5

56. "love the flexibility fo being able to go where you want when you want by whatever route you wish to choose"

Louise
(West Hobart)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 3/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

I thought the reservation fees charged by you were far too high. I reserved a seat on the railjet from Salzburg to Zurich as it was the day I needed to catch my plane from Zurich back to Australia. The seat you reserved for me was between two windows so if I had sat there I would have only had a view of a gray wall. As it turned out the train was nearly empty so I felt $60 was a very unfair price, especailly considering the most I ever paid in Europe even on the TGV was 14 Euros.

57. "Great way to travel the continent."

Jan
(Launceston)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 3/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 4/5

Wonderful to arrive into the centre of each city as against airports. The reservation requirements on most trains can become quite expensive and I would advise travelers to doing a costing if possible before leaving Australia.

58. "Comfortable way to travel"

John
(Mornington, VIC)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 4/5

Easy to use and offers flexibility on each day of use. No problem if trains are missed as you just hop on to the next available. Also not locked into a particular day of travel. Main stations offer all the facilities required while waiting for trains and the trains themselves offer comfortable travel. Recommend seat reservations on busy/critical sections of the journey,

59. "Easy to plan; easy to use"

Koya
(Bardon, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 4/5

It would be nice if: the initial stumping could be done by the conductor on the train; and the ticket also works other public transport in the cities, i.e. bus and trams.

60. "Great to know we had a seat on a train, when and where we expected."

Alison
(Macquarie Hills, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 4/5

61. "Trains in Europe are fantastic. "

Joanne
(Canberra, ACT)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 4/5

62. "Very easy to use, need to check to make sure some trains require reservations."

Mark
(Athelstone, SA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 4/5

Was using 3 country pass Austria/Czech Republic and Hungary. Was a bit surprised when we were traveling from Prague to Budapest. Because we were doing some of the journey through Slovakia (Need to check geography carefully,even though we were not getting off there!)the guard made us pay another 44 Euro. Other wise it all went well. Austrian trains are superb. The only way to travel long distances in Europe. If you know what days you are travelling you can check the train timetables on the net and print out which trains may be suitable. Helps when making seat reservations, even if the staff don't speak english.

63. "It was a business trip, so the ease of use once endorsed at the station was very practical. it saves time and money looking for the best fare of the day, i know i gained at least 20% in fare savings by buying the pass"

THIERRY
(Artarmon, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 4/5

64. "Most trains were excellent. DB ICE especially."

Margaret
(Boomerang Beach, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 3/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 5/5

On our Eurail Select Pass we trained from Hamburg to Copenhagen and were amazed to see our train actually board the ferry across the Baltic. Trains with dining cars made the journeys even more enjoyable. We took as many high speed trains as possible and found that taking a train much simpler than struggling to an airport and flying to our destination.

65. "The ease of using the train as opposed to air travel within Europe."

Ian
(Wahroonga, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Suitability: 3/5

66. "Always enjoy train travel - but short trips with no reservations not that suitable."

Frank
(Sydney, NSW)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 3/5
Suitability: 3/5

Train connections in some towns was quite tight although it was good that on train timing ensured that we could get our connections. Trains vary in style and comfort and services provided. Completing timetable in advance was sometimes a little stressful as completing details before train arrivals on connecting trains not feasible given rules around making errors. Overall good. This is the first time in using select pass normally we have service for a fixed number of days and desinations require minimal change. Thank you

67. "Only way f you plan to use lots of trains in Europe."

Lynn
(Wellington)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 3/5
Ease of use: 3/5
Suitability: 3/5

Unfortunately we had to cancel our trip this time due to sickness. But we got a refund of about 75% back from RailPlus. Will use it if we can travel again next year.

68. "Would do more homework next time"

Judith
(Newmarket, QLD)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 3/5
Ease of use: 3/5
Suitability: 3/5

It was great to travel through Europe, relaxed and gazing at the scenery passing by. and not having to worry about road signs in foreign languages or taking the wrong turn. The trains are usually on time and usually clean, especially in first class. We had some mixed experiences, with one train delayed by about 4 hours, but the trains always leave on time, so you can't be late to catch a train. Some places didn't seem to require seat allocations while others did and we were unfortunate enough to be told that all trains to Paris were fully booked on the day we wanted to travel, despite the fact that there 15 train services daily. The best trip we had was from Seville to Barcelone in Spain. We were booked into the first class carriage and we were served a very nice breakfast, complete with real cutlery and a linen serviette. The trip was very smooth and the speed of the train was displayed at the end of the carriage - top speed was just over 300km per hour, a new land speed record for me! Some days we were were only travelling short distances and it would have been cheaper to just pay for a ticket locally. Overall the trains made our travelling very easy.

69. "Its good if you are doing limited stops. "

Vishaal
(Auckland)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 3/5
Ease of use: 4/5
Suitability: 3/5

What i am not happy is that when i did booking on Rail Plus the bookings of trians should say where the trains are travelling to. Because i had to pay more money during my travel as my train went to the 5th country, how am i supposed to know when there is no information where the train is going. All the reservation did was show me the start and end stop. Also i wasn't happy that i paid for reservation for Swiss trains, these trains even if they are fast did not require any reservation.

Moderator: "You are able to see where trains are going via the timetable tool. "

70. "Relaxing way to see Europe"

Stephen
(MAWSON LAKES, SA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 3/5
Ease of use: 2/5
Suitability: 3/5

1. The Rail Plus instuctions issued with the ticket siad we MUST validate the Eurail pass before we boarded the first train. We arrived at Gare de L'Est in the middle of the French pension strikes and queued for about 30 minutes as many other people were trying to sort out their travel following strike cancelations. Fortunaely, an SNEF officer came along the queue sorting out issues, as I was still 30 minutes from the front with time running out to catch the train, and when I queried he old me to get on the train and get it done by the train staff - I think your instructions should qualify the MUST for such circumstances. 2. The Gare de L'Est and other stations often show only the final destination on there main departure boards, and it is not clear without detailed reveiw of fhe Eurail time table or knowledge of Eoropean geography that these trains stop at the intermediate stations that have the seats booked through Rail PLus. 20 minutes before departure the intermediate stops were shown at the actual platform, but not on the main board. Again some instruction might be worthwhile. 3. At Gare dd L'Est and also Interlaken Ost, the train at the Platform was actually 2 trains which would decouple and split at an intermediate destination down the line - at Gare de L'Est the rear carriages went to Mulhouse whilst the front of fhe train continued onto Zurich. Again a word of advice might be useful for others to check that the section of the train they get on is the one for their intended destination.

71. "Trains were great, and a very easy way to get around. Watch out for booking fees. We found we had paid twice for Paris to Munich trip. Embarrassing for train staff and a waste of money for us. "

RobertFisher
(Cambridge)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 1/5
Ease of use: 3/5
Suitability: 3/5

We'd definitely use trains in Europe again but, unless we were intending to use trains a lot (like every day or two) we would book individually.

72. "Great way to commute London-Paris"

Stephen
(MAWSON LAKES, SA)

Recommend:
Overall rating:

Value for money: 4/5
Ease of use: 2/5
Suitability: 0/5

TheRail Plus website was obscure how to claim my Eurail discount.

73. "would not use it again"

nicole
(leeming, WA)

Recommend: Dont recommend
Overall rating:

Value for money: 1/5
Ease of use: 2/5
Suitability: 1/5

I HOPE YOU PUBISH THIS !! If you buy a Eurail pass it doent mean you have a seat on a train. Remember this, there is a limited number of seats alocated to the pass on many routes .. and you dont know what they are till you buy the pass

Moderator: "As mentioned in many areas of our website, High Speed and premier trains require seat reservations. To obtain seat reservations we highly recommend that you pre-purchase your seats as far in advance of your travel date as possible. Passholder seat reservations are limited. You can buy your seat reservations at the same time as the pass or even before the pass is brought if you wanted to. You can see passholder fares on offer by ticking the 'I have a pass' box on the homepage when you are searching for trains."

Return to top

Search Tips

1. "It was fantastic - so easy to use and value for money."

2. "Go by train"

3. "Fantastic way to travel."

4. "Train travel was effortless with our Eurail Saver pass. With the Saver Pass our first class ticket was the same price as a single second class ticket so great value. Highly recommend the Saver Pass."

5. "Great way to travel as usual!"

6. "Great way to travel in Europe"

7. "Austria's Railjet was a great experience"

8. "Everything went smoothly, no problems with bookings etc..."

9. "Beats flying from city to city"

10. "Value for money for groups and families."

11. "The product suited us and worked fantastically. Great way to travel and see Europe. "

12. "excellent if you have a set itinerary"

13. "easy travel"

14. "Quick, comfortable and easy. "

15. "Ease of travel and great trains made this the perfect journey."

16. "Very easy way to travel"

17. "Fantastic trip and great connections all the way."

18. "Makes life easy!"

19. "Perfect for European travel"

20. "Fabulous way to see the country and very cheap."

21. "Austrian train service was brilliant"

22. "great way to have transport all sorted Before you go on holidays"

23. "Cost-effective and hassle free means of getting tickets."

24. "Even though the information sent on how to use the pass was abit daunting, in practice it was quite easy and no hiccups were experienced in the whole trip. "

25. "For first timetrain travellers in Europe, the eurail select pass worked brilliantly, simple hassle free travel."

26. "great way to travel"

27. "Very Convenient. No Queues"

28. "Train is THE way to see Europe."

29. "Easy to use and a great way to travel"

30. "Easy to use. Had to show pass on every leg. Have to prebook all seats.Go by the train time rather than desination when looing for platform numbers released 10mins before train departure."

31. "The Golden Pass in Switzerland was spectacular!"

32. "great value for money"

33. "Fantastic, it worked beautifully throughout Switzerland, Italy and France."

34. "Easy to use and provides good access to lots of trains in Europe"

35. "Great & easy way to travel around Europe."

36. "Rail pass was great and easy to use. Took worry out of travel."

37. "Great way to travel Europe-so comfortable!"

38. "an easy way to travel across Europe"

39. "Excellent value for money"

40. "Rail travel is fantastic - sit back and relax."

41. "Eurail Pass is convenient, safe & fun."

42. "Just a wonderful way to organise our travels linking our holiday destinations"

43. "Excellent product, printed timetable very helpful"

44. "Switzerland / France 2006 - Eurail"

45. "Adventures Unlimited - Eurail"

46. "Europe 2006 - Trenitalia Pass"

47. "A Christmas Journey from Venice to Zurich"

48. "Kelly's No Dust Tour - EURAIL PASS WITH SEAT ALLOCATIONS"

49. "Porto to Biarritz - Unexpected meeting - Eurail"

50. "Unexpected stopover - Eurail Pass - Europe"

51. "Great for Germany, but beware of Italy"

52. "Very easy for mature age travellers"

53. "Excellent product"

54. "Good value and convenient, but having to make seat reservations in person wasnt. "

55. "Easy to use & great value for money"

56. "love the flexibility fo being able to go where you want when you want by whatever route you wish to choose"

57. "Great way to travel the continent."

58. "Comfortable way to travel"

59. "Easy to plan; easy to use"

60. "Great to know we had a seat on a train, when and where we expected."

61. "Trains in Europe are fantastic. "

62. "Very easy to use, need to check to make sure some trains require reservations."

63. "It was a business trip, so the ease of use once endorsed at the station was very practical. it saves time and money looking for the best fare of the day, i know i gained at least 20% in fare savings by buying the pass"

64. "Most trains were excellent. DB ICE especially."

65. "The ease of using the train as opposed to air travel within Europe."

66. "Always enjoy train travel - but short trips with no reservations not that suitable."

67. "Only way f you plan to use lots of trains in Europe."

68. "Would do more homework next time"

69. "Its good if you are doing limited stops. "

70. "Relaxing way to see Europe"

71. "Trains were great, and a very easy way to get around. Watch out for booking fees. We found we had paid twice for Paris to Munich trip. Embarrassing for train staff and a waste of money for us. "

72. "Great way to commute London-Paris"

73. "would not use it again"