Eurail vs point to point train tickets

[LoaderTosh]

Wife and self purchased Eurail passes on our first big OE around Western Europe quite a few years ago. Not familiar with current Eurail terms and conditions but back then the Pass covered fares (with conditions) and DIDN’T cover seat bookings. I.e. if you wanted a reserved and guaranteed seat, you paid extra … and, in our case, with accommodation reservations in a new town every two to four days, the cost of reserving guaranteed seats very quickly exceeded the cost of the Pass. If you’re “fairly casual” and not concerned with the possibility of sitting on the floor in the entry/exit stairwells … the Pass is still likely to be “expensive” (except maybe long haul UK … no experience there but on the day UK fares appear to be mostly eye watering).

Our latest (pre Covid) experience was via Booking site “trainline”. Easy to use, well presented options, good prices. E.g. we traveled Berlin to London … DB to Brussels then Eurostar to London … for less than the price of Brussels London if booked on the Eurostar site. Would use “trainline” again with no hesitation.

 

[luxury-lizard]

I'm quite familiar with German rail and Swiss Rail - if you book as soon as the bookings open (up to 6 months for German rail and 60 days for Swiss) you can get some great deals - often for fixed (non-changeable / non-refundable) tickets. Swiss rail also have something called a day ticket (where you can travel anywhere in Switzerland all day) and a half-price pass (which you pay for) which gives you half-price travel.

 

[Melburnian1]

Travelling extensively, I find Eurail Global Passes excellent value for money.

I have never used point-to-point tickets in the UK or Europe.

There's a 10 per cent off sale until 5 January 2023. See the Eurail website. You can buy either a printed paper pass that's mailed to you, or a mobile (smartphone only) pass. I am always worried about how well smartphones work overseas.

Reservations are only compulsory on most (mainline) trains in France, Italy and Spain.

In the UK for instance, if you buy a 1st class Eurailpass, you receive free food and drinks on the five (IIRC) 'long distance' train operators: Avanti West Coast, little known Grand Central, Great Western Railway, LNER and TransPennine Express. Seat reservations in the UK are free, so it's a myth that in every country 'the average cost is Euro10'.

You must book ahead (and reserve) sleeping car berths. OBB (Austria) operates a large number of NightJet trains between European cities. These are very good, and save on the cost of hotels. If you can afford it with your Eurail, travel in the deluxe sleeping car compartments, not the more basic shared couchettes.

Some other rail operators such as Croation Railways have overnight sleeping car trains: again, book at least three months ahead for non peak season travel, and more if you insist on visiting at the European summer's height. I avoid that period but each to his/her own.

 

[SCM]

I am doing the maths, and it seems like I will be getting it (currently 10% discount) for my upcoming trip.

Just one train ride costs almost as much as the entire ticket does ($430 first class vs $10 reservation fee). This one is an anomaly (and even 2nd class costs almost the same), but still makes it very worthwhile in this instance.

 

[MathNerd]

I am doing the maths, and it seems like I will be getting it (currently 10% discount) for my upcoming trip.

Just one train ride costs almost as much as the entire ticket does ($430 first class vs $10 reservation fee). This one is an anomaly (and even 2nd class costs almost the same), but still makes it very worthwhile in this instance.

Wow, that's a crazy price!
I've got a Eurail Global Pass too (obtained at some stage last year at a discount), just wondering what route/train ride you're referring to here?
I don't want to "waste" one/multiple of my 5 allotted travel days on basic/short trains; would rather use it on a journey such as the one you've mentioned that actually causes a saving.
FWIW my Pass is also 1st class (which I was hoping would help with availability etc).
Thanks!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

In my two trips to Europe this year I just booked point to point trains in England, France, Spain and Portugal for my wife and I.

All were very cheap (booked mainly a month or so out). All were easy to book online.

ie

3 hour VFT from Barcelona to Madrid for only 17.05 Euro.




4 hour Fast Train Far to Lisbon in Portugal in 1st Class for 17.5 Euro.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

And in England.






And in France, and booked only a few weeks prior to travel:

Your journey Bergerac Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 €128.00

2 Passengers (so 64 Euro each)

Outbound: Tuesday, 26 July 2022 at 08:59

Your journey Paris Nord Etaples Le Touquet €70.00

2 Passengers (so 35 Euro each)

Outbound: Wednesday, 27 July 2022 at 12:22

 

[BCons]

And in England.

View attachment 314450

View attachment 314451


And in France, and booked only a few weeks prior to travel:

​

Your journey Bergerac Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 €128.00

2 Passengers (so 64 Euro each)

​

Outbound: Tuesday, 26 July 2022 at 08:59

​

Your journey Paris Nord Etaples Le Touquet €70.00

2 Passengers (so 35 Euro each)

​

Outbound: Wednesday, 27 July 2022 at 12:22

those UK tkts purchased with a 2-together rail pass wch itself is 30 quid and, for your 30% fare discounts, has qualifications such as off-peak travel and, if you buy it online, can only be used on a mobile device..

 

[luxury-lizard]

Recently booked Frankfurt - Berlin, First class for 30 EUR pp. Travelling 15 June 2023.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

those UK tkts purchased with a 2-together rail pass wch itself is 30 quid and, for your 30% fare discounts, has qualifications such as off-peak travel and, if you buy it online, can only be used on a mobile device..

Yes I am aware, and so yes it is another advantage of not using Eurail as you can stack discounts (ie things like Two Together AND Advance Purchase to gain the cheapest price). If you do not have multiple trips ( I did and so it was an extra saving overall to get it) you just book the Advance Purchase and cost wise you are still in front of using the Eurail Pass. The Two Together Railcard also saved us some money on discounted attraction ticket purchases.

The 30% off was off the advance discounted rate that I purchased, and not the full fare. So the point remains that one can book rail tickets cheaply and for myself paying by using Eurail would cost vastly more than just purchasing only the railtrips that I need.

So if we take that first England Ticket/Journey:

• I paid 20 Pound per person. Say 25 Pound after factoring in TwoTogether cost.
• Discount Advance rate on the day is from 30 Pound (currently is 40 Pound).
• Normal Off Peak rate is 69 Pound
• Anytime single is 171 Pound

Actual cost ended up being free as the company has a policy of refunds for delays, and I qualified for 100% refund. I suspect that with a Eurail pass that there would be no refund.

 

[BCons]

The 30% off was off the advance discounted rate, and not the full fare. So point remains that one can book tickets cheaply.

your examples of well-priced UK fares would not hv been entirely true/repeatable if the average punter didnt know that you bought them using a discount card, necessary to achieve those savings.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

your examples of well-priced UK fares would not hv been entirely true/repeatable if the average punter didnt know that you bought them using a discount card, necessary to achieve those savings.

Well I think AFF is all about not being an average punter.

I copied the entire ticket including the Railcard Two Together Discount which is clearly shown so that the reader would be informed. If I had of only posted the price only you might have a point.

 

[SCM]

I've got a Eurail Global Pass too (obtained at some stage last year at a discount), just wondering what route/train ride you're referring to here?
I don't want to "waste" one/multiple of my 5 allotted travel days on basic/short trains; would rather use it on a journey such as the one you've mentioned that actually causes a saving.

It's an Amsterdam - Frankfurt train. I'm flying into FRA, so I need to get back there eventually, hence this route.



Note, there are cheaper trains on this route, but they are not fast nor direct trains and take considerably longer.

 

[MathNerd]

It's an Amsterdam - Frankfurt train. I'm flying into FRA, so I need to get back there eventually, hence this route.

View attachment 314523

Note, there are cheaper trains on this route, but they are not fast nor direct trains and take considerably longer.

Awesome! That's a significant saving then, using the pass for this journey.
Thanks for the data point!