BY CLAY LARROY
When you
choose to travel, whether it is for business or pleasure, it is important to
plan your trip well before hand. Here are some tips to help you. Don't be
afraid to cash in your airline miles. Many travelers let their miles accumulate
and never bother using them. Reap the rewards of your traveling and spend the
miles you've earned! Miles have expiration dates, so be sure to use them before
they expire. Travelling is a great way to use your airline miles. When you need to plan a vacation contact me!
Rail
passes must be purchased in the United States or Canada and are not available
in Europe. Your travel consultant can assist you with the purchase and with selecting
the right one for your planned itinerary. Local passes and some point to point
tickets, conversely, are available only in Europe. A traveler can purchase a
Eurail pass from six months in advance to right before travel, allowing time
for delivery. Once purchased, a traveler has up to six months to validate the
ticket for the first leg of travel. The rail passes sold in the United States
are not valid for residents of Europe.
The
standard Eurail Pass offers consecutive day travel in the first class compartments
in 17 European countries. A traveler may purchase passes for 15 days, 21 days,
1 month, 2 months or 3 months. Before you board your first train, the Eurail
Pass is validated at a booth in the train station. At that point, your time
period begins to run. A rail-day runs from midnight to midnight. However, if
you board an overnight train that departs after 7:00 pm local, then you will be
using only a single day on your pass. If, however, you leave prior to 7:00 pm
local or if your itinerary requires a train change before midnight, then a
total of 2 travel days will accrue to your ticket.
Certain
high speed trains will require a surcharge. Reservations must be made in
advance, though your seat is "pre-paid" by virtue of having the
Eurail Pass. The Eurail Pass Saver offers an additional discount for two or
more people traveling together. The countries included on the Eurail Pass and
the Eurail Pass Saver is: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Republic of
Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Note that Britain is not
included on the Eurail Pass.
The Eurail
Pass Flexi allows the traveler to break up travel in the same 17 country list
into non-consecutive days, offering either 10 or 15 days of unlimited travel in
a 2 month period. Like the standard Eurail Pass, there is a Eurail Pass Flexi
Saver that offers additional discounts for two or more persons traveling
together.
The
Eurail Select pass lets the traveler pick from among the list of countries to
limit the number visited, choosing from 3-5 bordering countries along with the
number of days traveling.
The
passes are not valid for the Eurostar.
A
wide range of regional and country passes are available which permit the
traveler great flexibility in their itinerary. There are sixteen regional
passes running through Austria, Switzerland, France, the Benelux countries,
Germany, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Denmark Hungary Portugal and Romania.
There
is also the Scanrail Pass covering four Scandinavian countries for varying
number of travel days in a given period of time.
It
is, of course possible to simply purchase tickets at the station on the date of
travel. If you choose to purchase your tickets in Europe, go to the information
desk at the rail station having already planned your trip from maps and the
train schedules printed and posted at each station. Hotel concierges will
sometimes assist you in putting together a point to point itinerary from the
schedules they have in hand. Once at the train station, go to the information
desk with your itinerary in hand, especially if you do not speak the native
language. Indicate to the window attendant your destination, the time or train
number, the class of travel you prefer and whether you want a one-way or a
"return" (round trip).
Note
that there are often much less expensive options available to the traveler if
slower trains are used, or if the traveler inquires about student or senior
discounts.
For
overnight train rides, the traveler has a number of options. Overnight trains
and hotel trains typically come equipped with sleeper compartments, couchettes
and sleeperettes. Sleeper compartments are small, compact rooms with
washbasins, soap, towels and electrical outlets. Typically two berths for
sleeping are available with pillows and sheets. Stewards assist with your
accommodations and with border crossings. Travelers can book a single, double
or a triple compartment. Couchettes are compartments with between 4 and 6
berths with pillows, sheets and blankets. There are no accommodations for
privacy, so travelers sleep in their street clothing. Sleeperettes are seats in
the regular coach cars that recline.
Hotel
trains have compartment rooms with tourist, first class and luxury class
accommodations. Tourist class compartments include 4 beds and a common restroom
facility outside the compartment. First class accommodations include one to two
beds with an outside shared restroom facility. Luxury class includes a private
toilet and shower inside the room.
Let
someone else do the driving, enjoy the scenery, sit back and relax. Consider
training it through Europe on your next visit.
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” –
Anonymous
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