EURAILPASS
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INTRO
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For the visitor on a tight budget and, more importantly, on
a tight schedule, EurailPass has long been the preferred way
to travel.
I will attempt, in the following section to describe the
Eurailpass system. For a flat fee ($175.00 in 1977), one is
then free to travel throughout Europe in First Class. The
main advantage of the Eurailpass resides in the fact that
with this sys carries his train ticket in his pockets,
available at any time and, without the need to line up at
ticket counters to purchase the required tickets for one's
destination.
It is a fact that ticket counters and information booths in
European railway stations almost always suffer from a long
line-up. And, because the information as to what train goes
where and on which track it leaves is so easy to understand,
once a c principles have been mastered, there is no need to
ever partake oneself of the information handed out at Info
Booths.
The one EurailPass is the key to visiting some 13 countries,
all in First Class. The following countries are available to
Eurailpass holders:
Austria. Belgium. Denmark. France. Germany.
Holland. Italy. Norway. Spain. Luxembourg
Portugal. Sweden. Switzerland
EUROPEAN RAIL SYSTEM
--------------------
Although every country has its own railway system, they all
mesh together in a common network. Trains, regardless of
their origin, move freely across international borders, on
largely uniform tracks (with the exception of Spain, where
the tracks , thus affording an even smoother ride). Only the
emblem of the national railroad identifies a different
network and its tracks.
THE TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS (TEE)
------------------------------
TEE trains connect Europe's major cities (close to 200
cities). Riding on a TEE is like staying at the Ritz. These
superb trains, 1st Class only, vie with each other for
service and speed. They have names, just like racing horses,
and are known f urses they run. Some popular routes and names
are:
Cataplan Barcelona - Avignon - Geneva
Cisalpin Paris - Milan - Venice
delweiss Brussels - Zurich
Helvetia. Hamburg - Zurich
Ligure Avignon - Nice - Milan
Merkur Copenhagen - Hamburg - Stuttgart
Parsifal Paris - Dusseldorf - Hamburg
Prinz Eugen Bremen - Nuremberg - Vienna
Rembrandt Amsterdam - Munich
Rheingold Hook of Holland - Cologne - Geneva
TIMETABLES
----------
All there is to know about timetables is the fact that
European trains use the 24 hour clock, so it is better to
leave the A.M. and P.M. readings at home. For example,
21.05, not 9:05 P.m.)
JET-LAG
-------
It is recommended that the first night after arrival from
Canada be spent in an hotel. A brief rest will get the body
time-clock adjusted to the time difference.
If you feel that you can get your rest on the train and want
to continue at once, try arrivin g to a city like Bruxelles,
Dusseldorf or Paris where the airports have trains
connecting diretly to the major centers of Europe.
It is however much advisable to spend the first night in an
hotel. In my case, I chose to stay at the Europahof in Lahr
and I found it to be a wise choice as the flight from Trenton
had been most tiresome. Of course, the fact that a suite was
supplied for free helped me to make a choice!
So tiresome in fact that when we had landed in Gatwick,
England, for refuelling, I had fallen asleep on one of the
comfortable seats in the waiting room of the airport and,
would it not have been for a friend to wake me up an hour
later, I would have missed the aircraft for the flight
onward.
IMPORTANT
---------
A must for Eurailpass holders is to be absolutely sure to
have his pass validated before he boards his first train. To
do so, you go to any train information window. The pass,
once validated, is then valid from the day it was validadated
until it reached termination date (ie: two, three weeks etc).
GO TO THE RIGHT TRAIN STATION!
------------------------------
It is unwise to leave the hotel you are staying at, jumping
in a taxi and telling the driver to take you to the railway
station. The reason for this is simply the fact that, unlike
in America, some European cities have not one but several
trains each sometimes serving a different region of the
country. For example, although I had arrived in Paris from
Madrid at the Gare d'Austerlitz, I had to go to the Gare du
Nord in order to take the train to Amsterdam.
LANGUAGES
---------
No need to worry about languages. Europeans like to practice
their conversational English, especially on trains where this
seems to be their main pastime. Of course, being fluent in
French is a great added asset in most countries but
especially in France of course, and Switzerland, Belgium.
At the railroad stations, pictograms lead you not only to the
information desk but to any other facilities you may be
looking for. Most main stations have info desk staffed by
english-speaking guides. However, in Barcelona, not one
could be found! And I sure could have used one under the
prevailing circumstances (to be described under 'Barcelona').
But there again, there is always another tourist nearby who
does get along in the native language, wherever you happen to
find yourself!
The best aid to getting around in Europe remains the small
pocketbook (preferably Berlitz) giving the most commonly used
sentences one might require while travelling. It is a must.
Whenever I needed help, if unable or un-inclined to actually
'speak the language,' I would point to the sentence in the
book and let the person look for the answer in the book. Not
only did this work but it actually was fun and, the people
don't seem to mind at all!
AT THE TRAIN STATION
--------------------
Most station, not surprinsingly, are located in the center
of town and are the focal point for all public
transportation. A number of hotels are also in the immediate
vicinity.what I found surprising was the number and variety
of services availab inside of most stations.
One service which is much appreciated by the train
traveller, mostly if he uses the trains to sleep in while
travelling from one city to another, is the baths available
at most latge stations.
I was very hesitant at first to use this facility but then,
I discovered that they were thourouly cleaned between users
and I never had reason not to use any of them.
Considering that often I would take an hotel room mainly so
that I could have a good bath, being able to sleep on the
train saved much money. Most hotels in Europe, at least the
'older' types, have only bath facilities and no showers. But
then those baths are of the old type, very high and long and,
when filled nearly to the top with water provide a most
restful way to relax!
POSTER TIMETABLES
-----------------
Departures, as a rule, are printed on a 'yellow' background,
arrivals on 'white'. Fast trains, on both, are given in red
instead of black print. Therefore, as you are travelling 1st
Class with the Eurailpass, it is a cinch to find yourself.
Next to the time is the name or number of the train, together
with its routing, from point of origin to final destination.
It also lists the most important stops in-between. Finally,
the track and platform numbers, at which the train departs.
CAUTION
-------
One should never assume it's enough to board the right train
to get where one wants. European trains, especially the
long-distance trains, are more than a long line of cars
coupled and staying together until a common destination is
reached. Any car, being part of a composite master plan, may,
at some predetermined stop, be switched over to another train
for its own scheduled destination.
This simple fact nearly had a disastrous effect for me while
on the way to Vienna as I nearly ended up in 'Warsaw'. More
on this under 'Paris-Vienna'!
As every car is distincly marked (origin and destination) it
is merely a question of ensuring that one is in the proper
car when bording. It is unwise to rely on fellow passengers
to tell one when to 'switch' or disembark!
It is easy to recognize your car. You have reached the
proper track by having looked for its number under the sign:
Quai.... Gleis.... Via ... Or Binario.. There is your train
waiting for you. As you walk along it, looking for your car,
you notic ntification tablet on each -- on top, the name of
the city from which it originated, on the bottom, the name
of the city where the route is ending and, in between, the
name of the most important stops on the way.
You also read whether the car is 1st Class, being alerted by
the wide yellow stripe under the roof.
RESERVED SEATS
--------------
If you see little stickers tucked into the tablet above the
compartment door, don't claim any of those seats if you
don't want to have to vacate it when the proper occupant
arrives. Usually, reserved seats are held for the
handicapped in the firs ment.
WATER
-----
Never drink the water in trains' water closet (washrooms) as
it is not potable.
FOOD - MEALS
------------
It is a good idea to carry some snack with you as overnight
trains do not have restaurant service. Most stations have a
portable lunch tray going along the quais but, if you leave
the train to get a snack from one of those vendors, make
sure the ps there long enough to give you the time to do so.
Trains leave on schedule and 'never' wait for a late
passenger. I had a few scares during the trip because I had
forgotten that simple fact.
BAGGAGE
-------
Ideally, one should view Europe with 'one' piece of luggage.
In my case, I had but one small flight bag, of the type that
fits under an airliner seat!
I would take the bag whenever I left the train, if only for
a few minutes. On one occasion, where I saw the train leave
without me, while I was trying to get a sandwich, it was
only a matter of waiting for the next train and not having
to worry about 'lost' luggage. Travelling 'light' really
helped making this trip a memorable one, besides saving a
effort lugging any extra weight around.
SIDE BENEFITS
-------------
The Eurailpass is not only good on trains but also can be
used in myriad other ways. For one, there is the Europa Bus
system which can be used with great reductions in fares
(approx 50%). When going to Scandinavia, for example, you
don't have to ip to get there. A train ferry will take you
there easily from Germany. And there is no extra charge as
you are already comfortably sitting in your train!
The number of extra services available for free, or at great
reduction in cost, is too numerous to list here.
As they say in:
Austria. Gute reise.
Belgium. Goede reis
Denmark. God rejse
France. Bon voyage
Germany. Gute reise
Holland. Gute reis
Italy. Buon voyaggio
Luxembourg. Bon voyage
Norway. God tur
Portugal. Boa viajjem
Spain. Buen viage
Sweden. Trevlig resa
Switzerland. Gute reise!
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