INTRODUCTION - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 6

• Sample 15-Day Itineraries
• International Calling & Dialing Codes
• Glossary of Rail Terminology —In four languages
• U.S. Passport Offices
• European Tourist Offices in North America —Where to get advance destina-
tion information
• Airline and Hotel Information
Planning a Eurail Trip
Planning Pays Off
Depending on who you are, your concept of a “plan” can vary. We have observed
two general types of rail travelers—one conservative, the other adventurous. One
traveler may require a detailed, hour-by-hour schedule for a day's activities; anoth-
er may merely get up in the morning and see what happens that day.
The first questions to answer when planning a trip are, “When can I go and how
much time can I spend there?” April through October are the most popular months
for touring in Europe and for many events. When planning your trip, take bank hol-
idays into consideration, since banks, postal services, most shops, and many at-
tractions are closed, and some transportation services are reduced.
Whether or not you admit it, everyone has a problem budgeting vacation time.
It's human nature to try to see as much as possible in as little time as possible. This
“sightseer's syndrome” could be dangerous to your vacation. Avoid it by planning
an itinerary that allows ample “free time.” Also, vary the day excursions by going
on a short one following a particularly long outing away from the base city. Try to
see and do too much on your vacation, and you will return home looking as if you
desperately need another one.
How long should your Eurail tour be? There are many factors bearing on such
a determination, the most important being the individual. How much annual vaca-
tion time do you have? How do you use it—all at one time or in two or more seg-
ments? Rail passes can accommodate just about anyone's personal needs, with
Eurail Global Passes ranging from 15 consecutive days to 3 months of travel and
“design-your-own” Eurail Select Passes valid for rail travel within any 3, 4, or 5
adjoining countries out of 27 European countries that are connected by trains or
ships. When you add the wide variety of regional and individual country rail passes
available, it may, at first, seem confusing. But Europe by Eurail can help you.