What they say is true: one of the most comfortable and cost effective ways to get around Europe and still see all the sights is with a Eurail Pass. But the greatest travel hack, and one that is overlooked, is to buy a first-class Eurail Pass. They are a lot less of an expense than one can imagine: If, for example, you’re buying a pass with five travel days within in a month, the difference of about $100 in an upgrade means your trip will be a lot more comfortable — and you’ll be able to catch that last-minute seat a lot easier in peak seasons like summer.
A trip from London-Brussels-Munich-Prague-Liechtenstein-Geneva/Zurich/Lausanne, with a stopover as long as you wish in each stop, will cost less than $500, with some routes requiring a reservation fee of around $10 to $30, depending on the journey and the time of the day.
This includes a journey on the famously expensive and hard-to-secure Eurostar in Premier class from London to Brussels, which comes with a full meal with silver service and wine, comfortable reclining seats, and a generous baggage allowance. The Eurail network really is the best way to travel. It’s a comfortable, calm way to see not only the cities but the rolling green hills and farmlands of Czech Republic, the mountain lakes of Switzerland, the sunflower and lavender fields of France, and the tidy little villages of Germany along the way to your destination.
Scenic Stops
Liechtenstein is one of the world’s tiniest and most picturesque countries. It requires only a few hours to see it in all of its entirety so you can include it as a stopover on your way to a larger destination. Liechtenstein may be small but it’s remarkable. It’s a wonderful place for the keen hiker with beautiful trails close to Vaduz station that go all the way up to the castle, a trip that can be done in under an hour. One important thing to note: The cute little station of Vaduz has no luggage storage facilities but the nearby, larger transit station of Buchs does. Buchs, Switzerland, is only 10 minutes away so you can drop the suitcases on the way into Liechtenstein and pick them up on the way out.
Every new stop is always a thrill for the traveler but there’s always somewhere special that stands out. For this journey, it was something of a hidden treasure: the medieval French village of Yvoire. While not exactly on….
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This is an excerpt from the latest issue of Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine. To continue reading, click above for a digital or print subscription.
