Feeling Ripped Off by Eurorail?

[mahkara]

I just wanted to warn all other travelers about my experiences with Eurorail to warn everyone else from being totally ripped off like I was…

My “inclusive”, $510 pass cost this much in fees over the course of my three week trip to Europe:

Schedule of Fees:

Charles de Gaulle Airport to Lyon: 3 E
Lyon to Chambery: Free
Chambery to Milano: 10 E
Milano to Anacona: Free
Anacona to Patras: 16 E
Patras to Corinth: 5 E
Athena to Patras: 6 E
Patra to Bari: 16 E
Bari to Roma: 23 E*
Additional 8 E fee after being told by station attendant that I could “just hop on a train”. After boarding train, told that needed to have reserved a pass despite what station attendant said, and was charged an additional 8 E above the 15 E of the ticket.
Roma to Naples: 5 E
Naples to Roma: 5 E
Roma to Firenze: 15 E
Firenze to Paris: 25 E
Paris to Rennes: 3 E
Rennes to Paris: 3 E

135 Euros total (about $175)

Beyond that, the rail tickets were not all the expensive purchased separately (between 5 and 70 Euros), and plane tickets are really cheap as well. I cannot imagine a case in which a Eurorail pass would be a good idea.

I was also displeased with my experience on the trails. I found the trains to be filthy (a cab I was in stank, many of the bathrooms were smeared in fecal material), the trains were slow (the supposed “high speed” trains that I was billed supplements for traveled at about 25 mph), and when I complained about this to Eurorail headquarters, I did not even receive a response.

This doesn’t mean that all national train lines stink. When, prior to my trip to Japan, I purchased a J-Rail pass, I was pleasantly surprised. For the cost of about $200 U.S., I had free travel in immaculate trains (both high speed and otherwise) throughout Japan for the length of my stay. The pass was all inclusive, covering everything from the local commuter rails to the shinkansen, and to book a ticket, all that I would have to do was talk to the front office, get a seat, and hop on board a train. Pity that Eurorail doesn’t work that way. Eurorail didn’t even bother to respond to my e-mail asking why they billed themselves as “inclusive” yet still charged a fortune in fees. Now I understand why there’s no mailing address on the website–they’re a scam.

[rentalio]

maybe it is only that you had to ask better before you did purches?

[travelBrian]

That is a lot of fees of the Eurorail

I’m glad I went with Contiki as al my travel expenses were already paid for and taken care of.

[Author]

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