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Travel Tip of the Week: Be Smart with Your Europe Rail Pass

switzerland glacier express train rail Every Wednesday, we’ll feature one practical travel tip here, on our blog. Get our clever weekly tips and other travel resources in your inbox by subscribing to our blog (top right) or signing up for our newsletter.

There’s nothing like the freedom of riding the rails around Europe, visiting the sophisticated cafes of Paris one day and the cobblestone streets of a tiny French village the next. But while the Continent’s wide variety of rail passes can save you a pile of euros, don’t assume that you should whip one out for every single train trip you take. In European Train Trips, we offer the following advice:

“Plan your itinerary carefully before you purchase your pass. Flexipass holders may save money and travel days by purchasing separate tickets for shorter trips. For example, say you’ve purchased a Eurail Italy Pass, valid for seven days of travel in a two-month period. At $329 for a second-class pass, your average cost per travel day is $47. Instead of wasting a travel day for a trip from Florence to Pisa — which costs just $9 — you can buy an individual ticket for that trip and save the travel day on your rail pass for a night train or longer journey.”

You can check prices for rail passes and individual tickets at RailEurope.com.

If your itinerary includes any lengthy trips, you also may want to consider flying. There are quite a few discount airlines that crisscross the Continent for surprisingly low fares (though you have to watch out for unexpected fees and inconvenient airports). We break down the options in Europe — By Plane or By Train?.

– written by Sarah Schlichter

Travel Tip of the Week: Hit the Rails to Avoid Baggage Fees

train suitcase woman travel railroad rails Every Wednesday, we’ll feature one practical travel tip here, on our blog. Get our clever weekly tips and other travel resources in your inbox by subscribing to our blog (top right) or signing up for our newsletter.

With airfares rising to dizzying (or nauseating!) heights, having to shell out an additional $50 for baggage fees on a roundtrip flight is like piling insult on top of injury. That’s why many travelers are choosing to drive this summer — at least you can bring as much luggage as you want. But do you really want to weigh your car down with extra stuff when gas costs $4 a gallon?

There is another way. Caroline Costello writes, “While airlines are charging left and right for big bags, extra bags and even carry-on bags (we’re looking at you, Spirit), train travel is a different story. Amtrak’s baggage allowance policy says passengers may carry on up to two pieces of luggage (not including personal items like purses, strollers or computer bags) and check up to three pieces of luggage — for free! Additional bags cost a surprisingly low $10 per bag. Plus, for a small fee (usually $5 to $10, depending on your route), train travelers can bring big-ticket items like bicycles, surfboards or musical instruments onboard.”

Five bucks for a bike or a surfboard? Compare that to a budget-busting $150 on American Airlines. And with such a generous checked bag allowance, you can pack as many bathing suits and tank tops as you want.

There’s more good news, too. It may not help you this summer, but over the next few years train service across the U.S. will be improving. Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded more than $2 billion to various high-speed rail projects across the country, investing in better and faster service in the Northeast, California and the Midwest.

See six more ways to avoid baggage fees.

– written by Sarah Schlichter

Shake Your Caboose at National Train Day

Union Station, Washington D.C. This Saturday, May 7, hundreds of train-themed events will be engineered across the U.S. in celebration of National Train Day. The festival’s lineup of railroad memorabilia exhibits and historic car displays is more than enough to lure train fanatics of all shapes and sizes, the kinds of avid hobbyists who build elaborate model train sets in their basements and own the DVD “Unstoppable.”

For the rest of us, Train Day offers plenty to pique our interest too. Like cake. Last year, none other than “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro created an enormous train-shaped confection for the event in New York. Who knew locomotives could be so moist and delicious? While there’s no word on whether Buddy will appear at this year’s fete, there will be food prepared by celebrity chefs. There will be concerts. (Gladys Knight is the spokesperson for National Train Day 2011.) And there will be giveaways!

Here’s a sample of some upcoming National Train Day events taking place in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Chicago:

-Amtrak Security K-9 Units will be performing exciting demonstrations featuring fearless, furry guards.

-There will be sweepstakes galore with some big-ticket prizes. Spoils include everything from free hotel stays to, of course, complimentary train tickets.

-Various celebrity chefs (such as Michel Richard of Citronelle) will prepare samples of gourmet meals served onboard Amtrak dining cars.

National Train Day events are taking place in small towns as well as big cities across the U.S. To find an event near you, use the handy National Train Day interactive map.

Throw in a major milestone — along with some celebratory money-saving deals — and you’ve got even more excitement. This year, Amtrak celebrates 40 years as “America’s Railroad.” The country’s biggest passenger rail service, which created National Train Day, is honoring its birthday by bestowing double and triple points on Amtrak Guest Rewards members and letting youngsters ride for free.

Will you be taking part in National Train Day?

– written by Caroline Costello

Travel Tip of the Week: Be Smart with Your Europe Rail Pass

Travel Tip of the Week: Hit the Rails to Avoid Baggage Fees

Shake Your Caboose at National Train Day

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