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Eurail Passes: Good for More than Trains!

I have written several times about the ins and outs regarding Eurail passes (click on my archive under RAIL for other posts) but I now pass along an article I found from Suite 101. In the article/post, the author points out not only the direct benefits of Regional and Select passes (as well as some difference) but suggests other benefits as well.

For instance, you can get a free ride from De Gaulle airport in Paris (one way) if you hold a Eurail Pass and you can use many passes for local and urban travel. You can even use them for ferries in some countries.

Titled Maximizing Eurail Pass Value this post may give you food for thought if planning a whirlwind trip through Europe where a Eurail Pass would be beneficial or for a long summer vacation that combines air, train and sea travel.

Alaska - Everything You Want to Know

My brother has an idea for me next summer - fly to Oregon, where he lives, and then we embark on a quick trip to Alaska in June in order to see almost 24 hours of daylight just once in our lives. Sounds like a great idea and I may do it too. Just to get ready though and start planning properly, I went through the resources I had used about Alaska to write my honeymoon budget book. One of the sites is worth seeing just for basic (and more involved) information about what is available in Alaska.

Including yacht charters, tons of cruises, Denali tours, air and water taxis, bus tours, railroad trips - the list is almost endless. It is called AlaskaOne and is a fantastic website/resource. For instance, here you find informatuion about flying to Anchorage or SouthCentral Alaska and then rent an RV. They have lodging information about every area of Alaska - Prince William Sound, Valdez, Copper River Valley, the Kenai Peninsula just to name a few. There are salmon (boat/excursion) rentals, glacier tours and cruises, wilderness lodges and much more.

If you have never thought about vacationing in Alaska, this site just may spark your interest.

All Rail, All Europe, All the Time

With airfares as low as they currently are to ANYWHERE, the biggest bang for your buck (given the current economic 'depression', a buck may only be a doe now!) will be found on the longer trips. I have reported airfares on Lufthansa to Europe for as low as $234 each way. And every day, another airline slashes fares to somewhere overseas. Therefore, it is probable that some people may be headed to Europe to take advantage of that and the SLOWLY strengthening dollar.

So what better way is there to see the most you can? Look into a Europe Rail Pass.

An earlier post I did cautioned readers that just because you had a Euro-Rail or EuroPass did not mean you could just jump on at any stop. Or even get OFF anywhere you wanted to. When I uncovered this Rail Europe article detailing the ins and outs of Rail passes, I suspected it would be nice to pass it along.

The main advantage of this link is that EVERY country is represented. There are also Sightseeing and Tour options in some countries. Let's take Norway as an example. This site shows a Eurail Norway Pass, a Eurail Global Pass, a Scandanavian Pass, a Select Pass n' Drive, a Norway-Sweden Pass, a Eurail Select Pass, Scandanavian Rail n' Drive Pass and finally a Eurail Drive Pass. Plus 2 sightseeing links. Click on any and you will see a map, description, prices and discounts.

On the Main Page are FAQ's, quick time, reservation and price guides, plus sections to learn about Rail Passes in general. If you are one of those who loves to relax with a beer or glass of wine and not hassle with driving, Rail Passes are the way to go.