You can effectively extend a European tour vacation by several days and perhaps save money. To do so, you need a Eurail pass and a bit of planning ahead.

Is that how it works. With a Eurail Pass you can get from one city center to another in Europe in great comfort at a reasonable price.

The key to this is the phrase ‘city center to city center’. Consider Paris. The airport, Charles de Gaulle, is 23 km northeast of Paris. If you go by taxi in any direction it costs the public debt and takes 45 minutes. There are regular buses and trains, but your journey will never be less than 45 minutes. When you leave, you have to go through security and the airlines want you to be there long before takeoff. At least an hour, sometimes two hours.

Thus, on any flight you find that it takes up to six hours, never less than four, to get to the airport, check in, fly, arrive and pick up your luggage. Then reach the center of your destination.

By train, in all the capitals of Europe (I have searched and I have not found any exception) you arrive at the center of the city.

Yes, you need to be at the train station ten minutes before the train leaves, make it fifteen minutes to be sure, and when you arrive at your destination, you will be there instantly. Your luggage is with you and you are there, right in the center of the city. To test this stay with Paris for the time being.

At Easter, one of the busiest times of the year in Paris, I arrived at Gare de L’Est, one of the main stations in Paris. At the station was the tourist help desk; all stations in Europe have a help desk.

There I explained what I wanted: a cheap room (less than 50 euros per night) in a hotel near Place Republique with views of the rooftops of Paris. And I confirmed it in ten minutes and was happily on my way. (By the way, it was the most romantic hotel room I’ve ever had and this was Paris in the spring and the chestnut trees were in bloom and unfortunately I was alone.)

On this trip I traveled from Salerno in Sicily through Italy and then France, from Spain to Barcelona to admire Gaudí’s work, back to Greece and then back to Germany to Mainz. I had a lot of ground to cover and this was the best way, the least expensive and the most pleasant. I saved a lot of time and a lot of money.

(And if you’re into vintage bikes, you should know that I spent my birthday touring Sicily on a 350cc Royal Enfield that was an exact replica of the 1960s model but made in Madras. I could have rented the 500cc model but I thought going a little over the top).

Usually you will only be faced with relatively short travel times (from Paris to Lyon is two hours, from Amsterdam to Cologne three hours, from Geneva to Paris three and a half hours and so on) and these will be pleasant experiences because the trains they are fast, comfortable (especially in first class) and wonderfully quiet.

The best example of modern trains in Europe are the TGV trains in France, which are part of the EuroCity network.

I’m writing this while traveling on the TGV express (TGV stands for Train a Grande Vitesse, which roughly translates to high-speed train) from Paris to Avignon. Peace of mind, we’re racing on rubber tires, it’s scary. This is first class and there is a three seat configuration in the carriage: two and one. I’m in the solo seat, which is adjustable and comfortable.

There is a folding table on which my computer rests.

Now we are driving through the suburbs of Paris at more than 200 kilometers per hour. We will eventually reach our maximum cruising speed, which is over 270 kilometers per hour. There is no rocking, no rattling, no jolting, and no pulling.

A gentlemen’s carriage for the grand tour of Europe.

For trains between big cities, your best bets are super-fast trains with names like (ah! the romance in the names) Catalan Tago, Maria Theresa, Voltaire, Leonardo da Vinci, Etoile du Nord. These are very fast and are almost never late.

Sometimes you will use the train only as a high-speed, cheap and comfortable transportation, but at other times, the train trip can also be a tourist trip.

Bernina Express in Switzerland, Bergen Express in Norway, Loisirail in France are examples where the journey is part of the scenic vacation.

Important points to remember:

• Keep in mind that Europeans very sensibly use a 24-hour clock in matters of this kind. That is to say: five in the afternoon becomes 1700 hours and half past nine at night is 2130. Easy once you get the hang of it.

• When starting your train journeys, you must validate your Eurailpass by showing your passport. Do this before boarding any train at the information window at any major train station. Your ticket and a validation voucher will be returned to you.

• Keep your validation slip separate from the ticket. It constitutes proof of ownership. (If you’re a worrisome wart like me, make a photocopy of both right away, and remember to keep the copy in the lining of your suitcase.)

• Make sure you go to the correct station. Every city in Europe has several different train stations. This TGV train I’m traveling on left from Gare de Lyon in Paris. But there are six other main train stations in that city of light. Your hotel concierge will advise you.

• When you arrive at the station, make sure you get on the correct platform and in the correct car. The signs are always very clear and the railway staff are always very helpful. There will be a sign confirming the name, number and departure time of the train at the entrance to the platform when you arrive.

• It is essential to get on the right car, instead of the right train; in modern trains it is the wagon that is sent by computer control to its destination. On the side of each car is an identification panel that tells you the number of the car, where you are going, and the names of the most important stops along the way. Review the panel carefully, and if you are still in doubt, show your ticket to the train conductor and explain exactly where you are going.

• Boundaries. A Eurail pass is for x number of trips during a given period of time. Don’t waste the pass on short trips.

Example: I was in Nice and had to go to Cannes. I went by train and bought a ticket. Don’t waste your Eurail Pass on travel on trips that take less than an hour.

• Ubiquity. Every station seems to have a Eurail reservation desk. Be organized and try to book as far in advance as possible if you want to sleep in. These trains fill up, especially during the holiday season, and the earlier you book, the more certain you’ll be getting the right train.

• Sleep on the train. If it’s a very long trip, take the afternoon train and sleep on board. On first class Eurail tickets, the sleeping car is part of the package.

This has great advantages. Saves you the cost of a night’s accommodation and accomplishes what could be a long trip in considerable comfort and style. For example, I went from Salerno in Sicily to Genoa on an overnight train and slept like a baby.

One has to be careful.

There is a story about a passionate young couple who did not wear their nightdress to sleep. In a moment of ecstasy, the young woman clung like mad to the nearest object. Unfortunately, it was the emergency stop communication cable.

• If possible, bring your own snacks. There was a thought in my mind that the food on European trains would be a gourmet’s delight. In my experience, it’s a long way from that. On the other hand, almost all the restaurants in the station serve good food at very reasonable prices as long as you stay away from fast food chains.

• Get to the correct stop. When entering a city, make sure not to get off at a suburban stop, which is usually the stop before the central station. If in doubt, ask the ticket inspector or the guard. It is not necessary to know how to speak the language. Just show your ticket and they will tell you what to do.

• Travel light. If you can’t easily carry your luggage, it’s full. Porters do not exist. Not in any season I’ve seen.

• Use the entire pass. When planning your itinerary, be bold. You can go from Greece to Oslo and pretty much anywhere in between.

• Not the UK. All of this applies to Europe except Great Britain. A Eurail Pass does not work there. Great Britain is not part of Europe. What made you think otherwise?

Sites that can help

Eurail

http://www.eurail.com/

It claims, correctly, that it is the only official Eurail site. This is true. But it is not the only site that can give you information. And it’s certainly not the only site that can sell you tickets. However, it is a very good starting point because from here you can order possible schedules and itineraries.

Europe

[http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htm]

This is not the official site, but it could also be considered as such. There is nothing about Eurail that I don’t know.

Europe by Eurail

http://www.railpass.com

Again, this is a commercial ticketing company, but that doesn’t stop it from having a lot of useful information on the site.

Boots and all the trips

http://www.bootsnall.com/eurail/

Would you buy a ticket from a company with a name like that? Let’s not be snobs. You have a lot of Eurail experience and your site is very helpful.

Eurail network

http://www.eurailnet.com/

It sounds official but it is still a commercial company that sells tickets. You won’t find much difference in prices between companies, but you’ll find a lot of information on sites like this and find the cheapest pass for your particular trip.