playing trains!

[photo: poudou99]

Now the flights are organised, I've been studying railway websites. Should I buy BritRail and Eurail passes? Do they include metro areas? What about the Eurostar from London to Paris? An overnight train from Paris to Rome, perhaps? Are the sleepers safe? Reservations, validations, information overload!

But I think I'm getting my head around it at last.

We plan to do about three long day trips from London: York, Salisbury/Stonehenge/Bath, and one other - perhaps Brighton, or Oxford (suggestions are welcome). The trip to York alone looks like it will cost in the vicinity of $A200 (second class)-$A300 (first class) each way. Compare that to the Britrail England Flexi Pass - a 3 day pass, which can be used on any 3 days within a 2 month period, ranges from $275 (second class) to $369 (first class), and a child can travel for free with a paying adult. Not too much strain on the neural processes to work that one out! 

Buying a Britrail Pass also means I can get a discounted Eurostar fare from London to Paris. 

For travelling around London, there's a London Travelcard, which can also be combined with the London Pass (which gives you free entry, and line-skipping privileges, to many of the places we want to visit). An adult ticket is about $230 for a 6 day Travelcard + London Pass, children travel free after 9.30am with a paying adult, and a child London Pass is about $105. There are also 1, 2 and 3 day options.

So that's England almost sorted. 

On to the Continent ...