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From: alan@mtxinu.UUCP (Alan Tobey)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Re: Need Eurrail Info
Message-ID: <540@mtxinu.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Mar-86 15:18:33 EST
Article-I.D.: mtxinu.540
Posted: Thu Mar  6 15:18:33 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Mar-86 08:32:45 EST
References: <2682@pucc-h>
Organization: mt Xinu, Berkeley, CA
Lines: 25

What really boosts the ability to take advantage of 
spontaneity in Europe via Eurailpass is 1) MAPS, lots of MAPS!
Granted I'm a map freak (I've got a road map of the Truk atoll
in my files just in case ... :-)), you can't plan where to go
if you can't figure out where the railroads run.  
Michelin maps have enough railroad information to be useful,
and they include the local lines that don't show up on larger-scale
maps.  I remember a wonderful day when we decided to try to get 
from Libourne to Le Puy through France's Massif Central; the station 
agent in Libourne set us up on FOUR different local trains, with the 
maximum wait between trains being 14 minutes! [Are you listening, Amtrak?]
Which brings me to 2) some minimal local-language ability, enough to
explain to railroad agents that you really aren't heading to Paris
like everyone else and yes you really do want to go to that obscure
town in the Pyrenees.

Beyond that, maximize the freedom you have to literally jump off the
train at any town that looks interesting  [if your impulse doesn't
pan out there'll be another train along soon] and work to discover the
obscure local branch lines that go to/through places where tourists
are unknown.  If you stick to small towns you'll never have a problem
getting a hotel room or camping in the municipal campground.
You'll know you're on the right train when (as happened to us twice) 
you meet a conductor who's never SEEN a Eurailpass before and needs 
to be convinced that it's valid!