Europe: by train or by car?

By Charles Leocha

Travel columnist

updated 2:01 p.m. ET April 10, 2006

Back in the days of free love and VW buses, the Eurailpass was the only way to travel through Europe. It was the bargain to end all bargains — especially if you slept on the trains.

But today, it’s almost always cheaper to rent a car. Eurailpass prices have increased a lot in the last 30 years, and rental car rates have come down. Solo travelers will usually spend more for a car than a rail pass, but for two or more people traveling together, a rental car is almost always the better deal.

Back in the heyday of the rail passes, auto travel through Europe was an arduous affair. True, there was a small network of superhighways in France, Italy and Germany, but for the most part, the roads in Europe a quarter-century ago were almost exclusively two-lane affairs — and that goes for Great Britain and Ireland, too.

Today, high-speed roadways link all corners of Europe. Trips that once took two days can now be driven in less than 10 hours, and daylong journeys are now four-hour jaunts. Sometimes you have to look hard to find a less-traveled byway.

The rail-pass world

This year, the venerable Eurailpass costs $605 for 15 days of travel anywhere in Europe except the United Kingdom. Discounted Eurailpasses are available for $513, but two people must travel together. Train passes are also available for various country combinations; for example, a France/Spain combination pass sells for $522 (first class) or $459 (second class).

There are also some 10-day in-country passes available; generally, these must be used within one or two months. A 10-day pass for Germany costs $464 (first class) and $324 (second class); a pass for Spain costs $470 (first class) and $385 (second class); and France has similar pricing. The BritRail pass, good for 15 days, costs $702 (first class) and $469 (second class).

This means that two people traveling together for 10 or 15 days will spend between $648 and $1,404 on a rail pass, depending on where they purchase their pass and whether they purchase a first- or second-class ticket.

The car rental world

American drivers can rent cars throughout Europe with their valid state driver’s license and a credit card. However, an International Driving Permit is recommended.

AutoEurope is the best one-stop source for rental cars, and it has the best rates bookable from the United States. (You can also rent cars from AutoEurope while you are traveling by calling toll-free numbers available on their Web site or by making the reservations online.)

AutoEurope has a lowest-price guarantee and it guarantees that your price will not increase after booking. In many cases, you will pay less for a car by renting through AutoEurope (even with their three-day minimum) than you would by renting a car for a single day directly through an agency in Europe.

Renting a compact car for 15 days in most of Europe costs between $400 and $525. In Italy, the cost is higher, around $700, because collision and liability insurance are included by law. In Germany, expect to pay $512 for 15 days; in France, $417; in Spain, $475; and in the Netherlands, $450.

So, let’s do the math. Two 10- or 15-day rail passes cost between $648 and $1,402. The lower-priced pass covers train travel in only one country (in this case, Germany).

Mind you, gasoline costs around $6 per gallon throughout Europe. Assuming that travelers drive 125 miles a day for 15 days, the cost of gasoline will come to around $500. Add in tolls (which are quite high in Italy, France and Spain) and the bottom line is still good: the cost for a 15-day compact rental car from AutoEurope including gas for two weeks ranges between about $900 and $1000-no matter how many people are in the car. Plus, your travel is not restricted to any one country or group of countries.

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