CONSUMER TRAVEL : There are other rail passes besides Eurailpass
Posted on Sunday, August 31, 2008
When you think about rail passes, you automatically think about Eurailpass and its many derivatives. This year, however, with the weak dollar in most of Europe, you may well be considering alternative destinations. No other regions have as extensive a rail network as Europe, so rail travel isn’t quite as big a deal as it is there. However, you can get around pretty well by rail in several regions and a few of those offer the convenience and economy of passes. Unfortunately, none offers price breaks for senior citizens.
Japan’s rail network is second only to Europe’s in extent and high-speed service. The most comprehensive Japan Rail Pass covers the entire country, including interisland ferries and many suburban trains. Passes include travel on all high-speed “Shinkansen” bullet trains except the fastest “Nozomi.” Prices in first class are $ 350 for seven consecutive days, $ 567 for 14 days, and $ 737 for 21 days; corresponding economy-class prices are $ 262, $ 418 and $ 534, respectively. The Japan East pass — less useful for tourists, since it excludes such main destinations as Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima — costs $ 259 for first-class travel either on any four days during a month or for five consecutive days, or $ 415 for 10 consecutive days; corresponding economy-class prices are $ 185 and $ 296, with a special deal September through December of $ 93 for three days out of a month in economy. Passes for smaller regions are also available.
Japan’s rail passes can provide good deals. For example, a single round trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima, at $ 313 in economy, costs more than a seven-day pass. The best place I’ve found for information on Japan Rail Passes is www. japanrail. com, which also lists dozens of U. S. and Canadian sellers. You can also buy from Railpass. com — www. railpass. com, (877 ) 724-5727 — or your regular travel agency.
Australian railroads sell several passes. The most comprehensive is the Austrail Flexi Pass, which allows unlimited rail travel on any of 15 or 22 days out of a six-month period on the Great Southern Railway (Sydney and Melbourne to Perth and Darwin ), CountryLink (Melbourne and Sydney to Brisbane ) and Queensland Rail (Brisbane north ), as well as suburban services in and around Sydney. This pass covers Australia’s famous long-haul trains — the India Pacific between Sydney and Perth, the Ghan between Adelaide and Darwin, and the Sunlander between Brisbane and Cairns, as well as busy routes in the Southeast. Prices for coach seats are $ 903 U. S. for 15 consecutive days or $ 1, 264 U. S. for 22 days; pass holders can upgrade to sleepers. Australia also offers a handful of more limited passes.
New Zealand sells several varieties of TranzScenic passes for the entire rail network plus Newmans Coaches buses. Prices, in first class only, are $ 302 U. S. for seven consecutive days covering both islands plus the interisland ferry; the one-island pass costs $ 260 U. S. Buy from your travel agency or Railpass (see above ).
Although this report excludes North America, you might want to know that time is running out for the “North America Rail Pass” for travel in the United States and Canada. It’s being discontinued, with the last sale date of Sept. 30, this year, and a final travel date of Sept. 30, 2009. The pass provides unlimited rail travel in coach class on any of 30 consecutive days on the Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada networks, with the exception of Amtrak’s Acela Express high-speed trains, the Auto Train and connecting bus routes. Prices are $ 709 U. S. off season (Oct. 16-May 21 ) and $ 999 U. S. peak season, with 10 percent discount for adults 60 or older or students (through www. studen tadvantage. com ). You have to cross a U. S.-Canada border by train at least once (between Bellingham, Wash., and Vancouver, Niagara Falls, N. Y., and Aldershot, Ontario, or Rouses Point, N. Y., and Montreal ) and you can travel any one route no more than four times each way. Buy now if you’re interested. Contact Amtrak — www. am trak. com, (800 ) 872-7245 — or your travel agent. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind. net
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