Traveling France by the Rail Network is a wonderful way to see the sights, travel safely and of course do it all on a budget of any size. Rail Europe provides discounts right now too, so if you’re already set on getting your Eurail France Pass, then jump on the deal. The Railway in France operates a network that covers all across this beautiful country. If you’re visiting Paris, you can travel from the southwest of France, and then from Brittany to Paris via the train Grande Vitesse.

If you’re heading out from Paris, know that there are 7 major train station, plus the Charles de Gaulle airport station, each serving a different region, based on proximity. Know where you’re headed.

Gare du Nord - Paris’ busiest train station, with Eurostar to London; also Belgium, Netherlands, Northern Germany

Gare du Lyon - Central and south-east France, French Riviera, French speaking part of Switzerland, Italy and connecting service into Spain through Montpellier

Gare de l’Est -Eastern France, Austria, Germany, German-speaking part of Switzerland

Gare Montparnasse - Western and south-western France (southern Normandy, Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Poitou-Charentes, Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrénées) and north-western Spain.

Gare d’Austerlitz - South Central France, Toulouse and Pyrenees; night trains to south of France and Spain

Gare du Bercy - near Gare du Lyon, provides service for overnight trains to Italy: Florence, Milan, Rome, Venice

Charles de Gaulle - Gare Aeroport CDG - most convenient if you are flying in and making an immediate connection - you may not have to transfer to central Paris at all. Travel directly from the airport via high speed TGV to Avignon, Brussels, Lille, Lyon and Nice.

Gare St. Lazare - serves Normandy, including Caen, Vernon, Le Havre, Cherbourg, Deauville, Lisieux

- Don’t count on purchasing your ticket at the train station kiosks. Most accept only European credit cards that have a chip which U.S. issued cards don’t have. Purchase your France rail pass before you leave home, or purchase point to point tickets at the train station office. Check with a travel agent or Rail Europe website for details on the many great options.

- Eurail France pass travelers, be aware that the high speed TGV trains and night trains ALWAYS require advance reservations, payment of a nominal fee, and space may be capacity controlled. Reserve your train early to ensure your place, especially at peak travel times.

- Most French trains of any distance have an informal dining car, with drinks and snacks, and some even offer kids meals in a cute plastic zip container. Convenience can be pricey though. Take a tip from the locals and pick up a fresh baguette, some local cheeses, fresh fruit and beverage of choice before you head to the station.

- Travel light because chances are you’ll be lifting all the bags onto and off of the train by yourself. Most trains have overhead shelves to store smaller items. Storage areas for larger bags are at the ends of the cars, where you may not be able to keep an eye on your belongings.

- It’s easy to see why high speed Eurostar service under the Chunnel beats air travel - no checked bag fees, no long security wait lines, no 2 hour advance check in. It’s a breeze traveling from Paris’ Gare du Nord station to London’s bright new St. Pancras station. St. Pancras is almost a destination within itself with shops, restaurants, bars, and Europe’s longest champagne bar.

Eurostar Italia trains operate all over the beautiful Country of Italy. A recently introduced high speed line connects Milan with Bologna in just over an hour. Thanks to the introduction of new Alta Velocità trains, faster services are offered to Florence, Rome and Naples. The Eurail Italy Pass offers 3 to 10 travel days, consecutive or no, within 2 months period through all Italian rail network. Seat reservations are compulsory when traveling by Eurostar Italia, the high speed train, available on the major Italian routes.

The Frecciarossa trains connect Turin to Milan, Bologna to Rome and Naples to Salerno. The fastest of fast, this high speed line reaches speeds of way over 220 mph here are some additional facts on schedules. The routes between Milan and Rome offer 72 daily train connections between these cities on the Frecciarossa trains.

The Eurostar Italia pass offers very fast service to cities that include Florence, Venice, Rome, Milan, Bologna, and Naples. The Eurostar Italia pass offers convenient access to an assortment of smaller Italian towns and destinations. Rely on Rail Europe for a range of tickets that can be tailored toward each traveler’s individual needs for a truly unique Italian rail experience. When you reserve your tickets through Rail Europe, you’ll enjoy an easy, fast and convenient hassle-booking process everyone can deal with!

This Eurail pass sounds exactly like it reads, a pass that combines a car rental as well as that train ticket. Some locations in Europe you’re just going to want a car to handle. Getting off in a large city, or if you want to jet out to the country side, then this Rail ‘N Drive pass might be the right fit for you. The Rail ‘n Drives passes include Hertz as the car rental. The France Rail ‘n Drives also offer Avis when in the beautiful land of France. You can split up your car rental days in multiple cities, and  there is also no minimum of car rental days with this pass. A car day is a 24-hour period of time. If you pick up your car at noon on Monday it would need to be returned before noon on Tuesday to count as one day.

I thought I`d update all you readers about the latest news, discounts and social content out there about rail travel in Europe. Hopefully you all have been reading up on Europe, preparing for your travels and of course learning a little bit about rail travel in Europe. There have been a lot of recent news, as well as discounts for the 2010 travel season. The downed economy has opened up the travel industry quite a bit in some places, and the train network in Europe is no exception.

We`ve been shooting content for the blog here, and have just started our Twitter account so come follow us. We`re in the process of starting up the Eurail Deals Podcast which will help newcomers learn some tips and tricks, as well as get news out in video format. We have also been putting out some videos on the Eurail Deals Youtube Channel, so come check us out and share your travel videos with us. We`ll make sure to put our favorite videos up here on the site.

One of the hottest and most traveled routes in western Europe is the Paris to Amsterdam train. You can buy tickets while in Europe at vending machines or train station counters, or get online through Rail Europe. Passengers can often buy tickets on board trains as well, but I like to plan ahead and go online. You can also compare prices with different rail lines to find the best rates. Package deals and rail passes offer deep discounts from the moderately priced regular fares.

Click Here To Book Paris to Amsterdam via Rail Europe

A lot of people have come across the Flexi Pass by now I`m sure. So what does this Eurail Pass help you accomplish in your travels abroad. Luckily it`s quite easy! A  Flexi Pass is simply a Flexible Pass that gives you a chosen number of travel days within a allotted time period. You can also get a Youth Flexi Pass is for travelers aged 12-25 that gives you a chosen number of travel days within a specified time period. Last but not least, if you`re traveling in a group, you can get a Saver Flexi Pass. This pass is shared between two-five people traveling together at all tim, which gives you a chosen number of travel days within a time period. I hope this helps you decide which Eurail Pass to get, and I wish you the best of travels.

How to find your way at the station

Tips on how to use your Eurail Pass and have a smooth Eurail trip thorugh Europe. Looking for Culture or Adventure in Europe? Check our intineraries suggestions on www.eurailtravel.com

Peters Eurail Trip 1977