* If you want to make a short- to medium-length trip, it may be worth buying a train or bus ticket rather than using a Flexi pass day, especially if you are running out of days.

* Remember that England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are not Eurail or InterRail countries. Go to these places first or last.

* Every May and June sales of erasable pens soar in college bookstores across the nation, as thousands of students prepare to swindle the Flexi pass system. Yes, wicked as it may seem, erasing days and
changing numbers is rampant among holders of these passes. It happens, and you know it happens, and they know it happens. Officially, conductors should stamp, with a date, every entry you make in your travel day boxes. In reality, they sometimes don’t bother, and this opens the door to such originality on the part of pass-holders. Fines and penalties are stiff if you are caught; a description of them is included with your pass and is printed on the free map. - Don’t let the goal of getting the absolutely, positively last dime out of your pass impact your trip. Above all, don’t get so caught up in cheap travel that you skip a trip somewhere interesting just because you might have to buy a train ticket to save a “Flexi day.” You’ve spent quite a bit of money to get to Europe. Money spent to go places while you’re there is usually money well spent.

WARNING: Some of the “free” things offered with your Eurail pass, such as a Rhine cruise, require you to use a day or validate your pass. Typically if something is given free to passholders, it will ¦ cost you a validation and/or a day. If something is merely discounted, it usually will not cost you a day, with the possible exception of the Channel Tunnel (detailed below). Using a Flexi pass day to get a “free” boat ride that would only cost fifteen dollars to buy outright is a waste. Thanks and a tip of the hat to Brian at the ! Forsyth Travel Library for this information.