European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 17, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 the stars and stripes Friday june 17, 1977 modern living consume watch consumer watch editor Mary Neth to on a cation. This guest column on How to save Money an train roue is by is travel writer j. King  o you like train travel want to knowhow to save lots of coins on the various rail deals on the Market then read on. Here s the Low Down on All those ticket plans you be heard of and some you Proba Bly Haven  off. Let s look at an Oldie but Goodie eur rail pass and it s poorer second class Cousin. . Eur Alpass has been around for enough years no that pass clutching teen aged offspring of some of the Early riders Are now Riding the rails , eur Alpass entitles you to unlimited first class travel in 13 european countries on All trains. I does not however cover the Cost of Sleeper berths. Participating countries Are Austria Belgium Den Mark France Germany Holland Italy Luxem Bourg Norway Portugal Spain Sweden an Switzerland. Together they offer More than 100,000 Miles of track. Additionally pass holders Are entitled to travel on certain ferries and Lake steamers. Some bus routes also Are included under eur Alpass and substantial reductions Are offered pass holders on  eur Alpass purchased in the ., this year costs $170 for is Days $210 for 21 Days $260 for a month $350 for two months and $420 for three months. Keep in mind that you la have to do a lot of train travelling to save Money with the pass. Plan your trip ahead of time Check on the regu Lar fares and is see if the mathematics work for you. Many people Are under the impression that eur rail passes May be obtained Only in North Central and South America Australia new zealand arid Hong Kong. Well that s just not so. While it is certainly easier to buy a pass in the  As simple As mailing in a Check and an application Blank eur rail passes can be obtained in Europe although the Price is higher and certain requirements must beet. Those seeking to Purchase the pass must pre sent a passport not More than three months old Orone that has an entry stamp showing the passport bolder has entered into a european country within the last three months. Generally the passes Are sold Only at the country s largest Railroad stations. I Germany this Means such stations As those in Frankfurt Munich and  a service to the military Community the recreation services Tours office in Stuttgart will Pur Chase the passes for  who wish to buy through the rec Center must have passports that meet the conditions out lined above. In order to obtain a eur Alpass through the Stuttgart facility mail your passport id card is not acceptable by registered mail along with a $2handling fee and the Price of the pass in Check or Money order to recreation services Tours office Stuttgart support command. Germany Apo 09154,or by International mail to that office at Postrach 400666, d-7000 Stuttgart 40 be sure to include Date on which you wish pass to become valid you must use your Economy address As return address. Passes May not be mailed through the Apo. For More information phone Stutt. Gart military 2721 6090. Prices for the passes through the rec cent rare $200 for a 15-Day pass $250 for a 21-Day pass $31 for a 30-Day pass $41$ for two month Sand $495 for three months. Two month student rail passes Cost $275. Student rail passes they Cost $230 in the states Are the same As Eura impasses except that the Pur Chaser must be a full time student and be under 26years of age. The pass entitles the Holder to two months of unlimited second class train travel in the same 13 european countries As Well As certain bus ferry and Steamer  application Blanks for eur ail and Stu Dent rail passes Are found in  Magazines and guidebooks. Purchasers simply fill in the Blanks enclose a Check and the pass conies Back by return mail to their stateside address. One drawback to the student Rai pass is the fac that you la have to pay a supplement to ride on some of the continent s crack express trains. If you happen to be under 21 or have children whore there is another substantial Money Saver Worth checking out it s called the inter rail pass and it to Good for one month in All the countries in which the eur Alpass is honoured plus Greece Morocco Fin land much of Eastern Europe the . And Ireland. The pass is for second class travel Only and can Besought at major rail stations throughout most of Europe. One catch is that although you get unlimited travel in All other countries you have to pay 50 per cent for rail travel in the country of Purchase. Although Rales prescribe that european must Purchase their passes in their country of residence non europeans including Ameri cans stationed in Europe ire Licky Unce they can buy one anywhere. Some Crafty american seven travel to lilliputian Luem big to buy the pass. Price of the pass in Germany is 339 Marks about $144 Britain has a special rail discount system All its own. Called Brit rail pass it s available at All Mainsail stations on the continent and from travel agents outside Britain. It can t be bought in the .the pass gives unlimited rail travel in England Scotland and Wales for 8.15, or 22 Days. Either first or second class passes Are available. A second class eight Day adult ticket costs 145 Marks about $62 children pay half Price and special Low Cost youth passes Are available to people Between 14 and 22.also available Are Britnall sea passes. These also include a return ferry crossing of the English Chan Nel and Cost 200 Marks about $85 for the eight Day second class adult package. Other countries such As Switzerland Austria Holland Spain and Italy offer special fare reductions for rail travel within the country itself. France for example has its France vacancies pass which permits unlimited travel in second class for $80 for nine Days $120 for 16 Days and $175 for month. The Price of passes in first class Are respectively $120, $180 and $260. The pass is available throughout the year and can be purchased by mail from the French National Railroad office 610 fifth venue new York 10010. The. Pass is also available from French railways offices in major european cities the French initials Are in of. The Destiche Bunde Bahn West Germany s fed eral railway offers a number of Money saving  the least Well known by americans anyway is its mini group plan. A mini group can Beas few As three persons such As three adults or two adults and a child or As Many As five persons. Provided they travel together they May realize 30 per cent off regular single ticket fares. The first two people in the group pay full fares and the others in the group pay half Price. Group fares with savings ofas much As 65 per cent off Are possible through the Bun Desbah provided the group is of a certain size. The trip of sufficient distance and made at certainties of the year. As few As six persons May constitute a group and the discount fares Are available throughout the year. Special rates for school groups seven lower. Also with certain size groups As Small As 16 people at least one person travels free. American express military travel offices sen Bunde Bahn train tickets and will arrange for group bookings at no extra Cost. A couple of other budget helpers Are available from the Bun Desbah. They Are the weekend City Tours do Stodt Touren to 51 european cities an the package Tours Pou schol program again to 51 destinations. The weekend Tours Are to cities such a Copenhagen Paris Hamburg Munich Vienna Amsterdam Zurich and Florence. They include return rail transportation and hotel accommodations and deliver approximately 40 per cent savings compare with Normal rail costs. Weekend City tour travellers Are completely on their own. They travel on regularly scheduled trains not organized group excursions to their destinations and Are free to come and Goat the hours that Best fit their schedules. The Bun Desbah has printed thousands of copies of English language keys to Cata logs for both of the programs. The keys Are available at All rec centers Amelco offices and at major rail stations. All Amelco offices Are Selling the tickets. Here s another German train Deal for those we qualify. Tourists whose residence is out Side Germany and West Berlin May buy a tourist cards issued by us German Federal railway. The do tourist card is valid for any number of trips within Germany and on All scheduled trains including inter City and tee trains for either nine or sixteen consecutive Days. The card costs 280 Marks about $117 for nine Days in first class and 200marks about $83 for second class. For 16 Days it costs 390 Marks about $162 in first class and 280marks about $117 in second class. It is issued Only outside Germany by travel agents and sales organizations of various  do tourist card is also valid for bus Tours on the romantic Road with Deutsche touring from Frankfurt to Munich via wll Ryburg and Augsburg. The offer further includes reduced fares on boats of the cd German Rhine line serving the Rhein. Main and Mosel Rivers and free admission to the trans port museum in numbers. If you Are going to toe states and wish towhee around by rail Yon might want to Check out a Deal offered by ant Trak the National rail Road passenger corporation for its unlimited travel .a. Rail pass. Prices for Amtrak s unlimited travel .a. Rail pass recently have gone up from $165 for 14 Days to $290, from $220 for 21 Days to $365, and from $275 for30 Days to $450. The higher summer prices will be in effect at Al sales Points in the .a. And Canada from now through aug. 31. Travel must begin within 15 Days of Purchase of the pass. However  A. Rail passes sold overseas for use Only by visitors from abroad will be offered at the old rates through oct. 31. Use of the pass issued must begin within 90 Days. Catoo Choo cycling when you get off the train just hop on your own bicycle and pedal it away thumbing your nose at the taxi  an extra 2.50 Marks about $1.10 you can take a bicycle with you on the train Between any two Points in Germany greatly expanding the Range of your two Wheeler. At the ticket window ask for a Fahm Duarte bicycle ticket and name your destination which the ticket seller writes on the  Fahrr Adiarte is a baggage tag with claim slip. Peel off the claim slip part exposing a stick surface which lets you hang the rest of the tag around the handlebars. Save the claim slip if you want your Bike Back without a big hassle. You Are required to Load your own Bike on and Oft the baggage car which is dually at the rear of the train. There should be a baggage attendant there to receive it the service is Safe and efficient but keep in mind that trains Stop Only briefly in the stations. If you weren t Able to get a seat near the baggage car Vou should walk to the Back of the train As it pulls into As pus it your destination and be ready to jump off and Trot Toth baggage car claim slip in hand when the train the same service is available in other  with some local differences. But you May find your Bike does t meet local requirements. I Holland for example bicycles must be equipped with a reflecting rear lamp fixed to a White painted rear Mudguard according to the Netherlands National tourist office. It is a Good idea to Check wit the tourist office of the country you Are considering visiting to find out what is required of the bicyclist and what services Are offered. Germany Holland France and Switzerland Are among european countries with programs for Bike rentals from railway stations for touring pedal push 1 i Wiull Garfield i Dan War Eihud