Air Travel Yet Rail Travel (Negative)

This article from Today's New York Times relates to the proliferation of low-fare air carriers overseas.

There are some comments within regarding the impact of these low fare carrier on European life; including use of trains by younger visitors.

Unfortunately, I can only believe this article is negative in that a reader contemplating European travel could well choose other means, such as low fare air, than a Eurailpass.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/04/trave ... train.html

The most interesting passage I find from the article is its conclusion. Nothing has changed regarding the convenience, relaibility, and if traveling on a Eurailpass, the economy of European rail travel - only people have changed.

"....it isn't the low-cost airlines that have changed Europe; it's that Europe itself has changed. "That vagabond experience in Europe, sleeping on the trains and camping out in youth hostels, has changed now," .... "You're not hanging around in front of American Express waiting to get your mail anymore, because you've got your cellphone."

"Europe's just not as romantic and misty and exciting as it was when we were kids,"

while the low airfares might cut into the long distance rail traffic , i dont believe it will effect the "eurail pass " turist . quite simply you cannot beat the convienience of the pass , and with Europe been so small , and towns / sights every few miles , the train is the way to sight see . i guess you might get some deicde to fly the long distance then train the small distance s , but i stil think the eurail pass is the way to see Europe .