Planning a winter trip around Europe, a traveller uploaded his list of city pairs and travel days and asked ChatGPT whether a Eurail pass made sense. It helped him choose a 15-day pass over two months, decide which journeys to use it for, and flagged that ferries weren't covered and Italian high-speed trains need €15 seat reservations.
Here's my rough train plan: [LIST OF JOURNEYS WITH DATES]. There are [NUMBER] of us, aged [AGES]. Help me compare buying a [RAIL PASS NAME] with buying separate tickets: which pass type would fit, which journeys are worth using it on, and what extra costs (seat reservations, ferries, supplements) I should expect. Tell me what to check on the official sites, as prices change.
Replace the [PLACEHOLDERS] with your own details before you send it.
How to try it
- List every journey you’re planning, with dates and rough times.
- Ask ChatGPT to compare a pass with point-to-point tickets and to list hidden extras like reservations.
- Check current prices and rules on the official rail and pass websites before you buy.
More travel use cases
Translate menus and practise phrases abroad with ChatGPT
On Hacker News, one traveller described using ChatGPT to translate a Japanese menu into romaji and English, explain the difference between two Turkish yoghurt dishes, and talk them through basic Tagalog phrases by voice while walking around Manila.
Here's a photo of a menu in [LANGUAGE]. Translate each dish into English, show how to pronounce it in [ROMAN LETTERS/PHONETICS], and briefly explain what it is. Flag anything containing [ALLERGENS OR FOODS I AVOID]. Then teach me how to order [DISH] politely.
Get two AI tools to plan your trip, then combine the best bits
A couple planning Tunisia had ChatGPT and Claude each design a day in the same three cities, then built their own plan from both. ChatGPT's ambitious desert day was too much, but Claude's food tour and two historical detours became highlights.
We're visiting [CITIES] in [COUNTRY] from [DATES]. Design one full day in each city for two adults who enjoy [INTERESTS]. Be realistic about travel times between places and flag anything weather-dependent. Explain why you chose each stop.
Plan an Interrail route with a baby in tow using ChatGPT
A solo mum who spent 25 days travelling by rail from London to Pisa with her six-month-old used ChatGPT to plan the route, asking specifically for pram-accessible trains and quieter departures away from rush hour. It was mostly helpful, but a few times it suggested trains that didn't exist where there were only buses.
I'm travelling by train from [START] to [END] over [NUMBER] days with a [AGE] baby and a pram, using [RAIL PASS]. Suggest a rough route with stops, keeping each train journey under [HOURS] hours, favouring step-free or pram-friendly stations and quieter departure times. For each leg, name the operator so I can check the timetable myself, and flag where I might need a seat reservation.
Reference: Mark Barbieri (Substack)