I'm a younger female, and I did a solo backpacking trip across mainland Europe in 2007 - a little more recent 😊 I'm passionate about solo travel, and applaud your decision to do so in Europe! Great choice!
Your last reply friend was kind of accurate, but obviously not on recent pricing. The Eurail pass is definitely the way to go. Depending on your age, you can get the Youth pass (under 26 yrs last I saw) which is a pretty nice discount. It can be confusing, though, if you're not sure what you're looking at. The pass will restrict you to your selection of countries and a certain number of days, and the price varies depending on how many of these you choose. The countries include areas that you'll travel THROUGH, not just where you're stopping... and the days are the 24 hour period that you can get on and off of a train. You can always book additional train tickets outside of your pass range.
I took full advantage of the trains. I slept on them quite a bit, and spent many a day just watching the Euro countryside go past my window. This is a FABULOUS past-time in the areas you're traveling to which, in the Spring and Fall, are absolutely beautiful. Very soulful way to see the continent!! You can opt to get off only at your destination stop, or get off at an interesting-sounding depot, tour around a bit, and get right back on without a knock against your rail pass.
I prebooked hostels and/or camp sites for at least a night or two at a time in cities I definitely wanted to see throughout my trip in order to GUARANTEE that I had a bed after long stretches when I knew I'd be exhausted and braindead from trying to navigate in unfamiliar languages and areas. That gave my trip a sense of direction, and kept me from dropping too much of my actual travel budget on last-minute bookings. You can always cut out days if you want to move on, or talk to the desks about adding days if you want to stay longer. Hostels know how we operate, and tend to be pretty flexible if they aren't all booked up.
Your backpack will be your best friend - make sure it's a good one that fits well. It's worth the money. And, when it comes time to pack, double your socks, underwear and money and cut your shoe and pant selection in half and you'll have packed right. Get a money belt. The rumors about Italian and Spanish sticky fingers are true, but you won't have a problem if you pack your valuables tight to your body.
And on a final point, getting on a tour bus is NEVER a waste of time or money. People scoff at them, but when you're solo, they are an excellent resource for helping you to get your bearings, and maybe even meeting a tour guide or fellow traveler who speaks your language.
Anyway, hopefully your trip hasn't already come and gone rendering this completely useless. Either way... Good luck!
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