Ask Lonely Planet: Staying on the rails in Europe

We are travelling in Germany and then to Paris and London, all by rail. Is it cheaper to buy a German Eurail pass and then pay for tickets from Cologne or Frankfurt to Paris and again for the Chunnel, or to buy a two-country Eurail pass for France and Germany?
Mary

The German Rail Pass costs $402 and allows you four days of second-class travel over a one-month period. The comparable single-country Eurail pass costs the same, but you can increase the number of days of travel at an additional cost. With the two-country Eurail pass for France and Germany, travelling second-class, you can travel from four up to 10 days over a two-month period from $624 up to $979. This includes the two-person discount.

Fares on the Eurostar from Paris to London are about $505, but you can get a discount for booking at least two weeks ahead. Non-refundable, non-exchangeable fares can be found for as little as $150. For more information, go to the French rail website.

A second-class train fare from Frankfurt to Paris would cost about $235; from Cologne to Paris it's about $20 cheaper. Visit the German Rail website. Assuming that you were to purchase a cheap Eurostar fare, you would spend about $800 on rail travel by separately purchasing your non-German train fares. If you were to buy the six-day two-country Eurail option and then your Eurostar fare, you would spend about $985. So it would seem that the single-country Eurail or German Rail pass and separate purchase of the rest of your fares would be cheaper than the two-country pass.

For information on Eurail passes, go to www.railplus.co.nz. For independent information on train travel in Europe and beyond, you can't go past The Man in Seat 61, which has descriptions of just about every train journey in the world, with timetables, tips and links.

Exploring Mozambique
With relatives in Reunion Island, I've decided to explore part of South Africa and Mozambique on my way back to New Zealand later this year. What are the must-sees in Mozambique? Do you have a recommended itinerary for a three-week exploration?
Genevieve

Mozambique, with its sublime 2500km coastline, magical offshore islands and fascinating cultures, is one of Africa's best-kept secrets. You'll find an upbeat atmosphere, overflowing markets, traditional fishing villages, colonial-era buildings, moss-covered ruins and wild, remote beaches, with African, Arabic, Indian and Portuguese influences.

You can enjoy comfort and great service in larger towns and resorts, but expect to rough it a bit elsewhere. Mozambique offers the chance to experience Africa well away from the established tourist circuit.

Spend a few days getting oriented in Maputo, one of Africa's most attractive capital cities, with its Mediterranean-style architecture, wide tree-lined avenues and waterside setting. Then take the bus north to Inhambane to take in the sunset over the bay while watching the flamingos and dhows. Close by are the lovely beaches at Tofo or Barra. Continue north to Vilankulo, the gateway to the Archipelago de Bazaruto, where you can enjoy some snorkelling or take a dhow safari.

To see impalas, waterbucks, oribis, kudus, warthogs, hippos, elephants and maybe even a lion or two, stop at Parque Nacional da Gorongosa. Although the animal numbers are not as great as some parks elsewhere in Africa, the park has an alluring and unique mixture of ecological zones within its 5370sq km. Then make your way to Gurue, a charming and picturesque town set amid lush vegetation and tea plantations. This place is one of the coolest, highest and rainiest parts of the country and you'll want to spend a few days here. The surrounding area offers some good hiking.

Although there are few tourist attractions, Nampula has good facilities, broad avenues and a lovely cathedral, and is a nice spot to spend a day or two. It's also the jumping-off point for visiting Ilha de Mocambique. This small island has played a large role in East African coastal life over the centuries and is a fascinating place to visit. There are lots of attractions here and you'll want to spend a few days exploring its history.

Next stop is the lively and sunny beach town of Pemba. This relaxing place sprawls across a peninsula jutting into the enormous and magnificent Baia de Pemba, one of the world's largest natural harbours. From here you can access the Archipelago das Quirimbas and an endless string of white-sand beaches. It's certainly worth coming this far north to lay eyes on these idyllic islands strewn amid azure seas. For details on places to stay, where to eat and prices, consult a guide such as Lonely Planet's Mozambique.

Tour Crete
I read with great interest the information recently given on transport and prices from Athens to Crete, but are there any contacts or websites for tours of Crete, either from Athens, the UK or Crete itself?
Larissa Jackman, by email

If your time is limited then it's worth considering a tour of Crete. South Crete Tours is based in Crete and offers day trips all around the island; it can also arrange hiking tours and self-drive holidays with prearranged accommodation for up to eight days. Cosmos Tourama is based in the UK and offers guided coach tours, taking in Hania, Rethymno, Iraklio, Knossos and Agios Nikolaos. Travel in Style has five-star tours within Crete, including Samaria Gorge and Spinalonga Island.

You could also try exploring Crete by motorbike with Greenways, based in Rethymno. The website www.explorecrete.com offers information on cultural life, attractions and food, as well as links to accommodation and car hire providers. Tour operators based in Athens, such as Key Tours, offer Crete tours as part of their longer tours of Greece.