Eurail or Fly?

I'm not sure about the economic side of things, but considering that Western Europe is relatively small, train might be the better option. A lot of the cheaper airlines depart/arrive at airports miles from the city and and least with the train you have the option of looking at the scenery - and you get a fun experience.

All the cities you mention are quite major and you'll probably find there are direct routes between them.

FWIW on a trip I routed last year:
fly LHR-BER
train Berlin - Munich - Venice - Rome (all direct non-stop trains)

 

Use rail! If you are on holiday, rail is the best mind you, it's slower and if you are not careful, more expensive. Euro 5 country pass purchased in Europe on the internet (a European credit card is needed though) will cost between 150 and 300 Euro depending on when purchased - thats first class in the I.C.E - I don't know economy fares tho.

 

Must admit I personally wouldn't use the train (unless money was no object and I was a train afficionado).

If you're staying in Geneva, it might be worth noting that this is an easyJet hub, so good connections to lots of places at low cost. The other option (and the one I would choose if I had the travelling companions the OP mentions) is car rental. For less than $100 a day, you can hire a tarago-type vehicle which will happily transport you and your fellow travellers to all the places you want to go.

As a previous poster has said, Western Europe is a pretty small place (and the roads are very good).

 

Rail might not be the easiest option if you have lots of luggage. Luggage cannot be checked in like flying. My family and I struggled with our luggage and shopping when we were in Europe, and we'd now rather be hit with exhorbitant air fares and excess baggage charges than dragging so many suitcases around railway stations and up and down trains. Finding space for them in the train is also a major pain in the behind.

 

Quite a lot of stations in europe have special ramps built into the stairs for suitcases and prams.

 

True, although that is optional depending on skill.

 

Umm - it was only mum, dad, grandma and myself. And uhh...multiply that by x number of suitcases (and huge boxes of wine from Nicolas in Paris :shock and divide by 2 (number of ppl moving the luggage - dad and moi). I nearly fell down a number of times from train doors and escalators.

Hmm if only I'd known about the ramps...

 

I agree with everyone who said trains-gets you right to the city centre, see the scenery, cheaper, more fun! Plus trains go EVERYWHERE, not just the major cities, you need to see the smaller European towns too!

 

I've travelled by air/ train/ car around Europe on various trips. Given your group, I'd agree with clifford that car could be the best option, considering possible mobility restrictions of the seniors/ child.

On one trip, some friends and I hired a brand new citroen from Paris at very economical rates. Although we got lost sometimes finding specific hotels, travelling by car allowed us to stop for picnics in the countryside etc, of course not possible with the train/ air options.

 

I'm one for the trains as well, but always have been. No need to worry about getting to/from airports that are sometimes along way from town, and no need to worry about parking (if renting car)/getting lost etc, but car may also be worth considering for certain trips.

Look at Paris - Geneva, train is 3.5 hrs. Flying 1:05, much quicker? Add on the time to get to/from airport, luggage cutoff times, luggage collection, margins for error and end result? Marginal time difference, and air travel can also be much more stressful.

 

A friend of mine who was in Austria and Germany told me that petrol was over $5.50 USD a gallon and in the States it is currently ranging from $2.75-3.40 USD a gallon. So if you are thinking about a car, check the price of petrol too.

 

My friend is an Austrian citizen living in the USA so she had converted litres to US gallons for the benefit of Americans.