Purchase flexible Eurail passes so that your group can split up if you have differing interests on a particular day (or in the event that there is a rail system strike and some of you can’t get Johnny Depp off the brain). Though it is cheaper to buy Eurail passes that have limitations, you will regret having these limitations. For instance, we bought tickets that required that we travel in a group. None of us could take a train without the rest of us in tow. We had to travel like a pack of ducks, everywhere. It may seem that you will all want to stick together for safety, but you will get accustomed to the metro and rail system and will want to explore different areas on your own or in smaller groups. For instance, while in Paris, half of our group wanted to go to Versailles for a day. The other half wanted to take a trip to Rouen to visit the Joan of Arc Museum. Some of us also considered heading to the Normandy beaches and the Memorial Museum in Caen. Because we had to travel in a group, we all had to compromise and agree on one destination.
Get Acquainted with Each European Destination
When you arrive at each destination, take a half a day to learn the surrounding areas. Memorize your address and make sure each of you has it written down as well. Learn the common metro stops for your area and write these down and keep them with you. Take a test run on your own and meet your friends for lunch. Then you will all feel comfortable later splitting up to find different points of interest. And always make an alternate plan in case something goes wrong. For instance, you might decide to all meet at the apartment/hotel at the end of the day at a specific time as a last resort.
Plan for Shopping Time
Plan time in your schedule to shop. Some of us have different needs for shopping, but we all want to bring something home for at least one person. If you don’t plan time into your schedule for shopping, you will miss out.