You’ve got a handful of options when it comes to seeing Europe by train and the Eurail Pass is one of the most popular for American travelers. This single train pass lets you travel throughout over 30 European countries on participating train networks for a set number of days.
For instance, you can purchase a Continuous Pass that lets you travel each day for a set number of days or you can purchase a Flexi Pass that lets you travel a set number of days within a specific time period.
Here’s everything you need to know about buying a Eurail Pass.
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Eurail Pass vs. Interrail Pass: which rail pass do Americans need in Europe?
When shopping for a European rail pass, you’ll run into the Eurail Pass and the Interrail Pass. They’re quite similar—both enable unlimited travel through dozens of European countries—but such comparisons are meaningless.
The Interrail Pass is off-limits to Americans: It can only be used by European citizens and permanent residents of Europe.
But don’t shed a single tear; the Eurail Pass was designed specifically for non-European citizens to explore this continent from Seville to Stockholm.
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Eurail Pass 2024: FAQs for American travelers
How does Eurail pass work?
It’s quite simple: Once you purchase a Eurail pass, you need to activate it either online or at a European train station within 11 months of issue. As you travel in the places and within the time period you’ve chosen, you’ll log every leg in your Travel Diary to keep things copacetic with the ticket inspector. That’s the long and short of it, for the most part, so just sit back and enjoy your the freedom and flexibility the Eurail Pass brings to your vacation.
Where can you buy a Eurail Pass?
Get your Eurail Pass, as well as single tickets, through Trainline. We’re an official partner of Eurail, so it’s totally legit.
Which countries can I visit with a Eurail pass?
You can visit over 40,000 destinations by train or ferry with a Eurail Pass in these countries: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.
How much is a Eurail Pass?
Can you really put a price on a priceless trip to Europe? Legally, you’ll need to (sneaking onto a train without a ticket comes with shame and a fine).
Global Passes cost from $208 for Youth (12-27), from $276 for Adults, and from $248 for Seniors (60+). One Country Passes may start from under $100, depending on country, seat class, and how often you want to travel.
Young adults under 27, seniors over 60, and families with children under 12 may also qualify for discounts so be sure to explore all of our Eurail Pass options.
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Do you need a reservation with a Eurail pass?
Most of the time, no. You won’t need to reserve a seat on local, suburban, or regional trains. However, you’ll have to make a reservation and pay extra in special cases, such as if you’re taking a high-speed, panoramic, or sleeper train. The good news is that you can easily make these reservations on the Eurail website in advance.
Advice for using a Eurail pass
We’ve been ‘round the rails for nearly 30 years and have learnt a thing or two about the best ways to use a Eurail pass. Here’s our two cents:
- You might not need it. Spending most of your time in London with a trip to Paris or Edinburgh on the itinerary? An Oyster Card and single-trip tickets on the Eurostar might be best for your budget.
- Pairing two One Country Passes is a travel hack. For instance, if you’re visiting Italy and Greece, purchasing two One Country Passes is cheaper than the Global Pass. Remember that passes like Great Britain, Scandinavia, and Benelux Passes already include multiple countries.
- Hitting up three or more countries usually warrants a Global Pass. You should always crunch the numbers, but more often than not, the Global Pass will keep more pennies, pence, zlotys, kroner, fornit, and lev in your pocket.
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