Rail Europe Eurail Passes Review
So you've decided to take a trip to Europe. If you're looking to save money on your Eurail pass the best place to buy online is Rail Europe
- They usually offer discounts and bonuses and have train passes to suit everyone!
When investigating the various Eurail passes that are available you might be overwhelmed by the options. It can be a bit bewildering to wade through all the variations but finding the pass best suited to your needs is well worth the effort.
First off, you should know which countries are covered by Eurail as a pass won't go you much good if plan to spend most of your time in Poland or Croatia. The 17 Eurail countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Be realistic about the amount of travel that you are going to do. There is no point buying a full 17-country pass if you are going to spend most of your time in Germany and France.
Important note! The Eurail pass does NOT cover travel in the United Kingdom. There is a separate BritRail pass
that must be purchased for travel in Britain, and of course is available from Rail Europe.
Types of Eurail Passes available from Rail Europe
Benelux
- Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands count as one country for Select Passes and are collectively referred to as Benelux.
Consecutive Day Pass - unlimited rail travel on any day or all days for the duration of the pass. If you have purchased a fifteen-day consecutive pass, you have fifteen days in which you must complete all your rail travel. You may travel as much as you like each day and your pass is valid in each of the 17 participating countries. Your 15 days will begin the first time your travel on the train.
Flexi Pass - valid for a specific number of days within a longer period. If you purchase a 10 day/2 month rail pass, you may choose to travel on any 10 of the 60 days your pass is valid for. The days may be consecutive or non-consecutive as long as the total number of travel days does not exceed 10. It is entirely up to you when you travel and the pass is valid in all 17 participating countries. The pass begins on the first day you use it.
Select Pass - essentially a Flexi Pass within a limited number of countries. If you are not planning to tour the whole of Europe, it may be more economical to purchase a Select Pass. You simply choose three, four or five adjoining countries i.e. France, Germany, Denmark and buy the appropriate pass. The Select Pass also covers the ferry to the Republic of Ireland, which for Eurail purposes is attached to France.
Saver Pass - a special pass intended for groups of 2-5 people travelling together. The Saver Pass is available in both Consecutive Day and Flexi Pass formats. Although it is cheaper for the group travelling to purchase this pass, you must bear in mind that the group members wishing to do their own side-trips will not be covered with the pass.
Youth Pass - a Consecutive Day Pass or Flexi Pass offered at a reduced rate for 12-26 year olds. Youth Passes offer seats in the second-class compartment of the train. If you are planning to travel a lot or have a few overnight journeys, it may be worth the extra money to invest in an adult pass, as you will be seated in first class.
The 7pm rule - If you board an overnight train after 7pm, it only counts as one day of travel on your pass. The hours from 7pm to midnight are free. Overnight trains boarded before 7pm will count as two days on your pass.
Email this page to a friend
Return to more Eurail Passes
Email this page to a friend
