One of the best things about traveling to Europe is that it is very well-connected. Unlike other destinations, you do not have to worry if your itinerary points are accessible because they will be. A relatively recent trend in train traveling in Europe, Europe passes called Eurail Pass, has transformed the commuting experience, offering flexibility, comfort, and cost-effectiveness. If you are wondering if a Eurail Pass worth it for your trip, and if you should go for one, here is a comprehensive guide for you:
Related Post:
What is a Eurail Pass?
A Eurail Pass is a single train pass that lets non-European citizens or non-European residents commute between multiple European destinations (the Europe-resident equivalent of Eurail is an Interrail Pass). It is incredibly flexible, allowing you to go wherever you want, whenever you want, without having to purchase multiple tickets. There are multiple types of passes and various validity periods you can choose from. For instance, you could get a Eurail Global Pass, which covers 33 European countries, or you could opt for one of the Eurail One Country Passes, which cover multiple points within a country. The validity period of these passes varies from four travel days to three months, and you can choose one that suits you.
How long is a Travel Day?
A travel day begins at 0000 hours and ends at 2359 hours on the same calendar day, meaning that it is a 24-hour period. It takes at most one travel day to travel between European cities, for none are separated by distances longer than that.
How does a Eurail Pass work?
It all starts from the day you buy your pass. If you are sure of your itinerary or the date you expect to begin using your pass, you can indicate that during purchase. Your pass will then be generated in a ready-to-use form, i.e., validated. However, you should know that there is no requirement, per se, to specify your travel dates at the time of purchase exactly. In this case, you will have to validate your pass from the main train station in a Eurail-covered European destination before you can begin using your pass. This way, you can rest assured that even if your travel plans change, e.g., you initially planned to travel in June, but the trip got postponed till September, your pass will still be valid, as long as it has not been 11 months since you bought it.
How you use your pass depends on the type of pass you have registered for. If you have purchased a continuous-type Eurail Pass, you can unlimitedly travel throughout the whole validity period. If instead, you chose a flexi-type Eurail Pass, you can unlimitedly travel during the pre-set number of travel days during the validity period of your pass. For example, you can choose to have ten travel days during a two-month period. Then, your pass will come with ten empty slots on it, and you must then log in the date whenever you choose to travel. Just a heads up, do not pre-fill the slots as itineraries can change due to unforeseen plans. Also, remember, unlimited travel means unlimited travel. You can use trains once, twice, or a hundred times during your travel days and your pass would cover it.
Related:
Learn more about Eurail Pass or purchase your Eurail Pass now.
What is included in a Eurail Pass?
The Eurail network covers 33 countries and about 40,000 cities in these countries. These countries exclude Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Albania.
The pass works only for trains, meaning that buses and metros are not covered. All normal scheduled train services administered by the national train operator are covered by these European passes in the included countries. However, some private train operators are not covered, but this highly varies from country to country. The best way to find more about it is to go through Eurail’s official country-by-country guide, which details all such important information.
How much does a Eurail Pass cost?
Eurail Passes do not have fixed prices. They vary depending upon the season, demand, and how much you are booking your tickets in advance. There are several discounts available too. For instance, the service offers discounts for youths, groups of two to five, groups with children, or if you are over 60. Overall, in general, continuous Eurail Passes are pricier, the cheapest of them being $462 for youth traveling in second-class, fifteen days continuous. For flexi-type passes, you can get one for as low as $199, for youth traveling in second class, for three travel days in one month. You would have to have a rough sense of how you plan to be traveling to find out which pass suits you best.
Related:
Learn more about Eurail Pass or purchase your Eurail Pass now.
When should I buy a Europe Travel Pass?
When planning a trip to Europe, one often finds oneself asking – is a Eurail Pass worth it? Is it better to buy individual tickets or a Eurail Pass? When should one buy a Eurail Pass? Well, there is no absolute answer to the question of whether or not a Eurail Pass worth it. It hugely depends on your plans and itineraries. However, there are a few key things you should consider to come to a reasonable solution.
The feasibility of Eurail Passes is contingent upon the value for money they offer. If they help you cut down your traveling expenditures, which they majorly can in several cases, you should definitely opt for one. However, for that, you would need to do your research. Firstly, you should know that the Eurail fares are no longer fixed, just like airfare, and you can get them for cheaper if you book sooner and for non-festive seasons.
If you know what rough itinerary you will follow in Europe, you should compare the costs of individual train tickets and the per journey cost of each ride from Eurail. To do the latter, find a pass that you are expected to take, and then divide the total amount by the number of traveling days. If, for instance, the two fares are approximately equal, going for Eurail is better, for there is value in flexibility.
As a rule of thumb, a rail pass is not worth it if it is pricier than individual tickets, you are on a short trip, with fixed itinerary plans, or are just traveling to one country. If the trip is expected to be spontaneous, multi-destination, across borders, and via high-speed trains, a Eurail pass worth it in that case. However, use it to cover expensive, long-distance train rides while purchasing tickets for shorter rides. This technique is the best solution for train travel in Europe.
Related Post:
Need help planning a multi-city European train trip?
Want to visit multiple cities within Europe by train but not sure where to begin? If you find this type of multi-city trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!
At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as multi-city, multi-country travel by train throughout Europe are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations (with the most amazing Europe train trips of course!) at the best price.
Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our marketplace for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.
To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in 5 Easy Steps” here.
Have questions for us? Schedule a FREE Call with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at [email protected], call/text us at (888)223-2316 today.
