Because European cities are so well connected, you can easily make detours and changes to your itinerary with a rail pass. What is it going to cost you? To summarize all of that information above, the Eurail pass is not the cheapest way to travel Europe unless you are traveling by train every couple days. So you’re planning a European backpacking trip to countries like Spain, Portugal, and Germany and wondering, what is the best way to travel around Europe? She spends most of her "down-time" out in the wilderness, climbing, hiking, and beyond, and is feverishly passionate about travel and health. Interrail is great for European residents. For example Belgium, the Netherlands and Benelux are covered by the same Benelux Pass. If you plan to spend at least 3 days at most of your destinations, the flexi pass definitely makes the most sense. European and UK residents should use Interail. The Eurail Pass comes with many price points depending on class, countries covered, and timeframe. If you feel like living your Harry Potter off to Hogwarts dream, a train ticket in the U.K is worth the splurge. 1) Selecting the Right Eurail Pass. We’ve also included a discount on Eurail Passes in this article! Read on to claim it, my fellow broke backpackers. Flights, buses, and shared rides can be cheaper than the train. Have a train station coffee on us! The Eurail Pass is the most flexible way to travel around Europe for non-European residents. For this reason Eurail Passes are not usually available for sale in Europe and if so they are usually priced at a premium. There are discounts for youths, seniors and families, and the Pass includes a free railway map and how-to guide. Check the box ‘Avoid trains that require a reservation’ though! Below I explain why. I wouldn’t recommend the continuous pass unless you have money to blow. Only non-European residents can travel with a Eurail Pass. Train stations are located in the city centers, so you don’t have to deal with travel between far-out airports and your destination. The railway network connects even the smallest European towns, so you can get a bit off the beaten path without having to rent a car. This is definitely the cheapest way to travel! Non-European options This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Even if a train ticket is more expensive, it’s sometimes worth it just for the view and comfort. For example, Germany has an extensive rail network, mostly monopolized by Deutsche Bahn, which controls the rail system and metro system in cities. Most high-speed and night trains require a reservation at an additional cost. Many high-speed and overnight trains require reservations even if you have a pre-paid European rail pass. The Flexi option is almost always of better value than the Continuous option unless you are changing cities daily. Want to know which countries you can visit with Eurail? Download the official Eurail Pass Map from their website and start planning your trip. For example, if you only have 2 train rides left on your Eurail Pass, you’re going to want to use it to get from Paris to Berlin, not Berlin to Dresden (which will probably have a more affordable local ticket). The Eurail Pass is a single train pass that lets you travel as much as you want on participating European train networks for a set amount of travel days. It’s full of valuable insider hacks that will help you unlock your full potential as a traveler. Eurail passes are for non-European residents while the Interrail passes are for European residents. If you’re a European resident you can travel with an Interrail Pass. Only non-European residents can travel with an Eurail pass. It can be overwhelmingly confusing to decipher between the different types of train tickets and passes when planning a trip to Europe. That’s where this Europe rail guide comes in! Look for an “R” on the train schedule, which stands for reservation required. Eurail Passes are marketed and sold at a great discount to non-European residents to encourage tourism onboard Inter-City European Trains. For the Select Pass, you are limited to traveling between 3, 4, or 5 bordering countries. You can use a Eurail pass for your entire trip instead of buying individual tickets for each ride. © 2020, The Broke Backpacker. If you are pinching pennies, your best bet is to purchase your train ticket far in advance. Choose your plan and divide the rail pass price by the number of days you’ll be traveling by train to figure out the average expenses of each journey on the pass. Even though airline tickets can be cheaper, you will often have to deal with strict weight and size limits. InterRail Passes are only for European citizens or residents. If you only have a couple weeks to travel around Europe, cutting out time spent at the airport can be huge! It can be tough to find a seat on popular train routes. Flexi Pass: This pass gets you a certain amount of travel days between a 2-month period. Learn how to travel the world for less than $10 per day with the Backpacker Bible! The pass allows you to use the train on small journeys in between the smaller villages as well. Trains do not have luggage weight or quantity limits, which can sometimes make train travel cheaper than air travel. Night trains require a reservation though, so plan in advance. Eurail Passes are not valid for travel by European residents; Passes must be validated before first use at the train station ticket office and within 11 months of Issue Date; Most high-speed and night trains require a seat reservation fee; Standard Eurail Passes are refundable, minus a 15% cancellation fee They do not require reservations anyway. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Travel in Italy: Train tickets in Italy are usually cheap (even if bought at the station), so you’ll save money by simply buying point-to-point tickets. If you are not a European citizen, but you are a permanent resident of Europe, you can also choose to use an Interrail Pass. You can combine 1-5 countries, or get a global pass for full-admittance to all 28 participating countries. Regional trains, as the name suggests, will transport you around a specific region of a country. Buy Your Tickets at the Station: It’s easier to buy regional tickets at the train station. The passes, which provide access to 250,000 kilometres (160,000 mi) of European railway, are used by over 33,000 travellers annually. Here are the websites for Rail Europe Canada, Rail Europe Australia, and Rail Europe New Zealand.