Eurail

Table of Contents:
Versions / Global Passes / Select Passes / Regional Passes / National Passes / Note / Cost / Quirks and caveats / Notes on boats / Shopping, Eurail souvenirs / See also

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Eurail [1], formerly Eurorail, is a variety of rail passes which cover travel in a total of 27 countries in Europe. Intended for foreign visitors to Europe, the pass is similar in scope to Inter Rail, which is exclusively for European residents.

Versions

Global Passes

The Global Pass covers unlimited first class travel in 18 countries: Austria (including Liechtenstein), Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France (including Monaco), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal , Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Global Pass Adult
Global Pass Saver, for two or more people traveling together (15% discount)
Global Pass Youth, for second class travel (must be under 26 on the first day of use)

Select Passes

For travel in 3, 4 or 5 countries adjacent by rail or ship. Available in 18 countries listed above, with the addition of: Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia.

Select Pass Adult
Select Pass Saver
Select Pass Youth

Regional Passes

For 3-10 days of travel in a 2 month period between two bordering countries connected by train or ship.

Available combinations are: Austria-Croatia/Slovenia, Austria-Czech Republic, Austria-Germany, Austria-Hungary, Austria-Switzerland, Benelux-France, Benelux-Germany, Croatia/Slovenia-Hungary, Denmark-Germany, France-Germany, France-Italy, France-Spain, France-Switzerland, Germany-Switzerland, Greece-Italy, Hungary-Romania, Italy-Spain, Portugal-Spain.

National Passes

National Passes are available to the following countries: Benelux, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden.

Note

The following are counted as one country for the Select Pass and Regional Passes:

Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg
Slovenia and Croatia
Bulgaria, Serbia, and Montenegro
France and Monaco
Austria and Liechtenstein

Cost

All passes are available in fixed-length versions of 15 or 21 days, and 1, 2, or 3 months of consecutive-day travel, and also as Flexipass versions offering 10 or 15 days of travel within 2 months. Select Passes are all flexible and offer 5, 6, 8, 10, or 15 travel days in a 2-month period.

Pricing naturally depends on the exact variation: a flexible 5-day 3-country Youth Select Pass starts at $265, a consecutive 15-day full Youthpass can be yours for $415, while a consecutive three-month 1st-class pass would set you back a whopping $1789.

There are no Senior rates for classic Eurail passes, but Senior rail passes are sold for specific countries or regions -- France, the Balkans and Scandinavia. These passes are available in 1st-class only, and cost little more than 2nd-class passes.

Prices have historically risen (an average of 20%) every January to reflect the current exchange rate, but since all passes are valid for six months from date of purchase, it would make sense to buy passes as late as December, yet travel as late as June of the following year.

Children under 4 travel free, except if a reservation for a separate seat is requested. Children 4-11 receive 50% off any full fare Adult pass when accompanied by a traveler with the same full fare Adult pass.

Those with 1st-class passes may travel in second-class compartments at any time. Those with 2nd-class passes can pay the 50% difference in ticket price to upgrade to 1st.

Eurail passes are valid on most high-speed trains in Europe, including TGV, Thalys, InterCity Express (ICE), EuroCity (EC) and InterCity (IC). Exclusions are:

Most Spanish express trains, including AVE and Talgo 200, which require supplements
Eurostar crossings to/from the UK. A discounted Passholder Fare applies to those with valid railpasses for travel in France or Belgium (departure or arrival country).

Reservations are mandatory for many express services, and these are not free, although groups of 6 paying adults traveling together get a 30% discount.

Overnight services will also charge supplements if you want a cabin or couchette, which are shared, unlike the private cabins on Amtrak trains in the United States.

Quirks and caveats

Passes must be validated prior to boarding any train or ship.

Don't assume that your rail pass guarantees you a seat on every train.

Unlike Inter Rail there are no limitations regarding the starting country, and there are no discounts for travel outside the selected zones.

Travel days are generally counted from midnight to midnight. There is one useful exception: direct overnight trains and ferries leaving after 7 p.m. are counted as one day of travel, not two.

One-month passes last longer when validated (on any day) within a 31-day month.

Any of the passes are now valid on the Airport Express Trains and night-trains in Sweden.

Swiss passes are now valid for free museum admissions.

Notes on boats

Ferries between Ireland and France, Italy and Greece, and the trio of Germany, Sweden and Finland are either free or steeply discounted. All boat rides on Switzerland's lakes are free as well.

Flexipass and Select Pass holders use a full travel day for free passage on a ship; traveling at a reduced fare does not require use of a travel day.

For free passage travel, your pass must be valid for both the countries of departure and arrival; for discounted passage, either country is acceptable.

Always check the daily schedules during the specific week of travel. Some ferries cease operation in the off-season altogether, while others reduce service to one roundtrip daily, from several trips a day during peak season.

Trasmediterranea Ferries in Spain will no longer offer the 20% discount to passholders, although Iscomar ferries still offers a 30% discount on similar routes.

Shopping, Eurail souvenirs

Eurail Passes are available online from official site, from official General Sales Agents, or at the Eurail Aid Office in London (at higher prices). Eurail Passes and Eurail tickets may not be sold to residents of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, or the Russian Federation.

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