Choose your plan and divide the rail pass price by the number of days youll be traveling by train to figure out the average expenses of each journey on the pass. To sum up everything Ive explained above, I do think that Eurail passes ARE worth it if you meet the following requirements: You value flexibility, spontaneity and comfort over budget, You are travelling extensively around countries like Germany, Switzerland and the UK where trains are normally very expensive, and where reservation fees dont tend to be mandatory, You are under the age of 27 or over the age of 60, and eligible for additional discounts, You intend to make use of the Eurail Pass additional perks, like hostel and attraction discounts. Ill be honest, the continuous pass is very rarely worth it unless youre going to be traveling every one or two days. Dont buy a Eurail pass if you arent covering much ground on your trip. Our website contains some affiliate links in relevant areas. Miss a connection? 8 weeks in Europe - Eurail passes? Where was this article and advice a month ago before I spent too much money on our Eurail passes and then couldnt figure out how to use them. Choose the type of train that best fits your plans, and travel where you want by day or night. Traveling in a pair or as a group? You can activate your pass whenever you want, so keep thisin mind when you are choosing the length of time for your pass. A 'day of travel' consists of unlimited train rides within a 24-hour period. We haven't looked back since! Available for 3, 4, 5, 6, or 8 travel days within 1 month. You can combine 1-5 countries, or get a global pass for full-admittance to all 28 participating countries. Make sure to check this box when you are buying your Eurail Pass! 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | The comfortable and fun way to explore Italy. Aside from the extra reservation fees required for certain classes of train (see above), Eurail passes cover all travel on trains run by the Italian State Railway (Ferrovie dello Stato Italiano). Eurail Italy Passes are only valid on the Trenitalia network. The vast network of rails connect even the smallest towns to one another (a luxury we dont have in the US). The more journeys you take each day, the more you can save. Look for an R on the train schedule, which stands for reservation required. For instance, while once upon a time, staying under budget was of utmost importance for me, these days Im more inclined to pay extra for comfort, convenience, and being as far away from loud youths as humanly possible. These are not included in your Eurail Pass. In our opinion, the passes were definitely worth it if you are planning on seeing as much of Europe as you can, in a short amount of time! The one country pass is fairly straightforward: you purchase one pass and its valid for that one country only. Most train travelers in Italy spend each rail-travel day taking relatively short rides on the MilanVeniceFlorenceRome circuit. A wonderful thing about using a Eurail pass is (with a few exceptions where reservations are mandatory), you can usually just hop onto the train with your rail pass and take any journey that you want. Is First Class Worth It On European Trains? Okay, train travel is great, but there are disadvantages of the rails too. While some trains require a reservation (like most overnight excursions), most of them do not require you to book ahead. Want to see more of Europe than just 1 country? In addition to that, these countries tend to be quite pricey for trains, so I was really able to get my moneys worth using the pass. If you do not want to plan the dates ahead of time, then the pass is probably going to save you money. Travel on Islands: When traveling to countries likeGreece, mostly comprised of islands, it obviously makes no sense to travel by a rail pass. Many towns are only reachable by regional trains, likeSintra, Portugal. No need to plan ahead! Reservations tend to be required for popular high speed trains between major destinations (trains likely to sell-out) as well as for overnight sleeper trains. The basics on choosing among rail passes While prices in Western European countries like France, Germany, Italy and (especially) Switzerland can be terrifyingly high, Eastern Europe and the Balkans can be shockingly cheap. The train is much more comfortable than planes, especially those budget airlines like Ryan Air You have larger seats, and the ability to walk around. The continuous pass also provides the most flexibility. Her travels took her many places: the Latin Americas, the Middle East, the islands of the South Pacific, and across Europe. If you do have to reserve, the Rail Europereservations portal also makes that reasonably painless. Young travelers can receive a big discount on Eurail Passes! Moreover, a lot of countries in Eastern Europe and the Balkans are not as well connected as Western Europe. 2023, The Broke Backpacker. This fairy-tale, castle filled town is only 40 minutes from Lisbon, and definitely worth the trip. Some countries, like the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg are considered1 country on the pass called Benelux.. Cost of Eurail Pass + seat reservations + Vienna-Prague point-to-point ticket: 491. Check the box Avoid trains that require a reservation though! Traveling Long Distances: Conversely, dont buy a Eurail pass if you are covering a lot of ground either. Another key consideration is which Eurail pass you intend to buy. Read on to claim it, my fellow broke backpackers. More tips for getting the most out of a rail pass Required fields are marked *. The Final Word on Whether Eurail is Worth it for Your Destinations. You only need to look after a single ticket, and if you lose it and youve chosen our Pass Protection, well cover the costs of replacement train tickets up to the remaining value of your Eurail Pass. Right now, Broke Backpacker readers can receive a discount on Eurail Global Passes of either type when they use the code BBPKLOOK. Buses are also (in this travelers opinion) much less comfortable and far less interesting. A Eurail Pass is thebest option if you plan to use the train as your main source of transport and you want the ultimate flexibility to plan your trip as-you-go. Just remember to use the code BBPKLOOK when checking out on Klook. Its best to use the former as students over 27 dont actually get discounts on Eurail Passes. And sometimes its tough to knowwhen to use the train vs. car, bus, or plane! Leaving Garda we'll take a train to Lake Como for a week at a single location and travel by ferry to towns around the lake. In most cases, this works out to be cheaper than buying a Eurail pass for the same trip. Thats because train travel is hands down one of the most comfortable ways to travel around Europe you get way more leg room than a bus (and much nicer bathrooms), plus the journeys tend to be substantially more scenic and enjoyable than flights. Prices are cheaper for youth fares which are available to anyone under 28. Even if a reservation is not required, it may be worth making one if you are traveling between two popular destinations. It is much cheaper if you buy your tickets online a month or two ahead of time. Likewise, if you lose just one ticket, your whole itinerary is at risk of falling apart. If you only have time for a short trip and are looking to party your way through Europe, this is a fun option, but its definitely not recommended for everybody! Depending on your travel style, if you decide to use a lot of these perks, that would make the pass super, super worth it. When I'm not frolicking abroad, you'll likely find me faceplanting into burrito bowls & doing important work in my Monsters Inc onesie. Note: Prices vary and can be cheaper for youth travelers (under 28). This is cheaper. Moreover, you want to buy a ticket in advance for popular destinations, like London to Paris. The next important question you need to ask yourself is which countries you intend to visit. Review and complete it here. Wander off the beaten track, take an unscheduled day trip or stay longer in a city you love its your adventure, after all. This is definitely the cheapest way to travel! If youre on a budget, check Megabus and other cheap ways of travel instead! All that said, keep in mind that per-day costs are lower for longer-term rail passes so if you'll be doing a lot of Italian train travel, a pass may indeed pencil out (especially if you're venturing beyond Italy on a larger European trip). Here are the websites for Rail Europe Canada, Rail Europe Australia, and Rail Europe New Zealand. If you plan to spend at least 3 days at most of your destinations, the flexi pass definitely makes the most sense. You can use theEurail timetableto plan your journey with regional trains too. Taking high speed trains in all of these countries require additional reservation fees, which really racks up costs. Visit Rome and discover the remains of its glorious past. Consideration #1: What is Your Travel Priority? With the advent of budget airlines like RyanAir, WizzAir and EasyJet, flying even at short notice between European cities has never been quicker or cheaper. Note that, the terms Eurail Youth Pass and Eurail Student Pass are often used interchangeably. If the cost for a point-to-point or regional ticket is less than your divided price, save one of your trips and buy the cheaper ticket instead! You will then activate your rail pass by getting it stamped at the ticket window at the departure station on the day of your first train journey. If someone is under 27, they can get up to 20% off any type of Eurail Pass, be it a global, single-country, or select-country pass. You dont need to buy a month-long pass just because youre in Europe for a month. The passes give you a set number of stops in a set time period. Choose from popular countries like Italy and Spain and use regional and high-speed trains to move from one beautiful city center to the next with our One Country Pass. See our tips for booking ItalyFrance trains. Eurail newbies often get confused because there are a few different kinds of passes that you can buy, in spite of the fact that the term Eurail pass gets tossed around as one single entity all the time. Compare the price of the Eurail Pass to every point-to-point, flight, and bus ticket option. Checked luggage fees, transport to and from the airport, and sneaky fees for things like not printing your own boarding pass all add up, and can easily exceed the cost of the train. Close, An Intro to Rail Passes in Europe Including Eurail Passes and More, https://www.pinterest.com.au/acoupleventures/. Have a train station coffee on us! It's always good to compare prices, like in the following examples. If you are pinching pennies, your best bet is to purchase your train ticket far in advance. This is a pass you can use to travel around Switzerland; point-to-point tickets in Switzerland are expensive. The only downside is that second class is significantly more crowded. 2022 Thrifty Nomads All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy. Your email address will not be published. Most passes allow you to hop on a train at a moments notice. EXAMPLE: Booked well in advance, German train tickets can be as cheap as 19.90 one way, even for high speed and long distance routes. You can use a Eurail pass for your entire trip instead of buying individual tickets for each ride. How much do railway passes cost?In 2022, the cost of a Eurail Global Pass purchased directly through Eurail will rise to $280 for second-class seats and $374 for first-class seats for the four-day-in-one-month pass for adults. The handy Rail Europe Planner Apphas a nifty timetable feature that will warn you if a reservation is required on the route youre planning to take. A child must be accompanied at all times by at least one person with an Adult Pass. This is generally the most expensive option, and often times not worth the costunlessyou plan to ride the train nearly daily. Last year they had a 30-day 'hop on, hop off' pass for the incredibly low price of 75 Euro. Ive highlights the top reasons why you shouldnt choose train travel below. You can book your reservations up to 3 months in advance. "We were on the road for two months and traveled to 16 cities and 10 countries. We discussed this above. This is a huge advantage of traveling Europe by train. According to Eurail's website, reservations average 10 for high-speed trains and 15 for international, but for the most popular routes in Western Europe, fees on certain routesParis to . "It was the jump out of my comfort zone that moved me to travel across . Interrail is great for European residents. The railways are an extremely convenient (and fun) way to travel Europe. Booking every leg of your journey months in advance takes a lot of meticulous planning and research. Below I have mapped out everything you need to know about the Eurail Pass,discussed the different types of train tickets in Europe, and explained when it is advantageous to buy a train ticket versus sticking to flights or the road. If you intend to make use of these discounts, that makes the Eurail pass a lot more worth it. EXAMPLE: I used my Global Pass a lot going from Germany to Switzerland and because theyre neighbours, none of my train rides were ever more than a few hours so it made sense to do these journeys by train rather than fly. A California native, Ana Pereira is a writer by trade and inspired by earthly exploration and introspection. If youre a European resident you can travel with anInterrail Pass. Use this map to add up approximate pay-as-you-go fares for your itinerary, and compare that cost to the price of a rail pass for the number of days you expect to spend on the train. 12K views 1 year ago As many parts of Europe make plans to reopen to travelers, today for Travel Thursday, we look at whether the Eurail pass is still worth it in 2021. Travel between popular destinations like Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan. document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Below are my top travel tips for taking the train in Europe. For example, if you are trying to visitFssento visit the famousNeuschwanstein Castle from Munich,it actually makes more sense to buy a Bavaria Regional Day Passthan a normal roundtrip ticket as the locals do. Often times the bus is actually cheaper and more efficient. 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