Last Updated: 3/25/20 | March 25th, 2020
Do Eurail passes actually save you money, or are they a giant waste of time?
This is the eternal question every traveler and backpacker to Europe faces. Whether you are going for two weeks or two months, everyone wonders if they will save money by buying a rail pass or if it’s cheaper to buy tickets as they go.
Eurail passes and costs have changed a lot over the years.
It used to be that you could buy a rail pass, hop on a train, and go wherever you wanted. And, if you needed a reservation for the seat, it didn’t matter whether you had a pass or not — if there was a seat on the train, you got it. The train pass really was ultimate freedom.
Now, things are different. Pass costs have gone up, there are restrictions on when you can use them, there are often only a set number of seats available for pass holders on any given train, and many countries have instituted high-priced reservation fees (I’m looking at you, France!).
Additionally, as railways have had to deal with the rise of budget airlines, they have changed their pricing model to more closely imitate airlines. Now they now tend to offer cheap early-bird prices and expensive last-minute fares so depending on when you book you may get a better deal by booking a single ticket than using a Eurail pass.
Let’s break down how Eurail passes work, their costs, and if they are worth the money or not. If you want to jump ahead, just click on the links below:
Table of Contents
An In-Depth Guide to Eurail Passes 2019 Edition
What is a Eurail Pass?
Eurail passes are one of the most popular travel products in the world. The passes give you a set number of stops in a set time period. You can get continent-wide passes, country-specific passes, or regional passes. Just as there are trains that go everywhere in Europe, there is a pass for everyone. Passes come in two varieties: first class and second-class tickets.
Eurail Pass is a train ticket that allows you to travel in and through up to 28 European countries on trains and some ferries. The product was first launched in 1959 and is a product of a consortium of 35 European railway and shipping companies. They all banded together to create this company that then sells this pass.
It’s meant to be a hassle-free way to travel Europe by train and mean to encourage people to visit a wide variety of countries.
How Does the Eurail Pass Work?
Eurail passes are easy to use as they act as one global ticket. First, you buy your pass before you visit Europe. It can’t be bought while you are on the continent (unless you’re European). It’s a paper ticket that must be mailed to you.
The pass becomes valid the first time you use it. You don’t need to buy a ticket ahead of time, you can simply show up on the train, present the conductor with your pass, and keep going on with your journey. Some countries require you to book a seat ahead of time, and reservations are often required on most high-speed trains and overnight trains.
When you receive your rail pass, you’ll get a small book that lets you know the specific reservation rules for each country the pass covers.
The Thalys train has a limited number of pass holder seats, and since I didn’t pre-book a ticket, instead of traveling direct, I had to make two stops. It made the journey cheaper but also a lot longer than it needed to be.
On the Eurail iPhone app, you can filter for “Trains without compulsory reservation.” This can help you avoid seat reservation fees.
If your train requires you to book a reservation, you can do so the day of or day before you want to get on that train. You don’t need a lot of advanced booking!
For the most part, Germany and Central European countries allow you to just hop on almost any train. In France, Italy, and Spain, you’ll need a seat reservation — you can book it at the train station. Never do it online or the pass providers directly, as it’s more expensive than going directly to the station. Seat reservations are required on night trains.
It’s important to note that Eurail passes only work on intercity train lines and not local trains such as subways or trams!
What Countries are Included in a Eurail Pass?
As of 2019, there are now 31 countries included in the pass (Macedonia, Lithuania, and Great Britain were added in 2019). The following countries are included in Eurail passes:
Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland), Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey (as well as Liechtenstein and Monaco).
How Much are Eurail Passes?
Rail Europe tends to offer better sales but has slightly higher-priced tickets. Here are the Global Pass prices for continuous travel in 2018:
Note: If you’re traveling (and booking) as a group of 2-5 adults, you can save 15% on your tickets (via either the Rail Europe or Eurail website). Also, kids under 11 will ride for free when traveling with an adult.
Also, as of 2019, travelers over 60 are eligible for a 10% discount on their Global Pass, as long as they are 60 years old by the first day of their trip. The discount is available for both 1st- and 2nd-class travel.
While the unlimited Global Pass listed above is nice, the Global Flexi Pass is the popular plan as it offers 15 trips within a two-month period (which is usually what most people need) and is cheaper. A second-class 15-day ticket costs $870 USD (a value of $58 USD per trip) while the first-class ticket costs $1,085 USD (a value of $72 USD per trip).
Unlimited (which Eurail calls “continuous”) passes can be bought for up to three months, allowing you unlimited travel in that time. While these aren’t the most economical (a 3-month first-class ticket will cost around $2,000 USD) they do allow for the most freedom since you can get on a train any day that you want. For a full list of all of the Global Pass options you can visit the Eurail website.
The Math: How Much I Spent
It’s all about the money with the passes. If you are going to save money, you want the pass.
As an example, here’s a breakdown of what the expenses for my latest trip looked like:
Note: Prices are in euros and reflect last-minute departure prices that were given to me at the train station at the time of booking.
The pass I used was a first-class, 15-day, two-month Global pass that costs $1,189 USD. (Why first-class? Because it was the only pass you can get at the time. Now you can get both as an adult.) My pass allowed me 15 non-consecutive days of travel in a two-month period (i.e., 15 train trips). That means the value of each journey works out to be $79 USD.
Since I was only in Europe for two weeks, I didn’t use my entire pass. The five train rides I took had a value of $395 (one-third the value of the pass).
With all the fees for seat reservations plus the base pass price, the total cost of my train trips was $800 USD. Without the pass, my first-class tickets would have cost me $975 (738 euros), which means I saved $175 by using the Eurail pass.
Where to Buy a Eurail Pass
There are three companies that sell these passes:
They sell the exact same passes. So what’s the difference? Here’s the difference:
Eurail is the name of the consortium that works with all the national rail companies to create the Eurail train pass. Rail Europe is an official reseller of the tickets and passes that Eurail creates. Interrail is the same pass but for Europeans only; Eurail/Rail Europe is for non-Europeans. While Eurail also sells the same pass as Rail Europe, Rail Europe often sells these passes at a discounted price.
So, if you are…
European = Buy Interrail
Non-European = Buy Eurail. The passes are cheaper, even when you factor in the cost of shipping.
(In the past, I used to recommend Rail Europe as they were constantly cheaper but not anymore. However, don’t blindly go with Eurail directly. Rail Europe sells Eastern European passes that Eurail does not as well as Swiss and German pass not sold elsewhere. They often have lots of sales too. Check them out first but, if they aren’t cheaper, go with Eurail!)
Should You Buy a Eurail Pass?
So are Eurail passes worth purchasing?
Maybe.
A lot of people assume train travel in Europe requires a pass, purchase one without looking at the numbers, and then complain about the cost.
Rail passes are all about money. A Eurail pass is only worth getting if it saves you money. That means you have to do a lot of math to figure out if a pass is right or not. It can be a time-consuming process but is certainly worth it in the end.
Just like the airlines, prices are now variable and no longer fixed. Depending on when you book, your ticket cost will fluctuate. If you are willing to pre-book months in advance (tickets usually go on sale 90 days out), you’ll easily find some unbeatable bargain deals, such as Paris to Amsterdam from $46, Rome to Venice from $38, or Amsterdam to Berlin from $78. Denmark offers orange tickets that are 50% off the normal price. Since rail passes cost roughly $79 per trip, you can’t beat booking individual tickets in advance.
But who pre-books a multi-month trip to Europe? Not many.
After you have a general idea as to where you want to go, visit the national railway websites and work out two sets of prices: one for tomorrow (i.e., a last-minute fare) and one for two months from now (i.e., an early-bird fare). Add up the prices in each category.
Next, head to Eurail, find your rail pass, and divide the rail pass price by the number of days you’ll be traveling by train to figure out the cost of each journey on the pass.
See which is cheaper and take that option, bearing in mind that your journey may change or you may take more high-speed rails. If I know I’ll be in a lot of countries that don’t charge reservation fees and the prices are for booking early versus using a pass are close, I’ll go with the pass, as there is value in flexibility (I change my mind a lot).
A Eurail pass is worth buying if….
- You are traveling around Europe with no fixed plans. To me, the pass is about flexibility and being able to hop on and hop off trains when you want. If you are traveling long-term, you aren’t going to pre-plan months of travel. You are going to want the ability to go with the flow, which a pass will give you. I place a value on flexibility.
- You will be taking a lot of ferries. Pass holders get 50% off ferries in Greece, Italy, and Germany, 40% off ferries in Finland, and some other bus discounts.
You should NOT buy a rail pass if…
- You are planning on a short trip and you already know your dates. While those early-bird (non-pass, point-to-point) tickets are non-refundable, they are still cheap, and you probably won’t be changing too many of your dates.
- You are traveling to just one country. It’s better to avoid a rail pass, as it will cost more than just point-to-point tickets.
The BEST Solution for Train Travel in Europe
The best way to see Europe via train is to use the rail pass for the expensive and long-distance trains while paying for cheap tickets or short trips as you go. That way you’ll be sure you’re getting the most value of your Eurail pass.
For example, for 11 days of train travel in Europe, it’s cheaper to buy a 10-day Eurail Global pass plus one point-to-point ticket for a short-distance train.
The pass really works best when only used for the long and expensive rides!
The BOTTOM LINE of Eurail Passes
If you are traveling vast distances over multiple countries, using a lot of high-speed trains, and traveling (semi) last-minute, or for a long time, a Eurail pass is going to save you money and is worth purchasing.
If you want to book a pass, go visit Rail Europe first. If they don’t have a sale, go to Eurail and buy the pass directly from them and save some money!
Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!
My detailed, 200+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guidebooks and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money while backpacking around Europe. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more! Click here to learn more and get started!
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want More Information on Europe?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!
Mike
Thank you Matt! This is really helpful! I’ve always been curious about the Eurail passes and wether they are a good deal or not. Last time I traveled Europe, I opted for buses and cheap flights. I’m planning on traveling Europe once my year of teaching in Spain is done and will be considering the Eurail pass this time.
Craig
We went through much the same process every time we’ve gone ahead with a pass. We look carefully at the routes we want to take and average out the daily cost of the pass.
We’re in Germany right now with a German Rail pass. Average value for first class is €45/day. Average on-the-day cost of 2nd-class tickets we want is closer to €80. And I’d rather be in 1st class having left money in my pocket. That said, the law has recently changed in Germany and allows the coach networks to compete with DB… Should be some interesting price wars in the next few years.
James
Great post–lots of good advice. When my wife and I travel in Europe (we’re 65+ and love train travel), we usually are there for about two weeks at a time and always buy a multi-person saver pass for 15 consecutive days of travel (even though we don’t travel every day), since my wife and I are always together on the train. We find it to be more convenient and are usually traveling on regional/local trains that don’t require seat reservations. We try to plan our trip so that we know in advance what fast trains we’ll be riding that will require a seat reservation and book those online before we go, but in countries like Austria seat reservations are not required for any trains, so a pass is very convenient. On our last trip, we did a cost comparison and found that the pass was a big savings for us, even after paying for seats on some German trains and all Italian trains.
Annett
In my experience, when planning single train trips, It can be quite challenging to get advance quotes on train ticket prices that will take you from one European country to another, do you have any tips for that? Especially on the early booking specials they often only give you the price when you book…
As for seat reservations, I have traveled twice on the sleeper train from Stuttgart (Germany) to Amsterdam. Both times on the cheapest ticket, did get charged to make a seat reservation, and when I got on the train both times I was informed that the seat I had reserved did “not exist on this train”
Kimmy
That’s a lot of information to absorb. It’s good to know that the passes don’t always work in your favor and to make sure to sit down and do the math to figure out what option will be best for you. I know I will be doing this once we get to the Europe leg of our travels.
Nancie
Thanks Matt!
This was timely for me. I want to plan a month trip for next year and just looked at the train passes for Europe this weekend. This gives me a great foundation to check prices and see what will work best.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Nancie
Anita Mac
Great run down. Last year on my 3 month Europe trip, I didn’t find it worth while. There were a number of legs that had to be on a bus so the pass would have been wasted. I just bought my rail travel as required. When it was coming to an end, I had planned on using the Eurail pass but the super cheap airline fares got me where I needed to go so much faster and for marginally less! To each their own!
Patrick Keys
Great post, my friend and I are looking to travel for a month after working in London for two and are going to be getting train passes. Does anyone know what the difference if any is between Eurail or Raileurope? Is it better to buy from one rather then the other? Any advice or information would help.
Cheers, Patrick
Megan
Kudos on an honest post! I’ve never used a pass, since I’ve always found buses to be cheaper. The last time I was in Europe (last summer, 3 weeks) I only ended up taking a train from Brasov –> Budapest, and from Vienna –> Berlin. They were all booked on the day of and were pricier than I wanted, but still cheaper than a rail pass. I’d love for the math to work out someday, since trains are awesome.
Marie
I think it really depends on where you go. Passes in the Benelux area, for instance, are rarely worth it because single tickets are so inexpensive and very few trains need reservations. But for long, inter-country journeys (from Germany or France or Scandinavia, for instance), I think the pass is worth it. Especially if you take 1st class – you can get access to the lounges, and have free wifi on board most of the time.
Carole
The best resource for European train travel (also covers other parts of the world) is ‘The Man in Seat 61’ website:
http://www.seat61.com/
As well as examples of cross-border rail fares (and schedules) it directs you to the best places to buy tickets for various countries and in many cases has photos of the trains so you know what you’re getting into if you book a couchette or sleeper.
As it’s a UK based site there’s a ‘travelling from London’ focus at first glance, but there’s also advice for people from outside Europe and how to make the best use of passes.
(I have no affiliation with the site, just many hours using it to fuel my wanderlust!)
Adam heighes
With rail passes I would caution to ensure you have reservations for international borders while remaining flexible the rest of the time especially through France
Using trains helped a lot with my budget to see and do more and the best meals I had were on trains travelling through Italy
Great way to meet people to. Best parts of my trip a cou
Victoria
I’m all for buses and cheap flights…I think it is way cheaper and more convenient than traveling by rail. I have never used a rail pass but it always seems way too complicated to me. I booked last-minute on a couple of trains in Italy and it was very expensive, but it is usually unlike me to do this. I booked a train in advance from Toulouse to Nice and it was much cheaper. Generally I think trains tend to be a rip-off for what you get and the budget airlines make it easier to fly.
NomadicMatt
I prefer trains in Europe to flying since the experience is so much nicer but if the tickets are very expensive, I will fly instead.
Ellen Keith
I’ve done two backpacking Europe trips with Eurail passes, both times a flexi, multi-country or global pass. I remember being frustrated by the number of reservation fees I had to pay, but I never bothered to figure out how much money I was actually saving. Maybe next time I’ll try taking some buses. For long-distance trips in Europe, budget airlines are often a better alternative!
Michael
Unless you are doing several long distance trips, I haven’t found the pass to be worth it, especially if you can buy tickets in advance. But more options are opening up to compete with the low-cost airlines. For example, in France there is now the idTGV, which is a discount option. They have dedicated cars on some of the same routes as standard TGV trains with less frills. Haven’t taken it yet but would definitely consider it to save money.
Gladys
I have not found the rail passes to be worth it in the past few years, because with some passes if you missed the reserved train, your pass for that train is money wasted. With airlines arriving more than an hour late sometimes, reserving a train 2 hours after arrival is rsky business.
Jo Fitzsimons
I think what irks me most is the need to pay extra fees when you’ve already bought the pass. The Japan Rail Pass may be pretty darn pricey but it does give the turn up and ride freedom you want. Now when I’m in Europe I tend to do point to point tickets or flights sometimes letting the cheapest price determine my next destination (unless it is home to England!). One of the best journey I took a few years ago was by boat from Barcelona to Rome – it cost under 50 euros and in my mind I pretended It was the golden age of travel as I watched the Med surroundme for nearly a day. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the maths (no one of my stronger travel skills).
Bob
A lower cost alternative to travel in Europe is going by private car through websites such as bessermitfahren.de in Germany. A number of similar no cost websites have proliferated as the main one mitfahrgelegenheit.de has started to charge a small fee.
Some drivers limit you on amount of luggage you can bring, state their driving style, request no smokers or smokers OK, state if they are looking for a talkative or non talkative type of person, number of seats available, and so on. Often get you faster to your destination faster than by train which may have multiple stops and usually less then half the price of a normal train ticket. I have met some interesting people this way as well.
Bobbi
l did my first 5 country rail pass in 1994 (15 days in 2 months) and it was terrific. France/Spain/Italy/Switzerland/? Even back then you had to pay for seat reservations on certain trains like TGVs so not sure what the good ole days are that others are referencing! I’m going to do it again this summer but I know in advance one disadvantage that didn’t exist previously. Back then, before terrorist attacks, we could arrive in the middle of big cities and for next to nothing, stash our luggage at the train station. So you were unencumbered while you walked around town to have lunch or find a nice hotel. Now, sadly, those days are long gone. But even now, I love the flexibility the rail pass offers and it is much cheaper than driving in Europe due to gas/diesel prices. Arriving in the center of cities is a huge advantage over the distant airports and the expense of taxis to town. Just something to think about.
Yei
I’m going to same countries this summer, I’m not sure if is better to choose the global pass for many countries o o select pass, are u sure the global pass worth??
Celia
We actually looked into the Eurorail and InterRail passes for our three months through Europe this summer. I just get so extremely when looking at the prices for the passes!
I think that if you’re quite flexible and have enough time, flights are a better mean of transportation in Europe. If we were to buy a three months EuroRail pass we’d be ruined. I think those train prices are insane when compared to flight prices in Europe.
I’d also rather fly and reach my destination faster. I hate spending time in trains, even more with those high prices. No thank you!
But anyway we chose to just take our bikes around Europe for three months this summer. Will be fun! 🙂
Thanks for the break down, though. I’m happy that you cover both the good and bad of this way of seeing Europe! I’m sure it’s the best fit for some! 🙂
Erik
I did a 15 consecutive day pass this spring and save almost $600 over doing it buying point to point tickets. I understand they aren’t for everyone, but for me, and the type of travel I do, it’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made.
NomadicMatt
Great to hear!
SMilan
I’m planning a trip of almost three weeks in this August, I would say I spent more with Eurail Pass, although not by TOO MUCH.. I think it depends on the type of pass and how you plan to travel. In my case, I bought a two-person pack (so there’s even a discount) for my parents, Italy-France 7 travel days in two months. Since I am a residence in Italy, I could not use this pass so I bought my tickets as normal.
First of all, Eurail website indicates TGV of France has limited seats for Eurail, which is true; but more importantly, and not indicated on the website, instead of a booking fee as it is for Italian high-speed trains, TGV actually has a special price for the pass holders! So for my first TGV ride from Milan to Paris, the rate for pass holder is actually higher than the normal price, so I bought all three as normal; for the second from Chambéry to Turin, there’s no more seats for pass holders, but even if there is, the price is only about 10 euro less than normal… So I’d say there’s no money saving here… I have another three domestic trips to book in France, if TGV within the country works the same way, I’ll have to choose the TER type which takes as twice long as less frequent.
In Italy, the pass in general works better, you can book all the high-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, and Frecciabianca) with a booking fee of 10 euro, and regional train (InterCity which requires reservation) with booking fee 3 euro. So for long distance rides (Milan-Rome for instance) it’s worthy to have the pass. But interesting places in Italy are not so far away from each other, what to watch out here is, often the normal prices are really not so high from one destination to the next (in several parts, with the pass we just save less than 10 or 20 euro); and in case there’s change of train, booking fees have to be paid for each part. So within one travel day, there aren’t much to be covered if you still want to actually visit some places with calm..!
SMilan
Plus, there’s a new train service “Italo” in Italy, fast, good facilities, good service and good price. Although it has less routes compare to Trenitalia, if the routes they have happen to suit you, it’s a great choice. But as far as I know it’s not yet available to be booked with Eurail pass..
Aly
I am a student currently studying abroad in Paris, France until its December (a week before Christmas). I have a budget of $800 and I want to go to 4 countries (Denmark, England, Italy, Spain) I hope to spend around 2-3 days in each country (pretty much a weekend get away). What do you recommend? Do you think a Euro-rail Pass is smart and efficient means for traveling?
Marie
It’s always a big thing when you save some of the $ or € – there are also deals you can get – trains from a city to another city + the local train tickets for the city of destination. You really just have to look…I really enjoyed looking and reading through your travel adventures. Keep it up!
Katie
Thanks! This has made my decision easier. I’ll be getting the eurail pass (I am under 25 and get a 33% off study abroad deal). I am going all over Europe for the entire month of April but I have to buy the ticket now if I want the discount. However, I don’t understand how you racked up all those fees. So the reservation costs are costing you like $100 each ride? I got a bit lost in your math to be perfectly honest. If I am just going from north to south italy one day, would a reservation still be required and put me out quite a bit? But I am right it buying the eurorail month ticket, correct?
NomadicMatt
Overnight trains have a fee. The others don’t so for Italy, you would only pay a few dollars per reservation fee, not $100 USD.
Allison
I think this article was pretty helpful. However, if you’re looking to travel Europe CHEAP I have a few suggestions.
-Look at other options than the train. In 2012, I found a bus (Berlin Linien Bus) that took me from Berlin to Amsterdam overnight for 9 euros. I only booked this about a week in advance.
-In Germany there are SIGNIFICANT discounts for regional and local trains. Going from Munich to Berlin on the ICE (fast train) would have cost me about 50 euros on the fast train (if I booked it well in advance) but I bought a ticket for the slow train the day I was set to leave and it only cost me I believe 18 euros.
-Use the SkyScanner site. This site will let you type in your departure location and it leaves many options for destination. For example, you can type in ‘Anywhere’ and you can arrange the results by price. You can also type continent (‘Europe’) or country (‘Spain’). By doing this, I was able to fly from Manchester, England to Berlin for 19 euros and from Venice to London also for 19 euros.
-Be flexible about where you go. Of course I’m sure you have your dream city/cities in Europe to visit, but the others don’t have to be set in stone. I never planned on visiting Venice, but I found a cheap ticket there and ended up loving it.
I spent three months in Europe twice for under $2500 each time including airfare from the eastern US, hostels, food, travel within in Europe, and everything else. The rent on an apartment alone for that amount of time would have been almost the same. Europe really IS doable on any budget. 🙂
sophie
wooooooh so much too absorb from the article also the comments…
thank you matt great info…planning on a trip cover from malaysia to uk-belgium-german-france-spain-morocco back to malaysia. 2 months trip … planning on travelling through places along the coastline. i hope the train will give us better option since we want to cover as many small city as possible…
oh man how did allison go for 3months only at 2500… alisson share with me your travel spreadsheet!
nashz
Amazing article, Matt! I was lucky to get an InterRail pass on a special winter discount when I went for a 3-week trip. Learned the hard way that sleeper trains are a ripoff. I suggest to stick to local/regional trains that doesn’t overcharge you on reservation fees.
Downside: you might have to get up very early in the morning to get to your destination at your desired time, as it takes longer.
Upside: the view. enough said.
also: france is by far the WORST country to have a pass. germany, austria and netherlands are my favourite.
Gabriel
Thanks for the article, its helping me a lot! But I have one question, does pre-booking a ticket automatically means that you will have a specific date to travel? Or you can buy a ticket in advance if you know which country you are going to visit, and use them when you want? Thanks!
Stanley
Hi Matt,
Do you think I should definitely get a global pass if I plan to travel about 3 months in Europe ? Do you think it may be cheaper with Ryanair flight offers ?
I traveled 29 days in Central/Western Europe once and took 11 or 12 flights from Ryanair and Easyjet offers and they work out to much less than a 21 days train pass but that takes a lot of planning and luck.
NomadicMatt
I can’t say. It’s really based on your trip and how you plan to travel.
Houghton
Matt,
This is really helpful blog. A lot of useful heads-up. I am planning to do a mere 2-week trip in Krakow, Prgaue and Vienna. Maybe adding Budapest in between. Based on what you said, I think I can ‘safely’ ignore the Euro Pass because distances are so short and time so short. Correct??
Ann
We just returned from France & Germany and I highly recommend NOT using Eurail passes. In France we always had to pay full price for fast trains. They don’t warn you on the Eurail website that even in the off season your pass won’t work because they only allot a few seats for Eurail tickets. False advertising, I’d say. I wrote to the company for some money back and they don’t claim any responsibility.
Blaine Burke
Traveling in Europe and We have had nothing but trouble trying to use our Global 2 month flex pass. It is anything but flexible with all the reservation fees and inability to get the tickets you want to different countries ie Spain and France in my case not honoring each other’s systems. For example could not book French tickets before our trip, or from SNCF while in Spain. When we tried to use our pass in France they charged us full fare and said we should have booked earlier. Believe me we tried over the internet months in advance but their system wouldn’t let us just like it wouldn’t for their employee in Spain. We have been given incorrect directions several times by their staff who seem to only want you out of their way. Next!!
The whole thing is one big scam that I would suggest you avoid at all cost!
sheri
Hi Matt,
Love your blog! It’s so helpful and I read it all the time. I have your book and hacking guide as well. I am planning my first year long ATW trip next June. I’ll be spending 4-5 months of it in Europe and am looking into Eurail Passes. I read this post and was confused. You said you bought a pass for $1189 but then your costs were $800. Do you get a partial refund if you don’t use the whole pass? Why were the two costs different? Thanks!
Marta
I booked rail tickets through the French railroad agency. The site was very good in telling me whether it would be better to buy a pass or book tickets individually, showing the difference. One of us was under 26, so he had different prices for tickets than I did. We were only traveling in France and it was cheaper to book individual tickets in advance and get seat reservations, especially for the return to Paris on the TGV. If you know your destinations, book early! I had to take an earlier train than I had planned returning to Paris, even I was booking months in advance. (Same day, just earlier)
Andy
Too many people completely dismiss out of hand buses. Recently I travelled all around Germany. I looked at buying a German rail pass for a month. Don’t. Its not worth it.
You can bus city to city for pretty much 7-10€ and most buses have free WiFi and charge points…which the trains don’t at often more than twice the price. Times are similar destination to destination and most bus stations are generally next to the main train stations (with exception to Berlin). 13 cities in a month for less than 100€*. Not bad.
I downloaded the GoEuro app. Great for finding the cheapest bus/train/flight options.
*note I’ve heard that due to many of the bus companies being new the prices are low because of this and to expect some rises.
Lauren
Hi Matt,
Thanks for all these useful tips! We are planning a 4 month trip across Europe. With the Pass you bought, are you saying you paid $1189 for the pass and an additional $800 for seat reservations, book fees ect?!!! That is a crazy amount! Glad I have started reading up on this and didnt just jump in like friends suggested. Thanks! 🙂
NomadicMatt
No, I didn’t use the whole pass so the total costs of my trip was $800.
Sid
Hi Matt, we are planning a 3 week trip for europe and all of us are below 26. We are planning to buy the global pass for 10 day trip within 2 months. Before reading this i did not consider the reservation cost and extra for night trains. We require trains to commute from Barcelona > Belguim > Amsterdam > Italy
Is buying this global pass worth, or flights are better
Yei
I’m going to Europe in August two weeks, I ‘m planing to visit Spain, France, Italy, London and Switzerland, only 2 days in each country, I’m no sure if a global pass is worth for me?,,, I don’t have a formal scheduled
Thanks!!
Katherine
I’m traveling through Europe at the moment for 4 months, and though I haven’t done the math, for me a Rail Pass just didn’t work out. Instead I look at sites that offer cheaper train and bus tickets (Go Euro, Trainline etc) and book them a couple of days in advance when I’ve figured out where I’m going! For me it’s much more flexible and cheaper than buying tickets from the train station or even train website! I managed to get a train from Warwick to London for £9.
Gilbert
Hi Matt!
We are a group of more than 15 individuals who are planning to tour Europe in August 2016 from Warsaw.
What advise would you share us since we have a limited number (10 days maybe) of days only. What particular countries you want to suggest us to visit? Which particular train company, class, etc. NOTE: This will be our first cross-country Euro Train experience.
Many thanks.
Jean
I was not happy why I bought this eurail global pass. Instead of me saving money I spend lots because of reservation of seats. From London to brussels I paid £122.50 for us to have a seat in brussels then going to amsterdam I had to pay€25 each cause we are 4 passenger for a seat and so I paid €100 the train stop in every place they are passing. Then from brussel to Paris I had to pay more than € 800 for 4 passenger to be able to have a seat. Then in going back to London from Paris each one of us had to pay € 141.00 to be able to have a seat. I s that you call saving up when I bought their eurail pass for € 942.00. I am advicing you people before buying a eurail pass it should be 3 months advance for you to be able to reserve a seat. This is disgusting, disappointing, and upsetting .
NomadicMatt
Seat reservations are not that high. What pass did you get and from where? Based on your route, it seems you took the Eurostar which is NOT included in the Eurail pass. What you paid was for a ticket not the seat reservation. http://www.eurail.com/help/planning-your-trip/eurostar-included-my-eurail-pass
For Thayls trains, the maximum seat reservation is 30 Euros. As these are special trains, they have special reservation requirements.
John Winter
We’ve used JR, Eurail and Swiss rail asses. In Australia we can get second class passes but it’s not much more for first class. Excluding the TVG, Thalys, ICE, etc, first class was less crowed with more room for luggage. Best pass was the Japan Rail one. Tokyo to Kyoto and return pretty much pays for it. It also includes the Narita Express airport train. Highly recommend. Next best was the Swiss HALF FARE card which we used in combo with an Eurail pass. The Swiss passes (normal or half fare card) give you discounts at 50% (instead of 25% with multi-country Eurail pass) for the private railways (eg Piz Gloria, Jungfraujoc). Despite being a concurrent extra cost, it paid for itself and saved us about $AU200pp more than just using the Eurail pass.
We are happy to lock in our days etc, so with a bit of homework I was able to compare value for our specific trip / trains. Pity our so called ‘rail specialist’ couldn’t do it – their suggested pass worked out about $AU300pp dearer than what I worked out plus we saved more on the Swiss private trains, say another $AU200pp. Our last leg, one day after our passes expired, was a cheap prepaid Italian ticket Milan to Venice.
Ok, we love train travel – get to see more than by air. Also, as another said, you arrive in the city centre. Save time and money avoiding airports. A one hour flight (cramped up in cattle class with baggage restrictions) can take 3 to 5 hours out of a day (transfer out, checkin time, security checks, transfer in). Add on transfer costs getting to and from airports. Compare that with a 2 or 3 hour train ride, landing city central, with no luggage restrictions and in first class – when available – usually airline business class type seats.
As Matt says ‘it depends’. With a fixed itinerary and a bit of homework I’ve been able to work out cheapest and best options for us using specific / chosen rail passes and one discounted bargain prepaid fare. If we had chosen different passes, we would have paid more for the same set itinerary. So chose your pass/es wisely.
ashlea
Matt- what is the easiest way to determine if my itinerary will be covered by eurail passes, and how much additional fees will cost? I am very confused by the different trains and some of them being covered by passes and some of them not, as well as knowing exactly how much reservations/overnight fees are. Help!
ashlea
I would also love your opinion of if we should pass or not as well. First time Europe trip for my husband and myself. Age 25/26, but if we bought the Eurail pass we would probably just buy the super saver pass as 2 adults to obtain the first class benefit. Plans to travel within France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. The trip is in September and will be pretty scheduled since we will have to book lodgings in advance as well. I read that you think passes should be foregone if you have a structured trip and you are far out enough to buy advanced point to point tickets. However, I am wondering if that will really save us money and if it is worth the hassle of purchasing each ticket individually.
Shannon
Great tips, Matt. The thing is, when people talk about passes, they’re usually thinking Eurail. But passes are superb options for regional train travel in Scandinavia (NSB and SJ for Sweden and Norway) and Renfe in Spain, etc. The train ticket/pass seller that I recommend is acprail.com. Even if you don’t buy a country pass, you can still buy point-to-point e-tickets in advance, from home. Having said that, I echo all the comments above: to save money, you have to do your homework!! But you can do that fairly easily on a booking website along with local rail schedules that you can also get online. The good schedule guides say which legs will cost you $ for reservations and reservation deadlines, etc.
Marcie
My sisters and I are planning a one month trip to Europe in April/May of 2017. There are many countries we wish to visit, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Germany to name a few. We are all over 55 yrs and would like some advice on what type of tickets we should purchase, this is our first trip to Europe. Can you help?
Marcie
Adam
Hi Marcie,
My recommendation (if you haven’t already made your travel plans), is to check Seat61. It includes detailed guides on how to travel between cities in all of those countries, as well as a more details on how/if a Eurail is worth the cost than Matt summarized above in his excellent post. I traveled through most of those countries on a Eurail pass last summer, and was quite happy with my decision.
Note: Eurail has several different options which effect the price.
1) If you and your sisters are traveling together, you can save 15% on the Eurail pass by purchasing a Saver pass (you must always travel together).
2) Eurail also offers Flex passes which allow you to only travel for a few days out of a longer period.
3) Select passes cover fewer countries, and save you money if you know where you will be traveling.
You might consider getting a Select, Flex, Saver pass which covers Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Germany. You can just pay the cash fare for trains in Belgium and the Netherlands (and potentially save money if you don’t take the Thalys high-speed train).
Reservations: Eurail’s reservation system is a nightmare. It’s completely overpriced. If you are traveling through Germany, the DB website will usually let you make a seat reservation. ACPRail.com will let you make train reservations in Scandinavia. Alternatively, you can go to any major city train station in Europe when you arrive, and make all of your reservations for almost any train in Western Europe at once speaking to a real person who will almost certainly speak English. I booked seat and sleeping compartment reservations for trains in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway from the Swiss National Railway in Basel, for instance.
Maria
I’ve just bought a two month continuous Eurail pass. I have no set plans on where I’m going and when, i have looked at the planner and put in cities and there’s an option to select trains that don’t need reservations with the pass. it shows all the types of trains, how many changes, distance etc and I’m happy to relax and look out the window. I’m hoping to be able to use it everyday for even short trips….my big question is …do I just get on a train and find a seat? Or do I need to go to ticket office every time, I don’t want to reserve and pay for that. Travelling in February March so don’t imagine it’s as busy.
Adam
Hi Maria,
It depends on the country and type of train. On the Eurail Rail Planner iPhone app, there is an option to filter for “Trains without compulsory reservation.” If that is enabled, you shouldn’t have to pay any additional charge for an unreserved seat, although you might also be wasting time with some seriously inefficient itineraries. My advice would be to experiment with and without the filter enabled. In Germanic and Central Europe (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, etc.,) you really can just hop on almost any train and find an unreserved seat. In France, Italy, and Spain, the fast trains can be complicated to use with a Eurail, so ask at the station first.
Lesa Dixon-Gray
Great article – worth saving! But I’d love to see a 2021 update as the world gets vaccinated and Europe opens up again.
Harry
Cost comparison for my travel later this year for 2 seniors. Countries: Austria, Chechia, Slovakia, Hungary. Total of 5 travel days. Economy. Travel on set dates.
a) Eurail pass, economy, 7 days in one month, 2 seniors: 578 Euro. Not including extra booking / seat fees.
b) Booking direct on fixed dates, economy, 2 seniors: 153 Euro.
Result: book direct, Eurail may only make a difference if you only want to travel only on high speed trains, otherwise its a complete waste of money.
Bill
You speak of trips when describing the passes but they are actually days of use so you can take many trips in a day if needed. Daytrips from one central location make this a valuable product for some. Rail Europe seems to charge a bit too much for reservations in my opinion.
Robert
I am not a mathematician, but the following paragraphs do not add up.
“The pass I used was a first-class, 15-day, two-month Global pass that costs $1,189 USD. (Why first-class? Because it was the only pass you can get at the time. Now you can get both as an adult.) My pass allowed me 15 non-consecutive days of travel in a two-month period (i.e., 15 train trips). That means the value of each journey works out to be $79 USD.
Since I was only in Europe for two weeks, I didn’t use my entire pass. The five train rides I took had a value of $395 (one-third the value of the pass).
With all the fees for seat reservations plus the base pass price, the total cost of my train trips was $800 USD. Without the pass, my first-class tickets would have cost me $975 (738 euros), which means I saved $175 by using the Eurail pass.”
The Pass cost $1189; the individual trips cost $307 above that; that equals $1496, not $800 USD. First class tickets would have cost $975 USD. That means you overpaid $521 USD — not exactly a savings. Even if you had not paid extra for the trips, the cost of the pass itself was still higher than what the first class tickets would have cost by $214 USD.
Or did the Pass cost less at the time of purchase? If so, you should reveal that to your readers.
NomadicMatt
I didn’t use all the trips so I prorated the numbers to reflect that. I’ll make it clearer in the post.