The Perfect Rail Pass
There are a lot of different rail passes available, but finding the right pass is not difficult if you follow a few simple steps. After reading through the steps, you'll see a short list of the main rail passes that you can purchase and the benefits that outline the differences between them.
| You wish to... | Your best choices are... | |||
| See a lot of Europe | Eurail Global Pass | |||
| Visit only three to five countries | Eurail Select Pass | |||
| Visit only France and another country: | Eurail France-Italy Pass; Eurail France-Spain Pass; Eurail France-Switzerland Pass | |||
| Visit only Switzerland and Austria: | Eurail Austria-Switzerland Pass | |||
| Visit only one country or region | Country Passes:
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| Tour Britain and Europe | BritRail passes plus Eurail Global Pass or Eurail Select Pass. (Britain is not covered by any other passes.) |
What you need to consider before choosing a pass:
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Determine how long you plan to visit Europe. |
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Put together an itinerary of the countries you plan to visit and in what order. |
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Consider flexibility and length of the trip. Some pass options require a certain number of consecutive days of travel while others offer more flexibility. |
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Calculate the number of people in your party; two-person and group discounts are available. |
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Remember age related discounts. Adult passes provide for first-class comfort, while youth passes (ages 12-25) provide for second-class services at reduced cost. Senior passes also offer better pricing. |
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Eurail Global Pass (Great Flexibility
for a wide range of travel) Unlimited Train travel through the 20 Eurail Countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. |
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Eurail Select Pass (Great
Value in a three country pass) Unlimited travel on the national rail networks of any 3, 4 or 5 bordering countries out of 22 European countries that are connected by train or ship. Our easy "country selector" makes the process of booking this pass very simple. |
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Single Country Passes (Best
Deal when traveling to only one country or region) If you are only going to be traveling within one country, a single country railpass is your best option. Choose from any of 24 countries. Regional passes like Iberia and the Balkans are available as well. |
