Eurail Pass Explained: Everything You Need to Know | PLUS TIPS

Let's break down everything you need to know about How to Use a Eurail Pass when traveling Europe! From prices, to tips...we cover it all!

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0:00 Intro
2:00 What is Eurail
2:57 Types of Eurail Passes
3:50 Differences Between Eurail and Interrail
6:48 How Does Eurail Pass Work
9:50 Reservation Fees
11:18 Rail Europe App
14:53 Avoid Reservation Fees + Benefits

What is @eurail ? How do Eurail Passes Work? Where can these passes take you? What is the difference between Eurail and Interrail? What are those pesky seat reservations all about, and how do you avoid them? And most importantly is Eurail worth the cost?


Eurail Passes are rail passes for European train travel. Eurail offers several types of passes and each allows you to travel on different kinds of trains in different countries. You can use an Eurail Pass to travel on high-speed, overnight and regional trains, too.

Difference Between Eurail Pass and Interrail Global Pass

Eurail Passes are available to non-European residents as well as Europeans. If you're from the U.S., UK or Australia, you'll need an Interrail Pass.

The Eurail Global Pass is the most popular choice for most travelers because it allows unlimited train travel in 30+ European countries over a period of seven days, 15 days or 21 days (as well as one month). The Global Pass also comes with free access to hundreds of museums across Europe.

There are also two Regional Passes: the Select Pass and One Country Pass. The Select Pass gives you unlimited train travel in two neighboring countries over a period of seven days or three months; while the One Country Pass gives unlimited train travel within one country over a period of seven days or three months (and includes free access to museums).

What is the Eurail pass 2022?

The Eurail Pass is a rail pass that allows you to travel across Europe by train. The pass is valid for unlimited travel on national rail networks, making it ideal for long distance travel and sightseeing.

The Eurail Pass can be used by anyone over the age of 18 who is travelling as a tourist. The cost of your trip can be split between two people, so it's also great if you're travelling with friends or family.

Eurail Pass How it Works?

There are three types of Eurail pass available: Global Pass (for unlimited travel in all zones), Select Pass (for travel in a specific zone), and Regional Pass (for up to 4 days' consecutive use within a specific country). You can choose which type of pass suits your needs best depending on where you want to go and how much time you have available for travelling.

Interrail Pass How Does It Work

It works pretty much the same as the Eurail Pass

Eurail Pass Reservation

On some trains you will need to make a reservation even with the pass. These are small fees that you have to pay.
Reservations are limited and subject to availability. Reservations cannot be guaranteed for all trains, even if the reservation is made in advance. Some trains have a ‘first come, first served’ policy and are not part of our reservation system.

[nilukhatri]

Thanks for the info...but as per the screenshot attached...overnight train if boarded before midnight will count as only 1 travel day...like if you board at 8 pm and get off at 2 am - it will count as only 1 train day (subject to no change of train past midnight).

[danijelsedic]

I know that rail passes are extremely popular, but they are definitely not cheap, especially if you are on a budget .I will reveal tips and tricks to you. From my experience, traveling by train is significantly cheaper if you don't take Rail passes. If you take a Rail pass for it, it will cost you a lot of money, several hundred euros for each Rail pass, and you must also buy and pay extra for each reservation for every train marked IC, EC, NC, NJ and similar. The only advantage of the rail pass is mobility. Since I plan my trips several months in advance, I prefer to give up that mobility and save money, I take individual fixed train tickets for seat second class with reservation for each train, which are much cheaper. Of course you have to buy them several months (3 or 4 for my exprience) in advance, because as the date approaches, the occupancy of the train increases and the price of the ticket increases. Another little trick is to plan travel on weekdays from Monday to Thursday, because tickets for train those days are often much cheaper than on Friday and weekends When added up, you will save a minimum of 100 euros probably even more. This is significant if you are on a budget.



Odgovori

[lours]

EU resident here. Lived in Paris for 20 years. Had 200 visitors over that time and have seen their experiences. Most of their experiences with these passes in their cases were bad: the main issue is having a pre-paid commitment to a block of travel hanging over your head and being stressed about getting the value out of it. In most cases, they regretted getting the pass and on future visits just bought some tickets in advance and the remainder as they went along. Far freer, far less stress and same cost or often cheaper as they decided (very wisely) to stay longer in a few places rather than running around and not really getting under the skin of any place…. Maybe if you are a 20 something year old backpacker who wants to jaunt about all over the place without settling in anywhere (a dubious approach) these passes may be good options.

[S.L.S-]

Wow, have Eurail passes ever changed and NOT for the better. In 1968 my aunt bought me a Eurail pass for $100.00 She told me I can use this in any country, on any day or night as many times as I wanted. I only have to show the conductor the pass ( flash the pass) and that was it. I went all over Italy, France, Germany, Amsterdam and stayed in some of the nicest and cleanest whore houses. I just loved hoping on and off whenever I felt like it. Now when I see the restrictions on the days, months, times and the high costs it seems that a Eurail pass has become very complicated and has stolen your freedom.

[ManiacGoat]

Travelling to Europe in July and August. This has helped a lot - thank you for your video.

[seamusobrien]

good explanation brings back my youth of wondering across Europe on Eurail deciding each day what country I wanted to go to and seeing if I could maximise the miles covered. When travel is the game and the destination is just where you stop for the day.

[tiffandjake]

Heading to Europe in 6 weeks for a month, very helpful, thanks!!

[popeechanda]

I know this video is all about you telling about everything about the euro rail pass but I couldn't help but notice you have all the best sellers from Ryan Holiday discussing stoicism. This is sooo amazing, ok now, back to watching the video for which I am here for 😁

[fionacarter]

Smashed it. Another benefits of the app if your phone was stolen you can get it placed on another phone.

[isaifigueroa]

Ridiculously HELPFUL Thank you much for the helpful information!!

[raymondmuench]

Wow, how things have changed! Had my first pass in 1975. Was only 1st class, only physical pass. Once got skunked by a train strike in Belgium; lost days! Maybe time to try it again in my old age.😉

[leogirlie]

Glad the algorithm brought me to ya! My hubby and I are headed to Europe for a month from Thanksgiving to Christmas and I was very close to getting the Global pass but the whole reservation thing has my head spinning. Why can’t we buy them thru the app? So lame! I took your advice and added up all the prices per ticket even with fully refundable option and its about the same. Thanks again for a well thought out explanation.

[mrkfong]

Thanks for the explanation. I was a bit confused

[ana_otautahi]

I bought a Eurail pass in May 2024, for my trip to Europe over July/August, and honestly I don't think it was worth it. Part of the reason I bought it was for the flexibility of booking closer to the time without the evr-increasing fares the closer you get BUT I'm finding that so many key train connections book out months in advance anyway, and the seat reservation fees are so high, that it would have been significantly cheaper to NOT buy the rail pass and just book point-to-point.

[rodkeg]

Very useful refresher after not doing eurail for over 30 years. Now retired so the over 60 discount sounds great— I will have to check that out. One question, my memory of getting around Europe was that many of the IC and EC trains were not included in the eurail? You also made me remember using the ‘Kilometrica’ tickets around Italy and all the various hacks to not add kilometres to your paper ticket, although most of the Italian rail guards were pretty relaxed about checking. Thanks again.

[bollikay]

Going to Europe in March and this info is helpful as I am planning to visit some of the countries I did not see when I was there in 2017. I have not used Eurail but looks like I will this time. This is timely. Thanks for the info.

[ronboff]

i traveled thru Europe with Eurail pass in the issues at all 1 month 1st class $160 any train any where any time! complete freedom spring and fall 3 trips.. one trip was 2 months because it was so money was the only pain in the ass! never bought ticket was good on ANY NATIONAL CONVEYANCE! ferries and ships and Rhine River boats!!!

[ronnanp]

Nice video, but I'm thinking you're wrong about an overnight train trip taking two days of your Eurail pass. When we go to Europe, an overnight train trip that goes from Cologne to Vienna, for example, without changing trains only takes one day of your Eurail pass. I could be wrong, but I think I'm right. :)

[jacquietimms]

Q1: What counts as a travel day on the eurrail? Is it 00:00 - 23:59 or 24 hours from the time of your first train?
Q2: Can you add multiple passes to the same phone app?
Q3: How do you guarantee your spot on a train without seat reservations? For trains with seat reservations, are you guaranteed to get your assigned seats?

[RaviNaidu-hfsl]

According to some other source, if a ticket is booked for travel after 7pm and thr travel crosses midnight and the journey ends the next day, it is classified as a single day of travel.