Rail Travel Europe
From LoveToKnow Travel
Rail Travel Europe - Within a Country
Each European country has its own rail system. You'll find schedules, availability and prices can vary greatly from place to place. Each rail company has its own website where you can find schedules and book tickets in advance. Use this to your advantage and be well-prepared for your trip!
Here are a few of the major countries in Europe with their official rail site. To find others, go to any search engine and look for "country's name train schedule" or "country's name official railway".
Rail Travel Europe - Across the Continent
There are a number of rail pass deals offered by European rail companies. Many group a few countries together and offer an unlimited ride pass for a few days to a few months. You can use these passes to hop across countries for as long as it allows and save quite a lot of money. Check with the official rail site of the countries you'd like to visit to see if a pass is available.
Two European rail websites pull rail information from all over the continent. They also offer links to the passes mentioned above and deals offered on individual railways' websites.
All-Europe Rail Passes
At first glance, there seems to be a confusing mess of all-Europe rail passes available for purchase. Actually, there's only one official European rail pass that goes by many names:
- Eurail, Eurorail, Europass, Eurailpass
There are many options when selecting a Eurail pass. This webpage outlines them for you and links to where you can purchase them.
Also worth considering is the Eurail Select pass. Much like the Eurail pass, only the Select pass allows you to choose which countries you want to visit. At present there are over 22 countries to choose from. Often the Eurail Select pass is cheaper than the general Eurail pass. Read more about the Eurail Select and see if it will save you some cash!
You can also visit the official website for the EurPass for more info.
Consider looking at an Inter Rail pass as well. Similar to the Europass, Inter Rail offers a number of European destinations at a discounted price.
General Europe Rail Tips
Rail tickets in Europe are usually a fixed price, meaning earlier trains are the same price as later. Your options will likely be limited to train speed and seating class. Choosing slower speeds and lower classes are a great way to save your Euros.
Slower trains make more stops than their faster counterparts. You won't have that much time added to your journey -- 15 or 20 minutes average -- but will likely save 5 to 10 euro on shorter trips. Consider these trains before buying your ticket.
Most trains also have a choice between first and second class. The differences aren't usually noticeable, unless you're on a night train. Both offer comfortable seats and a safe environment, but second class seats are much cheaper.
Buying European Rail Tickets
If you choose to purchase online in advance, RailEurope is a good one-stop website for your needs. Otherwise, check the individual country's official railways website for purchasing details.
Most train stations have a ticket counter in addition to automatic ticket dispensers places throughout the station. Arrivals and departure schedules will be posted throughout the station, so carefully choose your train before purchasing. All ticket machines have a number of language options, so look for the British flag to choose English. Purchasing your ticket can be done with credit card or cash, and sometimes the machines can be picky about your card. When in doubt, speak to a live person to buy your tickets.
European Rail Travel
If you're traveling through the Continent, rail travel Europe is the easiest way to go. The convenience, speed and price are almost unbeatable in the world. Hop on a train with the rest of Europe and see just how wonderful it is.
Related Europe Travel Links
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