Trains are often a popular mode of transport for those wanting not just a holiday on a budget, but flexible travel options as well. This is particularly true for travellers planning trips to multiple destinations either within or between countries, where trains are the transport of choice.
One system available to help travellers save time and money is the interrail pass system. This is a ticketing system open to European citizens and is valid for train travel within/between many European countries. Each interrail pass also gives the holder access to additional benefits. Discounts will vary from country to country, but could include ferry trips, hotel/hostel accommodation, or discounted excursion/attraction tickets.
There are two main types of interrail ticket available, called the Global Pass, and the One Country Pass. Although they are not valid for travel within your country of residence, they do provide discounts on travel to airports/country borders.
Once you begin your European adventure, if you have chosen a Global Pass then you will have access to unlimited travel across 30 popular destinations. There are first class and second class tickets available to purchase for youths, adults, and seniors, and there’s also the option to purchase tickets for either ongoing or flexible travel during a set time period. This ticket opens up a whole host of cities and attractions, in countries such as Greece, Norway, Poland, France, Bulgaria, Turkey and Spain.
If your travel plans just involve one country then the One Country pass will be more suitable. You can buy tickets for travel within 27 different European destinations, along with the option of purchasing a Greece Plus Pass, which includes ferry travel to Italy, or a Benelux Pass which covers The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Best-selling One Country Passes include the Benelux Pass, The Italy Pass, The Spain Pass, Germany Pass, and France Pass.
There are lots of choices available with this system, but when planning your journey always check the terms for travelling on a particular railway, as travel during peak times, or on high speed/night trains, are likely to require seat reservations in advance.
This will likely give European residents plenty to think about, but what about those living in the rest of the world? Well, there is another cross country pass system, and this is run by Eurail. Eurail supply train passes to customers worldwide who are looking to travel within the EU, and just like Interrail, has several types of tickets available. The EU Rail Global Pass covers travel in 21 countries, while a Select or Regional Pass is great for flexibility. The former has a 3, 4 or 5 country option, while the latter has around 25 different options, which include the Norway-Sweden Pass, the France-Spain Pass, Austria-Hungary and a Pass covering the Czech Republic and Germany. With all these passes there are the options of first/second class seats, continuous or flexible travel, and discounts for youths under the age of 26 or children under 12. There are also savings for groups containing 2 or more adults.
Both these ticketing options are readily available online, where there are also plenty of maps, timetables and advice to help you plan your journeys. Other useful resources include the European Rail Timetable, which is available from Thomas Cook Travel Agents and the websites for various national rail companies. Once you have all the information in front of you, decisions will have to be made so where will you go and how long for? The choice, as they say, is yours.
