Right now is the time to buy if you’re after a Eurail Pass in Spring 2008. RailEurope, amongst others, is offering massive 30% discounts including up to one week free on the Eurail Global Pass. Click here for Rail Europe.
Sales finish 30 November!
These discounts are available for a limited time and are valid for travel in March, April and May 2009. If that’s when you’re travelling, get in now and save yourself some cash! You’ll also get Free shipping on orders of $399 or more.
Here are some photos taken during my 2006 Eurail trip through Switerland. It was easily the most scenic of all our travels that year. Except, perhaps the South Island of New Zealand.
Swiss countryside
Brienz, near Interlaken.
Magnificent Bern. With real bears.
Swiss mountain journey.
Train carriages ahead.
Hostels at the Limits of the Eurail Network
Stretching across diverse countries, cultures and landscapes, Europe has so much to offer backpackers that it can sometimes be a bit of a challenge deciding where to start! Combined with a Eurail pass, hostelling can offer travelers the flexibility and freedom to really experience Europe – whether it be north, south, east or west.
For the rail traveler, the beauty of the Eurail network is that it reaches much further afield than just the big cities. It gives backpackers the opportunity to leave the beaten track far behind and explore the very limits of the continent, from Scandinavia to the tip of southern Italy.
The North – Gnarp
Home to old-fashioned fishing towns, wooden houses and crystal clear waters, the Bothnian Coast on Sweden’s eastern seaboard offers a stunning glimpse of Scandinavia. The train winds it way north along the coast towards Sundsvall and the nearby small town of Gnarp, where there’s heaps of skiing, golf and (of course) fishing available all year round.
Surrounded by four lakes and the peaceful countryside at the edge of Gnarp, Hostel Berggarden is a traditional Swedish inn that provides great value accommodation for travelers and backpackers. There are also cheap, home-cooked meals available at the hostel’s pub and restaurant.
East to Balaton
East of Budapest, the town of Balaton sits on the largest lake in central Europe in the midst of Hungary’s beautiful, unspoiled scenery. The Hullam Hostel has an idyllic setting that few other hostels in Europe can match - right beside the water, and on the doorstep of all the water sports, hiking and cycling on offer. The hostel itself has cheap, comfortable dorms, along with a sociable bar, games room and barbecue area at the edge of the lake. In addition, they host regular events for their guests, from traditional Hungarian dinners to wine tasting in the local area.
West at Lagos
On the western extreme of the European rail network, lies the Portuguese town of Lagos, renowned for its nightlife more than its scenic Atlantic coast. With its vibrant clubs, spectacular beaches and relatively low cost of living (compared with much of Europe), Lagos makes a great backpacking destination. Carlos House Hostel is in the perfect spot for travelers exploring the town - just a short walk from the nightlife district, it’s also right near the ocean and enjoys fantastic views from the sunny roof terrace.
Siracusa in the South
In the very south of Europe, you can get off the train and hop over into Sicily, before continuing on to picturesque Siracusa on the captivating Ionian coast. Rich in Mediterranean charm and heritage, the city was originally settled by the ancient Greeks, and it remains an important historic destination today. Both the baroque Old Town – with its beautiful cathedral - and the nearby archeological park at Pantalica, are within easy reach of Lol Hostel which sits in the heart of Siracusa. Combining all the attractions of a traditional backpackers’ hostel – friendly, intimate and an excellent location – with smart, newly-renovated accommodation (including free WIFI), it makes a great base in the southern city.
Whether it’s north, south, east or west, the four corners of the Eurail network have great adventures – and great hostels – for backpackers exploring Europe. Ultimately, when it comes down to it, train travel in Europe puts a world of culture, nightlife and ancient history at your fingertips.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment. Standing in Geneva Train Station; weighed down by a backpack about 10 kilograms too heavy. I was about to launch myself into the continent. I was about to validate my Eurail pass.
It was an exciting moment; one that I had planned and anticipated for months. It was also a heck of a lot of money. I had been scraping together work here and there and figured I had just enough to make it to Amsterdam then a cheap flight to London where I could stay with friends. A Eurail pass wasn’t cheap and if something went wrong, I was calling Mum for a money transfer.
I’m a bit of a worrier, especially when it comes to anything “official”. I trust people but not bureaucracy…what was going to go wrong? It had to be something. By the time I had stood in the line this long I had dropped my bag to the floor and was kicking it in front of me. I really should have packed less crap but I refused to dump anything.
The front of the line. The empty slot. I dragged that tonne weight over to the counter. “Bonjour! Parle vous Anglais?” High school was good for four words; shame I wouldn’t understand a meaningful response. The ticket agent spoke perfect English (to my colonial shame) and the pass was validated almost instantly (to my surprise). A passport as identification, a quick stamp or two and it was done. Now, where was the platform…
Follow Jeff’s journey from Switzerland to Amsterdam thanks to a Eurail Global Pass. Subscribe to the RSS feed to make sure you don’t miss anything.
No, not like that!
This short video from Rumsrums shows the speed of the train heading to Amsterdam.
When I headed off on my Eurail adventure, it was the first time I had even been to Europe. I flew to Heathrow, London then a budget flight to Italy. After a week’s hectic sightseeing in Rome I started the 15 day global pass and set off.
My goal was simply to see as much as possible…visit as many places as I could…and that made for a crazy itinerary. I slept on trains for five nights and hostels for the rest of the time. Sometimes I travelled with friends that I had met, other time by myself…but I was always moving quickly. At typical day would look like this:
- Wake up on the train. Check the timetable to see where I was and were I was headed.
- Get off at the first city on my list. Have breakfast in the old town, walk around the sights, look at the outside of famous buildings.
- Back to the train station. Hop on a train for an hour or so.
- Get off at the day’s second city. Have lunch in the old town, walk around the sights, look at the outside of famous buildings.
- Back to the train station. Hop on a train for an hour or so. Have a nap.
- Get off at the day’s third city. Check into a hostel or book an overnight sleeper at the station.
- Have dinner in the old town, walk around the sights (in the dark!) and find a bar with a cold local beer. See if I can find a party that lasts until the train departs.
- Repeat.
Can I recommend this? If you’re crazy enough to be sleep deprived for two weeks! It was an amazing way to see a lot: six countries and their capitals baby! I ended up in Paris — which isn’t cheap! — where I think I slept for most of the week. There are vague recollections of the Arc de Triomph before flying home and back to College.
I’d suggest staying off the booze if you’re going to attempt it; A beer or two is fine, but things get messed up enough without hangovers getting in the way. One thing I regret is that I didn’t meet so many people, but it whet my appetite and I’m hoping to return and do a slower trip one day.
Dave travelled on a Eurail Global 15 day pass and wrote this one-off story for us. Will you share your Eurail Stories?
If you can write then this might be your chance for a great four-six week, all expenses paid trip.
With a hat-tip to hostelbloggers, The Independent and SABMiller Breweries are giving away a European tour worth five thousand quid! With an extra thousand pounds to spend along the way. The trip takes you to seven countries - The Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Italy, Hungary and Holland.
Entry is as easy as 200 words on the city you’d most like to visit. I’d recommend
a) Choosing a city from the prize-tour countries.
b) Polishing your writing — competition will be fierce.
c) Not over-doing the beer angle; too cliched.
d) If you can point to your travel blog in the application it might score in your favour.
If you win, you have to visit SABMiller breweries in each country. You might even get to drink some beer too.
Enter now. Good luck! And make sure you let us know when you win.
A Eurail Global pass is the mother of all European train passes: 20 countries of unlimited travel in Europe! It doesn’t get better than this.
How long?
A Eurail Global pass allows you unlimited train travel (within the Eurail zone) for a set number of days. You can travel every day of this pass; there are no time or distance limitations. How many days you choose really depends on your schedule and budget. Options are:
- 15 days
- 21 days
- 1 month
- 2 months
- 3 months
Where is it valid?
The Eurail Global pass is valid in all 20 countries of the Eurail network:
- Austria (including Liechtenstein)
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Finland
- France (including Monaco)
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Some journeys may require a reservation to be made in advance at a small extra cost.
The perks
A standard pass puts you in first class all the way, baby! That’s pretty good going and can have some excellent advantages. Of course there’s the extended leg room, more comfortable chairs and quieter surroundings but each countries train network has its own unique touches too.
Buying a pass means you save a lot of time stuffing around at the ticket counters. On occasion you’ll have to make a seat reservation — this is usually for sleeper carriages or peak-time intercity trains — but that’s not going to be too common.
You can jump off and on any train you like at any time. Bored with the city you’re in? Jump on a train. Want to stay another day? Just do it.
Carrying a pass is more secure than carrying month’s worth of travel cash. If you’re the type of person who prefers a cash budget then at least your pass can be insured, unlike most of your money.
How does it work?
You will receive lots of information with your Eurail Pass. In short, you activate the pass on the first day of your travel by showing it at the station along with your passport. When conductors ask to see your tickets simply show them the pass. Since Eurail Passes are linked to one person, some conductors may ask to see your passport as well, especially (we’ve found) if you are on a Youthpass.
Can I get one?
Eurail passes are available to anyone who:
- has not lived in Europe for the last six months
and who is not a resident of
- The Russian Federation
- Turkey
- Morocco
- Algeria
- Tunisia
This means people from America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most of Africa and Asia, and all of South America can buy a Eurail pass.
Discounts?
If you are under 26, you qualify for the under 26 “youthpass”. This gives you unlimited second class travel. Although people have been known to end up in first.
If you are travelling in a group of 2-5, you should investigate a SaverPass which offers group discounts.
There is a centralised network which sets the prices of all Eurail passes, so beware of sites offering big discounts and “sales”. You’re most likely to find sales sites offering giveaways, a “free” days travel, or free shipping rather than a straight discount.
Where can I buy one?
It is difficult to buy a Eurail pass from a station or shop in Europe; and if you can it’s more expensive. I recommend buying one in advance. The easiest way to do this is online. Although you can find offline outlets, it is likely to be inconvenient. (Updated thanks to reader comments.)
Eurail Stories has decided to set up an affiliate programme with Rail Europe because we trust their service and found them to be prompt with their customer service. You can buy a Eurail Global pass from them here: Rail Europe: Specials & Promotions
More info
- Subscribe to our RSS feed or join our mailing list (in the sidebar).
- Read about other European Rail passes here.
- Ask questions in our forums: travellers and experts join in.
Buy now
Using the Eurail pass on the Swiss rail system was a great idea. Firstly, because the CHH system is clean, efficient and punctual. And secondly, because it’s really expensive, so the pass makes it affordable to use.
We’d been warned in a multitude of different ways that some of the rail lines in Switzerland were privately owned and not covered by the Eurail pass. However, we still managed to end up in the middle of the mountains on a train that felt suspiciously unique. We were heading straight up a mountain, and the trains passing us seemed to be filled with American tourists sipping champagne and eating three-course meals. A quick question at the ticket office at the next station confirmed it - we weren’t covered, none of the trains within thirty kilometres were, and we had to buy a ticket to the next stop. 160 euros later, we arrived in Liechtenstein with much lighter wallets. Needless to say, we were a lot more careful next time we used the Swiss rail system.
Linda was travelling on a Eurail Global Pass. Read more of Linda’s stories.
Lonely Planet’s guidebooks are a great choice for researching your next trip away and this giveaway programme makes for great pre-Christmas shopping too.
Until the end of September you can get a free bookon top of purchases of AU$60 / UK£25 / US$40 / EU€40.
Visit the Lonely Planet site and pick up three books for the price of two. It’s a genius idea and a great way to prepare yourself for future travels, stock up on gifts for travellers, or just get a healthy dose of of travel ideas. You’ll get free delivery too, so what are you waiting for?
Lonely Planet: Pick a book for free is only valid until the end of September.
