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Are you going to travel around Europe this summer and still can’t decide where to go now that the whole continent is unrestricted open for the first time in three years? We could have fair the solution for you.
you can travel to 7 or more European countries by train in less than a month paying less than $300. That is how:
The amazing benefits of a Eurail Pass
We know that planning a Eurotrip can be challenging. With so many fairytale towns, world-class city breaks, and iconic landmarks to choose from, we always get a big FOMO (fear of missing out) when we fly across the pond.
While it’s impossible to include all of Europe’s highlights in one trip, you can cover a lot of ground, and easily bookmark up to seven countries, during a month of travel. Thanks to Eurail passfulfilling that ambitious itinerary has become much easier, and more economical.
Eurail is a European initiative that aims to promote rail travel and boost cross-border connectivity between sister nations.
With a single pass, travelers can explore up to 33 countries in the European spacewithout worrying about switching between different carriers and fluctuating rates.
Numerous passes are available to purchase at the official websitebut the most popular has to be the Pass of 7 days in 1 month.
Allows you to travel freely between any of the signatory countries for 7 days of your choice in a calendar month, for only €264, or USD$283.
With the pass, you can reserve a seat on any domestic or international train route of your choice, as long as it is listed on the Eurail website.
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If your goal is to travel to as many countries as possible, and in this case, 7 countries in a month, it means that you are paying only USD $40.42 in tickets average.
As those who have traveled Europe know, trains can be ridiculously expensive, with a high-speed service between London and Paris, or between Paris and Brussels, costing upwards of $200 when booked last minute.
Eurail gives you more flexibility and saves you a ton of money when traveling by train.
How to use Eurail
Eurail is extremely easy to use. Once you purchase the pass online, you can select which dates of the month you will take unlimited rides.
You can use as many trains as you want, either national or international service. Those are called your ‘travel days’.
For example, if you buy a 7 days in 1 month Eurail Pass for July 2023, you can select up to seven days of travel between July 1 and July 31. Your pass is only valid on train networks where Eurail is accepted, but luckily, the list is quite extensive.
All major train operators in Europe participate in the agreement, including but not limited to:
- Deutsche Bank (Germany)
- OBB (Austria)
- Trenitalia (Italy)
- SNCF (France)
- Eurostar (France, Belgium, Netherlands)
- Thalys (France, Belgium)
- SBB (Switzerland)
- Renfe (Spain)
In total, you can choose between 33 countries, both in the European Union and outside.
Which countries are included in the agreement?
He full list can be seen here:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)
- Hungary
- Italy
- Ireland
- latvia
- Lithuania
- luxembourg
- The Netherlands
- north macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbian
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Turkey
Some of the countries mentioned above do not have a rail system, but you are still eligible to travel for free with your Eurail on certain bus and ferry routes, as applicable (for example, on some Greek islands, on Malta and on Cyprus).
A Eurail Pass gives you the power to go from one country to another with ease between some of the tried-and-true vacation favorites, like France and Italy, as well as go off the beaten track in the less-explored Balkan Peninsula or the Baltic States.
Travelers are reminded that travel days follow Central European Time (CET) – the same as Paris, Brussels or Luxembourg.
Some European destinations, such as the United Kingdom and Ireland, are one hour latewhile Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey are one hour ahead.
This means that a travel day can end a bit later or earlier, depending on where you’re using it.
Do I need to book tickets in advance using Eurail?
In general, Eurail Pass holders are not required to reserve seats in advance for local or regional trains, but they are advised to pre-select their travel daysand make the necessary reservations when traveling on high-speed, international or night routes.
If you are using one of your travel days within France, such as traveling from Paris to Rouen, the picturesque capital of Normandy, the reservation may be optional.
However, using the Frecciarossa service that connects Paris with Milan, in Italy, will require reservation.
The reservation is always free. as long as you reserve seats on pre-selected travel days.
Surcharges may also sometimes be required to guarantee seats or other additional services, such as food, drinks or Wi-Fi, but the cost is usually minimal, ranging from USD $11 to USD $22.
Reservations can be made directly at the departure station, online via a carrier’s website or mobile app, or on the Eurail website.
Other offers are also available on the Eurail website, including a 3 uninterrupted months unlimited rail travel pass which costs USD $775.
traveler alert: Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
