We are proud to be an official supplier for Eurail passes and point-to-point journeys throughout Europe. For more information, rates, and to book, pop us a mail at rail@britishtips.com or call 021 975 2047.
What exactly is a Eurail Pass and how do you choose one? How does it differ from the Interrail Pass? Read on to find out…
Eurail Pass in a nutshell
A Eurail Pass is a single travel document that allows you to travel by train in 33 countries in Europe. Passes are available in various validities and you can travel as much as you like on one day. They are issued as mobile passes that are used through an app; minimum requirements are: Android 6.0 / iOS 10.0 / iPhone 5. You will also need an internet connection.
If you’re doing a lot of rail travel, it is often a more economical way of using the extensive rail networks that many European countries have to offer.
National (Regional) passes cover travel in one country, for example, France, Germany, or Italy. Eurail Global passes cover travel in 33 countries in Europe. Note that, if you are going to be crossing a border during your travels, your pass needs to cover that too, so, unless you’re sure you’re staying within the borders of one country the entire time, a Global pass may be best.
Flexi Pass vs Consecutive Pass
With either pass, you can make as many train journeys as you like in one day – passes are restricted by days not journeys.
Consecutive Pass:
- Valid for a set number of days in a row.
- Eurail Global Consecutive Passes are available as 15, and 22 days and 1, 2 or 3 months.
FlexiPass
- Your travel days don’t need to be consecutive – you can travel for a set number of days over a period of 1 or 2 calendar months (depending on the pass).
- For example: if you start using a 4-day pass on 01 January, you have 3 remaining days that you can use until 01 February inclusive.
- Eurail Global Flexi Passes are available as 4, 5, 7, and 10 days in 1 month, and 15 days in 2 months.
Very important: Choose your rail pass according to how much travel you want to do and NOT on how long you’ll be in the country! For example: if you’re in the country for 10 days but want to travel on 4 days, then you need a 4-day pass and not a 10-day pass. Otherwise, you may end up spending way more money than you actually need to. If you’re unsure which one to choose, let us know and we can assist you.
Countries covered by the Eurail GLOBAL Passes
The Eurail Global Pass covers travel on the national rail networks of 33* European countries
plus the United Kingdom.
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Bulgaria,
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Ireland
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales)
*Subject to change.
Should I get a Eurail Pass or an Interrail Pass?
Eurail passes are ONLY for non-European residents/citizens. Interrail passes are for European residents only.
The pass you choose is based on where you live, which may not necessarily be the same as your passport. For example, if you are a German citizen but live in South Africa, you will need to purchase a Eurail pass. If you are a South African citizen but live in Germany, then you need an Interrail pass.
When booking, you will be asked for your country of residence and passport details. You need to travel with the documentation with which you booked your pass (For example, if your passport has expired and you’re waiting for a new one, you need the new passport number as this is what you will travel with. Or, if you travel with dual citizenship passport, you need to book your pass with the one with which you will travel in Europe – see below).
Dual citizenship:
2 European passports, residing in Europe: Use the passport of the country in which you live.
1 European passport + 1 non-European passport: Use the passport of the country in which you live. For example, if you live in South Africa, and hold passports for SA and Germany, you will need a Eurail pass; if you live in Germany, you need an Interrail pass.
1 European passport + 1 non-European passport but living in a different European country: You can use either passport but the country of residence is the one in which you live so you need an Interrail Pass (your official residency documentation will need to accompany you and the pass). For example, you live in England but hold passports for South Africa and Germany – your country of residence is England and you will need an Interrail pass with your country of residency stated as United Kingdom.
Are Eurail Passes cheaper than buying single tickets?
It depends on your travel plans. If you’re doing several long journeys, especially by high-speed rail (which tends to be more expensive), or will be doing loads of train travel, it is often much cheaper. But, if you’re only planning on doing one or two rail trips, it may actually work out cheaper to do them point-to-point (single journeys, for example, Paris to Amsterdam). Some countries have very affordable train travel, such as Italy. Additionally, short journeys by regional train in many countries can be surprisingly cheap. That’s why you need to know where you plan on going so you can compare and work out which is more economical for you. Don’t forget that you may also need to include seat reservation fees in your calculations (see below).
How many train journeys can I make in one day?
You can make as many journeys as you like in one day. The passes are restricted by days, not journeys. A day is classified as 24 hours commencing at midnight until 11h59 PM the same day. As soon as you get onto a train during the day, it counts as the start of a day’s travel.
Note: OVERNIGHT TRAINS: Traveller will enter the day of departure and you only use 1 travel day when travelling on a direct overnight train that arrives at its final stop after 4AM the following day, even if you leave the train before 4AM. Travel after midnight still counts as day of departure.
What is one day?
A travel day is a 24-hour period. It lasts from 12h00 midnight to 11h59 PM on the same calendar day.
What is one month?
It can be 28, 29, 30, or 31 days, depending on the month (April, June, September, November = 30 days, February = 28 or 29 days in a leap year, and the rest are 30 days). Note that your pass stops at midnight on the last day, so you cannot travel on any train after midnight unlike any other day where you can board any train scheduled to depart before midnight. For example, if you start your pass on 10 March 2024, it will be valid until 23h59 PM on 09 April 2024.
What does ‘within 1 month’ or ‘within 2 months’ mean?
This applies to Flexi Passes. With a flexi pass, you have a certain number of days WITHIN a certain period, either 1 or 2 months. Your 1- or 2-month period begins when you activate your pass. You may use your pass as many times as you like within a day.
For example, if you start using a 4-day pass on the 23 March you then have 3 remaining other days that you can use your pass until the 22 April inclusive.
Can I just get onto any train? What about reserving seats?
Some train types have mandatory seat reservations; others (usually regional trains) allow you to take any train with open seats. There is a fee for these reservations, which is not included in the pass. These can be booked via the Eurail website or through British TIPS. They cannot be booked through the app.
VERY IMPORTANT: Travel days and seat reservations are not the same thing! This often confuses people, leading to stress and even missed trains, so read the following very carefully…
The pass is run via the Rail Planner app (there is no other way to use your pass). In the app, you will activate each day of travel of your pass (on the old paper passes, you had to fill in a blank space on the pass for each day you use it; this is the electronic equivalent). You will then search for a train, which you will “add to your trip”.
You will then search for a train, which you will “add to your trip”, similar to how you would add something to an online shopping wish list as opposed to actually adding to cart and buying it. It does NOT mean you have “booked” that train or reserved seats on that train; it does not guarantee travel on that train. The reasons this is done are as follows: 1. It helps you to plan your trip, 2: When a ticket inspector asks to see your pass they can see you have activated it, and 3: it allows Eurail to allocate payment to the different railway operators.
Note that you can make your seat reservations before you have activated the pass if you wish to do so. There is a fee for this and, if you then don’t use the train, you will not be reimbursed but at least you have peace of mind that the train is booked.
At peak times (e.g. Christmas or school holidays) it is strongly recommended that, wherever possible, you pre-book seat reservations, even if it is not mandatory. Remember: A pass allows you to travel on a train, but does not guarantee a seat or space on a specific train. If the train is full, you will wait for the next available one.
How do I get the Eurail pass?
The pass is mobile for use via the Rail Europe app on an Android or iOS device (phone or tablet). Once you have booked and paid for your pass, you’ll receive an emailed document explaining how to proceed. An internet connection is required. You’ll need to download the Eurail Rail Planner App onto your device and load your rail pass onto it. Minimum requirements are: Android 6.0 / iOS 10.0 / iPhone 5. You’ll also need an internet connection.
Can I use the Eurail Pass during peak travel hours?
You can use your pass at any time of day, with the exception of the below mentioned passes, just remember that you may need to reserve seats.
Can I use my Eurail Global Pass on the Eurostar?
Yes, you can use Eurail GLOBAL passes but a seat reservation is mandatory. Only the person named on the pass can use it to travel with Eurostar. Standard class pass holders can travel in Eurostar’s Standard Class; First class pass holders can travel in Standard and Standard Premier. Eurail Passes are not valid on Business Premier.
Can I use my Eurail pass on special scenic trains?
Eurail passes are either accepted fully on some scenic trains in Europe or they provide a discount on a ticket. For example: If your Eurail pass covers Switzerland and you wish to travel on the Glacier Express, your pass can be used ‘as is’ on the section between St Moritz and Disentis but, on the section between Disentis and Zermatt, it provides a 25% discount on the normal price of tickets for that section. For most of these, a seat reservation is mandatory and there is a fee for this.
Can children travel free with my pass?
For every adult buying a full price ticket, one child (aged 4 – 11 years) receives a pass of the same type and duration for free. Thereafter, they will need a youth pass.
If booking seats, seat reservations and accompanying segment fees are payable per child.
Are there special rates for senior travellers?
Yes, for people who are 60 years old and above, there are senior passes.
Are there special rates for young people?
Yes, if you are between the ages of 12 and 26 years, you are eligible for a youth pass.
Terms and conditions of the Eurail Pass
- Eurail Passes cannot be sold to or used by residents of Europe, the Russian Federation and Turkey.
- The pass must be activated within eleven months after purchasing date, and before the first travel, through the Eurail Rail Planner App.
- Seat/bed reservations for mandatory bookable trains still need to be purchased and are an additional cost to the rail pass. Seat reservations may be limited on some services, advance bookings are recommended. Reservations are booked online through the operators or at the train station. Alternatively, British TIPS can book seat reservations for you, where possible; the fee will vary by routing.
- No refunds are permitted on partially used, activated passes. When refundable, 100% refundable within 1 year from the date of purchase on non-activated and unused passes only. We recommend only activating your pass when you are sure you will be travelling and do not activate days in advance as, once this is done, it cannot be changed.