About Eurail Passes
Eurail passes are a convenient way to travel throughout over 20 countries in Europe on the extensive railway networks that prevail in the region. Purchasing Eurail passes and using trains for transportation allows for great mobility and flexibility in traveling, and there are several different types of Eurail passes available for all types of travelers. Eurail passes can be purchased for a reasonable cost and are an invaluable aid to tourists wanting to take in the sights of the European continent.
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Considerations
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Eurail passes are only available to non-European residents, excluding residents of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. A Netherlands-based company owned by rail and shipping lines sells the Eurail passes specifically for use by visiting tourists to assist them in their travels throughout Europe.
It is advisable to purchase Eurail passes before arriving in Europe, as they are more widely available and less expensive when bought in an outside country (see Resources below).
Geography
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At present there are 25 European countries whose railways can be accessed with a Eurail pass. The more developed the country and the more extensive its railways, the more traveling options available for tourists. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland all can be visited using Eurail passes.
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Types
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There are four main types of Eurail passes. The Global pass can be used for traveling in all of the participating countries except for Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Poland and Serbia. Global pass features unlimited travel destinations and can be used for a period of 10 days and up to 3 months. These passes are priced starting at $729 for 15 days of unlimited travel up to $2,000 for 3 months of unlimited travel.
The Select pass allows great traveling freedom, with the option of choosing 3, 4 or 5 bordering countries with 5, 6, 8 or 10 days of travel within a 2-month period. These Eurail passes allow for over 700 country combinations and are ideal for tourists focused on a particular region of Europe. Prices for the Select pass begin at $465 for 5 days of travel within 2 months in 3 bordering countries, and up to $805 for 10 days of travel within 2 months in 5 bordering countries.
Regional Eurail passes are available with 25 different regional options for specified travel. For instance, one Regional pass travel option is the France-Italy pass that allows for travel throughout the countries for 4 to 10 days in a 2-month period. Prices for Regional Eurail passes generally begin around $200 to $300.
The Eurail One Country pass can be used to explore an individual country more in depth. Seventeen countries can be accessed using these Eurail passes, with traveling options including 3 to 8 days of travel within a 1-month period, with starting prices ranging from $50 to $200.
Features
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Eurail passes allow travelers the flexibility to travel at whatever times they want and to stop at whichever destinations they choose. Each country in Europe operates their own railways, so schedules for train travel vary from country to country. Timetables for train travel with Eurail passes are usually available online at the website of each country's railway company, so researching destination accessibility and scheduling when to catch a train is quite easy to plan before arriving in Europe.
Potential
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An added bonus included when purchasing Eurail passes are extra pass benefits like reduced museum entrance fees, discounts on hotels, free or reduced ticket prices on buses, ferry crossings and private railways.
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