How to Use a Eurail Pass

The Eurail train system is one of the best ways to travel around Europe. Eurail has four types of passes: one country passes can be used in one of 17 countries; regional passes are valid in one of 25 regions; select passes are good for travel in three, four or five bordering countries; and Eurail global passes are valid in 21 countries. The global passes can be purchased for 15 or 21 days, and one, two or three months.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Eurail pass

How to Use a Eurail Pass

1. Decide which type of pass will work best for your traveling needs.

2. Purchase a pass on the Eurail website or through a travel agent.

3. Make a reservation, if necessary. You can make a reservation at a train station while you are in Europe, or before you depart for Europe, if you know the exact days you will be traveling by train.

4. Validate your pass at a ticket window of any train station the first day you use your pass. Your pass must be validated before it can be used.

5. Have your pass ready when you board your train. A train worker will come through the aisle to check tickets.

6. Show the worker your pass to prove you can ride on that train. If you have a pass valid for a designated number of days, your pass will be marked with a stamp and the date.

Tips & Warnings

• You should buy a pass before you leave for Europe. Always be on time for your train. The trains are almost always on time and do not stay more than a couple minutes at each station. Local and regional trains do not require reservations. Some trains have optional reservations, if you want to be guaranteed a seat. Some trains, such as the TGV or sleeper trains, require a reservation. You can take the train as many times as you want on your designated days.

References

• Eurail