How to Make the Most of Your Eurail Pass

The European rail network is extensive, and it can be expensive, too. Make sure to get the right rail pass for your needs, and use it wisely.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Money Belts
• Maps
• Bottled Water
• Snack Foods
• Eurail Passes
• Backpacks
• Bike Locks And Cables
• Padlocks

1. Choose your pass carefully. If you don't plan to travel on consecutive days, a Flexi-pass may be the way to go. If your travel is restricted to just a few destinations, consider single-country passes, or get a Europass, Benelux pass or other specific combination. Ask your travel agent about the various features of each pass.
2. Plan carefully, using guidebooks, a map of Europe and your Eurail timetable.
3. Negotiate with your travel companions so that you all get to visit the destinations that are most important to you, and plan to take the most direct routes possible between destinations.
4. Validate your pass at the railway station for the first time before you board a train, or you risk being penalized. Make sure that the pass is validated with the correct date.
5. Take night trains whenever possible; you can cover a lot of distance overnight and save the cost of a hotel. Booking a sleeperette, couchette or sleeper is less expensive than most hotel rooms, though it may be more expensive than some hostels. Remember to reserve sleeping accommodations in advance.
6. Start your Eurail travel in the evening. If your trip begins after 7:00 p.m. and ends after 3:00 a.m. the next morning, you can write the next day's date on the pass when you depart and save a full day of your pass. Read the small print on your pass for the details, or ask your travel agent for clarification.
7. Bring your own food and drink, and lots of bottled water. Dining facilities on trains are expensive, and you shouldn't drink the water from the bathroom taps.

Tips & Warnings

• If you qualify for a youth pass or a group discount, be sure to explain this when you purchase your pass. Youth passes and Saverpasses often offer substantial savings.
• Protect your belongings by locking them to the overhead rack, especially on night trains. A cable bicycle lock and a padlock are ideal for this.
• Pack as light as possible. It's easy to get around by train with a single bag, but it gets much harder if you have loads of luggage, especially if you arrive at a station without a baggage cart in sight.
• If you are traveling on a Flexi-pass, don't waste a day of your pass if your journey is just going to take an hour or two. It may pay to buy a single ticket, and save the pass for longer trips.
• Don't try to stuff too much activity and travel into too few days. You just can't see all of Europe in a week and a half, so choose your destinations wisely, and spend at least a few days in each city. You can always come back and see the ones you missed.
• Be honest. Erasing or altering the dates on your pass is illegal. If you're discovered, your pass will be confiscated, and you will be charged the full fare of the trip and a heavy fine.