Eurail

The Eurail Pass, introduced in 1959 and formerly known as Europass or Eurorail Pass, is a rail pass which permits travel through 33 European countries on nearly all railroads and several shipping lines. The Eurail Group, based in Utrecht, is responsible for the marketing and management of the Eurail and Interrail passes. The company is owned by over 35 European railway and shipping companies. The Eurail Pass is available to non-European residents, and the Interrail Pass (introduced in 1972) is available to European residents. The passes, which provide access to 250,000 kilometres (160,000 mi) of European railway, are used by over 33,000 travellers annually.
The Eurail pass is available to citizens of non-European countries, including those who are also citizens of European countries. The Interrail Pass is available to citizens and residents of European Union countries and the non-EU countries of Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Gibraltar, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (Great Britain), and Vatican City. To obtain an Interrail pass proof of citizenship must be established with a passport or identity card, or proof of residency must be established with government-issued residency documents.
Up to two children aged 4 to 11 can travel free of charge when accompanied by a full-fare adult. Eurail Passes are available in four age-based categories:
The Global Pass is valid in all 33 participating countries; as of 2020, they were:
A Global Pass fare is dependent on the number of days it is valid in a period of time. Fare categories are:
The One Country Pass permits travel on the national rail network of one country, with unlimited trips on each travel day. The pass is available in:
There are no separate One Country Passes for Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, but there is a Benelux pass. Countries without One Country Passes include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Great Britain, Montenegro, and Switzerland. The passes are available for travel on three, four, five, six or eight travel days in a one-month period.
Although reservations for Eurail Pass holders are not usually required for local or regional trains, they are needed for most high-speed, international, and overnight trains. Surcharges are often required to guarantee seat reservations, meals, drinks, and free Wi-Fi. The fees vary by carrier, agent and route, and travellers can usually avoid paying excess fees by taking regional or local trains.
Many high-speed trains require a reservation. Examples include:
Many overnight trains (EuroNight, European Sleeper, Nightjet) require reservations, with varying additional costs dependent on preferred sleeping accommodation (including couchettes or sleeping cabins). For Flexi Global Pass holders, overnight trains boarded before midnight are considered as one travel day (the day of departure) if the traveller does not change trains after midnight. The pass must be valid for the arrival and departure dates.
Although Eurail and Interrail Passes are usually valid only on the national railway system of the participating countries; many countries also have private railway systems; some offer free (or discounted) tickets to Eurail or Interrail Pass holders. The discounts are normally between 25 and 50 per cent.