• The Eurail Pass is designated for non-residents using European railway systems.• The Eurail Pass offers options based on age, country, region, time frame or group size.• Eurail offers transportation in 28 countries and connects to up to 31 countries.• Eurail is ideal for non-Europeans traveling to several cities in Western Europe.• The Global Pass is the flagship offering, allowing non-Europeans to travel to 28 countries.
The Eurail Pass, otherwise known as a Eurorail Pass, is the most cost effective way for non-Europeans to travel by train in across Europe. Based on the time-frame and countries you plan to visit after you fly to Europe, there are a number of options available with the Eurail Pass. These passes are offered in several tiers, including the flagship selection known as the Global Pass.
Types of Eurail Passes
Aside from the Eurail Global Pass, the other offerings include the Select Pass, the Regional Pass and the One Country Pass. The Global Pass allows non-residents to use the rain networks to travel to 28 different countries in Europe.
The Select Pass allows non-residents to travel between three to five countries. The Regional Pass enables non-residents to select from 24 different regions within Europe. The One Country Pass provides customers with a travel pass for one of 19 European countries.
Originally dubbed the Eurorail Pass or Europass, the program was started in 1959 by a group of European shipping lines and railway operators. The modern Eurorail Pass affords you travel on regular trains throughout Europe.
Night trains, high-speed trains and other premier trains require a reservation fee in addition to the Eurail Pass. There are 28 countries officially covered by the Global Pass, but you can use the rail network to reach at least 31 countries. When you fly to Europe from Canada, your adventure has just begun.
Countries Covered by Eurail Passes
Countries you can still reach that aren’t officially covered by the pass include Northern Ireland, Liechtenstein and Monaco. You can use the Ireland pass to reach Northern Ireland, but Britain is not covered by this pass.
You can also use a Eurail Pass for Austria or Switzerland to reach Liechtenstein. In order to reach Monaco, you would use a Eurail Pass for the French railway.
Some of the countries covered by the Global Pass include Italy, Denmark, Hungary, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Germany, Greece and Spain.
Types of Eurorail Passes Available
Eurail Passes are sold according to age and group size as well. A Family Pass is available for adults with children between ages 4 and 11. A Youth Pass is designated for people aged 12 to 27, and Adult Passes are for anyone 28 or older. First-class tickets are given to passengers with the Adult Pass, and second-class tickets are given to those with the Youth Pass.
Eurail Global Pass
The Global Pass is ideal for anyone planning on visiting at least five countries. The Global Pass is offered as a Flexi Pass, which is valid for a select amount of days, or as a Continuous Pass, which lasts for a predetermined timeframe.
The Flexi Pass offers non-residents the option of traveling 5 or 7 days within one month or 10 or 15 days within two months. The Continuous Pass provides non-residents with ability travel on the railway system for up to 15 days, 22 days, one month, two months or three months.
Eurail Select Pass
The Select Pass allows non-residents to ride the railway systems of two to four bordering countries among the 27 options available. The Eurorail provides you with popular options, or if you already have your itinerary, you can select your countries accordingly.
Eurail One Country Pass
The One Country Pass allows passengers to select a single country from 19 different options. Regional passes cover clusters of countries, including the Greek Islands Pass for Italy, Greece and the Greek Islands, as well as the Scandinavia Pass for Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
These Eurail Passes offer non-residents traveling through Western Europe the most value. If you plan on taking the rail in Europe to see several cities or countries in Western Europe, this rail pass will serve you well. If you plan on visiting fewer than five cities, you should probably consider investing in individual tickets.
