European Rail Passes

ABOVE: A high-speed ICE train in the German countryside..

For most visitors, rail travel is the quickest and easiest way to get around Europe. Trains go from city center to city center, at speeds of up to 186 mph (300 km/h) on some routes. Parking worries are non-existent, there's no need to pay a king's ransom for gasoline, and you can focus on scenery instead of traffic.

Rail passes make train travel even simpler by eliminating the need to buy tickets on most routes. With a rail pass, you can usually board the nearest train and go where your fancy takes you. (There are exceptions to this: seat reservations are required on some trains, and rail passes aren't accepted on a few rail lines such as Eurostar.)

Eurailpass

Eurailpass is the best-known rail pass, if only because it's been around for decades. The traditional Eurailpass, now called the Eurail Global Pass, comes in two versions: the standard first-class pass, and a second-class youth pass for travelers under age 26. Both passes are available for periods of 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months, or three months, and the passes are valid on most railroads in 20 European countries.

These passes are a good value if you plan to travel almost daily and cover long distances. However, if you expect to visit just a few countries, the Eurail Select Passes (which cover three to five neighboring countries) or the various Eurail two-country passes may be more cost-effective.

To make matters more complicated, Eurail also offers Global Pass Saver passes for couples, families, and other groups. These are shared versions of the standard first-class Eurailpass and offer savings over standard passes.

Another variant, Flexi Passes, allows you to travel on any 10 or 15 days within a period of two months. (The Flexi option is available for Global, Global Saver, and Global Youth passes.)

Finally, several countries and regions offer senior passes for travelers over 60.

Confused? Rail Europe's "Find the Perfect Pass" page will help you make the right choice.

InterRail

If you live in Britain, the InterRail Pass can save you money on train travel in 28 countries of Europe and North Africa. The pass is available in "over 26," "under 26," and child versions for one zone, two zones, or all eight zones in the InterRail network.

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