Eurail
The European rail network is very extensive, covering even the smallest towns and out of the way places in 17 countries. This makes 'riding the rails' a great way to see the continent, and if you're planning on travelling by rail over an extended period of time to a variety of places, a Eurail pass is the way to go.

There are two main types of passes, the traditional Eurailpass and the Eurailpass Flexi. The Eurailpass is valid on a continuous basis for a period of either 15 days, 21 days, 1 month, 2 months or three months. This option is great for people who want complete freedom in where they travel and when, plan on visiting a lot of different places and who might not have many fixed travel plans.

The Eurailpass Flexi is valid for either 10 or 15 days within a 2 month period. This pass is a good option for people who might want to spend a longer time in each destination and have a rough idea of how many travel days they'll need over the course of their trip.

There are a few ways to save when buying either of these passes. If you plan on travelling with another person you qualify for the Eurailpass Saver which will give each of you a discount of at least 15% on the regular passes. If you're under 26 then you can buy a Eurailpass Youth which is cheaper than the regualar pass but only valid for travel in second class, which is fine for most backpacker types!

On your first journey using a Eurailpass you have to have the pass validated at the station. If you're using a Eurailpass Flexi on a direct night train journey that departs after 7pm, only the following day is counted as being used, not both. It's a bit dodgy, but a good investment if you buy a Eurailpass Flexi is an erasable pen.

On most train journeys using you pass you're able to board whatever train you want and show your pass to the conductor when they come by. On some of the major routes though, you'll need to make a reservation and on some fast trians you might need to pay a bit extra. Also note that Eurailpasses must be bought prior to arriving in Europe.

The Eurailpass is valid in Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Hungary and Greece.

Thoughts from a Eurail Customer
I went on a month long trip to a handful of European countries in 2000 and decided that a Eurail pass would be the best option for me. I don't think Busabout was around at the time, I had no idea what 'van tour' was, and I can't think of anything worse than going on a Contiki trip - so it was more by process of elimination that I chose Eurail and not some deep desire to ride the rails of Europe.

It turned out to be a pretty good choice for me, though. I was only travelling for a month and decided to buy a 10 day flexipass meaning that, over the course of my month away I'd be able to use the train on ten of the days. If you're sneaky and a scammer, equipping yourself with an eraseable pen is a good way to get a few extra days on your pass.

The great thing about Eurail is that the coverage is very extensive throughout Western Europe. Trains go to almost every destination imaginable and you're able to change your plans on a whim which was good for me as I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go.

There were lots of other backpackers travelling by train but unless you sit in a carriage with them you probably won't get chatting unless you're really outgoing. A busy train where you're forced to sit beside people is a good excuse for starting up conversations with travellers and locals alike.

Travelling by train in Europe gives you complete freedom, but it's also completely up to you to sort out all the details like how to get from city to city and how to get from the station to your hostel. While it adds to the adventure, it can be frustrating when you end up lost and wandering around in search of a place to stay. If you only have a short amount of time, you probably won't want to be wasting it wandering the streets of a huge city.

If you're a first time traveller and nervous, Eurail might seem a bit scary at first but I think the rewards of truly independant travel outweigh the hassels. If you're an experienced traveller and don't like having your hand help on your trips, Eurail is a great choice.

Kirsty Henderson
August 2000