The Eurail Pass includes high-speed trains, night trains, and slower regional trains that trundle through the countrysides of 33 European countries.
Photo by Daniele Sgura/Pexels
This article was originally published in 2019 and most recently on July 15, 2026, with current information.
If you’re planning a multi-city tour of the European continent and will rely on trains to get around, you may want to consider purchasing a Eurail Pass. It can be your golden ticket to a seemingly limitless number of train rides across Europe. Eurail Pass is a single document that allows non-European residents/citizens to travel by train all over 33 European countries, across roughly 155,343 miles. Your trips must occur over a specified period of time, and the pass eliminates the need to buy individual point-to-point tickets.
You can use a Eurail Pass for riding local, high-speed, and even night trains. In addition to the flexibility and time-saving benefits it affords, traveling with one can also save you money, depending on your travel plans. If you’re the type to book train travel far in advance, you can likely find individual train tickets for less than the cost of a Eurail Pass. If you prefer to travel on the fly, you may appreciate the flexibility of a Eurail Pass. I used Eurail for years before I moved to France, and I loved that I could decide a day or two in advance where I would be going next. Although high-speed and night trains require seat reservations, the price of seat reservations doesn’t increase the closer you get to travel date.
Eurail Pass prices start from $328 for four days in one month and from $552 for 15 days in a row. A Eurail Pass can be worth it if you want to have the flexibility to hop on the train without considering the cost, or if the price of individual tickets would be more than that of a Eurail Pass. Whether you plan to travel to Europe next month or next year, here’s everything you need to know about Eurail Passes.
What types of Eurail Passes are there?
The One Country Pass covers train travel in a single country, while the Eurail Global Pass offers unlimited train travel across 33 countries in Europe. Within each Eurail Pass type, there are even more options—for children (4 to 11), youths (12 to 27), adults (28+), and seniors (60+). Eurail Passes come in first- and second-class options for each age category.
Eurail Passes are great for families and are extremely cost-effective. Kids age 3 or younger don’t need a pass at all (to travel on an adult’s lap), and children age 4 to 11 are eligible for a free Child Pass. Up to two children can travel for free with one adult Eurail Pass. Find out more about Eurail family discounts here.
The passes also cover different trip lengths for both the One Country and Global Passes. If you’re going on a shorter getaway and won’t be taking trains regularly, you might want a pass that covers four days in a single month. A Global Pass with three months of unlimited travel, say, is best for a long trip where you plan to cover a lot of ground.
Eurail Passes are sold by the number of days you plan to use them. Each travel day covers as many trains as you’d like to take in a 24-hour time window from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on the same calendar day. Keep in mind that there are exceptions if you’re taking a night train. For example, if you book a train that leaves on Monday night and arrives on Tuesday morning, you will only need to use one travel day (the day of your departure) to cover that trip. However, if you choose to board another train on Tuesday, you’ll have to use another travel day on your pass.
One Country Eurail Pass options:
- Three days within one month
- Four days within one month
- Five days within one month
- Six days within one month
- Eight days within one month
Flexible Eurail Global Pass options:
- Four travel days within one month
- Five travel days within one month
- Seven travel days within one month
- 10 travel days within two months
- 15 travel days within two months
Continuous Eurail Global Pass options:
- 15 days in a row
- 22 days in a row
- One month
- Two months in a row
- Three months in a row
You can figure out which Eurail Pass is best for your vacation by telling Eurail’s trip planner where you plan to go.
How much does a Eurail Pass cost?
Eurail passes can be used on France’s high-speed TGV trains, but you’ll need to pay for a seat reservation.
Photo by katatonia82/Shutterstock
As of July 2026, these are the starting prices of a Eurail Global Pass for adults (ages 28+) purchased directly through Eurail. The Eurail Passes for ages 27 and under are 25 percent cheaper, and those for ages 60-plus are 10 percent less expensive than the standard adult pass.
- Four days in one month pass: $328 for second-class and $426 for first-class
- Seven days within one month pass: $442 or $574
- 15 days within two months pass: $641 or $833
- 15 days in a row: $552 or $717
- Three-month unlimited pass: $1,109 or $1,441
A two-month unlimited pass (consecutive months) costs $958 in second class or $1,245 in first, so, if you plan to travel for 10 weeks, do the math to see whether it’s worth springing for the three-month pass.
One Country Passes are slightly more affordable and vary by country, but they truly are for only one country and can’t be used on cross-border trains. A six-day adult Eurail Pass for Italy costs $287 in second class and $372 in first. The big caveat with One Country Passes, though, is that the longest pass is eight days within one month.
Eurail also groups certain regions, so you can get multiple countries for the price of one with its Benelux Pass (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg) and Nordic Pass (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden). Note that Eurail does not offer One Country Passes for certain countries that are included in the Global Pass, such as Great Britain, Switzerland, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Where can you buy a Eurail Pass?
You can buy any type of Eurail Pass from Eurail.com, but several other sites sell them, too. RailPass and Rail Europe are both authorized vendors that sell Eurail Passes for roughly the same price as Eurail.com, with slight variations in insurance and service fees.
Some offer free shipping (if you want a paper pass) and others special discounts and promo codes on tickets, so it’s best to check all your options before purchasing your pass to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
You can also purchase Eurail Passes at train stations in Europe, but that’s more expensive than ordering them online in advance.
Are Eurail Passes worth it?
It depends. If you know you’ll have four travel days over a one-month period, a second-class pass would cost most adults $328—or $82 per day. If the train you need to take costs more than $82 each way, or if you’ll be taking multiple trains in one day that add up to more than that, it’s worth buying that pass. If you only need a less costly regional train to get between cities like Amsterdam and Brussels or Marseille and Nice, however, then it’s probably not worth it.
For those who would argue that buying $50 Ryanair or EasyJet flights to jump from city to city is faster and cheaper, consider the time savings and the environmental impact. Once you add on the time and money spent schlepping to and from the airport and any bag fees you’d pay to check a bag, the train is often faster, and it’s certainly more convenient. Plus, taking the train is not only the most sustainable way to travel, but it’s also far more scenic.
Related: 12 of Europe’s Most Beautiful Train Stations
Do you need reservations with a Eurail Pass?
The mobile version of the Eurail Pass is user-friendly and makes it easy to stay organized.
Courtesy of Eurail
In some instances, yes you do need reservations with a Eurail Pass. But not every train requires or even offers reserved seating. TER trains in France, for example, only have unreserved seats (except between Paris and some destinations in Normandy). In some countries, certain types of trains always require a seat reservation.
In France, reserving a seat on the TGV INOUI between Paris and Nice costs about $11 in second class and $23 in first class. A required seat reservation on the AVE train between Barcelona and Madrid is $11 in second class and $27 in first. In countries that see tons of tourists, such as France, Spain, and Italy, you will certainly need to make an advance seat reservation at an additional cost (generally from 6 to 12 euros), even if the fare is included with your Eurail Pass. This is especially true in summer.
In addition to those popular destinations, all night trains and most international high-speed trains throughout Europe require a supplemental reservation fee. Some scenic trains, like the Bernina Express in Switzerland, also require one. Find out if you need to make a reservation by checking your desired route on the Eurail Timetable.
Reservation fees vary between countries and train services and must be paid directly to the railway carriers; payment is possible at the train station, online through the websites of the national railway companies, by phone, or through Eurail’s Rail Planner app. Eurail recommends making train reservations two months in advance of summer vacation and of holidays to guarantee a seat. Note that if you’re traveling with kids and want a guaranteed seat for your child age three or under, you’ll need to buy a regular Child Pass.
Alternatively, you can opt to ride on regional trains, which don’t require seat reservations. Even though they’re slower, if you have time to stop along the way, you’ll likely discover appealing villages you never would’ve happened upon if you’d taken the high-speed route. Check the “no seat reservations required” box when searching on the Eurail Timetable page to find trains that don’t require reservations.
What countries are included in a Eurail Pass?
There are currently 33 countries in Europe with rail carriers that accept Eurail Passes, including Great Britain—that’s England, Scotland, and Wales only. A One Country Eurail Pass for Ireland also covers Northern Ireland.
These are the 33 countries that the Eurail Pass covers as of 2026: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Türkiye. You’ll find the Eurail Pass train map here.
Related: The U.K.'s Most Beautiful Train Rides Glide Through Glens, Over Viaducts, and Along Cliffs
How far in advance can you buy a Eurail Pass?
You can buy a Eurail Pass up to 11 months before your trip, as long as it is activated at a European train station or on Eurail’s very useful Rail Planner app within that 11-month period. You can also preactivate your pass for a specific date when you check out at Eurail.com.
Other Eurail questions
Eurail covers 155,353 miles of train routes across 33 countries.
Courtesy of Eurail
Is Eurail the same as Interrail?
Eurail is not cheaper than Interrail. Their prices are exactly the same, but Eurail is for non-EU residents and citizens.
Does a Eurail Pass include the Eurostar?
Yes, a Eurail Pass includes Eurostar, but seat reservations are required.
Can I use a Eurail Pass for the London Underground or other city transit?
A Eurail Pass can’t be used on the London Underground (tube) or any city transit in London except the Elizabeth line and the London Overground.
Does a Eurail pass cover ferries?
A Eurail Pass covers ferries in many European countries, including Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. See the full list of participating train, ferry, and public transport companies that accept Eurail Passes on board. The Greek Islands Pass, for example, offers ferry service to 52 islands, the better to island-hop your way around Greece.
Can I book a Eurail Pass at the last minute?
Yes, if you’re using a mobile pass and Eurail’s Rail Planner app (as opposed to ordering a paper pass), you can book a Eurail Pass at the last minute. If you’re taking trains that don’t require reservations, you’ll have no trouble hopping aboard them. If you plan to take trains that require reservations, such as Eurostar and night trains, you can still book your Eurail Pass last minute but you may not then be able to get seat reservations.
What happens if I miss a train with a Eurail Pass?
- If you miss a train that does not require seat reservations, just hop on the next one.
- If you miss a train because your first train is delayed, you’re entitled to a partial refund (depending on how late the train was). You have to request the delay compensation online from the train company and will usually get the money back within a month.
- If you miss a train with a reservation, you have to make a new reservation for the next train. The exception is if you’ve booked one single trip that included changing trains. In that case, if you can already see you’ll be too late to make your connection, speak to the conductor on board; you are not the only person in this situation. If your first train arrives at the station late and don’t have enough time to make your connection, go to the customer service office or ticket window; they are obligated to get you on the next available train (thanks to EU Regulation 1371/2007, article 16).
- Some train companies will not compensate you for short delays. For example in France, where I live, SNCF does refund passengers for delays of 30 minutes or less, but many train connections are much tighter than that. If the train company will not compensate you for a delay, contact Eurail to request a refund.
Can I get a refund on an unused Eurail Pass?
Yes, you can get a refund on an unused Eurail Pass up until the last possible activation date, which is 11 months from the date of purchase. See Eurail’s page about refunds and exchanges for more info on mobile versus paper passes.
Do I need to print my Eurail Pass, or is mobile OK?
You don’t need to print your Eurail Pass. For trains that don’t require reservations, your mobile Eurail Pass is your ticket. For trains that do require reservations, show your mobile Eurail Pass and the reservation.
Is a Eurail Pass cheaper than buying individual train tickets?
A Eurail Pass can be cheaper than buying individual train tickets depending on whether you take mostly regional trains or the more expensive high-speed and night trains. Eurostar tickets, which are the priciest, can be booked 10 to 11 months in advance. Tickets on France’s high-speed TGV trains, Trenitalia, Czech Railways, and Hungarian railways open three to four months in advance. Before you book a Eurail Pass, do the math. Buy individual tickets early enough and they may be cheaper than a Eurail Pass, particularly if you plan to take only trains that require reservations.
What are the other benefits to having a Eurail Pass?
All Eurail Pass–holders are eligible for discounts on select museum tickets and boat tours throughout the entire 33-country network. But one of the major perks of having an unlimited train ticket that includes night trains is you don’t need to book somewhere to stay. By sleeping on a train, you’ll get from point A to point B and save money on hotels at the same time—plus, it’s fun.
