Eurail pass basics
Activate your pass when you arrive in Europe
You need to activate your Eurail pass in a train station before you can start using it. It must be activated within 6 months of the issuing date. Once you have arrived in Europe, you can activate your pass at the ticket window of most large train stations.
Your Eurail pass is valid on domestic and international trains. This means your pass allows you to travel both within and between the countries in which your pass is valid.
Remember that if you cross the border of a country where your pass is not valid, you have to buy an additional ticket. Please note that international trains often require advance reservation.
Yes, you can enjoy unlimited travel on domestic trains within the countries in which your Eurail pass is valid.
You are only allowed to travel in the countries where your Eurail pass is valid. It is not permitted to travel through a country not covered by your pass, even if you don't stop or change trains in that country.
If you want to travel in a country not covered by your pass, you will need to buy an additional ticket for that portion of the trip. You can buy this ticket locally at a train station.
A Global Pass One Month Continuous is valid for train travel on any of the days during one month. The number of travel days you have, depends on the length of the month in which you start to use your pass.
Save travel days when you travel by night
It’s very useful to know about the 7 p.m. rule if you have a flexi pass (e.g. Global Pass - choose 15 days within 2 months) as it can save you precious travel days! The rule means that you only need to use one travel day when travelling on a direct night train that departs after 7 p.m. and arrives after 4 a.m.
Fill in the Travel Calendar before boarding
When you have a flexi pass with a specific number of travel days e.g. a Global Pass - choose 15 days within 22 months, you'll need to fill in the date in the Travel Calendar on your Eurail pass before boarding the first train, free bus or free ferry of each day. Decide as you go, when you use each travel day.
Travel by train every day your pass is valid
The Eurail pass is available with different numbers of travel days. With a continous pass every day is a potential travel day during the period your pass is valid and with a flexi pass you have a fixed number of travel days which you can use whenever you want during the overall validity.
Choose when you use your travel days
There are two types of Eurail passes available depending on how much of your trip you want to spend on trains. The flexi pass gives you unlimited train travel on a specific number of days that you choose to travel on during the validity of the pass. The continuous pass lets you travel on as many trains as you want during the whole period that your pass is valid. A flexi pass is cheaper than a continuous pass.
- Train timetables
Find train schedules and travel times - Railway map
View the major train routes in Europe - Seat reservations
When and how to make seat reservations
