About Train Travel

SEE THE REAL EUROPE. WITH RAIL EUROPE
We may be biased, but the train really is the best way to travel through Europe.

Whether this is your first Eurail journey or your tenth (or more), Rail Europe can take you where you want to be. Travel to capital cities and charming, forgotten towns where time has stood still for centuries. You can save by going second-class (it's hardly roughing it) or travel first class all the way - with gourmet meals and private sleepers.

Eurail travel is for everyone: young and old, the frugal or the spend-happy. Because the goal of any real traveler is to experience that sense of place. Beauty is found not just in a museum or monument. It's also right outside your train window.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
While the train does get you from Point A to Point B, it will also enrich your travel experience. Learn from locals (who really aren't much different than you). Hear about restaurants you wont find in a guidebook. Discover an off-the-beaten path attraction. Don't worry about not speaking their language (although many people speak some English). A smile is the universal hello.

Think about the many places you can discover rather than how you're going to get there. That's our job.

TRAIN TRAVEL. IT'S ABOUT TIME
Time to reflect. Time to mingle with new friends. Time to travel not like a tourist, but like a local.

Rail travel is a cultural experience. When you travel by air it's almost like a suspension of life. You're just anxiously waiting to get to your destination. But this is valuable vacation time - to be savored and enjoyed like a mouthful of foie gras or a Van Gogh painting. Breathing in recycled air while munching on shrink-wrapped food is not what Europe is about.

GET THERE FASTER
Many travelers think to themselves, "It's got to be faster to fly." In reality, it's not. Have you factored in non-flying time? You need to get to the airport an hour or more before your flight, stand on the check-in line, get through security and then hope weather or other factors don't delay your flight. Now you're traveling for hours - possibly the same amount of time -- or even more -- than the time a train would have gotten you there.

Those low cost carriers tout themselves as quick and cheap. But in reality, you still need time to get to the airport (no easy feat if there's traffic). And inexpensive fares really don't apply unless you book them last minute, and even then those gimmicky prices disappear in a flash. With a rail ticket, you can book Eurail and other trains a couple of months in advance for a price you can live with.

When was the last time you saw a runway in the middle of a grand boulevard? Airports are not in the city-center. After maneuvering through the terminal, you have to find a taxi (read: expensive) or take a long bus ride to your hotel. The train stops right in the city, giving you time to see more. Now isn't that why you're traveling to begin with?

Why Choose Rail?          

Train travel offers a scenic, comfortable and exciting departure from the "typical" European vacation.

The romance of traveling by train continues to enthrall tourists as it has for more than 170 years, and nowhere is this felt more profoundly than in Europe. Rail travel is the best way to get close to all that Europe has to offer, from big cities and quaint hamlets to scenic beauty and fascinating people. It is also the one form of transportation that conveniently and efficiently takes travelers practically anywhere and everywhere they want to go...in style.

Eliminate the Hassles
The major cities and attractions you long to see are linked by the extensive European rail network -- a vast system stretching over 160,000 miles, as extensive in size and scope as the U.S. highway system. And train travel eliminates all the hassles that can play a part in a complex European itinerary. This means:

	travel city center to city center
	no maneuvering through crowded airports located miles from the nearest city
	no hailing taxis from airport to downtown
	no traffic headaches driving in and out of big cities or trying to understand foreign road signs

European trains provide frequent service, are roomy, eminently punctual, and take passengers directly from one bustling city to the next without the bother of airport transfers. Train travel allows you to see some of the most breathtaking scenery in the eastern hemisphere -- certainly more than they will see soaring 35,000 feet above the Continent!

Today's Rail Experience
Maybe you have toured Europe by train as college students, armed with a giant backpack and a second-class railpass. Or you may be someone whose idea of a train trip is the overpriced, unreliable commuter rail you take to and from the nearest city each day. Those who have not experienced the excitement and affordability of today's European railways and are in for a big surprise.

A first-class train trip in Europe is a totally different experience from what you might expect or remember. Unless, of course, what you remember is the absolute freedom and flexibility of hopping from city to city, town to town, every few days on a different train with schedules that run like clockwork!

Today's first-class rail experience is one of:

	spacious, reclining seats
	leisurely dining
	soaking up magnificent landscapes without a care in the world
	a great opportunity to socialize

A delightful departure from the typical European vacation, rail trips through Europe create treasured memories that last a lifetime.

A Railpass for Everyone
Whether you are on your first visit to Europe, or planning a repeat trip, chances are you'll find a railpass that's just right for you. Once you've determined the key factors in planning your trip -- the amount of time you have to spend and the places you want to visit within that time, you'll be able to choose with confidence the Rail Europe railpass that best suits your needs. This is Europe on your terms.

 Find a Eurail Global Pass

Want to see it all? The Eurail Global Pass is the mother of all passes. You'll have total flexibility to travel between 20 European countries whether they border each other or not. So go ahead - head to Helsinki and then make for Madrid. All of Europe is at your fingertips when you're a Eurail Global Pass ticket holder.

Eurail Global Pass

Grab your suitcase and passport and have a European adventure! With a Eurail Global Pass you can explore 20 countries: feast on fromage in France; ski in Switzerland; try to nap in Norway as the sunshine peeks through your room at 3 am. This is the pass of good times ahead. It's just you, a Eurail Global Pass and a continent filled with unending possibilities.

Participating Countries: Austria, Croatia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.  All of Europe is at your fingertips when you're a Eurail Global Pass holder.

Eurail Global Pass Saver Flexi

Thought about a small family reunion or getting together with your old college buddies? If you are traveling in a group with 2-5 people to Europe and want the flexibility of traveling whenever you want, this Eurail Global Pass Saver Flexi may be just the ticket. In other words, you can run with the bulls one day and catch a gallery opening the next without fear of losing a day of travel.

Trust us, it's better to buy all your tickets up front with the American dollar, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than the Euro. Plus, you don't have to wait on line to buy tickets or be a linguist who specializes in romance languages.

Participating Countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.  All of Europe is at your fingertips when you're a Eurail Global Pass holder.