Eurail

The Eurail pass, formerly known as "Europass" or "Eurorail pass", is a train pass that allows pass holders to travel in 28 European countries on nearly all European railroads and some shipping lines. The product was launched in 1959 and is owned by a group of European rail carriers and shipping companies.A Eurail pass is available for non-Europeans, while European residents can travel with an Interrail pass.

A pass will generally grant a passenger free transportation on an ordinary train (for example, EuroCity trains and Regional). Trains that require reservations are referred to as premier trains, these include:; TGV, Thalys, Eurostar, Eurostar Italia, AVE; Swiss Scenic Trains and night trains with sleeping compartments require a supplement. Both fares covered by the pass and reservation fees vary greatly from country to country; sleeper reservations fees depend on the accommodation selected and how far in advance they have been reserved.

A pass can cost more than walk-up fares in southern countries like Italy and Spain. In Italy, the per day cost of the pass plus the 10–15 euro reservation can exceed the normal cost of a train journey. Rail Passes are very convenient for travelers planning to take many trains, instead of just a few smaller trips. In Spain, seat reservations are required for the high-speed AVE trains, however a person can use any regional service without paying any seat reservation cost. A Eurail pass may be cost-effective in France since TGV reservations are only about 5 euros, though it is important to note that pass holder fares are subject to availability. France also has many regional services which do not require a seat reservation.

The traditional Eurail pass covers 28 countries, as of 2016: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. Other passes, such as the Eurail Selectpass, allows one to select a series of bordering countries. For fare calculation purposes, some regions count as one country: Benelux, Slovenia-Croatia, and Serbia-Montenegro-Bulgaria. Except for Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom is not included in the Eurail pass.

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