Trains, in my opinion, are the most hassle-free way to travel. No dealing with baggage fees or extremely long security lines, and there is almost always a station nearby. They are often also the cheapest mode of transport, compared to flying, renting a vehicle, and sometimes even taking the bus.
Train Types
Metro and Light Rail – Becoming proficient in riding the metro wherever you go makes local travel much easier and faster. Familiarize yourself with the routes prior to travelling, so you aren’t completely lost trying to navigate the city. This can save you both time and money if you know you will only be taking a certain number of rides or staying in a certain zone or region.
Night Trains – Night trains can be a huge money and time saver. If you are traveling with family or friends, or you’re willing to try your luck, a shared sleeper car will likely cost less than a hotel or hostel, and will get you to your destination by morning (if not sooner). We were able to stay in one of our sleeper cars (most of which included in-room sinks) for $15 with the Eurail Pass (discussed below).
Day Trains – I hesitate to say “standard” trains, as I consider high-speed trains to fall into the same category as their more rural counterparts. Rural and high-speed trains, as you would expect, are not created equal.
There are three categories of day trains: intercity, international, and high-speed. Intercity trains are often slower and cheaper because they stop more frequently and have fewer amenities. National and international trains may have a dining car and tend to stop only at primary stations. High-speed trains may or may not have dining cars, are typically expensive (around $100-200 per ticket), and travel around 300km/h (190mph) since they are typically one or nonstop.
National and international trains are often your best bet when it comes to saving time and affordability. However, if time and comfort are a priority, high-speed trains are superior (although they do not run everywhere).
Discounts
Youth Travel Cards – Many Rail lines offer youth cards or youth discounts that may provide you with a significant discount on your fare. I haven’t tried purchasing or using a youth card for rail, so I am not super familiar with how they can be used.
Eurail Passes – A Eurail pass is a paper passport that allows you to ride most trains within a country or the continent (depending on the pass) for free within a set time span. Passes can either be used continuously (e.g., 10 or 30 days straight) or on select days (e.g., seven days within a month). Seat reservations can also be purchased for a small fee.
Since we did not intend to ride every day, we opted for a 15-day “flexipass” which allowed us to choose 15 days within a two-month span to ride for free. It was significantly cheaper than a two-month pass, but still came out to $445 for a youth pass with a 40% discount.
Is it worth it?
It depends.
I read several blog posts prior to purchasing a Eurail pass, and they held the same sentiment: if you plan to purchase your tickets ahead of time, then you may lose money by investing in a Eurail pass.
Tickets purchased 30-60 days prior to travel are relatively inexpensive. If the train requires a reservation, Eurail charges a flat fee if it is purchased through their site. The combined cost may end up exceeding the original ticket price offered by the rail line.
However, if you plan to buy your tickets the day of or several days before traveling, then I am inclined to say that you would definitely be saving yourself a lot of money. I ended up saving around $300 on a last-minute weekend trip (spent $35) and likely saved close to that in a similar last-minute change of plans.
Final Thoughts
Definitely do your research before getting a Eurail or another rail pass. And if you do purchase any reservations online, be aware that they will be mailed and should be purchased at least two weeks in advance (that’s a fiasco for another time)!
Disclaimer: This commentary is based on my personal opinion; feel free to consult any other resources you may find necessary or useful. This post is in no way sponsored; all comments are my own.