Is The Eurail Pass Worth It?

In the summer of 2023, I spent two unforgettable months crisscrossing Europe by one main mode of transport—trains.

Coming from an island, the level of connectedness across mainland Europe was mind-blowing. Despite language and cultural differences, it’s a breeze to travel from one country to another, all thanks to the continent’s well-connected rail lines. Interrailing around Europe opens up a world of destinations, some you might never think to fly to, but are just a train ride away.

Not only is train travel environmentally friendly, but it lets you experience the shifts in culture from one country to the next. One minute, you’re enjoying a sunset over the French Riviera; the next, you’re in Italy, feeling the vibe shift entirely.

Most recently, I had the opposite effect road-tripping up the Highway 1 from Los Angeles to Seattle. Although the landscapes changed, much of the overall aura remained the same, reinforcing how different travel in Europe truly is.

WHAT IS A EURAIL PASS?

Travelling through Europe by train can get pricey, but that’s where passes come in. There are options for a set number of travel days or unlimited access within a given timeframe. I went all-in with the three-month unlimited Eurail Pass (for non-EU citizens; European Union residents would use the Interrail Pass) to make the most of my trip. This pass let me explore twelve countries over two months without worrying about constantly buying tickets.

In this blog, I’ll share the pros and cons of using the Eurail Pass for interrailing, and whether it’s worth it for your travels. This trip was the journey of a lifetime for me, filled with new friends and unforgettable experiences, and I hope my insights can help you decide if interrailing is right for you.

TIP: Keep an eye out for sales around Black Friday, post-Christmas, and end-of-summer—my pass was 30% off, which saved me a chunk of cash!

PROS OF THE EURAIL PASS

1. Convenience with the Rail Planner App

To activate the Eurail pass, once purchased, download the ‘Rail Planner’ app onto your phone and set up your outbound journey. The pass won’t begin until your ticket has been scanned for the first time. From there, you will be full steam ahead. Bad jokes for the win.

I thoroughly loved the Rail Planner app. As a heavy planner myself, I had my route pretty much sorted and each time I arrived in a new destination, I would just deactivate one train fare and activate the next one or ones if I had multiple journeys that day.

This assisted in keeping me on track (I didn’t intend for that pun, honest) throughout the trip. And even if I forgot a train ticket or wanted to go on an impromptu ride, as long as you had a stable phone connection, you can input fares onto the app on the train itself. I was always scared of losing connection when the conductor was nearby though, so I always made sure to be ahead of the game.

If technology is not your thing, I’m sure you can opt for the more traditional route and mark it all down on paper. I would have gone for this solely on it being a great souvenir afterwards. Plus, if you are getting a late train trying to maintain your battery life – especially when travelling solo is quite intimidating. However, the paper copy comes with its fair share of challenges as well. What if you lose it or crush it in your suitcase? Also, we should always be trying to cut down on our paper usage as much as possible so I picked the modern option.

Another pro of the Rail Planner app is getting to see your route unfold as you progress. I zigzagged my way around Europe and each time I opened that map up, I was flooded with memories. Maybe I should print it out and frame it someday? That would make for lovely memorabilia, wouldn’t it?

Ultimately, the Rail Planner makes it really slick and plain sailing to use the Eurail pass.

2. The Big Savings

Travelling freely and continuously through Europe is often financially out of reach for young people. The Eurail Pass aims to change that by making cross-continent travel more accessible to young travellers. Travel opens doors to new perspectives, friendships, and adventures, but it’s pricey without some help.

So how much did I spend on transportation for my 62-day journey? Just £500 on the pass (thank you, post-Christmas sale!) and around £100-£150 on seat reservations. That’s £650 in total for 5160 miles on 78 trains through 60 cities! While I haven’t calculated each individual fare, the trip would have easily cost £1500 more without the pass. So yes, massive savings.

3. Scenic Rides Included

Some trains covered by the Eurail Pass aren’t just modes of transport but are bucket-list journeys in themselves. I was lucky enough to experience the Glacier Express and Bernina Express in Switzerland. The Glacier Express, famous as the slowest express train in the world, leisurely winds its way from Zermatt to St. Moritz over seven hours of breathtaking scenery. Meanwhile, the Bernina Express offers five hours of alpine beauty from Tirano, Italy, back to Switzerland.

Both of these trains offer panoramic windows and complimentary treats, If you’re planning to ride these popular routes, be sure to reserve seats early. It’s also worth noting that your pass covers the base fare of these trips—such a win!

In the future, I’d love to try the Santa Claus Express from Helsinki up into Lapland and the Oslo to Bergen ride, which is reputedly stunning. And beyond the scenic trains, every train journey provides a unique perspective on the landscapes and culture that make each country special. There’s truly nothing like travelling by rail.

I just wanted to mention, that this blog is not endorsed in any way by Eurail – I genuinely just love the pass and the opportunities it gifted me over my 2 months of exploration. I truly just want to see more young people fall in love with Europe the way I have.

P.S. If Eurail are reading this though, I wouldn’t refuse a little collaboration… Just saying...

THE INTERRAILING EUROPE VLOGS

Before I tell you guys why the Eurail pass may not be for you, you should check out my entire Interrailing Europe Adventure over on YouTube!

Tomorrow, the final episode will be going live and what a phenomenal feeling it is to know that my entire 2-month journey has been documented. This is a 27-part series – something of heights I have never produced before – but I’m appreciative of all the support everyone has given it.

Enjoy the final episode, folks!

CONS OF THE EURAIL PASS

1. It Depends on Your Route and Travel Style

The pass is fantastic for long-term travellers who want to cover lots of ground, but it may not be worth it if you’re only taking a few trains on your trip. If your destinations are fewer and farther between, or if you’re sticking to regions where trains aren’t frequent (like parts of Eastern Europe), other options might be cheaper.

2. Price for Travellers Over 26

While the pass offers generous discounts for travellers aged 18-25, the cost is higher if you’re over 26. This age cutoff is designed to encourage young travellers to explore Europe, but it can feel limiting if you’re a bit older and want to make the most of long-term travel.

3. Required Reservations on Some Routes

Although the pass includes most routes, certain high-speed and international trains (especially in France, Italy, and the Netherlands) require seat reservations. These reservations cost extra and can be limited, so plan ahead if you’re visiting these countries.

4. Country Restrictions

The Eurail pass doesn’t include every European country within the pass so make sure to plan your itinerary wisely. It does include 33 countries – so a lot to choose from but it misses out on Albania, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Moldova. This is a slight nitpick, nobody is travelling to a few of these countries as there is a freaking war on but with Albania gaining a lot of attention on the tourist radar lately, I’m surprised it isn’t part of the pass yet.

Additionally, the pass doesn’t cover public trains within cities, so city transport will be an added cost. Moreover, you only have access to one inbound and one outbound train journey as part of the pass. This meant I paid for my Edinburgh to London ticket separately as the Eurostar to Paris counted as my 1 accessible ticket in the UK. It would be nice to be able to gain access to a national pass and inspire more locals to travel around their own country by train.

These are all minor issues as the Eurail has a lot to provide but definitely worth noting as you need to factor the pros and cons into your interrailing travel plans.