Europe Rail, or Eurail as its known, has been around since 1959 and has grown and developed into a railway giant offering train trips all across Europe. The Eurail Pass offers a way to travel from one European country to the next without the worry of spending a huge chunk of trip resources strictly on travel or enduring the hassles that can come with other means of public transportation.

The pass for Europe rail travel ultimately offers a way to avoid the major nuisance of purchasing individual train tickets for each leg of every journey and presents a way to travel freely from one country to the next, hitting many major attractions. See the Arc de Triomphe, ski the Austrian Alps, and explore Budapest and reach it all by rail. The Eurail Pass offers passage on private rail lines, a host of bus lines, and ferry crossings—both international and national. Vacation deals and discounts are also available for many European hotels, bicycle rentals, museum tickets, and gallery exhibitions.

Traveling via Europe rail has all kinds of benefits yet the biggest perk can come from purchasing a pass for railroad vacations. The key to successful Europe Rail travel when using the pass is selecting one of many types of passes that aligns perfectly with your vacation itinerary. The Eurail Global Pass authorizes the passenger unlimited travel between select countries within a specific time period. Some of the twenty-one countries included in the Global Eurail Pass include Switzerland, Germany, France, and Austria.

For a shorter, or more concentrated vacation, Europe rail travel with the Eurail Select Pass is a more beneficial option. Pass holders are allowed travel between three and five countries, depending on the chosen pass. Select Pass countries include Ireland, Greece, Monaco, Romania, and Sweden. The key to using the pass to its maximum worth is to pick European countries that can be traveled between via boat or rail.

Europe Rail travel within a specific region of your choice has its very own train pass, appropriately called the Eurail Regional Pass. The time frame is anywhere from ten consecutive days up to two entire months. As for locales, there are a lengthy list of restrictions so reading the fine print is a must to avoid a fairly useless or unnecessarily costly pass. One day is considered to be from 12:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. the following day. The last and cheapest option for riding Europe Rail is purchasing a One-Country Pass. The One Country Eurail Pass offers unlimited travel within one country from two to ten days within one two-month period. Popular countries for these passes include Italy, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Austria, and Ireland with a total of seventeen countries to choose from.

Some of the best railroad trips inside Europe offer a sweeping look at Europe’s most extraordinary landscapes. From Switzerland to Italy, the Bernina Express rides a narrow gauge railway, in which part is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cross 195 trestles and bridges, whip through more than 50 tunnels, and ride eight-percent inclines before descending almost 6,000 dramatic feet. Or ride the immeasurably awe-inspiring Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok in Russia. Enjoy fourteen comfortable hours from Paris to Madrid aboard the Francisco de Goya and dine on a three-course dinner, absorb lovely rural vistas, and arrive in exciting Madrid where the adventure continues. No shortage of options, and abounding scenery create myriad, affordable Europe rail excursions to choose between.