With our guide to the continent’s railways, you can better manage your finances and stay on track.
beautiful view of Train
Find the most affordable tickets for the Eurostar.
If you want to get the best rates, make your reservations one to four months in advance and stay away from Fridays and Sundays. Keep an eye on the specials page on the Eurostar website. There, promotional returns can be a steal, even for excursions that only go in one direction; all you have to do is discard the second section of your ticket. The “any Belgian station” (ABS) ticket that Eurostar offers enables travellers to continue their journey from Brussels for an additional fee of six pounds, provided that they arrive at their ultimate destination within twenty-four hours.
Plan ahead and make your reservations as soon as possible.
The train expert Mark Smith, often known as the Man in Seat 61, shared with us the following information: “European long-distance rail rates now work like flights — inexpensive in advance, pricey on the day.” Find out when tickets will be sold, and then set a reminder on your phone so you don’t miss out on the greatest deals. The tickets for Thalys, which is a train service that runs between France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, go on sale three months in advance, while the tickets for Thello, which is a rail service that runs between France and Italy, go on sale four months in advance. Tickets for travel on the Deutsche Bahn can be purchased up to six months before departure, whereas Spain’s window is from 60 to 90 days.
Eliminate all agency websites.
If you know which website to utilise, you can make significant cost savings. Even the most popular travel agency websites may not always have access to the lowest possible pricing. The greatest deals in Germany may be found on the website bahn.de, while the TGV, which is France’s high-speed rail network, provides discounts on its website for groups of four or more passengers. Seat 61 will direct you to the travel booking site that offers the best deals. The majority offer translations into English.
Avoid Interail passes
European Train
With an Interrail Pass, you get access to unlimited travel on the majority of trains operating in Europe. On the other hand, if you are older than 28, you will have to go a significant distance simply to break even. The lowest “Global” pass costs £253 (or £228 for those over the age of 60), and it allows for five days of travel within 15 days at a cost of £50 per day. But if you have a set schedule, you will almost never get a better deal than you would by purchasing point-to-point tickets in advance through an online service. The same is true for passes inside a single country on the Interrail system. Be aware, though, that non-refundable tickets typically cost less, but they do not give the same degree of flexibility. Many nations operate their own own travel passes, such as Switzerland’s Swiss Travel Pass. Although it is £32 more expensive than Interrail’s counterpart, it allows for free access to 500 different museums in addition to covering travel on local trains and buses. In a similar vein, the Renfe Pass grants access to Spain’s high-speed trains, although an Interrail Pass requires an expensive registration fee.
Take the overnight train if you can.
The concept of going to sleep in one country and waking up in another carries with it an air of an impossible romance. There are some train routes that are really more convenient at night, including as Renfe’s service from Madrid to Lisbon. The daytime version of the same journey requires two transfers, one each in Badajoz and Elvas. When we looked, the cheapest tickets were available for only €34 for a bunk in a four-bed sleeper, and the most expensive ones were €148 for a two-bed sleeper (single or double occupancy). You will also spend less money on the cost of your accommodation for the night. Find the most affordable tickets for the Eurostar.
If you want to get the best rates, make your reservations one to four months in advance and stay away from Fridays and Sundays. Keep an eye on the specials page on the Eurostar website. There, promotional returns can be a steal, even for excursions that only go in one direction; all you have to do is discard the second section of your ticket. The “any Belgian station” (ABS) ticket that Eurostar offers enables travellers to continue their journey from Brussels for an additional fee of six pounds, provided that they arrive at their ultimate destination within twenty-four hours.
Plan ahead and make your reservations as soon as possible.
The train expert Mark Smith, often known as the Man in Seat 61, shared with us the following information: “European long-distance rail rates now work like flights — inexpensive in advance, pricey on the day.” Find out when tickets will be sold, and then set a reminder on your phone so you don’t miss out on the greatest deals. The tickets for Thalys, which is a train service that runs between France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, go on sale three months in advance, while the tickets for Thello, which is a rail service that runs between France and Italy, go on sale four months in advance. Tickets for travel on the Deutsche Bahn can be purchased up to six months before departure, whereas Spain’s window is from 60 to 90 days.
Eliminate all agency websites.
If you know which website to utilise, you can make significant cost savings. Even the most popular travel agency websites may not always have access to the lowest possible pricing. The greatest deals in Germany may be found on the website bahn.de, while the TGV, which is France’s high-speed rail network, provides discounts on its website for groups of four or more passengers. Seat 61 will direct you to the travel booking site that offers the best deals. The majority offer translations into English.
Avoid Interail passes
With an Interrail Pass, you get access to unlimited travel on the majority of trains operating in Europe. On the other hand, if you are older than 28, you will have to go a significant distance simply to break even. The lowest “Global” pass costs £253 (or £228 for those over the age of 60), and it allows for five days of travel within 15 days at a cost of £50 per day. But if you have a set schedule, you will almost never get a better deal than you would by purchasing point-to-point tickets in advance through an online service. The same is true for passes inside a single country on the Interrail system. Be aware, though, that non-refundable tickets typically cost less, but they do not give the same degree of flexibility. Many nations operate their own own travel passes, such as Switzerland’s Swiss Travel Pass. Although it is £32 more expensive than Interrail’s counterpart, it allows for free access to 500 different museums in addition to covering travel on local trains and buses. In a similar vein, the Renfe Pass grants access to Spain’s high-speed trains, although an Interrail Pass requires an expensive registration fee.
Take the overnight
Overnight train
if you can.
The concept of going to sleep in one country and waking up in another carries with it an air of an impossible romance. There are some train routes that are really more convenient at night, including as Renfe’s service from Madrid to Lisbon. The daytime version of the same journey requires two transfers, one each in Badajoz and Elvas. When we looked, the cheapest tickets were available for only €34 for a bunk in a four-bed sleeper, and the most expensive ones were €148 for a two-bed sleeper (single or double occupancy). You will also spend less money on the cost of your accommodation for the night.
