European rail travelBuying tickets

Ticket types

There are many kinds of rail tickets and passes available

Point-to-point tickets can be cheaper than rail passes in many instances, especially the inflexible, non-refundable ones bought well in advance. 

If you want to travel from your local UK station all the way on to Europe on just one ticket, you can using the through-fare facility, which also covers your journey with international conditions of carriage. This means that if you miss a connection through no fault of your own, you will be re-booked, even with inflexible tickets.

Here in the UK, many first-class tickets can be much more expensive than their second-class equivalents. In Europe, however, this is not always the case. When booking, check first-class prices too – even if they are slightly more expensive, they may well be worth forking out for, especially during popular holiday months and school and public holidays.

Searching for your train tickets as early as possible will mean finding the best fares – especially if you look for midweek fares departing between late morning and early afternoon. If you have to travel on weekends, it’s best to search for tickets that depart after midday.

Rail passes

In 1972 InterRail was created, allowing unlimited travel abroad at advantageous prices for young people of up to 21 years of age. In the early 90s the InterRail community extended to new participating countries after the fall of the iron curtain, opening up central and eastern Europe to thousands of visitors. InterRail passes are still going strong today, and the good news is that you don’t have to be under 21 to enjoy them.

Other types of rail passes are also available. Some countries also offer their own rail pass equivalent, which, though probably less well known, can prove to be cheaper. Contact local tourist information offices for more details.

InterRail sells its passes as 2nd class youth (up to 26 years of age), 2nd class adult and 1st class adult. To qualify for one you must be a European citizen or have resided in Europe for six months.

You can buy InterRail passes a maximum of three months before your departure date. The passes come in two different packages. 

The Global Pass

The Global Pass gives you the freedom to visit various countries in the following ways:

Flexi ticket

• Travel for five days within a 10-day period
• Travel for 10 days within a 22-day period

Continuous ticket

• Travel on any days within a 22-day period
• Travel on any days within a one-month period.

The One Country Pass

The other option is the One Country Pass, which gives you unlimited travel for up to three, four, six or eight days (your days don’t have to be taken consecutively) across most countries in Europe. See table below for prices.

Comparing fares and passes

Note that the One Country Pass doesn't include travel from the UK, but you can get a Eurostar discount if your InterRail pass is valid in either the country of departure or the country of arrival.

Example Eurostar fares

From Brussels (Belgium) to London

• Passholder fare (standard class): single ticket €75, return ticket €150
• Passholder fare (leisure select class, with meal and drink): single ticket €135, return €270.
• Youth: single ticket from €60, return from €75

From Lille (France) to London

• Passholder fare (standard class): single ticket €60, return ticket €120
• Passholder fare (leisure select class, with meal and drink): single ticket €112.50, return €225.
• Youth: return ticket from €60

It is not possible to book tickets with the InterRail discount online. The 'passholder fare' can be purchased from Eurostar terminals. All tickets and fare types are subject to availability. Prices may change, so check www.eurostar.com for the latest fares or call Eurostar on +44 (0) 1233 617575.