Eur-what?? How to Use a Eurail Pass

Last week I wrote briefly about the variety of passes available from Eurail to get students around Europe cheaply by train; this week I want to return to that topic with a break-down of the complex rules and regulations governing use of the pass.  Although the wording on the website makes it seem daunting, you will have mastered the use of the Eurail pass well before your week-long train trip is over.

What your Eurail pass will look like, minus the red writing

First, the Eurail pass needs to be activated.  Once you are set to begin your journey, head to the ticket counter of the train station and show it to the attendant.  She will fill in the dates of the first and last day of validity (the current date and the date that is two or three months from then, depending on the type of pass purchased), add your passport number (so that the pass cannot be transferred between travelers), and stamp it to mark it as valid.  This must be done in the train station no more than six months after purchasing the pass; for students in year-long programs, it might make more sense to ask a friend or relative at home to purchase the pass and mail it to you to avoid running over this six-month time frame.  If a pass has not been validated for travel and you have boarded the train already, you may find yourself forced off at the next station and your journey will be delayed.

Another rookie error made by Eurail pass holders is forgetting about additional reservation fees.  While the pass allows free travel on many local or regional trains, high-speed trains and intercity connections (from Florence to Rome, for example) often require a supplemental seat reservation fee.  This charge is typically minimal but will require you to purchase the supplemental ticket at a ticket window rather than through the electronic ticket kiosks located in most major train stations, as they will only sell full-priced tickets instead of the seat upgrades.  Beds on an overnight train also require a paid upgrade at the ticket window, and as popular routes may sell out it is a good idea to book this in advance of your planned departure.  No student wants to spend a fortune because the only sleeping berth left is in first class; likewise, a long day of touring can be ruined by the sleepless night spent trying to catch a few z's in a train seat.  A good rule of thumb is if in doubt, talk to the ticketing agent -- in bigger cities they usually speak some English and will let you know if the train you are on requires reserved seats or not.

Finally, the last tricky bit of the Eurail pass involves actually entering the date of travel.  As mentioned in my previous blog post, overnight trains are the hardest to figure out.  The official Eurail rule is that if your train leaves after 7 PM and arrives after 4 AM the next morning, you should enter the next day as your "travel day".  In other words, if I leave Palermo at 8:15 PM on June 17 and arrive in Rome at 9:45 AM on June 18, I would enter June 18 in the little boxes on the Eurail pass.  Because the pass is only valid for a certain number of travel days, it is crucial that you fill out these dates correctly -- some train conductors may suspect fraud if they see you have crossed out dates on the pass.  To avoid these simple mistakes, it is often easier simply to fill out the pass once the conductor has asked to see it; when he comes around to collect tickets, fill in the correct date before his eyes and then show it to him.  They will also need to see your passport to confirm that the passport number matches the pass; make sure both of these things are in easy reach while you are enjoying your train journey across Europe!