Европа по железной дороге: Путеводитель по Eurail Pass

European rail pass

The Eurail Pass, introduced in 1959 and formerly known as Europass or Eurorail Pass, is a rail pass which permits travel through 33 European countries on nearly all railroads and several shipping lines. The Eurail Group, based in Utrecht, is responsible for the marketing and management of the Eurail and Interrail passes. The company is owned by over 35 European railway and shipping companies. The Eurail Pass is available to non European residents, and the Interrail Pass (introduced in 1972) is available to European residents. The passes, which provide access to of European railway, are used by over 33,000 travellers annually.

The One Country Pass permits travel on the national rail network of one country, with unlimited trips on each travel day. The pass is available in Austria, Benelux, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, the Greek islands, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland (the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scandinavia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey. Countries without One Country Passes include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Montenegro, and Switzerland. The passes are available for travel on three, four, five, six or eight travel days in a one month period.

Although reservations for Eurail Pass holders are not usually required for local or regional trains, they are needed for most high speed, international, and overnight trains. Surcharges are often required to guarantee seat reservations, meals, drinks, and free Wi Fi. The fees vary by carrier, agent and route, and travellers can usually avoid paying excess fees by taking regional or local trains. Reservations can be made at the station, online on the carrier's website, on the Eurail site, in the Rail Planner App, by telephone, or at a travel agency.

Many overnight trains require reservations, with varying additional costs dependent on preferred sleeping accommodation (including couchettes or sleeping cabins). For Flexi Global Pass holders, overnight trains boarded before midnight are considered as one travel day (the day of departure) if the traveller does not change trains after midnight.

1959: Eurail is founded, valid in 13 countries. 1971: Student Railpass (second class) is introduced. 1980: Eurail becomes valid in 16 countries. 1991: Eurail Pass expands to the former East Germany, allowing travel throughout reunified Germany. 2001: Eurail Select Pass introduced. 2007: Eurail Pass is renamed Eurail Global Pass. 2008: Slovenian and Croatian railways join, and the pass becomes valid in 20 countries. 2009: 50th Anniversary Eurail Pass, valid in 21 countries. 2013: Rail Planner App introduced. 2015: Two children aged 11 and under can travel free with at least one adult. Poland, Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Serbia join Eurail Global Pass. 2016: Eurail Global Pass covers 28 countries. All passes become available for purchase 11 months in advance. 2017: Eurostar joins the Eurail Group. Youth Pass age increases to 27. Introduction of 2 pass options: Eurail One Country France Pass and Eurail Italy Switzerland Select Pass. 2019: Passes include the Global and One Country Pass Select and Saver Passes are discontinued. First and second class are available for all products except Greek islands domestic. Britain, North Macedonia and Lithuania join Eurail (a British withdrawal from the scheme was announced following a dispute, although the decision was promptly reversed ). The Greek Islands Pass is valid for five domestic trips, and the number of islands increases to 53. Eurail Group GIE and Eurail. com join forces and continue activities as Eurail B. V.
2020: Estonia and Latvia join the Eurail Group.