Eurail Pass Guide2012 EUR_2012_TravelersGuide_v2_EN_v2.indd 1 13-10-11 14:18 Contents Welcome to the world of Eurail Pass 5 Eurail Pass - Essential information 7 Using the Eurail Flexi Pass 11 Discover the trains 13 Eurail Pass - Practical information 15 Information by country (Extra benefits and more ) 18 Eurail Pass - Conditions of use 37 The aim of this Eurail Pass Guide is to help you clearly understand how to use the Eurail Pass and get the most out of it. For information about the Eurail Group and its products or services, visit www.eurailgroup.org. Or perhaps you’d like to get inspiration and itinerary ideas for traveling in Europe? Go to www.eurailtravel.com, a website designed to help you experience the best in culture and adventure that Europe has to offer. At MyEurailtravel.com you can also document your journey, share your experiences with your family and friends and inspire people around the world. Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this guide is correct and up-to-date. Such information, however, is subject to change without notice, and no guarantee can be made regarding its accuracy or completeness. Share your travel stories www.myeurailtravel.com 3 Welcome to the world of Eurail Pass Welcome Welcome to the world of Eurail Pass Dear Eurail Pass traveler, Congratulations! You’ve chosen the perfect way to travel through Europe – by train! The extensive European train network is safe, eco-friendly, comfortable and reliable. It will take you quickly and easily from the continent’s most dynamic cities to its loveliest villages. Equally important, you’ll be able to travel with maximum flexibility – when and where you want – and in a relaxed way that gives you the chance to fully experience and appreciate the magnificent variety in Europe’s scenic landscapes. Your Eurail travel documentation includes this Pass Guide, a Eurail Pass Map, a Eurail Pass Timetable, and a Eurail Pass Cover with a Travel Report inside. The Eurail Pass itself consists of the Pass Cover with the Travel Report together with an attached ticket. In this Eurail Pass Guide you’ll find ‘Essential Information’ on how to use your Eurail Pass, when and how you should make reservations, and more. Please read this section carefully! The guide also contains details of many other benefits and discounts the Pass entitles you to, and hints and tips to help you make your Eurail adventure as enjoyable and unforgettable as possible. Thank you for choosing Eurail Pass, and enjoy your journey! 5 Eurail Pass - Essential information Eurail Pass - Essential information Please read the following very carefully to ensure a smooth and pleasant Eurail Pass experience What travel documents will I need? Aside from the ticket and Pass Cover with the Travel Report that together make up your Eurail Pass, you will need a valid passport. Depending on your nationality, you may also need a visa to visit certain countries (find out at http://europa.eu/travel). Travel insurance is also strongly recommended – this is not included in your Pass! How do I start using my Eurail Pass? First, you must activate the ticket. This can be done by the travel agent you purchased the Pass from, but also at a ticket window in any European train station. You must activate your Pass within 6 months after you buy it. The person activating your ticket will stamp the date in the activation box, and fill out your passport number and the first and last allowed days of travel. The first travel day can be the one on which the ticket is activated, or a later date – you choose. The last day will always correspond to the complete length of time the pass is valid for. Once the ticket is activated, treat your Eurail Pass as carefully as cash (no refunds if it is lost or stolen!), and keep it clean and unmarked. You are only allowed to write in the Travel Report section of the Pass Cover and, if you have a Flexi Pass, in the Travel Calendar section on the ticket itself. Flexi Passes have a Travel Calendar printed directly on the ticket (see example below/on next page). If you have a Flexi Pass, please read the ‘Using the Flexi Pass’ section, page 11. What is the Eurail Pass Cover for? The Pass Cover protects your activated Eurail ticket, which is stapled inside. It also includes the Travel Report form that you must present, together with the ticket, to ticket inspectors. Fill out your personal and ticket details before you start using your Pass, and fill out the journey details before you enter any new train, ferry or bus when using your Pass for transportation or a discount. 7 How often can I use my Eurail Pass? It depends on the type you have. Eurail Global Passes, valid for 23 countries, come in two sorts. • The ‘Continuous’ Pass can be used as often as you want during the time period it is valid for. • The ‘Flexi’ Pass can only be used for a specific number of travel days during the period of validity. Eurail Passes that only cover specific geographical areas (Eurail Select, Regional and One Country Passes) are all Flexi Passes. Is my Eurail Pass valid for all trains and boats in Europe? Your Pass entitles you to transportation on all the national railways and shipping lines listed in your Eurail Pass Cover, and on some private railways listed in the ‘Information by Country’ section of this guide. Not included, however, are reservations Eurail Pass - Essential information costs and surcharges required for overnight beds and seats on certain international and high-speed trains. For more information, see the ‘Seat & Bed Reservations’ box below and the ‘Costs & Surcharges’ table on the back of the Eurail Pass Map. For free passage on international ferry routes, your Pass must be valid for the country of departure AND the country of arrival. For discounted passage, the Pass must be valid for the country of departure OR the country of arrival. Seat and bed reservations Certain trains – such as high-speed, international and night trains – usually require you to reserve a seat or a bed for an extra fee. Seats on such trains can be in high demand, especially to destinations such as Italy, France and Spain, and during the July and August high season months in Europe. Furthermore, the number of seats allocated to Eurail Pass holders on these trains can be limited. Advance booking is therefore highly recommended – preferably before you arrive in Europe (most trains can be booked up to 3 months in advance). Should seats for pass holders be sold out for a train you want, you’ll have to purchase a full-fare ticket. But you could also try a different day or time, or consider taking an alternative route. To find out whether a train requires reservations, consult your travel agent or the Eurail Timetable, enquire at a European railway station, or check a European railway website for example www.oebb.at 8 Eurail Pass - Essential information What if I need to travel through a country not covered by my Eurail Pass? If any portion of your journey goes through a country that is not covered by your Pass, you will need to buy a ticket for that leg of your journey. Do this at a ticket counter in advance, since tickets on the train will be more expensive. How do I make seat and bed reservations? Before your trip, you can make reservations through the travel agent who sold you your Pass. In Europe, make reservations at a railway station ticket counter, or at Eurail Aid Offices Share your travel stories managed by the National www.myeurailtravel.com Railway Companies. These are usually located at the International ticket counters at the major train stations and at select airports (see Information by Country for locations, page 18). 9 Using the Eurail Flexi Pass Using the Eurail Flexi Pass If you have a Flexi Pass, please read the following carefully to make sure you use it properly What’s the Travel Calendar on the Flexi Pass ticket for? Your Flexi Pass entitles you to a set number of travel days within a specific period of time. On any travel day, you can hop on and off as many trains as you like. But before you board your first train of the day, it is extremely important that you write the date in the Travel Calendar on your ticket. Not doing so is the same as traveling without a ticket, which means you will have to pay a full-fare ticket and may also risk a fine. How do I fill in the Travel Calendar? Your Travel Calendar will have a day and month box for each of the travel days you are entitled to. Even if you already have a carefully planned schedule worked out, don’t fill in the whole calendar at once – you’ll lose all flexibility about when you can travel! As you start each travel day, write the day and month in the proper boxes under ‘1’, for the first travel day, under ‘2’ for the second, etc. (see example below). Do not do this in pencil: you must use blue or black ink! Also, don’t forget to fill out the journey details on your Travel Report before taking each train, ferry or bus on a travel day. What if I make a mistake filling out the Travel Calendar? Be very careful and try not to – mistakes cannot be corrected, since an altered travel date could be interpreted as an attempt at fraud.