Marvel at the amazing spectacle of the Swiss Alps from the train. Image credits: Andrea Stutz on Unsplash
Just when you think Eurail Global Pass couldn’t get any better, think again! The bang-for-the-buck travel deal lets you ride the rails in Europe AND covers ferries and bus discounts, too. In some popular countries like France, you can even enjoy unlimited bus rides with partner companies.
Sounds like a pretty sweet deal? Absolutely! The Eurail Global Pass will definitely help you make the most of your Euro trip, whether by train, bus, or ferry. Scroll down to know more!
What countries does the Eurail Pass Cover?
First things first, which countries can you go to with the Eurail Global Pass? Well, you can just choose from 33 European countries to hop on the tracks and enjoy unlimited train travel for 15 days, one month, and up to three months:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Montenegro
- the Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
The pass mainly covers train travel around Europe, including high-speed trains, night trains, city to city trains to get you from Paris and all the way to Amsterdam, Madrid, and even to Top of Europe in Switzerland.
All this without having to shell out money each time you ride or line up at the ticket counter—just book your pass and reserve your seats whenever you travel. Talk about saving time and money!
Ready to book those passes? Klook offers both Continuous and Flexible Eurail Global Pass.
If you’re still undecided, we totally get ya! Here’s a handy guide of everything you need to know about the Eurail Global Pass to help you:
Does the Eurail Global Pass cover buses?
Rail replacement buses include light rail, trams, and intercity passenger service. Image credits: Andre Morales Kalamar on Unsplash
Because certain destinations can only be reached by smaller vehicles, you may have to take the bus several times during your trip. Luckily, the Eurail Global Pass has extra perks covering selected buses. Specifically, you can ride all Rail Replacement buses and some SNCF buses in France* at a discounted rate.
*You can check the available SNCF bus routes for Eurail pass holders here.
Climb aboard the bus! Image credits: Mitchell Johnson on Unsplash
Along with this, you can travel as many rides as you can on the participating company buses, such as S-Bahn buses (Vienna, Innsbruck, & Zurich), Veøy Buss AS (Norway), Länstrafiken (Norrbotten), and Veljekset Salmela and Net-matkat (Sweden)
How do I catch buses using my Eurail Pass?
Double-check if your bus is covered via the Rail Planner App. Image credits: @tourlist.in on Instagram
Easy. Just add your bus to the trip on your Rail Planner App and show the QR code to the bus driver, who’ll let you hop on!
Friendly reminder that the Eurail Global Pass does NOT cover rail metro systems and other buses aside from the ones mentioned above, so always check the Rail Planner App to see whether the pass covers your bus or not.
Does the Eurail Global Pass cover ferries?
Sea a different view of the Alps on a scenic ferry ride (pun intended). Image credits: Matheus Guimares on Pexels
Speaking of more discounts, the gift (aka your Eurail Global Pass!) that keeps on giving never stops with extra bonuses. It covers ferries too!
During your Euro trip, you’ll not only wanna travel on land but on the seas too. Especially if you’re dreaming of visiting the Nordic countries of Ireland, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, riding a ferry is a must as it lets you marvel at the gorgeous ice-capped sceneries up close. And here’s where your Eurail Pass comes in handy again! Using your Eurail Global Pass, you can climb aboard these boats at a discounted price:
- Balearia Ferry (Spain and the Balearic Islands)
- Blue Star Ferries (Greece)
- Finnlines Ferries (Finland, Sweden, and Germany)
- Fjord Lines (Norway)
- Grimaldi Lines Ferry (Greece, Spain, and Italy)
- Irish Ferries Discounts (France, Ireland, and Wales)
- Minoan Lines Ferry Discounts (Greece and Italy)
- Polferries (Poland, Sweden, and Denmark)
- SNAV Ferries (Italy and Croatia)
- Superfast Ferries (Greece and Italy)
- Tallink Silja (Finland and Sweden)
- Viking Line (Finland, Sweden, and Estonia)
How do I redeem the ferry discount with my Eurail Pass?
Dare to ride the waters of Slovenia and other European countries! Image credits: @albanavas.aa on Instagram
You can directly book your boat ticket from the ferry company, who’ll give you a discounted price right as soon as you show your pass. However, this isn’t always the case. Depending on the ticketing officer, some might request you to buy the full fare first before refunding the discounted amount.
Written by: Jianne Uy
