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RAIL PASSES GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES at RAILPASS.COM Click Here
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Eurail Rules
swill
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I thought this would be important to post since there are a lot of questions regarding Flexi Passes and other such questions regarding Eurail passes.

  • A Eurail Pass is strictly personal.
    Your Eurail Pass is strictly personal, non-transferable and valid only upon presentation of your passport or other travel documents. If you cannot present your passport or other travel documents with your Pass, the control staff are authorized to demand payment of a full fare ticket and a fine, subject to the rules of the railway company you are traveling with.
  • A Eurail Pass must be activated.
    Before your journey begins, your Eurail Pass must be activated. This must be done within 6 months of the issuing date. Please note, only an authorized travel agent or a European railway official can activate your Eurail Pass. If you travel using a ticket without a cover, an issuing stamp or a date stamp, you risk a fine and payment of a full fare ticket.
  • Flexi Pass. Filling in the Travel Calendar.
    If you have a Flexi Pass, you can choose the days on which you travel within a longer period of overall validity. It is important that you enter the chosen date in the travel calendar on your ticket before boarding the first train, bus or ship of that day. Enter the date, using blue or black ink, in the corresponding box on the travel calendar. If your dates have not been entered, you will be charged with a fine and must pay for a full fare ticket.
  • Flexi Pass. Overnight journeys.
    If you begin your trip on a direct overnight train departing after 19.00h (7pm) and arriving after 4.00h (4am), only enter the date of arrival in the travel calendar on your ticket. Travel between 19.00h and 24.00h on the day of departure is then covered. Please ensure that the day of departure and the day of arrival are both within in the passes period of overall validity. When using an overnight ferry covered by the Pass, you may either enter the date of departure or the date of arrival.
  • Travel Report. Recording each journey.
    Your Eurail Pass consists of a ticket and a cover. Each time before boarding a train, bus or boat, it is important that you record your trip in the Travel Report on the Pass cover (in blue or black ink). If you travel without having entered the trip in the Travel Report, you risk a fine and payment of a full fare ticket.
  • Using the Pass. Penalties and Fines
    Use of a Eurail Pass on which the indications have been changed, which is forged, or used by anyone other than by the person to whom it was issued, or beyond its validity period, authorizes control staff to confiscate the Pass and to demand payment of the full fare, plus a maximum fine of (100 (or the equivalent in local currency). Did you enter a wrong date in the travel calendar? Do not correct it. Instead, enter the correct date in the next travel day box.
    If you travel with an inactivated Pass, with a Pass missing travel dates, or with a Pass on which your trip has not been entered in the Travel Report, control staff is authorized to charge a fine of ( 50 maximum (or the equivalent in local currency) and ask for payment of a full fare ticket.
  • Validity period of your Eurail Pass.
    Your Eurail Pass is valid within the overall time period indicated on the Pass. You can begin your first journey after 00.00 hours on the first day printed on your Pass, and you must finish your last trip by midnight (24.00 hours) on the last day of validity.
  • The countries and companies where your Eurail Pass is valid
    Your Eurail Pass is valid and can be used with the participating railway companies and countries listed on the Pass. Eurail Global Passes are valid in 21 countries -all the countries listed on your Pass Cover, except Bulgaria, Montenegro, Poland, and Serbia. For Eurail Select, Regional and One Country Passes, your Pass is valid for the country or countries which are printed on the ticket itself.
  • 1st and 2nd class
    Your Eurail Pass is valid in the class indicated on the Pass. 1st class passes can also be valid in 2nd class cars. For 1st class travel with a 2nd class pass, you need to pay the full difference between 1st and 2nd class fare on the respective route. There is no refund for 1st class pass holders traveling in 2nd class.
  • Eligibility
    The Eurail Pass can only be used by residents outside of Europe, the Russian Federation and Turkey.
  • Eurail Pass categories
    There are different categories of Eurail Passes to be used by travelers of different ages:
    1. A Child Pass can only be used by travelers who are younger than 12 years of age on the first day of validity of their Pass. In some countries different ages may apply for children traveling on a Eurail One Country Pass.
    2. A Youth Pass can only be used by travelers who are younger than 26 years of age on the first day of validity of their Pass.
    3. A Senior Pass can only be used by travelers who are 60 years of age above on the first day of validity of their Pass.
    4. A Saver Pass is valid for all persons listed on the control voucher. Persons on the control voucher who decide to travel on their own, separately from their group listed on the Saver Pass, will be required to purchase a full fare ticket.
  • Seat availability
    Your Pass does not guarantee a seat in a train or on a ship unless a reservation is secured in advance. Reservations are required for certain trains and ships, and surcharges may apply. Fees for seat reservations, sleeping accommodation, port taxes, meals and other additional services on board of trains and ships are not included within the Pass and must be paid separately.
  • Lost or stolen passes
    Unfortunately, a duplicate Pass cannot be issued in the case of lost or stolen passes.
  • Refund policy
    You can submit an application for refund up to a year after the date of issue. If your Pass is returned to the place of purchase either before the first day of validity, or certified as “UNUSED” by a railway official in Europe before the first day of validity, you will be refunded for the cost of the Pass minus a 15% cancellation fee. In all other cases (lost, stolen or partially used Passes), Passes are considered USED once activated: you are not eligible for a refund or replacement.
  • Compensation policy
    You can request compensation to the Eurail Group in the event that you encounter three or more train delays, each longer than over 60 minutes. For further information, please see www.eurailgroup.com/….
  • Responsibility in the event of damages or extra cost
    Eurail Group and its participating railway companies cannot be held responsible for damages or extra cost incurred due to theft or loss of baggage.
  • Liability of the issuing office
    The issuing office acts only as the intermediary of the carriers in Europe, and assumes no liability resulting from the transport contract.
  • Legal provisions
    For a Eurail Pass valid in more than one country, transportation is subject to the “Uniform Rules concerning the contract for International Carriage of Passengers and Luggage by Rail” (CIV). For Eurail Passes valid in one country only, the legal provisions of that country apply. For journeys by sea, the legal provisions of the individual sea carrier apply.
I am leaving from Montreal, Canada with $1600 for 16 days
Frankfurt, Munich, Venice, Florence, Nice, Barcelona, Paris

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mzkuting
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im still confused with regards to the difference between Eurail Pass and Eurail Ticket.. we’ll be going to Europe in October, 3 girls ages 25-27. We’re going to go around Europe by ourselves, around 8 countries. Im wondering if it’s more convenient and cheaper to travel around by plane or train? Will it be cheaper if we get the Eurail Global Pass? Thanks

I am leaving from Manila, Philippines with $3500 for 24 days
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oldlady
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“Eurail ticket” is just a regular ticket for a train in Europe. Some of the sites that sell railpasses refer to the individual point to point tickets they sell as “eurail tickets” but it’s not an official term.

Whether or not train or plane is cheaper depends on your exact itinerary and your willingness to commit to non-refundable tickets for exact dates as times weeks or months in advance. Whether or not a railpass saves money and which railpass is the best deal also depends on your exact (exact countries, cities, dates and times) itinerary and your willingness to go to the time and effort to search out specials on the individual national rail company websites and commit to exact dates and times up to 3 months in advance.

What does the trip planner recommend for a railpass for your itinerary?

If you have more questions PLEASE post them as new topics rather than attaching them to unrelated old posts or particularly to an unrelated “sticky.” We’re volunteers her on the forums and we necessarily find your questions if you hide them.

chaos06069
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With things like filling in the travel calendar: So that means whenever I’m planning to get on the train, I have to enter the dates. For example: Lets say I go from Madrid to Toledo for a day trip, which I’m probably gonna do. I’d have to enter that date in the calendar. And: my brother is most likely still going to be under the age of 26 by the time we go, he’s 23 now and I’m hoping we go if not next year the year after. Could I purchase two saver tickets, and still get the youth price because he’s under the age. Thanks.

I am leaving from Boston, MA with $12000 for 62 days
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koolerdude_34
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im still confused about the eurail pass:S, my real concern is should i book a hostel and still get a eurail pass. mainly cuz you said that the eurail pass does not guarantee a seat, then wont i miss my reservation on the hostel of my choice?

mim
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Quote:
If you have more questions PLEASE post them as new topics rather than attaching them to unrelated old posts or particularly to an unrelated “sticky.” We’re volunteers her on the forums and we necessarily find your questions if you hide them.

Locking this sticky so we don’t have any more long lost posts Smile

I am leaving from New York, NY and traveling for 64 days
Reykjavik, London, Lille, Berlin, Kraków, Lviv, Istanbul, Selçuk, Pamukkale, Kızkalesi, Göreme, Kars, Bat'umi, Akhalts'ikhe, Tbilisi, Telavi, Istanbul

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