Europe Rail Travel Information
How do I get the best fares?
For an in-depth guide on how to get the cheapest european fare
click here...
As a general rule,
tickets cost less the further ahead
you book. Most Europe rail journeys you can book up to 90 days (3 months) before
travel. Can I plan my journey further ahead? If you’re planning a journey
more than 90 or 120 days in the future, search for tickets as usual, then opt to
receive an email reminder. We’ll then send you an email as soon as tickets for your
chosen journey go on sale. So you can get in quick to grab the best fares.
Is it cheaper if I break down the journey?
That’s because when showing you the ticket options, we apply the same class of travel
and flexibility to all sections of a journey. You may find that there are more ticket
options when you search for each stage of the journey individually. Check the
Europe Train Map here
Here’s how to book connecting journeys online:
Check which, if any, connections you need to make. Make a note of each individual
train journey and the relevant timings. Search for each individual stage. You’ll
then see all of the class and flexibility options available for each train journey.
Choose the travel class and ticket flexibility for each stage of your journey, adding
them separately to the shopping basket. Make sure you allow enough time for your
connections. Try to match the times you were first given or allow a little longer.
Once you’ve added to the basket all the trains you need for your complete journey,
you can proceed to checkout.
Are any discounts available?
You’ll get the best fares by booking as far in advance as possible. Child, youth
and senior fares may be offered on some trains. The conditions around who qualifies
for such fares – and the extent of the discount – tend to vary between train operators.
