Train racks Across The Continent

First Class with Eurail means space and comfort while travelling.

Good signage on Swiss rail platforms tells you exactly where to find your seat.

LAs airlines continue to make news as much for financial strife and logistical challenges as for technological advancement and new services, transport on the ground is often overlooked as a viable alternative for intercity travel.  Europe's dense rail network and speedy services lend themselves to easy travel between major capitals and, in some cases, to even the smallest of towns. 

While many national rail services maintain discount programs for locals, ticket prices for one-off visitors can be high—all the more reason to travel with a Eurail Pass.  An easier option for visiting several destinations in Europe simply does not exist.  For the savvy travel who does the homework before embarking on a trip across the Continent, a Eurail Pass can pay for itself several times over.  Making a base in a well-connected city allows for daytrips previously impossible with standard rail speeds to be enjoyed as a matter of course today.  France's Trains à Grande Vitesse (TGV) are great for this, permitting daytrips to practically any point in the country from Paris, centre of the network.  Conversely, for those wanting to avoid the high cost of hotels in Paris, basing oneself in a smaller city on a TGV line is a perfectly viable option that can see many more cheeses, chocolates, and bottles of wine purchased with the money saved on accommodation.

The train station in Lubeck is on of Germany's most beautiful.

The French TGV network requires reservations for its seats—not the case on the German ICE, which makes spontaneous travel that much easier.  ICE trains are state of the art transport machines whizzing passengers from Hamburg to Hanover, Munich to Frankfurt, Berlin to Leipzig—so many possibilities.  Travellers endowed with Eurail Passes simply board the train and enjoy the ride.  What could be simpler?  For those taking the environment into consideration, rail travel is far less polluting than air travel, making the train the way to go to keep the pristine landscapes seen out the window just that.

Recognising that each traveller's plans and needs are different, Eurail offers a wide array of options for travel.  From the Global Pass to individual country passes, the perfect option exists.  Don't forget that Eurail Passes also entitle holders to many discounts off the train in association with Eurail partners ranging from major hotels to small tour operators in a variety of cities.

Helsinki Central Station.

The train stations themselves are increasingly the sites of some new levels of VIP treatment.  Some rail stations such as the ones in Zurich and Stockholm have introduced First Class lounges similar to those found in airports, offering complimentary food, WiFi, and a comfortable place to await your departure.

In many countries such as Switzerland, a paradise of punctuality for rail travellers, Eurail Pass includes travel on entirely different modes of transport, in the Swiss case that being the charming boats serving the ports of the country's major lakes.  Some of these rides are offered at a reduced rate, but other are entirely free—the latter including the excellent services of the CGN boats on Lake Geneva, which effectively permits (in summer) a daycruise all the way from genial Geneva to magnificent Montreux via lovely Lausanne.  Bon voyage!