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Eurail Pass

We have used the Eurail pass our previous trips across Europe and it worked really good. Now it looks like a "paper ticket" is no longer available and you have to use the digital version to store you pass on your phone. I have seen mixed reviews with this digital Eurail pass. Has anyone had experience with this? We are going in May to France, Germany & Austria.

Posted by
6914 posts

Passes in France are very inconvenient because you still need reservations for just about every train, which cost extra and can be hard to secure. The cost is especially significant for international journeys, to the point where a cheap advance ticket from Paris to Germany will not cost much more than the reservation fee...
Germany and Austria are more pass-friendly, but still, not sure it is worth it. Germany has some regional train passes that are typically much better value. No idea about Austria.

Posted by
23290 posts

Probably need to do a little homework by comparing cost between the pass and tickets. With the fees for reservations and limited tickets access, the pass is becoming less attractive especially for French trains. Good luck.

Posted by
5400 posts

If you share you Austria itinerary, I can let you know how much actual tickets would cost.

Posted by
11 posts

thanks everyone for all the advice. I am wondering more about has anyone had issues using the Eurail's digital version pass while traveling on the trains. or has it worked okay? thanks

Posted by
5400 posts

I've never used a pass as they are a waste of money in this part of Europe. So no experience with a digital version.

Posted by
6914 posts

€410 for 5 days sounds eye-wateringly expensive! Only worth it if you plan to travel the whole way across the country, without any prior planning.
EDIT: misread the price, for 2 people it's still a lot of money but not that bad.

For comparison, a day ticket (valid after 9AM) for 2 people in Bavaria (Bayern-Ticket) is only €34. It excludes high-speed trains, but it still gets you from Munich to Salzburg in 1:45 every hour, Münich to Nürnberg in the same time, etc.
High-speed / intercity fares between regions are cheap when bought in advance - and even a week or two in advance gives you decent fares in Germany.

And to answer your question: there was a thread a few months ago that reported MAJOR issues with the digital version in Switzerland, but I do not remember the keywords and thus cannot find it.

Posted by
6658 posts

The German Rail pass is not the cheapest way to travel, and it certainly should not be taken as a "blanket" recommendation for anyone who enters Germany. But there are valid reasons for having a close look at it. At €41/p.p./travel day, the 5-day twin-pass does compare favorably with the Eurail pass option for individuals who travel primarily/extensively in Germany. And it is unique - a "one-country" pass that actually covers destinations OUTSIDE Germany - like Brussels, several Italian destinations, and some Austrian destinations as well.

The GRP also offers several features that international travelers sometimes appreciate... Users have only one travel document to fuss with - and complete flexibility with no penalties for changes of destination, travel time, and travel day. Unlike local and regional day passes, the GRP imposes no hours restrictions, no transit-authority or Länder borders to understand and avoid, and no restrictions on the type of train equipment.

It's also a great tool for last-minute travelers, when discount prices for long-distance, high-speed trains are no longer available.

Also, what happens to your discounted "saver fare" if you oversleep and fail to catch your scheduled train? Or if your DAY 1 arrival flight is late and the same thing happens? With the GRP, you just get on the next train. But with the saver fare, your ticket is no longer valid, and if you're stuck paying a full-price fare for, say, Berlin > Munich, a couple pays €288 for new tickets. If they'd gone with the GRP twin-pass, which equates to €82 for any trips they make that day, their budget remains intact.

Posted by
6914 posts

I misread the price as "410€ per person"
410€ for two is actually quite OK!
Not editing my initial response because otherwise the whole conversation no longer makes sense :-)

Posted by
8460 posts

There are other reasons beyond cost to want a railpass, and the OP is experienced enough to understand that issue. Its the usability of the digital version that was the original question.

Posted by
457 posts

Just for grins one day when I was bored at work, I went to the Eurail website and noticed it had changed ... now I don't mind change as long as it is for the good (and you may have to drag me kicking and screaming), but I STRONGLY dislike (aka hate ... but I am trying to not use this word anymore) their new website ... with the old version, you could easily find the cost of an x-day pass between one/multiple countries ... now, they'll show you their bestsellers or, if you want to see a different pass, you have to build your itinerary first, which (to quote Gomer Pyle ... surprise surprise surprise) pretty much takes you to the bestsellers... and if you try to navigate through the website looking for that magical page with the information you desire, you somehow end up circling back to the homepage or the aforementioned itinerary page ... I finally found it but he!! if I remember how to do that again.