Rate Increases of 3% on European Train Passes Ring in the New Year

As always, the new year brings rate hikes. Rates for Eurail and Europass unlimited rail tickets (including the youth versions) are set to rise by 3% on Jan. 1. So if you make some quick decisions about your travel plans, there is time to save a little and still have six months from the purchase date to use the ticket. The 1999 version of this ticket will reduce the start time to three months.

There are less expensive ways for young travelers to get around Europe, including backpacker bus services and point-to-point international rail fares with youth discounts, but Eurail and Europass rail tickets have always been popular with young adventurers because they give the freedom of being able to travel on a prepaid ticket at whim. Rail services in Europe are extensive. If you want to save the cost of a hostel bed for the night, you can even hop on an overnight train, although you’re not guaranteed a comfy place to stretch out.

The Eurail Youth Passes are available to travelers under 26. They are valid for unlimited second-class rail travel in 17 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland).

The 15-day Eurail Youth Pass sells for $376, but after Jan. 1 the price will be $388. The one-month version will rise from $605 to $623.

The Eurail Youth Flexipass for unlimited second-class travel for 10 days within a two-month period will go from $444 to $458; for 15 days of travel within two months, it will rise from $585 to $599.

The Europass Youth tickets, which are valid for travel in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, are valid for five days of travel within a period of two months, and travelers have the option of purchasing up to 10 extra travel days. Starting in January, Europass Youth tickets will be available for durations of five, six, eight, 10 and 15 days of unlimited travel within a two-month period. The number of associate countries you can add is reduced to two. The 1999 rates for Europass Youth tickets will be five days of travel for $233, six days for $253, eight days for $313, 10 days for $363 and 15 days for $513. To add one associate country is an additional $45; two countries cost $78.

Keep in mind that some of the high-speed trains in Europe are first-class only, and if you board them with a youth pass, you’ll be charged a supplement. You can get more information on Eurail and Europass Youth tickets from travel agents, from Rail Europe at (800) 4-EURAIL, or at the Rail Europe Internet site https://www.raileurope.com.

A good source of background information on rail travel in Europe is guidebook author Rick Steves. Steves runs a very helpful Internet site at https://www.ricksteves.com. Topics range from scenic train tours to worst tourist traps, best winery tours and best European hostels. Steves also publishes a free annual guide to European Rail Passes each January (this is a promotional item; his company does not sell rail passes, but it will help you sort out the different types available). You’ll be able to read it on the Web site, or you can order a copy by calling (425) 771-8303 or writing Europe Through the Back Door, P.O. Box 2009, Edmonds, WA 98020.

Among the European hostels that travelers have highly recommended in postings on the Web site are the Mountain Youth Hostel in Gimmelwald, Switzerland (“The air was so fresh, the cowbells quietly clanging in the wind, the sound of avalanches across the valley, the smell of all the different cooks in the kitchen”) and the Grapevine Hostel in Dingle, Ireland (“It’s in a great location, cheap, secure, very friendly, cozy with a warm fireplace”).