Europeans love their trains. Whether it’s the glamour of the Orient Express or the pragmatic functionality of local commuter lines, trains are on the right track for many travellers.
In recent years there was even a move in France to ban domestic flights on routes that would take less than two hours by high-speed train – not a restriction that would ever affect Australians – but that seems to have been shunted into a siding for the time being.
Even so, with Aussies flocking to Europe, and having used a lot of their carbon (and karma) credits to get there, the appeal of going by environmentally friendly rail is as great as it’s ever been.
With at in mind, when it comes to travelling through Europe, savings are welcome especially when not compromising on comfort or convenience. So Rail Europe has provided some handy hints on how to save your centimes while racking up the rail Ks.
- To save up to 70% off tickets, book in advance and travel during off peak times. Set up booking alerts to be notified of tickets being released.
- For multiple trips over a few days, especially when involving a few countries, consider a Eurail Pass over point-to-point tickets.
- Where flexibility isn’t required, opt for non-flexible tickets.
- Where possible, opt for slower regional trains where seat reservations aren’t usually required – they are often more scenic anyway.
- Enjoy savings with railcard reductions. In the UK, most railcards offer 1/3 off tickets; and in Spain, the Carné Joven railcard offers youth discounts on fully-flexible tickets. Travellers under 27yo in Germany save 50% on the BahnCard 50, while those under 30 or over 60 in Italy can enjoy 50% discounts with the CartaFRECCIA.
- Where available, save on a night’s hotel accommodation and travel on night sleeper trains.
- Note that children 4-11 travel for free with parents using the Eurail Pass, and children under 16 travel for free with guardians using the Swiss Travel Pass.
Apart from the above basic ways to save on train journeys, Rail Europe also has some hot tips on how to save on train tickets by region.
Germany’s Deutsche Bahn’s Sparpreis tickets
Deutsche Bahn’s Sparpreis tickets apply to many cross-border trips to almost any city in Germany, as well as trips that traverse the country from different start and end points internationally. The Sparpreis Europa offers more flexibility than the Super Sparpreis Europa; and while these fares often come with no views, certain tickets include a ‘City Ticket’ granting free access on Germany’s public transportation network to/from the departure/arrival station.
France via TGV, TGV Lyria, Frecciarossa and OUIGO
The TGVoffers great value fares called Prem’s that must be booked in advance. While tickets typically come on sale three months in advance, this is extended during the summer months. Discounted tickets are also available on the international TGV Lyria services to Italy and Switzerland, and can be booked up to 120 days in advance. If using the Frecciarossaservice, then bookings can be made up to 180 days in advance. When travelling from Spain, consider jumping on a night train to save a night’s accommodation aboard the budget-friendly OUIGO service.
Switzerland’s Swiss Half Fare Pass
A great alternative for the Swiss Travel Pass is the Swiss Half Fare Pass, which is great for longer stays as it’s valid for one month. While the former provides holders unlimited access to all of the country’s public transportation system and up to 50% off mountain rail and cableways and free entry to 500+ museums, the latter grants holders 50% off public transportation tickets across the country and on most mountain rails.
Eurostar services
Aside from booking in advance, travellers should note that return fares can often be cheaper than one-way fares; and early morning or mid-week departures tend to be priced more favourably. When travelling from London to French destinations beyond Paris, it’s also often cheaper to combine the Eurostar ticket with an onward TGV service.
Italy’s Super Economy fares
To score cheap train tickets in Italy, select a ‘Super Economy’ fare, which covers all domestic Trenitalia trains. Note also the ‘Bimbi Gratis’ family offer allows children under 15 to travel for free in groups of 2-5 people, with at least one adult. This discount is available on Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca and Intercity trains for travel within Italy.
Spain’s Ouigo and Renfe trains
Spain’s ‘Basico’ fares are the cheapest train ticket on Renfe services. Consider also travelling aboard Ouigo, the budget provider that connects the most popular destinations in Spain via high-speed train for less. In terms of booking horizons, Renfe tickets are released 75 days in advance and Ouigo trains can be booked up to a year in advance.
