Backpacking Europe: Rail Passes vs. Tickets

As part of a series on planning your European backpacking trip, we're taking a look at a few things you need to know, do and get before you go and when you get there.

European train travel is a very easy way to see several countries abroad this summer, and savvy backpackers planning multi-country travel save money by buying European train passes from the US over single tickets in Europe. The cheapest Eurail Select pass covers train travel in three bordering countries of your choice (out of 22) for $249 and you can't buy it in Europe; one ticket from Paris to Rome is $140 if bought from the US and $141-$160 if purchased in France at the current exchange rate (and that's with a student discount). With the pass, you can go from Paris to Rome to Munich to France again, or whatever suits your fancy.

Eurail Select three-country pass prices (days indicate how many calendar dates you can actually spend on the train; an overnight trip uses up two days):

* 5 days in 2 months: $249.00
* 6 days in 2 months: $275.00
* 8 days in 2 months: $325.00
* 10 days in 2 months: $375.00

You can also buy passes for four or five bordering countries at additional cost.

Some backpackers plan travel so that they spend nights on the train, too; taking the night train from Rome to Amsterdam, for instance, transports you there in one go (18-22 hours) and saves the cost of a hostel or two in transit. And Rail Europe has a special happening on Eurail Select passes, too.

* Go straight to purchasing a Eurail Select Pass at a student discount
* Learn more about Eurail passes and see other passes