Rail Europe is ringing in the new year with the debut of multiple new and upgraded options for exploring Europe in 2019. Here are the highlights of what you should know for clients looking to travel throughout Europe via train.
Eurail Global Pass Offerings Expanded
This year, travelers can visit more countries with the expanded Eurail Global Pass. The 2019 pass now features unlimited rail travel in 31 countries, with the addition of Great Britain, Lithuania, and Macedonia. The price of the Global Pass has also been decreased by up to 37 percent making it an economical choice even when traveling to as few as two countries as the new price is comparable to the 2018 Two Country Select Pass price.
To accommodate shorter itineraries, a new three days in one month Eurail Global Pass has also been added for 2019. Travelers can now choose a flexi pass offering three, five, or seven days of unlimited travel within a 1-month period, or 10 or 15 travel days to be used within a 2-month period, with a choice of consecutive or non-consecutive travel days. They can also opt for a continuous pass good for 15 or 22 travel days, or one, two or three travel months.
Eurail One Country Pass
For clients visiting only one country during their trip, the Eurail One Country Pass is now available for six days in one month. Choices now include three, four, five, six and eight days in one month. (The France Pass remains one to eight days in one month.) Also new are the Eurail Lithuania Pass and the Eurail Macedonia Pass.
New Eurail Senior Fare
Now seniors age 60 and over receive 10 percent off the adult fare on any Eurail Global Pass or Eurail One Country Pass for first and second class travel. Eurail’s existing programs include discounts for youth ages 12 to 27. Children up to age 11 travel for free when traveling with an adult, but not with those using the Senior Fare.
More Choice with Eurail Greek Islands Pass
Domestic and international options are now available on the more comprehensive Eurail Greek Islands Pass, which has expanded to include 53 participating islands. The international option, available in first and second class, is valid for six trips within one month, with one roundtrip Italy-Greece ferry connection and four domestic trips, including Trainose rail/bus transfer from Patras to Piraeus. A new 5-trip option is also available in second class for five domestic trips within one month.
New Routes and Passes Coming Soon
For your clients traveling between France and the Netherlands, Thalys is opening new routes that will provide direct connections to Roissy–CDG Airport and Marne-la-Vallee (Disneyland Paris, La Vallee Village) from Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Schiphol Airport, and Amsterdam. Tickets are now available through Rail Europe for travel starting in April 2019.
Those headed to Switzerland can explore the Bernese Oberland region with the new Berner Oberland Pass, which is anticipated to become available for purchase through Rail Europe beginning in March 2019. This pass includes Bern, Lucerne, Brig, and Emmental and can be used for travel via rail, PostBus, or boats on Lake Thun and Brienz. Available for both first and second class travel and one flat fee for children, the pass features more than 15 mountain excursions. Choices include three, four, six, eight or 10 consecutive days, valid for travel April 20 to Oct. 31, 2019.
For more information, visit agent.raileurope.com. In addition, Avanti Destinations recently teamed up with Rail Europe and several other European rail companies to create new rail-based itineraries throughout the continent, along with bonus commission for new bookings; for more details, click here.
