| Tweet Travelers who are interested in exploring Europe by train will find that there are two main types of rail passes: Eurail Passes and InterRail Passes. The choice is made simply based on the passenger's country of residency; they will be eligible to buy one and not the other. Here is the general rule:

*** The Eurail product line is available to residents of a non-European country. You are eligible if you have been a resident of a non-European country for at least 6 months.

*** The InterRail product line is available to European residents only. You are eligible if you have been a resident in a European country (this includes residents of Europe, the Russian Federation or Turkey) for at least 6 months.

Now that you know if a Eurail Pass or InterRail Pass is right for you, the next step is to browse the passes offered. There are some differences in the passes available from Eurail and InterRail, for example:

*** The Eurail Global Pass offers travel in 22 countries (Bulgaria newly added in 2011!), whereas the InterRail Global Pass offers travel in 30 countries.

*** InterRail does not offer Regional or Select Passes where Eurail does, but InterRail does offer a larger selection of One Country Passes.

*** Some countries can be travelled with InterRail but are not available with Eurail, including Serbia, Slovakia and Turkey.

*** The validities, or number of travel days, to choose from is also different for Eurail and InterRail passes, so refer to your pass of interest to see which validities are offered.

Besides all these differences, you will be happy to hear that a Eurail Pass and an InterRail Pass have some great similarities too. Both rail passes offer excellent freedom and flexibility to explore your choice of European countries by train! Plus:

*** Eurail and InterRail offer discounted passes for youth. Youth passes are available for travelers 12- 26 years of age (inclusive), where passengers save on select passes in second class.

*** Eurail and InterRail offer discounted passes for children. Children, aged 4-11 years of age (inclusive), are entitled to a 50% reduction on the adult price in first or second class, and children under the age of 4 travel for free.

*** Eurail and InterRail offer discounted passes for seniors. Seniors 60 years or older can purchase an InterRail Global Pass Senior and save 10% off the adult fare in first or second class. Senior discounts are also available on the Eurail Ireland Pass and Eurail Romania Pass.

*** Eurail and InterRail Pass holders are entitled to a variety of discounts and free offers in the countries where your Pass is valid. Please refer to your pass of interest to see which benefits would apply. You can find the full list of Eurail benefits at www.acprail.com/rail-passes/europe/eurail-pass-holder-benefits and the full list of InterRail benefits at www.acprail.com/rail-passes/europe/interrail-pass-holder-benefits

Before planning your next trip to Europe, be sure to consider the top 10 things to know about your rail pass of choice; learn more about Eurail Passes or InterRail Passes at www.ACPrail.com.

About the Author:
Angela Guezen is a travel professional who has explored the likes of Australia, Japan, and Europe. With a love for beautiful landscapes she has great appreciation for train travel and shares this passion with fellow travelers by writing for www.ACPRail.com and wwwBritRail.com.

© Copyright 2012, Dave's Travel Corner

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