Train Tickets
A train ticket makes it very easy to travel from one European city to another. Just sit back, relax, and embrace the gorgeous scenery that passes you by. Traveling by train is part of the journey!
Point to point Tickets
We’ve worked out that if you are only doing a couple of train journeys between two cities on your visit to Europe, then a point to point train ticket is the best option for you.
The great thing about point to point tickets is that you can choose a few major European cities and go directly to them, right into the heart of each city.
We can help you choose the best ticket for all the major European train operators right here and if you see a ticket you want, and the price is right, you can book it and, in most cases, we will honour the fare for 48 hours.
Have a look at our top point to point cities below and see if any of them catch your eye:
Eurostar
Travel on a point to point train ticket from London to Paris or London to Brussels or Lille with the high speed Eurostar.
TGV Lyria
Paris-Geneva-Lausanne-Zurich with TGV Lyria is a popular point to point ticket choice as the train takes you on a journey through some of the most beautiful countryside and right to the centre of some very different cities.
Thalys
Let the bright red high speed Thalys train whisk you from Paris to Amsterdam and on to Cologne. Point to point tickets take you right from the heart of one city to the heart of another.
TGV
The TGV transports tens of thousands of train passengers each year and Paris-Marseille-Strasbourg are some of the top point to point cities on a tour of France.
Italian trains
Florence-Rome, Milan-Venice with Trenitalia and the Frecciarossa trains – the only way to see Italy is by train as you sit back and soak up the stunning scenery on the way to the centres of these top point to point cities.
As you can see from the examples above, point to point train tickets not only transport you right into the centre of some incredible cities but you can visit more than one country too. So you can get the Thalys from Paris to Cologne and then the ICE train in Germany to Berlin or Munich. Or you can stick to one country; if you are travelling around Spain with Renfe and the AVE trains you can buy point to point tickets from Madrid to Barcelona or Seville and Valencia.
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Train Tickets
From the heart of one city to the next
If you know your travel dates, we can help you find the best fares and schedules for your itinerary. Simply enter your departure and arrival cities to the right, along with the date and time of day you wish to travel.
Types of Trains
High speed or leisurely, you travel in comfort.
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HIGH SPEED TRAINSModern, comfortable and traveling up to 320 km/h. High speed trains offer excellent service and are often the best way to travel long distances.
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NIGHT TRAINSRemnant of a bygone era, night trains allow you to save precious vacation time and budget by traveling thru the night and arriving at your destination rested and ready to explore.
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SCENIC TRAINSEnjoy the best of European landscapes from the comfort of your seat. From Swiss mountains and lakes to the Italian countryside.
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REGIONAL TRAINSMost regional trains operate on medium distance routes and do not require a seat reservation. Perfect for day trips and mingling with locals.
The European Rail Network
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Most Popular
FAQ's
Common Questions
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Q. Will my luggage be safe, accessible, and in my line of sight throughout the duration of my trip?
A. Your luggage will either be safely above you in a luggage rack, or at the end of your train car. These are the designated locations for luggage storage. You will be able to access your bags as needed.
You are responsible for your luggage. The railways will assume no responsibility in case of loss or theft of baggage carried on board.
Be sure to have luggage tags with your name and contact information securely attached in case you leave anything behind.
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Q. What if my shipment gets lost?
A. If you believe that your shipment is lost, please contact us as soon as possible using our Contact Us page.
If you’re departing soon and your booking is lost, we will work with you for the best possible solution to deliver your travel documents before you leave.
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Q. How far in advance can I purchase a train ticket?
A. Train tickets can be purchased in a booking horizon of 30 to 180 days in advance of a journey. This booking horizon depends on the route and each rail carrier’s policy.
In order to take advantage of the best prices and availability, always book as far in advance as possible. It’s particularly important to book early during peak travel seasons to ensure you can travel on the date you wish.
Please note – when planning a journey you can always enter a date within 30 days of today to view general travel times and ticket fares.
Booking horizon by country (in advance of the date of travel):*
Austria - 90 days
Balkans - 60 days
Benelux (International) - 90 days
Croatia/Slovenia (International) - 90 days
Czech Republic (International) - 60 days
Denmark - 60 days
Finland - 60 days
France - 90 days
Germany - 180 days
Great Britain - 75 days
Hungary (International) - 90 days
Italy - 120 days
Montenegro/Serbia - 90 days
Norway - 90 days
Spain - 60 days
Sweden - 180 days
Switzerland - 90 days
Poland (Domestic) - 30 days
Poland (International) - 60 days
Romania (Domestic) - 30 days
Romania (International) - 90 days
Russia - 45 daysBooking horizons for the major train lines or carriers (in advance of the date of travel):*
Allegro - 60 days
ATOC Britain - 90 days
Berlin-Warsaw Express - 60 days
DB - 180 days
Eurostar - 180 days
France-Freiburg (Breisgau)TGV - 90 days
France-Germany High Speed - 90 days
France-Italy TGV - 90 days
France - Russia - 60 days
France-Spain High Speed - 119 days
Germany-Italy Day - 120 days
Hungarian Trains - 90 days
ICE - 180 days
Lusitania - 60 days
Lyria - 90 days
NTV Italo - 120 days
RENFE - 60 days
Romanian Night Trains - 90 days
Thalys - 90 days
Thello Night - 120 days
Tolstoy - 60 days
Trenitalia (Domestic) - 120 days
Trenitalia (International) - 120 days*Subject to change.
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Q. I received my e-ticket as a pdf but wasn’t able to print it. Can I print it at the station?
A. French print at home e-tickets can be re-issued from a self-service kiosk at the station. You will need the e-ticket # located on your booking confirmation email.
Eurostar print at home e-tickets can be re-issued at the Eurostar desk in the departure station, but there is a 15£ fee per ticket. You will need the e-ticket # located on your booking confirmation email.
No other print at home e-tickets can be re-issued at the station.
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Q. Do you offer discounts on tickets for groups?
A. If your group consists of 10 or more passengers, you’ll be entitled to group rate tickets. Please note that for British domestic trains, we can provide a quote for nine travellers. First and second class group rates are available. Simply fill out our Group Quote form and a dedicated agent will answer your request.
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Q. Is there a fee to take luggage on a train?
A. In general, there are no luggage fees when traveling by train, however, some rail carriers do restrict the amount of luggage a traveller is allowed to bring, and any additional luggage may be subject to local fees.
On Eurostar, you’re permitted to carry two large bags and one small piece of hand luggage. If you have more than this, an additional fee may be required locally.
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Q. How long are train tickets valid for?
A. It depends if you have a ticket with a reservation or a point to point train ticket.
Point to point train tickets are valid within 15 days from the first day of validity printed on the ticket. You can travel with your train ticket on any date within the validity period (however, remember: separate reservations may be necessary, depending on the route).
Tickets with reservations are only valid for the train for which the reservation was issued, on that specific travel date and time of travel.
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Q. I’ve bought a print at the station e ticket. What do I need to do before getting on the train?
A. When you book a print at the station e-ticket you will receive a 6 or 8 alpha-numeric e-ticket confirmation code (also known as a PNR or Passenger Name Record) in your Rail Europe confirmation email. Simply print the actual paper ticket from a self-service kiosk at the train station prior to your train’s departure.
For all print at the station e-tickets, you’ll need to print the tickets before boarding your train. Your Rail Europe confirmation email is not a train ticket.
For certain routes where this ticketing method is offered, it’s possible that the kiosk to print out the ticket can only be found in the station of origin but not in the station of arrival. For instance, if you have purchased a roundtrip journey as a print at the station e-ticket, you need to make sure to print out both your outbound and inbound train tickets in the station of origin - as you will not be able to retrieve your inbound ticket (return ticket) in the station of arrival. An example of this is a trip originating in France and going into Italy, or a trip from Paris to Amsterdam.
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Q. Do you offer student, family and/or senior discounts?
A. Yes. Rail Europe offers a wide range of train tickets and rail passes that provide discounts to children, youths, seniors or groups of people that travel together.
Discounted rates vary depending on the type of train ticket or rail pass you are purchasing, and are not always offered.
We do our best to provide you with the cheapest fares for your traveling party and get you the discounts you’re eligible for. This is why it’s important to accurately indicate the composition of your traveling party when requesting fares and schedules or rail pass prices from our website. You may also have to enter the age of certain travellers, so we can determine whether they’re eligible for certain age-related discounts.
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Q. Can I use more than one credit card to pay for my booking?
A. Yes. You can enter up to 10 different credit cards for a single purchase. At the time of payment, use the “Add additional card” button to display all credit card options. After entering each credit card’s information, you can modify the amount to be charged to each individual card. You’ll need to make sure that the total charged for all credit cards matches the total of your booking.