New railpass products and options in 2005 from Rail Europe give greater flexibility, expanded access to East; Eurail Global Pass prices hold steady
New York, NY, 10/28/05 -- More choices, particularly in Eastern Europe, is the theme for European rail travel in 2005, according to Rail Europe, leading North American supplier of European railpasses and products.
New railpasses for two and three countries, as well as new options for countries that may be included in a 3-, 4- or 5-country customizable Eurail Select Pass give travelers greater flexibility than ever in finding an economical railpass to suit their itinerary and budget. These new passes and options may be purchased 1/1/05. All must be purchased prior to departure from North America.
Prices for the 17-country Eurail Global Pass in 2005 will remain unchanged, as they have since 2003. Other Eurail products, such as Select Passes, will increase by a modest 3-4%.
New railpasses, new country combinations
New railpasses have been created for 2005 for travel in the following combinations of countries:
- Austria and Czech Republic - starting at $200 (4 rail travel days in 2 months)
- Austria, Slovenia, Croatia - starting at $200 (4 rail travel days in 2 months)
- Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia - starting at $170 (5 rail travel days in 2 months)
- Italy and Greece - starting at $255 (4 rail travel days in 2 months)
- Denmark and Germany - starting at $230 (5 rail travel days in 2 months)
All of the above prices are based on 1st class Saverpass version when 2 or more travel together. Railpasses for these combinations are available for up to 10 days of travel within a 2-month period. Rail travel days do not need to be consecutive. Passes for Italy and Greece and Denmark and Germany are also available in 2nd class for adults. Youth versions of all these passes are available (2nd class), as well.
The five new passes join the ranks of 2-country passes, pioneered by Rail Europe, which have proven very popular: France and Italy, France and Spain, Spain and Portugal, France and Switzerland, Switzerland and Austria, Benelux and Germany, Hungary and Romania.
“We developed the 2-country railpass concept in response to the trend toward shorter, more frequent and focused European vacations,” notes Fabrice Morel, President of the Rail Europe Group. “That trend and travelers’ fascination with the Eastern European countries were the driving forces behind some of these new passes and new Select Pass options.” For more extensive travel in the “New Europe”, Rail Europe continues to offer the European Eastpass (covering Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) and Balkan Flexipass (Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro, Greece, Turkey.)
New Eurail Select Pass options
A Select Pass is a customizable railpass, allowing the purchaser to select any 3, 4 or 5 countries connected by rail or ferry and travel for 5 to 10 days (up to 15 days for a 5-country Select Pass) of rail travel within two months originally from the 17 Eurail Global Pass countries. This year, the choices have again expanded (last year Romania was added to the Select Pass countries):
- Slovenia and Croatia will be counted as one Select Pass country;
- Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro will count as another.
Also new for 2005, Italy and Spain can be considered “connected” for the purposes of a Select Pass, thanks to Grimaldi Ferries linking Italy and Spain. Previously, Italy and Spain could be on the same Select Pass only if France were also included.
The price of a 3-country Select Pass in 2005 will start at $316 per person for 2 or more traveling together for 5 days of rail travel within 2 months (1st class), compared to $304 this year.
All 2005 new products and prices will be available 1/1/05. For more information on current products and prices, contact a travel agent or call Rail Europe at 1-888-382-7245 in the U.S., 1-800-361-7245 in Canada. Or log on to the company’s award-winning web site, www.raileurope.com. [Web site will not list 2005 products/prices until January.]
Photos: members of the press may download high-res photos of Eurostar and other European trains at www.raileurope.com/presspix
