Using rail tickets in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland

These guides provide insights into ensuring that you can book the optimum rail tickets for your journeys. Find other guides to using tickets in other countries in 'All Articles'

Using rail passes in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland

How to make the most of rail passes including Eurail and InterRail in these countries; tips for making the journeys easier and making the most of a pass.

All Articles

Buying rail tickets is often as simple as buying bread or apples, but it's when the rail companies give travellers options, which can cause complications.

So whether price, flexibility, speed or the travel experience matter most, or if you want to factor in all of these criteria, SMTJ has striven to point you in the right direction.

The information in these 'guides' is presented in good faith and they are intended to give an overview.
Offers and deals may be available for your journey which supersede the general information.

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A guide to reservations for Eurail and InterRail pass users A one page guide to the trains on which Eurail and InterRail Pass users do and don't have to pay add...
10 things to look out for when booking European train tickets
11 Things to look out for when booking European rail tickets If you're asking why can't I find the journey, the ticket or the price I'm looking for when using a ...
Seat Reservations When Booking Online
A general guide to Seat Reservations on European Trains An introduction to making seat reservations when travelling on European trains which should help avo...
How Eurail and InterRail pass users can save money when travelling from Paris by train
Alternative routes from and to Paris for Eurail and InterRail Users How Eurail and InterRail pass users can save money when travelling from and to Paris by train
An Introduction To Buying Tickets for European Train Journeys The key things worth being aware of when buying tickets for European train journeys, including step-...
Booking and Using Tickets for European journeys involving more than one train What to look out for when purchasing tickets for more complicated European train journeys which invo...
Booking Train Tickets with an Independent Ticketing Service What to look out for when using Omio, SaveATrain, HappyRail, Trainline and RailEurope (UK) when book...
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Austria This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Belgium This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Denmark This guidewill help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Hungary This guide will help you save money, time and confusion
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Norway This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Poland This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Spain This guide to buying tickets and using rail passes for train journeys within Spain will help you sav...
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Sweden This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
How to buy rail tickets in Holland
Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in The Netherlands This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using Tickets and Rail Passes in Czechia This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using Tickets for French rail travel This guide will help you save money, time and confusion.
Buying and using tickets for German rail travel The German rail operator DB has refreshed both its website and many of its terms around how German t...
Buying and using Tickets for Italian rail travel This guide to buying tickets and using rail passes for train journeys both within and to and from It...
Buying and using tickets for Swiss rail travel The Swiss national operator SBB has made some recent changes to how it sells tickets, so find out mo...
Europe's Best Rail Travel Bargains A summary of the lesser known permanent offers which can be used to save money when travelling on Eu...
Good to know about buying and using train tickets in Great Britain This will help you save money, time and confusion.
How to Book Tickets and rail pass reservations on the CD website The ticket booking website of the Czech national rail operator is packed with useful features and ad...
How To Book Tickets on the OBB Website - Step By Step
How To Book Tickets and Reservations on the OBB Website - Step By Step The booking website provided by Austrian national railways, is packed with unique features. Hence th...
How to book tickets on the SJ website
How to Book Tickets and Reservations on the SJ website SJ is the national rail operator in Sweden and this guide will take you through the less obvious fea...
How to Book Tickets for Day and Night trains on the SBB website The online booking service of the Swiss national rail operator has a new look, so the step-by-step g...
How to Book Tickets on B-Europe - Step-by-Step This step by step guide shows how to use the B-Europe website, to buy tickets and reservations for i...
How to Book Tickets on the DB Website The DB website has recently been completely re-designed, so this guide has been updated.
How To Book Tickets on the DSB Website
How To Book Tickets on the DSB Website This step by step guide shows how to use the DSB, Danish Railways website, to buy Danish train ticke...
How to Book Tickets on the NS International Website This step by step guide shows how to use the NS International website, to buy tickets for internatio...
How to Book Tickets on the PKP InterCity Website This guide focuses on the less obvious aspects of using the PKP website to buy Polish train tickets,...
How to book tickets for train journeys in Spain on the Renfe website
How to Book Tickets on the Renfe Website What to look out for when booking tickets for journeys within Spain by train on the website provided...
How to Buy Tickets on the Trenitalia website
How to Use A Rail Pass on DAY trains in  15 Popular Countries
How to use Eurail and InterRail on day trains in 15 popular countries How to use Eurail or InterRail passes to travel by daytime trains in or from/to Austria, Belgium, De...
Using Eurail and InterRail Passes - A starting point
How to use Eurail and InterRail to see Europe by train A guide to using rail passes to explore Europe, packed with practical info and insights gained from ...
How to book train tickets on SNCF Connect
How to use SNCF Connect to book train tickets What to look out for when using SNCF Connect, the French national railways booking website, to buy t...
InterRail and Eurail: 12 Itinerary Planning Tips and Ideas Suggestions for how to plan your train journeys around Europe with Eurail or InterRail passes, so y...
Lesser Known Rail Passes Which Can Offer Great Value For Money How to save money by using these rail passes to travel on trains in Austria, Britain, Czechia, Germa...
Taking Regio trains with the Deutschland Ticket
Make The Most Of The New D-Ticket for Germany How to explore Germany by train for up to a month, with the new ticket which costs only €49!
Money Saving Tips when Booking European Train Tickets Online What to look out for when booking tickets for European train journeys online in order to save money
Save with Split Ticketing on Trainline When it's possible to save money on rail journeys in Britain, by splitting tickets in one booking, T...
Saving Money while on an InterRail or Eurail Trip - tips and info
Saving Money while on an InterRail or Eurail Trip: tips and info How to get the most value for money when using Eurail or InterRail passes, plus tips for saving on a...
Book Swiss Travel Passes and Mountain Excursions
Switzerland Made Easy: Book Travel Passes and more Follow your own fantastic path in beautiful Switzerland with Swiss Travel Passes and Half Fare Cards...
The Ultmate Guide to British train tickets
The detailed guide to buying tickets for British rail journeys How to make make sure you are buying the optimum ticket for train journeys in England, Scotland and ...
Tickets for Seniors on European Trains There are no pan-European rules for how Seniors can and can't travel at cheaper prices on European t...
Making the Most of InterRail and Eurail - Seven Recommendations
Tips & Ideas to make the most of InterRail and Eurail passes Tips and suggestions for making the most of using Eurail and InterRail passes to explore Europe, by ...
How to use Eurail and InterRail passes in Belgium
Using Interrail and Eurail Passes in Belgium How to use Eurail and InterRail passes on Belgian train journeys and on international trains to and ...
Using Rail Passes in and to/from France How to use Eurail and InterRail passes on French train journeys and on international trains to and f...
A view from one of the newly renovated escalators at Hamburg Hbf
Using Rail Passes in and to/from Germany All that's good to know about using Eurail and InterRail passes on German train journeys and on inte...
Using Rail Passes in and to/from Italy
Using Rail Passes in and to/from Italy All that's good to know about using Eurail and InterRail passes on Italian train journeys and on int...
How to use rail passes in Switzerland
Using Rail Passes in and to/from Switzerland This newly updated guide explains how to use the different types of pass that are available for expl...
Ideas for using passes to travel by train in Great Britain
Using rail passes in Great Britain and on Eurostar Why they can be good idea, plus tips for exploring Britain beyond London by train; and a guide to bo...
Save money when using railcards to buy train tickets in Europe
Using Railcards to save money on train tickets Don't assume that railcards won't be worthwhile when on holiday. They can pay off when only taking a...
How to use the European rail ticket booking websites
Using the rail company websites to book European train tickets What to look out for when using online booking services of the main European train operators. Don't ...