cheap train travel across europe

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11 of the best value train journeys in Europe (Starting from €9! )

The best and cheapest way to see Europe ? How about travelling by train across Europe. While it is not as cheap as coach travel, trains in Europe, if booked in advance, can offer some incredible deals. It beats flying anyway and also is the most sustainable and one of the cheapest ways to travel across Europe. While for peace of mind and ease of travel, an Eurail pass is incredible, if you do have a rough itinerary in mind and prepared to book the long distance routes 90 days in advance ( or 9 months for trains in France) , there are some incredible cheap train tickets for Europe. Following my revised guide to the best budget bus companies to see Europe, I’ve compiled a list of the 11 best tips and hacks to find cheap trains in Europe.

1. Use the stopover feature on Deutsche Bahn’s international tickets to travel from Berlin to Prague with stopover in Dresden for €18.90

Plan a stopover at no extra cost thanks to this incredible feature from deutsche bahn.

If you are visiting Berlin for example with plans to continue to Prague, via the Deutsche Bahn website, you can add a 24 hour stopover in Dresden at no extra price.

For example, searching in March 2022, you can buy a ticket from Berlin to Prague for as little as €18.90 with a 24 hour stopover in Dresden.

Or if you are planning to visit Budapest, you can book a ticket from Berlin to Budapest for €46.90 with a 24 hour stopover in Prague.

PS: If you are planning a trip to Prague, checkout my guide to the best budget places to stay in Prague , Prague on a budget and also my guide to the best things to do in Prague

These are Deutsche Bahn’s Sparpreis advance-purchase cheap fares.

For an extra €19.90 you can also upgrade your ticket to 1st class where you’ll get a slightly better seat and legspace but honestly in my opinion, there is not really a big difference between travelling 1st and 2nd class on these trains.

2. Prague to Budapest- €16 and Vienna to Budapest- €9 with Regiojet

One of the best value cheap train europe deals- tick off three classic europe destinations with one incredible fare.

Formerly the Student Travel Agency which started out offering low-cost luxury bus services within Czech Republic, the agency has now rebranded as Regiojet offering incredible value low-cost train services within Czech Republic and beyond.

The best value deal of the lot, was launched last summer when Regiojet started a new train service that linked up three key European capitals that are a staple of every Eurotrip- Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Currently there are 2 trains servicing the route daily. Tickets start from as little as €16 between Prague and Budapest and just €9 from Vienna to Budapest.

A quick search pulled up a few of the €16 Prague and Budapest fares in March 2022. The basic fare includes seat reservations and WiFi. For an extra €2.30 you get a better seat, free newspaper water and access to their built-in LCD screens.

3. Prague to Budapest with Czech Railways for €21 in advance

Another slightly more expensive and alternative option is to book Eurocity train from Prague to Budapest for as little as €21 or 514 CZK. You can only book this ticket in advance only via the

Czech Railways website.

4. Prague to Munich for €15 via Czech Railways

Czech railways, portal for czech trains can sometimes offer some great deals on train travel…..

If you are travelling from Czech Republic to Germany, I would also strongly urge you to look up fares on Czech Railways website where they can be often a third cheaper than when booking via Deutsche Bahn website.

For example on 30th March, travelling from Prague to Munich on the direct train, ( 11.38am ) the fare shows up as €42 one way via bahn.de website but if you look at the Czech Railways website, same train and fare shows up as 360 CZK which is €14.76 which is a massive saving.

Promenade Anglais, Nice

5. Paris to Nice €19 with the French low cost train service Ouigo

A low-cost, high-speed train service operated by sncf .

Visiting France soon? While many are familiar with their amazing TGV trains, Voyages SNCF also has a low-cost train service called Ouigo which offers fares as cheap as €10 between Paris Marné la Vallée and Lyon or Bordeaux & €19 from Paris to Nice. These super cheap fares open 9 months in advance so you should book early to get these fares.

For example, a quick search on en.oui.sncf, I can see a bunch of fares for €10 from Paris to Bordeaux in June 2022. It is worth noting that this fare is valid from Marné la Vallée which is the TGV outpost for Disneyland Paris and is a 12 minute , €15 ride from Paris CDG airport. Or you can take the underground to Châtelet-Les-Halles from where you take the RER-line A to Marne-la-Vallée. Journey time is 35 minutes and costs €7.50.

If you are planning to travel to Paris and Nice, Ouigo also operate a low-cost service on this popular route. In June 2022, I can see fares for as little as €19. Trains leave from the more central Gare de Lyon to Nice.

Ouigo also has a few extras to keep in mind. If you want a seat with electric sockets for an extra €2 and if you want to be in the quiet carriage, there is an extra €5 fee.

Trainline’s cheap fare finder feature is a really handy feature to find out the cheapest fares in the next month

PS: Another brilliant value train deal to also keep in mind is the Milan to Paris route. Being offseason, there is a bunch of their cheap €29 fares on sale now on the route ( Trainline’s excellent low fare calendar is a very handy tool ) Journey time is 7 hours. Extra €10 snags you a seat on 1st class.

6. Barcelona to Madrid by €9 with Ouigo Spain

Low-cost, high speed rail service revolution comes to spain.

Last summer ( 2021) Ouigo brought their unique low-cost train services to Spain. From May 2021, Ouigo started offering a 5 times a day, daily return service between Barcelona and Madrid. The service also serves the cities of Zaragoza and Tarragona.

Simple search on Ouigo website, reveals a bunch of the bargain €9 fares on the Barcelona to Madrid route for dates in June and July 2021. Ouigo applies low cost airline dynamic pricing so the sooner you book, the better the fares so keep that in mind.

Worth noting that for the basic €9 fare, passengers can bring a small bag/ handbag and a carry on cabin sized luggage. If you have a rucksack or suitcase, there is an extra €5 fee.

7. Stockholm to Gothenburg with Flixtrain for €12.99

If Sweden is on your itinerary and you are planning to travel between the two main cities, Stockholm and Gothenburg, have a look at Flixtrain who offer fares for as little as €12.99/135 kronor between Stockholm and Gothenburg. To give you a comparison, main operator in Sweden SJ offer fares of 194 kronor/ €18.60 so you make a big saving.

8. Berlin to Frankfurt for €9.99 with Flixtrain Germany

Flixtrain also operates on a number of routes in Germany and is the main competitor to Deutsche Bahn. Frequency is less and they operate on a handful of routes but their fares are much cheaper.

To give you an idea, fares with Flixtrain cost as little as €4.99 from Hamburg to Berlin ( Journey time 2 hours 39 minutes ) €9.99 Berlin to Stuttgart ( Journey time 5.56 hours ) and €9.99-Berlin to Frankfurt ( 4.09 hours )

9. Deutsche Bahn Länder ticket/ Regional day tickets

Unlimited train travel across any of germany’s 16 federal states for as little as €22.

If you are visiting Germany, especially with your partner or a group of friends, another brilliant deal is the Lander regional tickets which offer you unlimited travel within the state for as little as €22. This ticket is valid only on local and regional trains and excludes the faster ICE/IC trains. You can travel with up to four fellow passengers per ticket for as little as EUR 3 per additional passenger.

The tickets are valid from Monday to Friday from 09:00 until 03:00 on the following day.

We used this ticket when visiting Munich last year for a day trip to Zugspitze, beautiful Lake Eibsee and Garmisch Partenkirchen.

The other great thing worth remembering is that you can buy these tickets on the day from any Deutsche Bahn ticket machine in the train station.

10. Paris to Vienna for €60 with Nightjet train service

Night trains in europe a great way to save money on accommodation plus time if you are on tight itinerary.

If you are on a tight budget and travelling between countries, I would highly recommend looking into booking an overnight sleeper train to help you save money on 1 nights accommodation and also you are not wasting the whole day in a train.

For example you can travel from Paris to Vienna on the Nightjet service. It leaves Gare de l’Est at 6.58pm and reaches Vienna at 10.12am in the morning.

The basic fare for a seat in a 6 seat compartment carriage is €60. From the picture above, as you can see, not the most comfortable seat to be cooped up and try and sleep.

I f you are on a tight budget, it will get you from A to B. If you splurge on a couchette , you pay an extra €20 which might be worth the investment if it means getting a decent night sleep.

I’ve taken the Caledonian Sleeper from London to Edinburgh and also the Helsinki to Kolari ( Prices start from €49 for private cabin and with shower, €69 ) overnight train on my way to the 7 Fells Hostel in Finnish Lapland- ( Read more about my trip to Finnish Lapland here ) great way to travel and the journey itself is an experience that will remember.

Other great services on Nightjet train worth keeping an eye include the Munich to Zagreb service ( leaves Munich at 23.20pm and reaches Zagreb at 8.32am) -booking in advance, you get a seat in the compartment for as little as €29.90 or for an extra €45 on top, you can get a sleeper bed.

11. Buy a Eurail pass

The first entry on my first Interrail pass from 2012: ICE 36, Copenhagen to Hamburg, The journey begins…

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8 Tips for Getting Cheap Train Tickets Throughout Europe

By Olivia Morelli

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Train travel is undoubtedly the most romantic way to explore Europe . You can sit back and soak up the continent’s most beautiful sights as they zip past, from the towering snow-cloaked mountains of Germany and the glittering fjords of Norway to the sparkling coasts of Italy and vine-carpeted fields of France . Plus, there are few greater feelings than getting from country to country in the knowledge that you are traveling more sustainably and minimizing carbon footprints. But sadly, the evolution of budget airlines has meant that aviation has become a more affordable (and at times faster) alternative for travelers. Below, we look at the ultimate travel hacks for finding cheap train tickets across Europe this summer so you can embrace slow travel – with expert advice from some of the world’s top train travel experts.

High angle view of trees and mountains against skyFrance

Buy European rail passes

Purchasing relevant rail passes for European countries can seriously help cut costs when travelling by train. “Consider buying an Interrail pass (for European residents, interrail.eu) or Eurail pass (for non-residents, eurail.com). These give unlimited travel across most of Europe from as little as €35 per day for adults, €31 for seniors or €26 for young people under the age of 28 – and children under 12 get a free pass when accompanied by an adult pass holder,” says Mark Smith, the man behind European train travel guide website Seat 61 . “A pass is much more flexible than a series of cheap no-refund, no-change advance-purchase tickets and much cheaper than a series of expensive fully-flexible tickets. Just be aware that there may be reservation fees to add for some trains, especially in France, Italy and Spain .” Buying an Interrail pass in advance can also help save you time as well as money, so you can spend less time faffing around purchasing tickets and more time enjoying each destination you visit.

Book train tickets in advance

While many of us plan and book flights well before our trip, train travel is often left until the last minute. Like planes, train tickets are released in price sections—the cheapest fares are first, and the most expensive ones can be purchased up to an hour before the train time. In the UK , train tickets are typically released 12 weeks before departure dates and will be at their cheapest at that time. Some ticket-purchasing apps, like Trainline, have features that allow travelers to set up alerts for specific dates and destinations, so users can book as soon as the tickets have been released.

Remember to validate your train ticket

In many train stations throughout Europe, there aren’t any entry barriers, but passengers are expected to validate their tickets via a machine. It’s an easy step to forget, and the machines are small enough to miss, but ticket inspectors often patrol trains and stations for spot checks and will charge fines to travelers with unstamped tickets. Research each journey or route to learn about the relevant rules and guidelines, so you don’t get caught out.

Use train travel apps

There are lots of different train travel apps that are designed specifically to help travelers discover the best routes and cheapest prices. Omio compares prices across many different types of transport in Europe, and Trainline is the best one to download when traveling around the UK. “Booking directly with the relevant operator can result in no booking fees and, in many cases, the option to choose your seat from a seat map (for example, in France use sncf-connect.com , in Italy use trenitalia.com , in Germany use bahn.de/en ). However, two third-party retailers can be useful: raileurope.com and thetrainline.com, even though they add a small booking fee,” explains Mark. “They connect to the French, Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian and Benelux systems so you can buy tickets within and between these countries all in one place; they also allow multi-operator multi-ticket journeys such as Nice to Milan to be bought as one seamless transaction.”

Woman taking photo with smartphone of Jungfrau while riding in train

Track train fares to find the best prices

If you decide to book trains using direct sites instead of train travel apps, you should monitor the routes to find the best prices for each leg of your journey. “Most European long-distance train fares have dynamic pricing like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy periods such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons for the lowest prices, just as you would with flights,” Mark tells us. “If you do that, Paris-Milan starts at €29, Berlin - Amsterdam from €37.90, Prague-Budapest from €21, Rome - Florence from €19.90, Madrid-Barcelona from €7.”

Be flexible with your journeys

Keeping your travel days flexible can yield rewards in the form of cheaper tickets and better availability, particularly when it comes to longer cross-country journeys. Trainline offers passengers prices across three days to ensure customers consider multiple date options to get the best prices for their trip.

Avoid paying extra for seat reservations

When buying train tickets, most bookings come with an allocated seat reservation. When purchasing tickets on unfamiliar websites (and unfamiliar languages), knowing whether or not your seat number has been included can be confusing, so double-check before paying more unnecessarily. However, this doesn’t apply to sleeper trains or international journeys – for these, travelers must book seat reservations separately, either online or in person at the train station.

Book overnight trains for lower prices

Taking an overnight train is a great way to bring down your costs while traveling through Europe because you end up saving on one night’s accommodation while you’re at it. And, since you’re already saving a few bucks, it’s worth spending a little more to get a more comfy seat or bed – you don’t want to ruin the following day by catching up on sleep. Spend time figuring out which train routes will take you the longest, and dedicate those to overnight journeys. Some overnight trains come with dining carts and shower rooms, and while these might not be the height of luxury, they are often just as clean and comfortable as a budget hostel option would be.

A version of this article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller UK .

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Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia, london to paris from £52 paris to venice €29, paris to amsterdam €35 venice to rome €29.90, prague to vienna €14 berlin to prague €19.90.

Cheap train tickets for Europe are here , city centre to city centre, no airport taxes, no baggage fees, no booking fee, infants go free . You usually print your own ticket.

But you need the right website for the right journey. It would be lovely if there was one website which sold tickets for all European trains at the cheapest price, but there isn't (to understand why not, read this ).

On this site I'll tell you the best way to buy European train tickets for your specific journeys, as long as you have a credit card & internet access. Just select the city where your journey starts in the drop-down menu.

Read these tips to understand how train tickets work & whether to book in advance or buy at the station .

How to buy European train tickets

Click on the city where your train journey starts and I'll tell you the best & cheapest way to buy train tickets to cities in neighbouring countries and beyond. I can't write a page for every possible starting point, so use common sense - for example, if you wanted Sorrento to Groningen, you'd look up Naples to Amsterdam.

Why it matters which website you use

Each European country has its own national train operator with its own ticketing system and website. There are private operators too. Most operators offer cheap budget-airline-style fares if you book ahead, but you can only buy them from their own website or from an agency linked to that ticketing system.

Take Prague to Budapest for example: I tell you to book at the Czech Railways website as this sells advance-purchase tickets from just €21, international credit cards accepted, no booking fee, you print your own ticket. You can even choose your seat from a seating plan!

No other website offers these €21 Prague-Budapest fares, but several well-known ticketing sites will sell you a ticket for a whopping €90+ using an almost-obsolete inter-operator system called TCV, a conventional ticket which must be posted to you at extra cost (so over €100, ouch!). Can you now see why it matters where you buy?

Ticket delivery matters too. For example, you can book Vienna to Venice at Trenitalia.com, but tickets have to be collected from a ticket machine in Italy, no good if you're starting in Vienna. Thetrainline.com links to the Austrian Railways system & does e-tickets in either direction.

I take all this into account to tell you the cheapest & easiest way to book each specific journey, whether you live in the UK, USA, Australia, Singapore, wherever.

European train travel FAQ

How to buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras)

Tips for buying train tickets

Do you need to book in advance? Can you just buy at the station?

If you can get your head around the 3 different concepts of train ticketing explained here, you'll understand why sometimes you're told to buy at the station, at other times to book in advance.

(1) Local, regional, suburban trains = turn-up-and-go ticketing

Tickets for local, regional & suburban trains can be bought at the station. The price is fixed so there's no advantage in pre-buying. Reservation is usually not even possible, these trains can't sell out. Just buy a ticket at the station, hop on the next train and sit where you like. Think New York Subway! Buying online or on your phone saves a few minutes at the ticket office.

Domestic trains within the Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg work like this, reservation isn't even possible. You turn up, buy a fixed-price ticket at the station & catch the next train.

(2) Inter-city trains in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden = airline-style ticketing

At the other extreme, inter-city trains in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal & Sweden work like airlines, as do international high-speed trains to/from France including London-Paris Eurostars , Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam Eurostars , Paris-Germany trains , Paris-Switzerland TGVs , Paris-Milan TGVs & Paris-Barcelona TGVs .

Fares are dynamic like air fares, cheap in advance, expensive if you buy on the day or for busy dates. For example, Paris to Amsterdam starts at €35 several months in advance (no refunds, no changes to travel plans), but costs €140+ for a fully-flexible ticket bought on the day. The most expensive fares usually allow changes & refunds, the cheapest fares mean no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

Every ticket comes with a reserved seat included, just like flights. Trains are all-reserved so can sell out, at least in theory, although in practice they seldom do except at busy periods.

The message here is clear: Pre-book to save money and be sure of a place!!

(3) Inter-city trains in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark & central Europe = traditional ticketing

Inter-city trains in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and most of central Europe work the old-school way.

There's a standard price flexible fare with unlimited availability and a fixed price, good for any train that day. This can't sell out, you can always turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train, sitting in any empty unreserved seat.

However, standard price tickets are expensive. You can buy cheaper advance-purchase fares if you book ahead and commit to a specific departure, limited or no refunds or changes. These have various names: Advance in the UK, Sparpreis in Germany, Sparschiene in Austria, First Minute in Czechia. The price is dynamic with limited availability at each price point. The price rises as the cheaper tickets are sold.

A seat reservation is optional, usually for a small extra fee of around €3 to €5 per seat. If you choose not to reserve you can sit in any unreserved seat, of which there are usually many - for example, the average load factor on German IC & ICE trains is 65%. But you'll have to stand if you find all the seats taken.

For example, from Munich to Vienna you can buy a cheap advance-purchase ticket for €29.90, €39.90, €49.90, €59.90 etc., limited availability at each price level, only good for that specific departure, limited or no refunds or changes allowed. Or you can pay €108 for a standard price ticket, good for any train, unlimited availability, can't sell out. Neither type of ticket comes with a reserved seat, you can sit in any empty unreserved seat or you can pay an extra €4.90 to reserve a seat. I might not bother reserving if travelling solo mid-week in February, but I would reserve if travelling with my family on a Friday in July!

So pre-book to save money if you're happy committing to a specific train, but if you're happy paying full-whack you can buy on the day.

How far in advance can I book?

The single biggest reason people initially hit a brick wall trying to buy a train ticket is that they try to look too far ahead.

Overseas visitors planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe try to buy a 50-mile train ticket 11 months ahead and wonder why trains aren't shown and booking doesn't work. Local people buy train tickets as part of their daily life, to visit Granny, attend a meeting or go shopping. They plan such trips & buy tickets hours, days or weeks ahead, not many months. There's no rush, wait till bookings open!

See the booking horizons page for more about when booking opens for different types of European train .

If you need to book accommodation at your destination before train bookings open, no problem, you can hold accommodation risk-free at www.booking.com . They usually offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before your stay.

One-way or round trip?

Almost all European fares are single-leg priced, where a round trip is simply two one-ways. I often find it easier to book one way at a time, rather than book out and back at the same time.

There are a handful of exceptions. Eurostar return fares are cheaper than two one-way fares, so always book a round trip on Eurostar as a return. The same applies to most journeys in Britain, where an Off-Peak one-way can be just 10p or £1 less than the equivalent Off-Peak Return.

Can I stop off ?

As a general rule, Paris-Amsterdam with a stopover in Brussels means buying two separate tickets, Paris-Brussels & Brussels-Amsterdam.

People say "I want to go from A to C with a stopover at B" often bang their heads against a brick wall trying to book and end up 'confused' while people who think clearly "I want to go from A to B on this date, then B to C on that date" quickly & easily book both tickets.

Cheap advance-purchase tickets are almost always train-specific, for example Paris-Amsterdam from €35. You can't stop off with these fares as they are only good for the train you've booked. If you need to, you can get off short of your destination with these tickets (generally fine in mainland Europe, but not in the UK), but the unused part of your ticket becomes worthless.

On trains with compulsory reservation (for example, long-distance trains in France, Spain or Italy), you can't stop off even with flexible tickets, as they too are only valid on the train you've booked.

On local trains and on long distance trains without compulsory reservation, you can often stop off if you have a flexible ticket which allows stopovers. But check the small print as every operator has different rules. It's often best to play safe & buy two tickets.

There is one useful exception, where you can pre-programme a stopover into a cheap advance-purchase ticket

When booking a journey to, from, across or within Germany at the German Railways website, int.bahn.de , you can pre-programme a stopover using the useful Stopovers feature. Just enter a city and a specified number of hours as the length of stay and it'll give you (for example) a Munich to Vienna ticket from €29.90, but with a stopover in Salzburg included. Or Berlin to Prague with a stopover in Dresden. Maximum 2 stopovers, within the 2 day period for which tickets are valid. Worth knowing!

And of course, if you are making a long multi-train journey such as London to Malaga where each train is ticketed separately anyway, you can arrange stopovers simply by booking each leg for whatever date and time you want.

Senior & youth fares

If you are offered a senior or youth fare just because you entered your age, then no special railcard is needed, just carry proof of age such as your passport.

Some countries have their own senior or youth railcards. You buy the railcard for a fee and it gives discounts on journeys within that country for a year. In some cases such railcards can be bought online (e.g. France's Carte Avantage ), in other cases (Spain's Tarjeta Dorada ) you can only buy them in person at a station.

However, if you'll only be there for a few weeks, you may clock up enough mileage to make a railcard worthwhile. And if you can only buy the railcard when you get there when all the cheap advance-purchase fares have sold out, a card might give you a 25% discount off a €100 full-flex fare when you could have booked a €29 fare online well in advance without a railcard.

As a general rule, you only need consider such a railcard if you are planning to make multiple journeys in that country during the course of a year, unless you can prove it'll save money. For most visitors, railcards are a distraction, just buy cheap advance-purchase fares.

Child fares

Infants under a certain age go free on trains, no ticket is required and you don't need to add them to your booking ( Spain is an exception where infants need a ticket and so is Russia). You just bring them with you, they sit on your lap or play on the floor, they don't qualify for their own seat although no-one will mind if you plonk them down in a spare seat if there is one. Children under a certain age travel at a child rate, sometimes a 50% discount, sometimes a special child rate.

Child fare more expensive than adult

This happens occasionally when (a) the train operator has created an adult full-price fare and a child full-price fare and some cheap adult advance-purchase fares, without creating any child advance-purchase fares, and (b) the website software isn't clever enough to know that a child can use an adult advance-purchase fare, just not the other way round! So keep your eyes open and brain engaged! The solution is to re-run the enquiry with 2 adults selected, or find a better booking website.

Some websites apply the wrong child age limits

Due to technical limitations French Railways-based websites including www.sncf-connect.com apply the French Railways under-4 free, under-12 child fare age limit to any train they book, whatever age limits in fact apply. It's a particular problem when booking Paris-Germany trains as French Railways blindly apply their own age limit, but if you book the same trains using the German Railways website int.bahn.de this applies the more generous German policy, under 6s free, under-15 child rate, under 15s free if accompanied by an adult using a Sparpreis fare. So if you have kids, use the German Railways website not the French!

On journeys to, from, across or within Germany, kids under 15 usually go free when accompanying their parent, guardian or grandparent using a cheap advance-purchase Sparpreis fare booked at the German Railways (DB) website int.bahn.de . Paris to Salzburg, Amsterdam to Prague, Brussels to Vienna, Berlin to Zurich, Munich to Copenhagen, it applies to all these and more when booked at int.bahn.de .

On journeys to, from or within Austria, kids under 15 go free when accompanying their parent, guardian or grandparent using a cheap advance-purchase Sparschiene fare booked at the Austrian Railways (ÖBB) website www.oebb.at . Vienna to Venice, Vienna to Prague, Budapest to Salzburg, Innsbruck to Verona, it applies to all these and more.

Complex journey? Split the booking!

The most important piece of advice, when people find booking systems won't handle (say) Avignon to Pisa all in one go, or won't give a cheap fare for (say) Zurich to Florence, or the Italian Railways website won't book an indirect train to Luzern: Split the booking!

Some booking systems can only handle direct trains, for example Spain www.renfe.com (other than a limited number of key pre-programmed connections), and Hungary www.mavcsoport.hu . The Italian railway website www.trenitalia.com can handle changes of train within Italy, and direct trains from Italy, but not journeys with a change of train outside Italy, such as Milan to Luzern with a change at Arth Goldau. The French system at www.sncf-connect.com can handle a maximum of 2 or 3 changes, but more than that and it won't work. Very few sites can handle complex multi-leg journeys.

The solution is to break the journey down into bite-size chunks, then book each part of the journey (and if necessary, each individual train) at the relevant operator's website. It's often helpful to start by finding a suitable end-to-end journey using the German Railways all-Europe online planner at int.bahn.de , as this can happily work out multi-country multi-leg journeys, but not sell tickets.

For example, no train operator website can book you from Amsterdam to Benidorm near Alicante in Spain all in one go. But www.nsinternational.nl will book Amsterdam-Paris. The French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com will book Paris-Barcelona and the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com will book Barcelona-Alicante. A local ticket from Alicante to Benidorm can then easily be bought on the day at the station, so no need to worry about that. Some creative thinking is sometimes required!

Check ticket delivery!

If I'm unfamiliar with a ticket selling website, the first thing I check is ticket delivery. With trains, not everything is e-ticketed. For example, Italian railways Trenitalia.com will happily sell a ticket from Vienna to Venice, but hard-copy tickets must be collected from a Trenitalia ticket machine at an Italian station, no good if you're starting in Vienna. The Austrian Railways website oebb.at gives print-your-own tickets for these trains so can be used to book this route in either direction. I take this into account in recommending the right website to use for each journey.

Avoid foreign currency conversion fees

If you live in the UK or another European country, get a Curve card for a better exchange rate and to avoid foreign currency transaction fees when buying tickets in a foreign currency, see explanation below . It also saves on fees & exchange rates when taking cash out of foreign ATMs.

When is it better to book by phone?

If there's a persistent glitch with the online systems, or none of the systems seem to book what you want, pick up the phone! People forget you can still do this. See the advice on who to call here .

You may also need to pick up the phone if you have a specific requirement, such as a specific seat or a seat in a specific carriage. And there are still a few journeys that can't be booked online at all, for example Sofia to Istanbul.

Finally, if you're booking a more complex journey, you may prefer to book all your tickets together by phone, even though you pay a booking fee, rather than have to make multiple bookings on several websites making sure that each of these connects. See the How to buy tickets by phone page . Some agencies are better than others for specific routes or countries, because of the system they use.

Have your trip arranged as a package

Booking your own tickets online and putting a trip together yourself is the cheapest option. But if time, hassle and a lack of the necessary expertise are your main concerns, not cost, you can get a specialist train tour agency to arrange your trip, with train tickets, transfers and hotels arranged for you. As you're booking a package, not individual tickets, it also gives you greater protection if something affects part of your journey, such as a strike.

Alternatively, to see pre-configured packages from the UK to various destinations, use the journey planner on their website . First book a one-way outward journey to your destination city on your outward date. Then change the direction of the arrow and book an inward journey on your return date. The journey back to the UK can be from a different location if you like, for example if you plan to travel around before you return to the UK.

Booking accommodation when you travel by train

Buy tickets starting in the UK

For journeys within britain.

Guide to train tickets & fares within the UK

London to Scotland by Caledonian Sleeper

London to Cornwall by Night Riviera sleeper

Train & ferry tickets to the Channel Islands

Train & ferry tickets to the Isle of Man

For journeys to Ireland

Cheap train & ferry tickets to Belfast for £58

Cheap train & ferry tickets to Dublin & Ireland from £51.10

For journeys to mainland Europe

Each destination country page gives step-by-step instructions for booking a train journey from the UK to destinations in that European country.

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Hotels in europe, b ackpacker hostels.

www.hostelworld.com : If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about the backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of dorm beds or ultra-cheap private rooms in backpacker hostels in most European cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance.

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer. It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit. These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here . Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list . There's no need to buy a physical SIM card! Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards. And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android . 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained . ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone. You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com .

Touring cities? Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa. They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities. My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

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Grand Train Tour Switzerland (classic)

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Swiss Panorama Tour (best seller)

Fabulous trip with a selection of the best Swiss panoramic trains: Glacier Express, Bernina Express, Gotthard Panorama Express, GoldenPass Express, Luzern-Interlaken Express. Cities such as Lausanne and Lugano, and in mountain villages, Lauterbrunnen, Bergün and Zermatt.

Grand Rail Tour of Europe: Paris to Venice

Independent rail tour though Europe featuring a combination of the most breathtaking scenic trains in Switzerland and Italy's best cities for arts, culture and history. The best of Europe in one journey by train and the best handpicked hotels and booked with 20 years of experience.

Heart of Europe Tour

The best that Central Europe has to offer: grand imperial cities, calming nature, beautiful mountain views. Travel by high speed trains and by river boat into the heart of Europe.

How to book cheap train tickets in Europe

Booking affordable train tickets in Europe is possible with a few tips and strategies. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you find budget-friendly options.

Switzerland

Beautiful rail journeys like the Glacier Express, Bernina Express and the Golden Pass. Trains in Switzerland are very punctual, clean and comfortable. For international trains cheap train tickets are available if you book early, like Frankfurt-Zermatt from € 39, Paris-Geneve from € 29.

United Kingdom

Book all cheap train tickets in the UK, from London to Manchester or Cornwall to York; and internationally from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. You can also book all rail passes in the UK, like Britrail, Eurail and Interrail

Cheap Train Tickets Sweden - All Train Travel

Travel by X2000, the high speed train of Sweden, from Stockholm to Malmo, Goteborg, Oslo and Copenhagen. One of the finest night trains in the world: Stockholm-Narvik. Fall asleep when the train runs through an endless forest, wake up in the surreal landscape of Lapland.

Cheap Train Tickets Denmark - All Train Travel

Direct trains to Copenhagen from Berlin, Hamburg and Stockholm. Travel by convenient high speed trains like the X2000 or the ICE International.

Cheap Train Tickets Finland - All Train Travel

Finland by train: travel between Turku and Helsinki by intercity or from St Petersburg to Helsinki along the shores of the Baltic Sea. Convenient night trains connect Turku / Helsinki with Lapland

Cheap Train Tickets Norway - All Train Travel

Very comfortable trains and beautiful rail journeys, like Oslo to Bergen and Myrdal to Flam. Buying a rail pass is often the cheapest option to travel through Norway by train. Rail passes Norway: Eurail, Interrail and Norway in a Nutshell.

Cheap Train Tickets Italy - All Train Travel

Very cheap train tickets if you book early! High speed trains - Frecciarossa / Trenitalia and Italo / private railways - from Rome to Firenze, Napels, Venice, Milan and Bologna.

Cheap Train Tickets Hungary - All Train Travel

Convenient Railjet trains run from Munich and Vienna to Budapest. If you book early you can often buy very cheap train tickets to Hungary.

Russia has an extensive rail network. All major destinations are connected by long-distance night trains. Travel from Moscow to Irkutsk in 4 days or to Vladiwostok in 7 or 8 days. Between Moscow and St Petersburg you can take the best night train in Russia ("number 1 and 2"), book 1st class to have a meal included. Also a high speed connection between the two biggest cities, the Sapsan.

Cheap Train Tickets Belgium - All Train Travel

High speed trains run from Brussels to Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, London, Frankfurt and Cologne. Travel by Intercity train from Antwerp, Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris to Bruges and Ghent, the beautiful, medieval Belgian towns.

The Netherlands

High speed trains from Amsterdam to Brussels, Frankfurt, Basel, Cologne, London and Paris. Convenient Intercity-trains run from Amsterdam to Berlin. Domestic trains are comfortable and run frequently, e.g. between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Central.

Cheap Train Tickets Germany - All Train Travel

If you book early, you can buy the very cheap Sparpreis tickets from Deutsche Bahn, the German railways. Train tickets in Germany are available 6 months before departure. Travel by ICE International, one of the finest high speed trains in the world.

Czech Republic

Travel by comfortable Eurocity-trains from Berlin, Dresden, Nuremberg, Munich and Vienna to Prague. Very cheap Sparpreis train tickets are available if you book early.

Cheap Train Tickets Spain - All Train Travel

Very good and punctual high speed rail network: very fast connections between Barcelona, Madrid, Cordoba, Malaga and Seville. Travel by AVE, the high speed train of Renfe, the Spanish railways.

Cheap Train Tickets Austria - All Train Travel

Comfortable Eurocity-trains run between Berlin and Warszawa. If you book early cheap Sparpreis tickets are available. Domestic trains are convenient and run frequently between major cities like Krakow, Gdanks and Poznan.

The TGV, the high speed train of the French railways SNCF, runs to all major destinations in France - from Paris to Marseille, Avignon, Bordeaux, Lyon and Lille. There are also fast international connections from Paris to London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Brussels, Barcelona, Geneve, Zurich and Cologne. Cheap "Prem" train tickets are available if you book early.

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How to get cheap train tickets in Europe this summer

By Olivia Morelli

Train travel is undoubtedly the most romantic way to explore Europe . You can sit back and soak up the continent’s most beautiful sights as they zip past, from the towering snow-cloaked mountains of Germany and the glittering fjords of Norway to the sparkling coasts of Italy and vine-carpeted fields of France . Plus, there are few greater feelings than getting from country to country in the knowledge that you are travelling more sustainably and minimising carbon footprints. But sadly, the evolution of budget airlines has meant that aviation has become a more affordable (and at times faster) alternative for travellers. Below, we look at the ultimate travel hacks for finding cheap train tickets across Europe this summer so you can embrace slow travel – with expert advice from some of the world’s top train travel experts.

Buy European rail passes

2. Book train tickets in advance

While many of us plan and book flights well before our trip, train travel is often left until the last minute. Like planes, train tickets are released in price sections – the cheapest fares are first, and the most expensive ones can be purchased up to an hour before the train time. In the UK , train tickets are typically released 12 weeks before departure dates and will be at their cheapest at that time. Some ticket-purchasing apps, like Trainline, have features that allow travellers to set up alerts for specific dates and destinations, so users can book as soon as the tickets have been released.

3. Remember to validate your train ticket

In many train stations throughout Europe, there aren’t any entry barriers, but passengers are expected to validate their tickets via a machine. It’s an easy step to forget, and the machines are small enough to miss, but ticket inspectors often patrol trains and stations for spot checks and will charge fines to travellers with unstamped tickets. Research each journey or route to learn about the relevant rules and guidelines, so you don’t get caught out.

4. Use train travel apps

There are lots of different train travel apps that are designed specifically to help travellers discover the best routes and cheapest prices. Omio compares prices across many different types of transport in Europe, and Trainline is the best one to download when travelling around the UK and Europe. “Booking directly with the relevant operator can result in no booking fees and, in many cases, the option to choose your seat from a seat map (for example, in France use sncf-connect.com , in Italy use trenitalia.com , in Germany use bahn.de/en ). However, two third-party retailers can be useful: raileurope.com and thetrainline.com, even though they add a small booking fee,” explains Mark. “They connect to the French, Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian and Benelux systems so you can buy tickets within and between these countries all in one place; they also allow multi-operator multi-ticket journeys such as Nice to Milan to be bought as one seamless transaction.”

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5. Track train fares to find the best prices

6. Be flexible with your journeys

7. Avoid paying extra for seat reservations

When buying train tickets, most bookings come with an allocated seat reservation. When purchasing tickets on unfamiliar websites (and unfamiliar languages), knowing whether or not your seat number has been included can be confusing, so double-check before paying more unnecessarily. However, this doesn’t apply to sleeper trains or international journeys – for these, travellers must book seat reservations separately, either online or in person at the train station.

8. Book overnight trains for lower prices

Taking an overnight train is a great way to bring down your costs while travelling through Europe because you end up saving on one night’s accommodation while you’re at it. And, since you’re already saving a few bucks, it’s worth spending a little more to get a more comfy seat or bed – you don’t want to ruin the following day by catching up on sleep. Spend time figuring out which train routes will take you the longest, and dedicate those to overnight journeys. Some overnight trains come with dining carts and shower rooms, and while these might not be the height of luxury, they are often just as clean and comfortable as a budget hostel option would be.

Get our Rail Planner app

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Our favorite spring routes

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Get extra benefits and discounts as you travel with our 100+ partners across Europe.

Eurail has flexible exchange and return policies that let you book with confidence.

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Other public transport. Eurail only covers trains. Trams, buses, rental bikes and metros are not covered by your Pass. Though you can get a discount in some cities .

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6 Cheap Ways to Travel Across Europe

High speed trains waiting for departure on platforms at the train station in Milan, Italy

Traveling around Europe can be expensive. Airfare, high-speed and overnight trains, ferries — they all eat into your limited (and precious) travel budget.

Fortunately, there are alot of ways to get around Europe on a budget. The sharing economy , new bus options, discounted train passes , and lots of budget airlines all help you navigate Europe without breaking the bank.

I’ve been traveling Europe since 2006 and have seen so many things change over that time period. While COVID has impacted things, I can honestly say that it’s never been easier to get around Europe because there are so many new cheap ways to travel the continent.

Here are the best ways to travel around Europe on a budget:

1. Travel by Bus

A FlixBus bus on a highway in Europe during the summer

Flixbus is usually the cheapest bus option, with prices starting as low as 5 EUR. Their buses include Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, free baggage (one carry-on and one stored under the bus), and comfy seats. (Megabus still runs in the UK.)

FlixBus quickly became my favorite non-train way to get across Europe cheaply. It’s not fancy by any means but it’s the cheapest way to get around. They most of Europe. Here’s a map of their routes to help you plan your trip!

However, there are plenty of other regionally-specific bus companies that will get you elsewhere. For example, Alsa is the main provider in Spain and its neighboring countries.

You can use BusRadar or Get By Bus to find the cheapest and fastest option on your desired route.

2. Travel by Budget Airline

A Ryanair flight taking off in Europe during summer

Just remember that budget airlines make most of their money through fees. They are very strict about baggage limits or and many will ding you if you forget to print your boarding pass. Don’t expect any complimentary drinks or meals either. But if you follow the rules and know what to expect you can save a ton of money!

For more information, here is a complete guide to finding cheap flights.

3. Travel by Eurail Pass

A Eurail train parked at a train station in Europe

If you’re going to travel by train, it’s hard to beat them on price and convenience for short city-to-city travel. For longer journeys (overnight journeys, between countries, or rides that require a high-speed line, like Paris to Bordeaux or Berlin to Munich ), trains can get very expensive.

If you plan to travel around Europe and don’t want to fly, getting a rail pass is your best money-saving travel option. Your cost per trip will be a lot lower than if you were to buy these tickets separately.

Not sure if the Eurail pass is for you? Here is a complete breakdown of Eurail passes and when they should be used to save money .

4. Travel by BlaBlaCar

This is the BEST paid way to get around Europe because you get to meet a local, have a friendly conversation, save money, and get to where you’re going faster. It’s available in close to 20 countries in Europe.

While BlaBlaCar may not always be cheaper than the bus (FlixBus can be super cheap!) it’s usually way faster and way more interesting!

5. Travel by Rental Car/Campervan

A car parked near the mountains in Iceland

Campervans are particularly popular in countries like Iceland , Scotland , and Norway since those destinations offer a lot of hiking and camping opportunities. You can find campervans for as little as 60 EUR a day — super affordable when split with a travel partner and when considering that this also includes accommodation! Use the app “park4night” to find free (and cheap) overnight parking all around Europe. Note : Many countries in Europe require foreign drivers to have an International Driving Permit. You can get one in your home country before you arrive for around 20 EUR. (It’s essentially just a copy of your license in other languages). Also keep in mind that renting an automatic vs standard transmission will usually cost around twice as much.

6. Travel by Hitchhiking

Just keep in mind that it’s important to use your head when hitchhiking. Always trust your instinct and use common sense. Keep your valuables on you in case you forget your bag in the car and never hesitate to text a friend or family member with the license plate before you get in. Write your destination on a sign and look presentable. That will help you find a ride faster.

Use the website Hitchwiki for tips to help ensure you have a fun and safe experience.

The BEST and CHEAPEST Way to Travel Europe? Mix and Match Your Transportation

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to get around Europe on a budget. But the best way is to mix and match your transportation depending on where you are going and for how long. For short trips, I like trains and BlaBlaCar. For medium-length trips (i.e. half a day), I’ll take a bus, BlaBlaBla car, or train. For long distances, I fly or take a high-speed train or an overnight bus.

Too many travelers think it’s an all-or-nothing thing. Like one way is always better than the other. That’s not true. There’s no one way to travel around Europe. There are a ton — and you need to know when to use which method.

If you have more time, take the slower, cheaper routes.

If you have more money and a shorter trip, fly and take the train.

If you have no preference on how you travel — and you just want the cheapest option (which is usually what I do) — use a website like Rome2Rio or Omio . All you have to do is enter where you are going and these sites will mix and match the various ways to get around the continent for the least amount of money. They will string together buses and trains and planes to construct the quickest trip for the least amount of money.

Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!

My detailed 200+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel while in Europe. It has suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.

Book Your Trip to Europe: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight using Skyscanner . They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

For suggestions on where to stay during your trip, here are my favorite hostels in Europe !

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)
Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

Want More Information on Europe? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

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The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France in the summer

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The Cheapest Ways to Travel Europe, According to a Cheapo Who Loves Traveling Europe

Last Updated: October 27, 2023

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What’s the cheapest way to travel Europe?

After 7 years of bouncing around Europe as a) a backpacker, b) a broke student and now c) a restless expat, this is a question I’ve relentlessly sought the answer to.

My first taste of European budget travel was during my first ever backpacking trip around Western Europe. I had travelled from Paris to London, two major bucket list cities of mine, for less than the price of 6 Chicken Nuggets.

It was exhilarating. My mind was blown… and I suppose you could say, that’s when a monster was born.

Save these cheap ways to travel Europe for later!

You’ll be very, very glad you did. (Your wallet will be too!)

When I returned a year later as an exchange student, I took advantage of budget travel options to go absolutely insane and indulge in weekend trips anytime I could.

Along the way I discovered wild deals like 5 euro bus tickets to Paris, 20 euro roundtrip tickets to London, 40 euro roundtrip tickets to MOROCCO.

Not to be dramatic: but a whole new world – nay, a whole new ME – emerged. Since moving back to Europe, I’ve continued to take advantage of the countless cheap options out there – after all, why spend extra when you don’t need to?

That’s why I want to share with you my top tips today, lifting the veil on the cheapest way(s) to travel Europe.

You can also click here to download a free checklist that breaks down my process for finding the cheapest ways to travel from Point A to Point B every time. Enjoy!

PRO TIP: I always use Omio to quickly compare the prices of flights, trains and buses. It sorts everything by cheapest, recommended, shortest, etc. and is totally free!

My Cheapest Ways to Travel Europe Video

One of the most important things to do before travelling internationally is figuring out how you’ll get around. Want a video version of all the info below? Here you go:

1. Taking Buses to Travel Europe Cheaply

If affordability is what you’re after, I highly recommend traveling around Europe by bus.

While it’s not as comfortable, convenient or scenic as train travel, it comes at a fraction of the cost (which means more euros in your pocket for croissant hoarding and wine guzzling).

These days, the main contender in European bus travel is FlixBus .

This honest Flixbus review is epic! It compiles all the pros and cons of riding with Flixbus and 14 important must-knows before your trip. #Flixbus #Europe #Travel

For me, Flixbus wins in terms of price, flexibility and convenience. With fares as cheap as 5 euros one way, the price simply can’t be beat.

Plus, you can easily download an app where you can check different bus times/purchase tickets up to the day of.

They even have the most chilled out cancellation policy ever – you can cancel/change your ticket up to 15 minutes before departure for only a euro (note: in the good old days, this was even free!)

That’s why I think Flixbus is the perfect choice for a spontaneous budget traveler.

They even have an awesome pass called Interflix that allows you to book 5 journeys for only 99 euros. That means you can ride from one European hotspot to another for only 20 euros… an absolute steal.

Click here to scope out the best Flixbus deals

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NOTE: As with all things in life, you get what you pay for. Flixbus isn’t world-renowned for amazing service or punctuality, but they do get you from Point A to Point B eventually. I’d recommend them if budget is your #1 priority.

Other bus options to check out in Europe:

Eurolines: I’ve only used Eurolines a handful of times because Flixbus is so convenient to book, but they offer a lot of routes around Europe and in my experience, tend to be more punctual than Flixbus.

However, they’re a lot less flexible when it comes to modifications/cancellations, with a zero refund policy within 48 hours of the trip date, and a 25-50% deduction of the total fare if you cancel earlier. In other words, if you want to be flexible, Flixbus is a better choice!

RegioJet, AKA Student Agency Bus: I took this one from Prague to Budapest 2 years ago and it’s still (to date) the most luxurious bus trip I’ve ever had!

It was super affordable, there were movies available on board and even a “bus attendant” who gave us free hot chocolate and tea. Most of their routes seem to be in/out of the Czech Republic, but they’re an amazing deal if you’re travelling in that area.

Megabus: Megabus used to be my go-to bus company (they’re how I got from Paris to London for two pounds in 2014 – like I said, for less than the price of 6 nuggets!) but their European routes have since been acquired by Flixbus.

That said, they’re still active in the UK, and have some crazy deals if you book early enough (the first to buy tickets on certain routes can score them for only 1 pound)

Another cost-effective option in the UK is National Express. I’ve used them many times and they’re always very professional and punctual. The key with them is to book as early as possible to score the best deals!

Local bus lines: While travelling around the Balkans, I relied on a number of local coach companies to get around. If you happen to be travelling around the Balkans, your best bet is to inquiry at the local bus station for tickets – they’re usually very affordable even the day-of.

2. Hopping around Europe Cheaply with budget airlines

One of the most popular (and cheapest) ways to travel Europe is through budget airlines.

Unlike North America, Europe is crawling with budget airlines that can take you from Point A to Point B at ludicrously low costs.

… Sometimes even cheaper than the bus!

With Ryanair for example, I can get from Munich to London for only 10 euros if I book early enough. That’s cheaper than the cost of actually getting to the airport!

How to find them: I always use Skyscanner to check out the best flight deals. A few big names to look out for include RyanAir , EasyJet, WizzAir , Volotea, EuroWings, and Vueling.

You can also use Omio (for free!) to search up flights, buses and trains at the same time so you can see which out of all these options is cheapest.

Lastly, you can double check deals from various locations using a VPN like Private Internet Access to see if you can find better deals.

Download my free checklist: I actually wrote an entire post on how to find the cheapest flights TO Europe, and the tips/systems I introduce definitely work for flights within Europe as well. Click here to read it, and click here to download the free checklists I made that will help you find the cheapest flight every time.

One note with budget airlines: you absolutely, 1000% get what you pay for.

This means limited legroom, ‘meh’ service and additional costs for everything (including extra bags, in-flight meals and even printing your ticket at the airport).

But hey, for the price, you really can’t beat it. So long as you familiarize yourself with each airline’s rules and hidden costs, you’ll be fine.

If you want a preview of what the experience is like, click here to read my honest RyanAir review, and click here to read my honest Wizz Air review.

I wouldn’t stress too much about having the most luxurious and wonderful experience though… instead, it’s much easier to accept a mildly uncomfortable 1-3 hours.

After all guys, you are paying 10 euros to fly in a hover-box through the sky. Chill out, and enjoy the (dis)comfort of your legroom-less seat.

Click here to scope out the best flight deals on Skyscanner

3. Cruise around Europe on a budget with BlaBaCar

Those in search of the cheapest way to travel Europe should definitely look into BlaBlaCar.

BlaBlaCar is a carpool service that matches up drivers/passengers who are going to the same places. You’re essentially pitching in for gas/other expenses in exchange for a seat in someone’s car.

I know it sounds slightly sketch, but it operates on a good review system much like Couchsurfing and AirBNB . Many of my friends use it regularly with great results.

HELPFUL HINT: In some areas, Google Maps has even begun syncing up with BlaBlaCar , so when you search up how to get from Point A to Point B, BlaBlaCar rides will show up as an additional option below driving, public transport, etc.

Click here to check out BlaBlaCar

4. Save Money on Your Europe Trip by Hitchhiking

If you’re looking for (truly) the cheapest way to travel Europe, hitchhiking would be it. Is it glamorous? No. But it’s like, 50 shades of free, soooo…

Now here’s the thing: hitchhiking is better suited for some areas than others.

For example, while in the Balkans, I hitchhiked once in Bosnia and the guy turned out to be a lovely lavender farmer who (seemed to) own a monopoly over lavender fields in the area.

He barely spoke English and could only keep pointing at his fields like a boss while hollering “LAVANDA LAVANDA”.

That was a fun experience.

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On the other hand, it might not be as easy to do in Western Europe… I’ve never tried it myself in this area, but I do have friends who once hitchhiked from Amsterdam to Munich to visit me for Oktoberfest.

It took 16 hours. SO, know that this is the ultimate cheap way to travel Europe, but it can be very unpredictable, tough and kill a lot of your exploration time.

It’s also true that hitchhiking isn’t for everyone. While it’s not as dangerous or uncommon as many people think, it still carries some risk and disadvantages.

You should probably NOT hitchhike if:

You are paranoid about safety (and travelling alone)
You are limited in time
You have strict plans on where you need to be and when

5. See Europe in Style (and on a budget) with train deals

There are few travel experiences as epic as taking the train across Europe… that said, while train travel is incredible , it can wreak some serious havoc on your budget.

Cheap train travel in Europe can be possible though. Here are some tips!

How to travel Europe by train (on a budget):

Book as early as you possibly can:

European train tickets are usually sold in batches, with a select number of really cheap (inflexible booking) tickets available first, then moving into higher price ranges as they sell out.

If you know where you’re going and are okay with a lack of flexibility, then buying as early as possible is probably your best bet.

Look into group/regional tickets:

Many areas in Europe will have special deals for those travelling in groups or in particular areas. In Bavaria for example (where I currently live), there’s a group deal called a Bayern Ticket that gives you unlimited travel for the day for 5 people on the same ticket .

It costs 26 euros for the first person, then 5 additional for each extra person you add on, which is an insanely good deal if you get several people together.

Often, these deals will be cheaper than buying regular tickets, so do some research to see if these specials exist where you’re headed 🙂 For more info, you can click here for my full Bayern ticket guide.

Check if you’re eligible for discounts:

European train companies love rewarding people for being young, so often if you’re under the age of 26, you’re eligible for additional discounts, especially if you’re a student.

In Belgium for example, those 26 and under can buy a GoPass 1, which allows you to travel one-way anywhere in the country for only €6.60.

Get a train pass:

For my fellow North Americans, Eurail offers a lot of different passes for different countries, time periods, etc. These can be much cheaper than buying tickets individually, and they also offer a lot more flexibility.

It’s good value for money, despite not being the cheapest option out there. I would recommend doing a lot of research prior to buying a pass to see how much tickets cost for your intended travel routes because you might be able to plan a cheaper trip if you buy non-flex tickets far in advance.

Click here to browse the best deals on Eurail Passes

6. Travel Europe Cheaply by Renting a Car

Travelling through Europe by car might sound like a wonderful bucket list dream, but it’s a lot more complicated than just getting an old Volkswagen and decking it out in fairy lights.

The issue with renting a car in Europe is that it’s riddled with hidden costs, including extra fees for crossing multiple countries, dropping off at different points, highway vignettes (required for many countries in Central Europe, etc. etc.)

The truth is, it is highly unlikely that renting a car will be the cheapest way to travel Europe for you.

Is it worth it though? Well, the freedom to pull over whenever, go wherever and take off at a moment’s notice is pretty sweet.

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If you choose to go this route, here are some tips to help you get the best deal on travelling through Europe by car:

Use a comparison website:

A good start is using a comparison website to find the most competitive prices for a car rental. Expedia is my go-to.

That said, looking at these listed prices is simply not enough. It’s also important to…

Consider the hidden costs:

The prices you see on these comparison sites will most likely not be what you end up paying. There are MANY extras to consider, like insurance, GPS, multiple country fees, one-way drop off fees, tolls, vignettes, etc.

Sadly, the companies are not consistent in what they include in their listed price, so be sure to do your research and read the fine print so you can fully understand which is the best deal.

Click here to read my post full of hidden costs you should be mindful of!

Hoping to travel Europe by car? Don't miss these important considerations and hidden fees to ensure you have a smooth rental process! #europe #carrental #travel #traveltips

Find coupon codes automatically :

I highly recommend the free Google Chrome extension, Honey , which looks up free coupon codes for you automatically. It takes a click to install and is awesome for saving a little extra on all travel bookings and any other online purchases.

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Any more questions about the cheapest ways to travel around Europe?

I hope you enjoyed that guide on the cheapest way to travel Europe and that it gave you some good insight into the different options for cheap transportation in Europe.

If you have any questions though, feel free to ask below!

My Go-To Travel Favourites:

🧳 Eagle Creek: My favourite packing cubes

💳 Wise: For FREE travel friendly credit cards

🍯 Airalo: My go-to eSIM

🏨 Booking.com: For searching hotels

📷 Sony A7IV: My (amazing) camera

✈️ Google Flights : For finding flight deals

🌎 WorldNomads: For travel insurance

🎉 GetYourGuide: For booking activities

75 thoughts on “The Cheapest Ways to Travel Europe, According to a Cheapo Who Loves Traveling Europe”

BlaBlaCar sounds interesting, I’ll definitely take note of it. Hitchhiking is just for me though. I’m too scared, haha! – Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog https://charmainenyw.com

haha BlaBaCar is almost like a more regulated version of hitchhiking. Definitely a good middle ground or starting point if hitchhiking scares you 😉

Great tips! I took Flixbus and it was perfectly fine and actually on time, which was a pleasant surprise! Also, I think the best website for looking up quite a bit of European train travel is bahn.de. It’s the German train website but it has train times and routes for many more countries. And it’s really easy to use. Always search the number of people you’re looking to book for. Sometimes we forget and just keep the number at 1, but I travel with my husband and we’re always 2 and 2 is always cheaper than 1 + 1! There are great deals in Germany for a group of people traveling together too. Found this on Easy Jet as well – prices are better for 2 people.

Awesome info – thank you! I use bahn.de all the time since I live in Germany but I never realized it had such helpful info for other countries too. And I had no clue that booking for 2 is cheaper. SO good to know – thanks! <3

Great tips! I currently live in Europe and have the flexibility of owning a car, but I might use one of these cheap buses one day. Another thing about those cheap airlines…if you’re flying in Europe the flight time is usually no more than 2 hours, so it’s really not a big deal to not be able to recline your seat for 2 hours. As soon as you’re up, you’re already back down! Worth the cheap price in my opinion. And I think the hitchhiking is totally dependent on where you are. I went to the Isle of Skye in Scotland earlier this year and it’s extremely common for backpackers to hitchhike around the isle to get to the different sites. We gave a ride to some people and didn’t feel unsafe at all. Go with your gut!

Awesome – thanks so much for this thoughtful comment, Kristin! Always good to get some input from others and their experiences <3 Scotland does seem like an amazing place to hitchhike. The people there are so lovely! Thanks for chiming in 🙂

Love your tips, I think I tried most of them. No bad experience so far. 🙂

haha good to hear I’m not steering anybody wrong 😉 thanks for reading!

It is really not easy to keep it cheap in Europe, but you have some great suggestions. In Denmark, they use GoMore, a great carpooling service. I used it a lot because train tickets are ridiculously expensive! Else, the trick is to book in advance, then you can get them almost cheaper than doing the carpooling.

Ooh good to know about GoMore! I love that there’s so many new services popping up these days for budget travellers. Makes lives so much easier!

A very handy piece, if only travel in Canada was that easy…lol…I will be keeping this for future reference as I had never heard of Flix Bus they sound great and if you can get used to flying Ryanair you can get used to anything…

Hope this comes in handy for your future travels, Faith! Flixbus is definitely a great budget option. They’re by no means mega-comfortable and there’s often delays, but it does get you to where you need to go eventually haha. Can’t really argue with prices like theirs!

I love this one! 🙂 I live in Europe so I have used almost all from the list but I really like it how you combined them. P. S. Your pins has amaaazing design, love it so much. <3

aw thank you so much for the kind words!!! <3

I was just in the Balkans and had to hitchhike out of desperation in Albania . Lol. Love that you met a lavender farmer!

haha I hope your experience was as fun as mine! Hitch hiking in the Balkans is a lot easier (I’ve heard) than in other parts of Europe 🙂 definitely a neat way to meet locals!

This is really useful for me! I am currently an exchange student in Italy untile Feb 2018 so I’ve been wanting to go out the country and roam around Europe. I most definitely am shocked with RyanAir prices! Thanks for this post!

What an exciting time for you! I travelled so much during my exchange in Munich and decided to move here 😉 You never know what a crazy impact this experience will have on your life. Hope you have an amazing time in Italy!

Love this post! Good timing too, I was just trying to decide about taking a FlixBus for an upcoming trip. Sounds like it is the way to go!

We are also all about the budget airlines (Volotea is my current fav) but I swear my biggest annoyance isn’t the baggage fees or incessant selling, it is the lack of seat back pockets. Sounds ridiculous but for some reason that annoys me ENDLESSLY. #highmaintenance

omg so true – no seat pockets kills me every time because then I’m left scrambling, with my passport, phone, boarding pass, etc. scattered all across my lap hahah. Flixbus is fine if you don’t mind meh service/delays. They’re definitely super budget friendly!

This post is so timely ! Planning a trip to Europe next summer . Thx for sharing ! Fab as always Christina ! Xo Valerie

Yay! Hope you picked up loads of great tips from this post. Safe travels 🙂

Great post with really good advice. Busses are a great way to go and often overlooked by North Americans. But I find them to be really useful in certain areas. I’m still a fan of trains though!

I think buses are tougher in North America since major cities are so much further apart! In Europe though they are amazing since everything is so close 🙂 I’m a big fan of trains now too. They’re just so comfortable and convenient. Thanks for reading, Lynne!

This is all seriously so helpful! Thank you for taking the time to put it together. I’m definitely saving for my upcoming trip, since I’ll be an extra tight budget!

so so happy you found it helpful!! Safe travels, girl <3

I don’t live in Europe but every time I go to The Netherlands I take adventage of those cheap trips in Europe itswlf. I’ve tried bus travels and by plain. Next I want to try train traveling. All in all Europe living is in a travelers best interest.

Absolutely – living in Europe makes us travellers so spoiled 🙂 I can’t recommend train travel enough. It’s so relaxing and beautiful. Hope you get to see for yourself sometime soon!

Cheap travel is one of the things I love most about living in Europe! If I ever stopped travelling around Europe, Ryanair might go bust ;-). This was a great and really informative post!

hahaha yes – I feel so spoiled living here. Thanks for reading, and keep travelling please because I rely on RyanAir way too much for them to go bust 😉 lol

Another cheap way to travel Europe to grab one of the multi festival/trip passes that Stoke Travel have. I picked up one of their Passports and it got me a free festival, and I got to visit Oktoberfest, surf in Spain, La tomatina and Ibiza with all my accommodation, meals and ridiculous parties sorted. They even have unlimited beer and sangria haha.

Hey Christiana, Awesome post loved it. Never know it was possible to travel Europe so cheaply. I will definitely make a point following these tips while a trip to europe this summer.

Awesome! I hope you have an amazing (budget-friendly) trip!

Transportation is one of the things that contribute to a major portion of your entire travel budget. That’s why people search for some cheapest travel option around Europe and your blog presents a very good information about that. It was certainly a good read. Thanks for posting.

Loved your tips. Its great to find such informative article. Will try some of your tips on my next visit for sure.

The tutorial is very detailed, thank you for sharing, wish you always good health to go more places. I’m planning to go to Europe and it’s great to read your post

Hi Chris! Thanks for sharing your experience with us!!

Budget airlines were my best friend when I lived in London! It felt like such an accomplishment to grab an awesome deal and be able to go away for the weekend wherever I wanted in Europe!

Absolutely love this, I have lived in Europe most my life but even I learned something from these amazing tips. Will definitely pin this for later. Thanks for sharing!

I think there’s a lot to be said for different transport being good for different places! There are so many European trips I want to do and all in different ways (road trip through northern Italy? Train through Switzerland?) – there’s so much to consider! This post is really helpful in laying it all out though. 🙂

What a great and helpful post! I’m going to be traveling around Europe for a few months later this year so I’m saving it for later. I’ve heard of a few of these companies, but since I haven’t used them before, I tend to forget about them. So thanks for jogging the memory, too.

Great tips, shame Europes not on the cards for me in the near future. Love the lavanda story!

Great post! I for one wouldn’t really like to spend most of my budget just to get to the place I really want to go to. Sometimes the cheapest mode of travel makes you experience the best story to tell if time isn’t much of a factor 🙂

Oh I love Megabus. I use it all the time to travel from Toronto to Montreal. I didn’t know it exists in Europe too. These are some great info Christina! One day, when I’m less of a chicken, I would like to try hitchhiking in Europe 😛

Thanks for the tips, Christina! I love FlixBus and hitchhiking hehehe. When my mom backpacked Europe in the ’80s she just got a train pass but that seemed so spendy the last time I was there, and ended up going with FlixBus practically everywhere. I do love trains, though.

FlixBus and trains were my favorite ways to get around Europe. I wanted to try BlaBla car, but the timing didn’t work out.

Thanks for the tips.

Personally, I always prefer to use cheap airlines in Europe over buses or trains. They cost almost identical, but you get to your destination much faster and without back pain.

If you book two or three months in advance, you can usually fly between most European Capitals for 30-60 USD. Some good choices are Rynair, Wizz Air, and Norwegian airlines.

hahaha yes – I feel so spoiled living here. Thanks for reading, and keep travelling please because I rely on RyanAir way too much for them to go bust lol

While travelling around the Balkans, I relied on a number of local coach companies to get around. If you happen to be travelling around the Balkans, your best bet is to inquiry at the local bus station for tickets – they’re usually very affordable even the day-of

Amazing post, so detailed! Very useful as a quick go-to guide, definitely fueled our wanderlust!

Thanks for all the info! I live in Europe, but I want to do more spontaneous weekend trips for cheap more often (I’m writing that as if I’ve ever done it before…) Grew up with travelling through Europe by car, and I dream of doing it again. To visit smaller villages overlooked by tourists, either by free will or because the car breaks down, makes great memories (it is handy being a member of one of these road help companies, especially when travelling with a 15-20 year old car). Oops, mind flew off there… but yeah, recommend people to go by car if they can afford it and don’t want to stay at the big cities most of the time

Awesome post! Thanks for sharing the knowledge and keep up the good work.

thanks for reading!

This is very really unique helpful information. keep it up. Thank you so much!

When you visit to another country, one of the important things that you must concern is budget. You need to prepare carefully everything for your trip. Especially, you should find out the cheapest way, it will help you save money better.

Do you love traveling? Do you want to discover Europe? It’s a wonderful place for people, you can visit many beautiful countries and enjoy some delicious food.

Interesting writing! Europe is very beautiful, I think that most people will choose this place to relax and enjoy.

Useful article for visitors! If you have a decision to travel to Europe, let’s read this writing and discover it.

Very good info. I needed this, Thank you very much for your advice

Exciting article!

Europe is very famous for its architecture and beverage. Let’s discover this country when you have a chance!

Hello Christina!! Wow it is an interesting and amazing article and it is very beneficial for all readers especially for all those who travel through it first time. I really like this article and I hope all the readers will be very thankful for it. It is very beneficial for me as I am going through my first flight and this flight will be very useful for me. Thanks for sharing this article with all of us

Thank you for providing such a useful and attractive blog, with very useful details and stuff I never expected, and I would suggest that you write more blogs and blog posts like that for us. Once again, thank you.

Europe is very famous for its architecture and beverage. Let’s discover this country when you have a chance!

Thank you for sharing this truly awesome intel! I’ve already bookmarked this page for my upcoming European travels, and that pretzel looks too good to be true 🙂

Wonderful post about travel to Europe! Keep up the wonderful work and thanks for providing the information.

Fantastic post! Please keep up the fantastic work and thanks for sharing your information.

This blog gives tips and application references that could be useful to save money while traveling in Europe on a tight budget.

i like your videos a lot 🙂 thanks for all the infos, i am also on low budget and need every tip on saving money haha. i start using this app called ” ATM Fee saver” it shows me atm around me with the lowest fees for withdrawing money. its super useful i can recommend to you using it 🙂

great Post.. really helpful

How to Travel Europe Cheaply: Get Around on a Budget in 2024

The most important step to becoming a badass broke budgeteer: learn the wicked ways of the low-cost lifestyle. Meaning, HOW exactly to travel on the cheap-o.

And there’s no better way to get used to budget backpacking than learning how to travel Europe cheaply .

Europe is a great teacher in the ways of penny-pinching. Compared to other popular backpacker digs like Southeast Asia and South America, Europe is expensive as hell. You’re usually only one careless “treat yo’ self” away from backpacker bankruptcy. Everything has a cost: even using a public bathroom!

That means you have to be wise and wily with the way you spend your dollars.

Luckily, there are many ways to slash your astronomical Europe budget down to shreds and have a grand old time traipsing across the old continent, while spending relative pennies!

Transport is easily one of the biggest expenses on your trip. So, today I’m teaching you, dear young padawans, the ins and outs of travelling around Europe on the cheap.

On the cheap – and even, believe it or not, FOR FREE.

10 Ways to Get Around Europe on the Cheap

No money no problem.

Learning how to travel Europe on a budget comes down to a few tricks: cook your own food, stay in hostels or couchsurf, and take advantage of free things to do (each European country has heaps!).

However, when you’re trying not to break the bank, transportation may often be your Achilles’ heel, your downfall, and your sweetest enemy. Here are the best ways to travel Europe on a budget.

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1. Catch a Cheap Bus

Taking the bus is probably the cheapest way to travel around Europe. It’s easy to find budget options all over Europe – even for long distances.

One of the most popular options for cheap bus travel is Flixbus . It’s an operator so efficient, it is quickly swallowing up other smaller national low-cost bus operators all over Europe.

Flixbus has probably the most extensive options: over 2,500 destinations across 35 countries (even Turkey!).

And my dude, just wait till you see their prices. They’re staggeringly low! I once took a 14-hour bus ride across the entire northern Spain to France for just $30.

Other great options are Eurolines (everywhere), Megabus (the UK), and Lux Express (the Baltics). Many countries also have their own low-cost buses mostly operating nationally, like Polskibus in Poland and Onnibus in Finland.

You can always find deals, but your best bet on dirt-cheap tickets is to book early. There is a limited amount of the cheapest discount tickets for each route.

Bonus tip: Take the word of a seasoned backpacker when I say that night buses SUCK. However, they save you a night’s accommodation cost. Plus, they make sure you’re not wasting precious daylight hours on travel time if you’re only travelling for a short time.

EDITOR’S NOTE!!!

Bookaway is another supreme service that we strongly recommend for booking routes and rides across Europe. HOWEVER, their service isn’t available in all European nations. Your best bet is to check out both services, compare prices and services available, and choose the best (and cheapest) for you!

2. Get Railed with a Train Pass

Travel around Europe by train , also known as interrailing, is a super popular way of backpacking across Europe.

Few other places have a similar opportunity for train travel. Europe has very extensive rail networks, and usually, its trains are clean, fast, and comfortable. (At least in Western Europe – who the hell knows what’s up with the Communist-era clunks clanking around post-Iron Curtain countries.)

In Western Europe though, rail travel gets EXPENSIVE. It’s not out of the question to have to splash $60 for a simple cross-country ticket. That’s why a lot of broke train travellers get a rail pass that lets them get serious discounts on their journeys.

Using a rail pass does come with a bit of planning. Usually, they’re restricted to a certain region or cluster of countries, and their prices depend on which countries you want to check out. (More expensive countries have more expensive rail passes.)

They also come with conditions. You can only have a certain amount of travel days within a time frame. (E.g. 10 travel days in two months.) That means that you can use the pass for unlimited free travel for 10 days over a period of two months.

Getting a rail pass is not worth it everywhere in Europe. If you mainly plan to hop to countries that are not covered by the rail pass, or that don’t have great rail networks, you can get by fine without one.

Also when you’re adventuring somewhere like Eastern Europe and the Balkans, the few train options you have are already cheap. That might mean overspending by getting a pass.

However, if you plan to check out places like France, Germany, and Austria, a rail pass is a great addition to your Europe packing list . And it saves you a lot!

3. Catch Flights, Not Feelings

Listen, no other place does low-cost flying quite as well as Europe. The prices for low-budget airlines can be absolutely RIDICULOUS. Route prices start at around $8 – no kidding. When I still lived in Finland, a return flight between my city and London was half the price of a one-way train to my hometown!

So, low-cost airlines are definitely worth checking out if your plans include hopping between countries on different sides of Europe.

Some of the most popular low-budget airlines in Europe are:

There is an art to finding cheap flights . But you’ll get a hang of it quickly. My favourite sites for finding and comparing flight prices are Skyscanner and Momondo.

I highly recommend checking airlines’ own websites around holidays as well. Around Christmas and Black Friday, you can find huge discounts.

Sadly, there is no such thing as an almost-free lunch. Low-fare airlines make their money through extortionate extra fees. Everything costs – from meals onboard to even printing your boarding pass at the airport. Checked baggage can cost $30+, and some charge extra for “big” cabin luggage as well.

4. Share a Ride with a Merry Stranger

Travelling solo? So are many others! Cut costs and maybe make a friend on your intercity travels.

When you think of rideshare apps, you probably think of Uber. Taxi apps are dope for getting around cities in Europe on the cheap for sure.

Mostly getting a cab through an app is cheaper than on the street. Uber operates in many European countries, plus there are tons of smaller operators in different countries and regions.

So, rideshare apps are cool beans in cities. What about between cities?

Europe also has platforms that allow private people to publicly post their upcoming trips. They post that they’re going to Marseille, you get in touch, and ka-ching ! You’ve got a cheap-ass ride to another town. Note that this is not digital hitchhiking; you’ll have to split travel costs with the driver and other passengers.

The absolute best platform for long-distance rideshares is BlaBlaCar . I found it the best cheap way to travel around Spain and France, but it’s also available in 16 other countries in Europe. BlaBlaCar doesn’t actually have any of its own cars; it’s just a platform connecting drivers and passengers.

If BlaBlaCar doesn’t tickle your fancy, it’s always possible to find rideshares and carpooling through other ways as well. Try posting a note on your hostel’s info board, or find a rideshare group on Facebook for the country that you’re in.

5. Go Drive Yourself

Living the vanlife in Europe is many backpackers’ dream. And it can easily be one of the cheapest ways to travel Europe if you’re exploring countries like Switzerland or Norway.

My motorbike-loving friends won’t stop raving about how great it is to ride your bike down the wide-open highways across Europe. (Somewhere in the distance, Born to Be Wild starts playing…)

Plus, driving yourself gives you the greatest flexibility to stop at cute roadside towns. You can come and go as you please without being held behind by such measly human inventions as – pssht – bus schedules. Bonus points if you camp along the way to cut costs even more.

If you’re planning on a self-directed adventure, there are a few things to consider before launching off:

You’ll either need an international driver’s licence or an EU licence
Taking rental cars over the country border is usually not allowed . So they’re best for single-country stretches. You also have to return them to the same office where you picked them up or pay an abysmal extra fee.
Toll fees stack up! Set up your GPS to avoid toll roads. (But make sure that it doesn’t direct you to completely stupid roads – speaking from experience…)

In the end, you might do campervanning or motorbiking more for the experience than the price. You’re not only paying for the car; petrol, parking, and insurance fees rack up.

While rentals can be very cheap, they can also be very, very expensive. $20 a day in Greece is not too bad if you can split that with a travel buddy. But paying $50 a day in Madeira by yourself is gonna make even the toughest traveller cry bitter tears. So if you’re gonna live the vanlife across Europe, find a smart purchase or rental (not cheap – cheap cars don’t last), and get good at the van-bum life: it’s a good life. 🙂

6. Thumbs up, Everybody

You might’ve thought you dreamed it but there IS a legit way to travel Europe for free. That way is called hitchhiking ! Is this the cheapest way to see Europe? Potentially definitely.

Hitchhiking has long been one of my favourite ways of adventuring. And the scene is especially boomin’ and bloomin’ in Europe.

It’s not for everybody: you gotta be at least a bit of a social butterfly to keep your gracious rides entertained with small talk (and big talk, if it comes to that).

This becomes especially fun when you don’t speak the same language. But let me tell you, it’s surprising how much you can find out about someone’s family, hobbies, and life just through a few universal words and body language.

And sure, hitchhiking is not completely without its risks, either. I’ve done lots of kilometres in strangers’ cars as a solo female traveller . While 95% of the people who pick you up are just simply kind human beans, I’ve had a few creepy encounters as well.

The best countries to pick up lifts are in Central and Eastern Europe. The worst luck I’ve ever had has been in Spain and Germany – basically Western countries with a lot of motorways that are unsuitable for stopping for thumb-riders.

Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….

These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

Or, y’know… you can stick to just chucking it all in your backpack…

7. Compare, Compare, Compare!

No one ever said budget travel in Europe was easy. Counting pennies comes with a lot of time spent crouching over your phone screen, figuring out the routes that are going to save you the maximum amount of time and money. Trip planning takes effort.

Sometimes booking through the airline’s or railway’s own website is the cheapest option; sometimes the best deals are found on third-party websites. Occasionally, a train can actually be a lot cheaper than a bus.

Sometimes – and this is a secret most hardcore shoestring sailors won’t tell you – it’s just simply better to choose the more expensive option, for the sake of pure convenience and your sanity.

Rome2Rio is a great planning tool when you’re trying to find routes from city to city and can give you approximate prices on both buses and trains. But you have to book tickets on the sites of the operators themselves. Omio (former GoEuro) shows you comparisons between train, bus, and air travel, but doesn’t actually show all available tickets from low-cost operators.

8. Take a Hike, Buddy

When you’re thinking about how to travel around Europe cheaply, long-distance hiking is actually a very viable option. If you can find a free camping spot, all you end up paying for is your food.

Obviously, it’s hard to cover long distances on foot. It IS slow as hell, but it is one of the most rewarding ways to travel I’ve ever tried.

Europe is a hikers’ wonderland. Long, well-established trails can be found almost in all countries, and many long-distance trails stretch over borders as well. Long-distance hiking might be an option for you if you’re already reasonably fit, you’re prepped for hiking abroad , and can carry all your stuff in one bag.

I’ve walked the famous Camino de Santiago across Northern Spain. While it did take over a month, it was a fantastic way to get a more detailed look into the life on the Spanish Northern Coast.

I’ve also hiked long stretches of Via Dinarica, a long-distance hiking trail going from Slovenia to Kosovo, and can vouch for it being one of the BEST ways to experience the Balkans .

We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.

Want more deetz on why these packs are so damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!

9. Wheels Away

Are you a fan of the Queen song Bicycle Race? Then you’re probably a biking enthusiast.

Travelling long distances on a bicycle, AKA bikepacking, is becoming more and more popular in Europe. In general, Europeans LOVE biking which means that most cities are pretty bicycle-friendly.

Covering large-ish distances on a bike is not a superhuman feat either. You’ll likely encounter other adventurous cyclists around Europe too.

Some of the best destinations for bikepackers in Europe include Denmark, the Netherlands, France, and the UK. You can combine your biking adventures with camping to cut costs even more. Just make sure all your stuff fits in the bike bags, that you have a good bike for long-distance biking , and that you bring heaps of happy vibes with you.

10. Travel Eastern Europe

Okay, technically this isn’t a method of getting around… But it is possible to travel around Europe really damn cheaply if you head to the right side of the map. I’m talking about backpacking Eastern Europe , of course.

Most first-time backpackers head to Europe’s most touristed capitals to see the Colosseums and Mona Lisas that they know so well from other people’s stories. Eastern Europe might not have as many famous attractions as the most popular destinations but it has a LOT going for it.

Delicious food, fairytale towns, lack of hordes of tourists, excellent mountainage, and fascinating history? Sign me the fuck up.

Oh yeah, it’s also super cheap to travel. In some of the cheapest countries in Europe like Bulgaria, North Macedonia, or Georgia, you can spend as little as $20 per day!

Lastly… Travel Insurance is Very Much Recommended

It might seem counterintuitive to spend more money to save money. But trust me, travel insurance is the one thing that’s going to save you HEAPS if you ever end up needing it.

A savvy budget traveller should always consider getting a good travel insurance policy before leaving home. Health care in Europe is not usually full-bankruptcy-expensive (looking at you, USA…) but you never know what can happen on your adventures. Hospitalised by dodgy booze? Fell out of your top bunk? Bitten by a manic street dog?

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Travelling Europe really doesn’t have to feel like highway robbery. When you get the basics of budget travel in Europe down, spending the most minimal amount of money possible becomes second nature!

One thing that’ll surprise you about pro-level budgeting is that it’s hard work.

It takes a lot of time and effort to compare different route options and read through hostel reviews to make sure that booking cheap doesn’t mean that you’ll also book shitty.

When you’re hitchhiking and couchsurfing, you have to always be socially ON. (An introvert’s nightmare that can even terrify some real social butterflies like myself.) If you start noticing symptoms of a traveller’s burnout – it’s time to take a break.

Even when you’re travelling Europe on a shoestring budget, I always recommend having what I like to call “the fuck-it fund”, for days when you just gotta say, “ fuck it, I’m booking into a hotel” . A few days of stress-free spending makes for one happy budget backpacker and means that you get to keep going at your low-cost adventures all refreshed.

Travelling on a budget in Europe is not always the easiest feat. But as you’ve seen now, there are a lot of infrastructures that helps heaps if you’re trying to watch your spending.

And the best part? Everyone else is on a budget too! Bonding over shared cheapskating is a truly unique way to make friends on the road.

So gather up your pennies, book a budget bus, and get travelling!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Elina Mattila

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i found it super hard to travel cheap in europe, everthing is just expensive 😀 i also start using this app ” ATM Fee saver” and i can highly recommend it to you! its briliant you will save some money on those ATM over there… check it out for further travels

15 scenic train rides across Europe

Posted: August 10, 2023 | Last updated: August 10, 2023

<p>For tourists, Europe is synonymous with train travel, and there is truly no better way to explore the continent. All the options make it difficult to choose one — or two, or even a few — for your transatlantic adventure. That’s why we’ve rounded up 15 of the most scenic train rides across the region!</p>

For tourists, Europe is synonymous with train travel, and there is truly no better way to explore the continent. All the options make it difficult to choose one — or two, or even a few — for your transatlantic adventure. That’s why we’ve rounded up 15 of the most scenic train rides across the region!

<p>Bavaria is known as the most beautiful region in Germany and Austria, and if you spend even just a few minutes there, it’s easy to see why. This part of Europe is a true fairytale, with snowy mountain peaks, charming alpine cabins, and rushing rivers. And while road trips here are fun, the train ride between the two major cities, Munich and Salzburg, lasts about two hours and provides some of the best views of the Bavarian Alps and surrounding villages.</p><p>You may also like: <a href='https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/20_tips_for_making_your_next_trip_to_a_us_national_park_even_more_amazing/s1__39002298'>20 tips for making your next trip to a U.S. national park even more amazing</a></p>

Munich, Germany to Salzburg, Austria

Bavaria is known as the most beautiful region in Germany and Austria, and if you spend even just a few minutes there, it’s easy to see why. This part of Europe is a true fairytale, with snowy mountain peaks, charming alpine cabins, and rushing rivers. And while road trips here are fun, the train ride between the two major cities, Munich and Salzburg, lasts about two hours and provides some of the best views of the Bavarian Alps and surrounding villages.

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<p>The Balkans aren’t known to have an amazing rail system. However, one train ride that is a must on any visit to the area is the two-hour journey between Sarajevo and Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Travel through the <span>Dinaric Alps and catch sights of elevated bridges, waterfalls, and peaks that would otherwise be hard to reach.</span></p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

Sarajevo to Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

The Balkans aren’t known to have an amazing rail system. However, one train ride that is a must on any visit to the area is the two-hour journey between Sarajevo and Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Travel through the Dinaric Alps and catch sights of elevated bridges, waterfalls, and peaks that would otherwise be hard to reach.

<p>This seven-hour journey is a full day of travel, but not one that you should dread, thanks to the spectacular scenery through the heart of Norway! You’ll enjoy glimpses of fjords, rivers, and the lovely Norwegian countryside. The Oslo to Bergen route is at its best in winter when Norway is blanketed with snow. It’s also much less nerve-wracking than driving this route in cold weather conditions.</p><p>You may also like: <a href='https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/15_essential_scenic_drives_in_the_united_states/s1__39042302'>15 essential scenic drives in the United States</a></p>

Oslo to Bergen, Norway

This seven-hour journey is a full day of travel, but not one that you should dread, thanks to the spectacular scenery through the heart of Norway! You’ll enjoy glimpses of fjords, rivers, and the lovely Norwegian countryside. The Oslo to Bergen route is at its best in winter when Norway is blanketed with snow. It’s also much less nerve-wracking than driving this route in cold weather conditions.

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<p>When you picture Greece, sandy island beaches and vibrantly blue water probably come to mind. But that’s not all there is to the country. It has epic mountains as well. The four-hour ride (but budget longer, Greek trains are notoriously slow and late) from Athens to Meteora takes you through the heart of the peaks and ends in the perfect spot for a walking adventure. You can hike from the main towns of Kalambak or Kastraki to the various monasteries that dot the mountains.</p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

Athens to Meteora, Greece

When you picture Greece, sandy island beaches and vibrantly blue water probably come to mind. But that’s not all there is to the country. It has epic mountains as well. The four-hour ride (but budget longer, Greek trains are notoriously slow and late) from Athens to Meteora takes you through the heart of the peaks and ends in the perfect spot for a walking adventure. You can hike from the main towns of Kalambak or Kastraki to the various monasteries that dot the mountains.

<p>No, the tiny country of Luxembourg isn’t part of Germany, but it is right next door and ideally located for terrific train rides across Europe. The one from the capital city, also called Luxembourg, to Cologne takes approximately three and a half hours and usually requires a change in Koblenz. But it will take you along the Moselle River, dotted with vineyards, castles, and adorable towns that make the ride fly by.</p><p>You may also like: <a href='https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/20_diy_projects_that_will_make_your_life_much_easier/s1__37736139'>20 DIY projects that will make your life much easier</a></p>

Luxembourg, Luxembourg to Cologne, Germany

No, the tiny country of Luxembourg isn’t part of Germany, but it is right next door and ideally located for terrific train rides across Europe. The one from the capital city, also called Luxembourg, to Cologne takes approximately three and a half hours and usually requires a change in Koblenz. But it will take you along the Moselle River, dotted with vineyards, castles, and adorable towns that make the ride fly by.

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<p>The West Highland Line is the most picturesque in all of the United Kingdom. You’ll follow the Clyde River into the country and through <span>Trossachs National Park and Rannoch Moor. The five-and-a-half-hour journey is perfect for those looking to see a bit of Scotland in a short amount of time.</span></p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

Glasgow to Mallaig, Scotland

The West Highland Line is the most picturesque in all of the United Kingdom. You’ll follow the Clyde River into the country and through Trossachs National Park and Rannoch Moor. The five-and-a-half-hour journey is perfect for those looking to see a bit of Scotland in a short amount of time.

<p>The most fantastic train ride in all of Sweden (and that’s saying something in this country) is this just-over 800-mile journey through the interior. The summer-only route operates between mid-June and late August annually. You’ll see the verdant forests of Sweden and the breathtaking backcountry dotted with wildflowers. </p><p>You may also like: <a href='https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/15_things_you_must_do_in_costa_rica/s1__38385824'>15 things you must do in Costa Rica</a></p>

Kristinehamn to Gällivare, Sweden

The most fantastic train ride in all of Sweden (and that’s saying something in this country) is this just-over 800-mile journey through the interior. The summer-only route operates between mid-June and late August annually. You’ll see the verdant forests of Sweden and the breathtaking backcountry dotted with wildflowers.

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<p>The Bohinj Nostalgia Train is a three-and-a-half to four-hour ride through some of the prettiest parts of Slovenia. Visit the breathtaking Vintgar Gorge and the imposing Julian Alps before crossing into Italy. It’s the perfect way to see the area without a car!</p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

Jesenice, Slovenia to Trieste, Italy

The Bohinj Nostalgia Train is a three-and-a-half to four-hour ride through some of the prettiest parts of Slovenia. Visit the breathtaking Vintgar Gorge and the imposing Julian Alps before crossing into Italy. It’s the perfect way to see the area without a car!

<p>Switzerland is known for top-notch public transportation, which is efficient and charming. It is not cheap, but the smooth ride and out-of-this-world window views are absolutely worth it. The all-day, eight-hour Glacier Express will take you through the heart of Europe’s most famous Alps, the Rhine Gorge, and multiple tunnels.</p><p>You may also like: <a href='https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/15_easy_ways_to_drink_more_water/s1__38412713'>15 easy ways to drink more water</a></p>

Zermatt to St. Moritz, Switzerland’s Glacier Express

Switzerland is known for top-notch public transportation, which is efficient and charming. It is not cheap, but the smooth ride and out-of-this-world window views are absolutely worth it. The all-day, eight-hour Glacier Express will take you through the heart of Europe’s most famous Alps, the Rhine Gorge, and multiple tunnels.

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<p>The Cote d’Azur was legendary long before <em>Emily in Paris</em> visited the coast. And while cruising around in a convertible might be stylish, it’s not exactly realistic for most visitors. Plus, one of the best ways to see the South of France is by a regional RER train. Sure, it’s not the super quick TGV, but that just means you’ll see more of the lovely area. There are multiple lines, and most tickets can be bought on the day of travel.</p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

French Riviera Regional Line

The Cote d’Azur was legendary long before Emily in Paris visited the coast. And while cruising around in a convertible might be stylish, it’s not exactly realistic for most visitors. Plus, one of the best ways to see the South of France is by a regional RER train. Sure, it’s not the super quick TGV, but that just means you’ll see more of the lovely area. There are multiple lines, and most tickets can be bought on the day of travel.

<p>This isn’t a standard commuter rail between two domestic cities; it’s an experience. The two-hour ride will take passengers through the lovely Swiss countryside. Before departing, you’ll see alpine blue lakes, cascading waterfalls, and quaint mountain villages.</p><p>You may also like: <a href='https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/our_20_favorite_road_trip_snacks/s1__35553395'>Our 20 favorite road trip snacks</a></p>

Lucerne to Interlaken, Switzerland

This isn’t a standard commuter rail between two domestic cities; it’s an experience. The two-hour ride will take passengers through the lovely Swiss countryside. Before departing, you’ll see alpine blue lakes, cascading waterfalls, and quaint mountain villages.

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<p>Ireland is a delightful country, full of rolling green hills and a stunning coastline. Most visitors opt to rent a car, but if you’re not keen to drive or want to enjoy the sites without worrying about traffic, the train is a great option. The route between Dublin and Galway takes passengers through the heart of Ireland, perfect for a scenic ride!</p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

Dublin to Galway, Ireland

Ireland is a delightful country, full of rolling green hills and a stunning coastline. Most visitors opt to rent a car, but if you’re not keen to drive or want to enjoy the sites without worrying about traffic, the train is a great option. The route between Dublin and Galway takes passengers through the heart of Ireland, perfect for a scenic ride!

<p>Like its neighbor down south, the regional RER line through the French Alps is one of the best ways to see the mountains and villages. Relax in style and enjoy snowy peaks with a cup of hot chocolate aboard one of the many daily trains between alpine towns and cities.</p><p>You may also like: <a href='https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/15_weird_wonderful_roadside_attractions_in_the_united_states/s1__39002321'>15 weird & wonderful roadside attractions in the United States</a></p>

French Alps Regional Line

Like its neighbor down south, the regional RER line through the French Alps is one of the best ways to see the mountains and villages. Relax in style and enjoy snowy peaks with a cup of hot chocolate aboard one of the many daily trains between alpine towns and cities.

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<p>The original route might have gone from Paris to Istanbul (and the French rail operator is working on getting this route ready for the 2024 Olympics), but now you can travel from the British Isles to Italy. In 2023, La Dolce Vita began running and provides luxury train travel in carriages reminiscent of another time. You’ll also enjoy superb Italian dining on this two-day overnight journey!</p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

The Orient Express, London, England to Venice, Italy

The original route might have gone from Paris to Istanbul (and the French rail operator is working on getting this route ready for the 2024 Olympics), but now you can travel from the British Isles to Italy. In 2023, La Dolce Vita began running and provides luxury train travel in carriages reminiscent of another time. You’ll also enjoy superb Italian dining on this two-day overnight journey!

<p>Cinque Terre is one of the most magical destinations in Italy, but it can be a bit tricky to get around. But the train from Levanto to La Spezia, which lasts just under an hour, is the perfect solution. You’ll catch epic coastline views and candy-colored houses in the hills of the villages.</p><p><a href='https://www.msn.com/en-us/community/channel/vid-cj9pqbr0vn9in2b6ddcd8sfgpfq6x6utp44fssrv6mc2gtybw0us'>Did you enjoy this slideshow? Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.</a></p>

Levanto to La Spezia, Italy

Cinque Terre is one of the most magical destinations in Italy, but it can be a bit tricky to get around. But the train from Levanto to La Spezia, which lasts just under an hour, is the perfect solution. You’ll catch epic coastline views and candy-colored houses in the hills of the villages.

Did you enjoy this slideshow? Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive lifestyle content.

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COMMENTS

11 of the best value train journeys in Europe (Starting from €9
How about travelling by train across Europe. While it is not as cheap as coach travel, trains in Europe, if booked in advance, can offer some incredible deals. It beats flying anyway and also is the most sustainable and one of the cheapest ways to travel across Europe. ... Unlimited train travel across any of Germany's 16 federal states for ...
Train tickets in Europe
Rail Europe sells tickets across Europe and our coverage is increasing all the time. We're official agents for rail and bus operators in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Raileurope.com, the easiest way to buy European train & bus tickets online. Check timetables and maps.
Trains in Europe
An Interrail Pass offers unlimited train travel across Europe. Choose between a Global Pass for cross-border travel and a One Country Pass for unlimited travel in a nominated country. ... Super Sparpreis: Book in advance and get cheap train tickets for long-distance Deutsche Bahn services within Germany from €17.50 (fare excludes booking fee ...
Discover Europe by Train
Follow your curiosity around up to 33 countries, traveling at your own pace by train. Find your pass. Tour Europe by train. with 1 Pass. Create the itinerary. for your perfect trip. Travel flexibly on trains. that don't need reservations. Stay conscious.
Cheap European train tickets
Read on for our handy guide to getting cheap rail fares across the continent. Cheap trains in Europe. If you want to travel in Europe by train without spending too much, it's best to know how the rail network works in each country. In Belgium for example, ticket prices are calculated by distance and therefore, ticket fares stay the same no ...
Trains in Europe
Trains in Europe Find cheap train ticket Top Routes Trains in Europe: FAQs Trains in Europe. Europe has an extensive, modern network of train routes that can get passengers from tiny rural towns to international cities across the continent. With train tracks stretching the width and breadth of Europe, getting around by train is an enjoyable way to discover the landscapes and hidden corners of ...
8 Tips for Getting Cheap Train Tickets Throughout Europe
These give unlimited travel across most of Europe from as little as €35 per day for adults, €31 for seniors or €26 for young people under the age of 28 - and children under 12 get a free ...
TRAIN TRAVEL IN EUROPE
Switzerland & the amazing Glacier Express with travel by train from London, from around £1,280; Vienna, Budapest & Prague by train from London, from around £1,750; Marrakech Express, a remarkable 5* tour from London to Madrid, Seville, Tangier & Morocco overland by train from around £2,395;
How to buy cheap European train tickets
3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard.
Cheap Train Tickets Europe & Great Rail Tours
WHY CHOOSE HAPPYRAIL. The specialist and most budget-friendly option for train tickets, train tours, and train vacations. Family-owned European train travel agency since 2002. Official partner and authorized seller for all European rail providers. Tickets to over 85,000 destinations. All discounts and deals. Always the most budget-friendly rates.
Travel through Europe by Train
Tour Europe with 1 rail Pass. Follow your curiosity around up to 33 countries, travelling at your own pace by train. Find your Pass. Tour Europe by train. with 1 Pass. Create the itinerary. for your perfect trip. Travel flexibly on trains. that don't need reservations.
Trains in Europe
An Interrail Pass offers unlimited train travel across Europe. Choose between a Global Pass for cross-border travel and a One Country Pass for unlimited travel in a nominated country. ... Super Sparpreis: Book in advance and get cheap train tickets for long-distance Deutsche Bahn services within Germany from €17.90 (fare excludes booking fee ...
Top European cheap train tickets
In Switzerland: Youth discounts and cheap train tickets in Switzerland are available for travellers up to 24 years old. In Italy: The CartaFRECCIA railcard offers up to a 50% discount on fares for passengers under 30 years old and passengers 60 years old and up. The best part is Rail Europe takes care of the manual work of finding cheap train ...
How to get cheap train tickets in Europe this summer
4. Use train travel apps. There are lots of different train travel apps that are designed specifically to help travellers discover the best routes and cheapest prices. Omio compares prices across many different types of transport in Europe, and Trainline is the best one to download when travelling around the UK and Europe.
Eurail Passes
Hop on and off most trains in 33 European countries just by showing your Pass. Free and instant delivery to your device if you choose mobile Pass. Download the free Rail Planner app to plan your trip, store your Pass and show your ticket as you go. Get extra benefits and discounts as you travel with our 100+ partners across Europe.
6 Cheap Ways to Travel Across Europe
Here are the best ways to travel around Europe on a budget: 1. Travel by Bus. Taking intercity buses is one of the cheapest ways to get around the continent. The main international bus companies are Eurolines and German-based FlixBus, which expanded greatly when it acquired Megabus and now has routes all around the continent. Flixbus is usually ...
European Train Deals & Discounts 2024
Renfe is the main train operator in Spain and you can find their latest deals you can book with us below. You can also find out more about rail travel in our trains in Spain guide. 40% off. Renfe - Niño (40% off kids tickets) 40% off train tickets for children aged 4-13.
UPDATED: The best websites for cross-Europe train travel
Trainline. The Trainline is an international platform focused on train travel. The company is based in the UK but has extensive coverage of train travel in 45 countries across Europe. The aim of the Trainline is find to the cheapest tickets for a selected route. Most of the time, this means booking in advance.
Wanderu: Search & Compare Cheap Bus and Train Tickets
Wanderu is a travel search platform that helps travelers find the best deals on bus and train tickets across North America and Europe. With just a quick search on the Wanderu website or the Wanderu app for iOS and Android, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the bus or train that works best for you.
Trainline : Search, Compare & Buy Cheap Train Tickets
Cheap train tickets - buy in advance and save 61%* We're here to help you save on train tickets for your next rail journey. Our Journey Planner compares train times and prices across hundreds of operators in UK and Europe so you don't have to. One of the best ways to secure cheap train tickets is to buy your tickets in advance - the sooner you book your Advance tickets, the more you'll save.
The 6 Cheapest Ways to Travel Europe in 2024 (Must Read!)
2. Hopping around Europe Cheaply with budget airlines. One of the most popular (and cheapest) ways to travel Europe is through budget airlines. Unlike North America, Europe is crawling with budget airlines that can take you from Point A to Point B at ludicrously low costs. Sometimes even cheaper than the bus!
How to Travel Europe CHEAPLY • Europe on a Budget in 2024!
2. Get Railed with a Train Pass. Travel around Europe by train, also known as interrailing, is a super popular way of backpacking across Europe.. Few other places have a similar opportunity for train travel. Europe has very extensive rail networks, and usually, its trains are clean, fast, and comfortable.
15 scenic train rides across Europe
Europe is synonymous with train travel. All the options make it difficult to choose one — or two, or even a few — for your transatlantic adventure. That's why we've rounded up 15 of the ...
Interrail Pass 2024
An Interrail Pass offers unlimited train travel across Europe - 33 countries, and over 40,000 destinations to be precise! Choose between a Global Pass for cross-border travel and a One Country Pass for unlimited travel in a nominated country. Interrail Passes can only be used by European citizens and permanent residents of Europe.

11 of the best value train journeys in Europe (Starting from €9! )

1. Use the stopover feature on Deutsche Bahn’s international tickets to travel from Berlin to Prague with stopover in Dresden for €18.90

2. Prague to Budapest- €16 and Vienna to Budapest- €9 with Regiojet

3. Prague to Budapest with Czech Railways for €21 in advance

4. Prague to Munich for €15 via Czech Railways

5. Paris to Nice €19 with the French low cost train service Ouigo

6. Barcelona to Madrid by €9 with Ouigo Spain

7. Stockholm to Gothenburg with Flixtrain for €12.99

8. Berlin to Frankfurt for €9.99 with Flixtrain Germany

9. Deutsche Bahn Länder ticket/ Regional day tickets

10. Paris to Vienna for €60 with Nightjet train service

11. Buy a Eurail pass

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How to get cheap train tickets in Europe this summer