Eurail/Interrail pass or single tickets?
Your train legs, booking style, age and class in; single tickets against the cheapest pass that covers the trip plus the seat reservations it still needs, with the break-even point and the reasons.
Your train legs
- Paris → Lyonabout 2 h · TGV INOUI (France) · reservation €10–20€58–95
- Paris → Zurichabout 4.1 h · International TGV / TGV Lyria · reservation €20–35€93–150
- Milan → Zurichabout 3.3 h · EuroCity Switzerland–Italy · reservation €10–15€48–75
- Rome → Florenceabout 1.6 h · Frecciarossa / Frecciargento (Italy) · reservation €10–13€28–43
How you travel
Result
Buy single tickets instead
Singles come out about €40 cheaper at mid prices.
- Single tickets, 4 legs
- €227–363(≈ US$300–450)
- Eurail Global Pass, 4 travel days in 1 month
- €305–366(≈ US$400–450)
- pass €255–283 + reservations €50–83
- Break-even: the pass pays when your singles average more than €84 per travel day (you have 4).
- At your average leg, a pass starts to win from 7 travel days in this trip length.
Why
- SinglesHigh-speed Spain/France/Italy reservations erode pass value: €40–68 on top of the pass for 3 legs.
Global Pass prices (Eurail)
| Pass | 2nd class | 1st class |
|---|---|---|
| 4 travel days in 1 month | €255–283 | €337–374 |
| 5 travel days in 1 month | €295–328 | €389–433 |
| 7 travel days in 1 month | €350–388 | €462–512 |
| 10 travel days in 2 months | €415–461 | €548–609 |
| 15 travel days in 2 months | €510–567 | €673–748 |
| 15 days continuous | €436–484 | €576–639 |
| 22 days continuous | €511–568 | €675–750 |
| 1 month continuous | €660–734 | €871–969 |
| 2 months continuous | €743–825 | €981–1,089 |
| 3 months continuous | €914–1,016 | €1,206–1,341 |
Adult (28–59) prices, from a typical sale price to the full price check. Flexi passes count a travel day from midnight to midnight; a night train that leaves after 19:00 uses only the next day.
One Country passes
- Germany · 3 days €190–240 · 5 days €260–320 · 8 days €360–430The Deutschlandticket (regional trains only, monthly subscription) is a cheaper option if you skip ICE and IC trains — check the price.
- France · 3 days €160–210 · 5 days €210–270 · 8 days €280–350Pass-holder seats on TGV INOUI are quota-limited; OUIGO low-cost TGVs do not take the pass.
- Italy · 3 days €150–200 · 5 days €200–260 · 8 days €270–340Italo high-speed trains do not take the pass; Trenitalia Frecce do, with a reservation.
- Spain · 3 days €160–210 · 5 days €210–270 · 8 days €280–350Iryo and OUIGO Spain do not take the pass; Renfe AVE and Alvia do, with a reservation.
- Austria · 3 days €140–190 · 5 days €180–240 · 8 days €240–310
- Switzerland · 3 days €190–250 · 4 days €220–290 · 8 days €330–420Compare with the Swiss Travel Pass (also buses, boats, most museums) and the Half Fare Card.
- Portugal · 3 days €100–140 · 5 days €130–180
- Czechia · 3 days €80–120 · 5 days €110–160
- Poland · 3 days €70–110 · 5 days €100–150
- Norway · 3 days €180–240 · 5 days €230–300
- Sweden · 3 days €170–230 · 5 days €220–290
Travel days within 1 month, adult (28–59), 2nd class check.
Seat reservations pass holders pay
- TGV INOUI (France) €10–20Pass-holder seats are quota-limited; book as soon as dates are fixed.
- International TGV / TGV Lyria €20–35Quota-limited; sells out in summer.
- Eurostar (London) €30–40Few pass-holder seats per train.
- Eurostar Paris–Brussels–Amsterdam €25–35Few pass-holder seats per train.
- Frecciarossa / Frecciargento (Italy) €10–13Italo trains on the same lines do not take the pass.
- AVE / Alvia / Euromed (Spain) €10–20Low-cost Iryo and OUIGO trains do not take the pass.
- EuroCity Switzerland–Italy €10–15
- Alfa Pendular / Intercidades (Portugal) €5–10
- SJ high-speed (Sweden) €7–12
- Vy long-distance (Norway) €8–12
- PKP Express Intercity Premium (Poland) €5–10
- Night train couchette €30–70A seat is cheaper, a sleeper cabin much more (about €60–150).
Per journey, 2nd class check. Regional and most German, Austrian, Swiss, Dutch, Belgian and Czech trains need none.
Fares are typical 2nd-class ranges for one adult, checked 2026-09; advance fares need booking weeks ahead and sell out, walk-up fares are the flexible price on the day. 1st-class singles are estimated at 1.5× 2nd class. Every price here is marked “check”: confirm on the rail operator’s or pass seller’s site. Reader-currency figures use 2026-09 (approximate) rates.