Function

• The Eurail Group G. I. E. went into business in 1959. Based in the Netherlands, it is also called Eurorail. This is a non-profit organization of 30 European member railways. Its mission is to market Eurail passes and to manage their sale. The company does not run any trains or own track or stations. Instead, it is a coordinated collaborative marketing effort to bring tourism to Europe. People who buy Eurail passes also qualify for discounts to various member hotels, bus companies and museums.
  
  

Features

• A subsidiary of the Eurail Group is the online Eurail.com, where anyone can purchase a ticket from anywhere in the world using any currency. Before the Eurail Group developed this website, Eurail passes were only available for purchase outside of Europe. Besides making the passes available online, this website connects to the corporate website.
  
  

Types

• Eurail's premier opportunity is the Global Pass. This ticket allows a person to travel in all 21 nations continuously over the span of 15 days to three months. A second option for the Global Pass allows the traveler to travel for up to 15 days over the course of two months. There are other types Eurail passes for travelers whose plans are less extensive. Select Passes allow buyers to travel in just three, four or five countries. Other options include a Regional Pass or a One Country Pass.
  
  

Benefits

• The cost of a Eurail Pass also varies based on the age of the traveler. Youth Passes, which permit second-class rail travel, are the least expensive. These are restricted to people who are 26 or younger at the time of purchase. These travelers have the option to purchase first-class Eurail Passes at a 35% discount. Adult Passes, which are more expensive, are for first-class travel. Eurail also provides discounts for groups of two to five individuals who are traveling by train through Europe together.
  
  

Geography

• Eurail Group members own railways in 21 of the major European nations including England, France, Germany and Italy. Croatia and Slovenia railroads joined the Eurail Group in 2008 and the Czech Republic joined in 2009.