I paid $560 for a 7-day Eurail pass to country hop by train in Europe. I took 8 rides between 6 cities and it was so much better than flying.

• I traveled by train in four European countries using a Eurail pass in October 2022.
• I preferred the experience of country hopping by train to flying to each place.
• Traveling by train was cheaper, more comfortable, and more eco-friendly than flying.

Traveling by train beats flying any day — at least in Europe. 

I formed this opinion in October 2022, when I spent two weeks backpacking through Europe with a Eurail pass.

Eurail passes grant travelers unlimited access to most European trains for a set number of days. Some trains only require a Eurail pass, while others, including overnight trains, incur an additional, discounted price.

Instead of trudging through airports and squeezing into coach seating, I rode the rails in affordable, top-tier classes. Here’s why I’ll only take trains through Europe in the future.