Eurail has revealed its 2024 data, confirming Australia as its second-largest market globally, behind the USA. More than 57,000 Australians and over 7,000 New Zealanders used a Eurail Pass last year, with Aussie travellers averaging 11 train journeys per trip and covering 1,652km by rail.
Jody Bauer, senior research analyst at Eurail, said Australians remain a key market, with youth travellers (aged 12–27) making up 43 per cent of all Australian passholders in 2024, a jump from 32 per cent pre-COVID. Adults aged 28–59 followed at 36 per cent, seniors (60+) at 17 per cent, and children (4–11) at 4 per cent.
A shift towards affordable travel
Eurail’s data shows a growing preference for budget-friendly options, with more Australians choosing second-class travel. In 2019, 54 per cent of Aussie Eurail travellers rode in first class, but by 2024, this had dropped to 44 per cent, with the majority now opting for second class.
Bauer noted that Australians are vital to Eurail and European tourism due to their extended stays and interest in exploring multiple destinations. The most popular pass in 2024 was the ‘10 Days in 2 Months’ Pass, offering flexibility to travel across Europe over a two-month period.
The most visited cities by Australian Eurail passholders last year were Milan, Rome, Florence, Zurich and Amsterdam, aligning with a broader surge in travel to Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Türkiye, Switzerland and Portugal.
New routes added to the Eurail network
Eurail has expanded its network with new train routes now included in the pass:
- Venice to Nova Gorica: A new cross-border route, launched on 8 February 2025, connects Venice to Nova Gorica, Slovenia’s designated European Cultural Capital for 2025.
- Expanded routes in Poland: As of 1 January 2025, Polish regional rail carrier Koleje Małopolskie is now part of Eurail, offering connections from Kraków to Tarnów and Zakopane.
- Seamless Baltic connections: Since 6 January 2025, Eurail passholders can now travel between Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn in one day with new streamlined rail links.
- New high-speed trains in Spain: Spanish rail carrier RENFE will introduce a daily high-speed service between Barcelona and Toulouse in mid-2025.
15 per cent off sale for travel agents
To celebrate its latest updates, Eurail is offering 15 per cent off all Eurail Global Passes and One Country Passes in both first and second class. The sale runs from 17:00 AEDT on 11 March 2025 until 08:59 AEDT on 2 April 2025. Australian travel agents can access the discounted passes through official distributors, including International Rail, Klook, Rail Europe and Rail Online.
