Europe by train as a student
Trains suit many of the journeys students make: getting to university at the start and end of term, travelling to an Erasmus or exchange placement, weekend trips between cities, and visiting home in the holidays. You travel city centre to city centre, keep your luggage with you, and can read or work on the way.
Rail is not automatically cheaper or easier than flying, though. A long cross-border journey can take most of a day, may need several changes, and international fares bought close to departure can be high. Prices depend on the route, the season and how early you book. For some trips a coach or a flight will cost less; for many journeys of a few hundred kilometres, or when you are carrying a lot of luggage, the train compares well. Compare before you commit.
In short
- Most young-person rail discounts depend on your age, not on being a student.
- A pass suits several journeys with flexible plans; individual tickets usually win for one simple trip.
- One through-ticket protects you if a delay makes you miss a connection; separate tickets do not.
- Erasmus+ supports green travel, but your sending university applies the rules and decides what you receive.
Getting to your European university by train
Start from the right station
The nearest station on the map is not always the most practical one. Check which station has direct or easy connections to your campus town: smaller university towns are often reached by regional train from a larger hub, and big cities can have several main stations, so check the exact station name on your ticket.
Choose a route with manageable connections
For a first journey with all your belongings, fewer changes at large, well-served stations are usually worth more than the fastest timing on paper. Aim to arrive in daylight, especially if you still need to collect keys or find your accommodation.
Booking the international legs
International trains go on sale at different times, and the operators of one journey may sell it as a single booking or only in parts. Our booking advice guide explains where to buy and when fares open.
Through-tickets and separate tickets
What happens if a delay makes you miss a connection
One through-ticket
If a missed connection means you are expected to reach your final destination 60 minutes or more late, you can choose:
- a refund, with a journey back to where you started if the trip no longer serves its purpose, or
- re-routing to your destination at no extra cost, as soon as possible or on a later date you choose.
While you wait, the railway must offer meals and refreshments in proportion to the delay, and a hotel if you have to stay overnight and one can be provided.
Separate tickets
Those missed-connection rights do not apply. Some operators have arrangements to carry you on the next train, but you cannot rely on them, so leave much longer connection times.
If you travel on and arrive late, you can also claim compensation: 25% of the ticket price for a delay of 60 to 119 minutes, and 50% for 2 hours or more. Compensation is not due when the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances such as extreme weather (strikes by rail staff do not count), but the refund, re-routing and assistance rights still apply. The seller must tell you before you buy whether your tickets form a through-ticket. Source: EU rail passenger rights (Your Europe) (opens in a new tab).
Travelling with luggage
Most European trains have no airline-style weight limit, but you need to lift your bags into racks yourself, and space fills up on busy trains. Eurostar, for example, allows two pieces of luggage plus one small item of hand luggage per passenger, with a maximum bag length of 85 cm on routes to and from London (Eurostar luggage rules (opens in a new tab)). If you are moving for a semester, take what you can carry up stairs and along platforms.
Allow realistic connection times
Minimum connection times assume everything runs to time and that you know the station. With luggage, at a large station you have not used before, or when changing between operators, allow much more. On separate tickets, think in hours rather than minutes, or plan a later train you could take instead.
From the UK by Eurostar
Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, where you can connect to trains across the continent. Passport control and security checks take place before you board in London, so arrive in good time. The UK 16-25 Railcard does not apply to Eurostar tickets (16-25 Railcard terms (opens in a new tab)). See our route guides from London to Paris, London to Brussels and London to Amsterdam.
When to break the journey overnight
If reaching your university in one day means a very early start, a late arrival or a tight connection on separate tickets, consider a night in a well-connected city on the way. It costs a hotel night but lowers the risk of a missed connection and makes the arrival easier. Where a direct night train runs, a couchette or sleeper can replace that hotel night: see our guide to sleeper trains in Europe.
Student discounts and cheaper tickets
The most useful thing to know is that most European rail discounts for young people are youth discounts based on age, not student discounts. A few products are tied to student status instead. Check which kind applies before you buy, because a 29-year-old postgraduate and a 19-year-old first-year can be offered very different prices.
Interrail Youth Pass
You can travel on an Interrail Youth Pass if you are 27 or younger on the date your trip starts. After buying the pass you have up to 11 months to begin; if you buy it at 27, your first travel day must be before your 28th birthday (Interrail youth discounts (opens in a new tab)). The Youth Pass costs less than the Adult Pass, but it is still worth comparing with individual tickets.
Interrail and Eurail
Eurail is now part of Interrail: eurail.com redirects to interrail.com, and travellers who live outside Europe buy the same Interrail Pass. One rule depends on where you live: if your country of residence is in the pass network, the pass covers one journey to leave it and one to return, not unlimited travel at home (what Interrail includes (opens in a new tab)). Our rail passes guide explains passes in more detail.
Interrail Pass for Erasmus+
Interrail sells a pass for European residents taking part in Erasmus+ and several other mobility programmes, including the European Solidarity Corps, Nordplus, the Swiss-European Mobility Programme, the Turing Scheme, Taith and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. It has 4 or 6 travel days to use within 6 months, seat reservations are not included, and it covers one outbound and one inbound journey in your country of residence (Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ (opens in a new tab)). The pass is a ticket, not funding: any travel support comes from your university under your programme's rules.
Seat reservations
A pass is not the same as a seat. Interrail says most high-speed and night trains require a reservation at extra cost, and places for pass holders can be limited and sell out at busy times. Many regional trains need no reservation at all. Our seat reservations guide shows which trains need one, country by country.
National railcards and discount cards
Many countries sell their own discount cards for young travellers. They are mainly worth buying if you will travel regularly in that country. Two examples:
16-25 Railcard (Great Britain)
1/3 off most rail fares in Great Britain for ages 16 to 25, and for mature students aged 26 and over in full-time education in Great Britain. Minimum fares and time restrictions apply, and it is not valid on Eurostar.
My BahnCard 25 (Germany)
For travellers under 27: 25% off flexible and saver fares on Deutsche Bahn long-distance trains. It is a subscription product, so check the renewal terms.
Some universities and regions also offer local or regional transport tickets linked to enrolment. Your host university's welcome information or student services will tell you if one applies to you.
Age-based and student-status discounts
Age-based products, such as the Interrail Youth Pass and the My BahnCard, stop at a fixed birthday whatever you are studying. Student-status products, such as the mature-student route to the 16-25 Railcard, depend on proof of enrolment and its conditions. If you are close to an age limit, check whether the rule applies on the day you buy, the day you start travelling or the day you renew.
Advance, off-peak and regional fares
For a fixed journey, advance or saver fares are often the cheapest way to travel, but they are usually tied to one train. Travelling outside peak times can lower the price on some networks. Regional trains are slower but often have fixed fares, no reservation and more flexibility, which can make them a good choice for short hops and day trips.
Why individual tickets can be cheaper for a simple journey
A pass costs the same whether you take one train or ten on each travel day. If you only need one or two journeys and can book them early, individual tickets often cost less than a pass plus its reservations.
| Ticket type | Best suited to | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Interrail Youth Pass | Several journeys in a short period, with flexible plans | Your age on the first travel day, compulsory reservation costs, and the limit on journeys in your country of residence |
| Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ | Getting to and from an eligible exchange, with some travel on the way | That your programme is eligible, the 4 or 6 travel days within 6 months, and reservation costs |
| Advance (saver) ticket | A fixed journey you can book early | It is usually tied to one train; check change and refund conditions |
| Flexible ticket | A journey whose time may change | How much more it costs than a saver ticket, and how long it stays valid |
| Youth or student railcard | Regular travel within one country | Age or student-status rules, the card price against your likely savings, exclusions and renewal terms |
| Regional ticket | Short trips and day trips on local trains | Which trains it is valid on, and whether you must buy it before boarding |
Interrail pass or individual tickets?
There is no single answer: it depends on how many journeys you make, when, and how fixed your plans are. Fares change daily, so rather than quote example prices, here is a method you can use with live prices for your own dates.
- Step 1: List every journey you expect to make, with likely dates.
- Step 2: Price each journey as individual tickets for those dates, using saver fares where your plans are fixed.
- Step 3: Count the travel days a pass would need, and choose the pass that covers them within its validity period.
- Step 4: Add the cost of every compulsory seat or sleeper reservation to the pass price.
- Step 5: Compare the two totals, and decide how much flexibility is worth to you.
One return journey a semester
Travelling to your exchange city at the start of term and home at the end. Two journeys, with dates you usually know well ahead.
Usually: Individual tickets booked early are usually the cheaper option. An Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ can make sense if your journey takes several trains over more than one day, so price both.
Several international trips during your exchange
Weekend or holiday trips to other countries spread over a semester.
Usually: Price each trip as advance tickets first. A pass only pays off if enough of those journeys fall inside its validity period, so check how the trips cluster.
A study break spent travelling
Two or three weeks moving between cities with plans that may change.
Usually: This is where a pass is most likely to be good value, because you pay once for many trains. Add every compulsory reservation to the total, and use regional trains where they avoid reservation fees.
A pass does not include compulsory seat or sleeper reservations. On routes served mainly by high-speed or night trains, reservations can make up a large part of the total cost, so always add them before you compare.
European university cities by train
These Railero route guides connect cities with large universities and student populations. They are city-to-city rail guides, not campus-to-campus services, and they suit different journeys: some are short day trips, others take most of a day or run overnight. Journey times are typical and vary by train.
From the UK by Eurostar
London to the continent, with onward trains from each city.
Between major university cities
Daytime journeys between capitals and large student cities.
Longer and overnight journeys
A change of train or a night on board; plan these carefully.
Short regional trips
Easy day trips from a university city on regional trains.
Browse every route on the route directory.
Erasmus+ and green travel support
What green travel means. The Erasmus+ Programme Guide defines green travel as travel that uses low-emission transport, such as train, bus, bike or car-pooling, for at least half of the round trip. Travel by boat counts when it is combined with other low-emission transport (Programme Guide glossary (opens in a new tab)).
How it can be supported. For higher education mobility, the current Programme Guide sets travel support by distance band, with a higher rate for green travel than for other travel, and allows more travel days of individual support when you travel by low-emission transport (mobility projects for higher education students and staff (opens in a new tab)). Exact amounts and who receives which support depend on the programme year, your country's National Agency and your institution, so Railero does not quote figures here.
Who decides. Ask your sending university's Erasmus+ coordinator or international office, not the operator or the host university. They apply the rules for your placement and can confirm eligibility before you book.
Evidence. Universities usually ask for proof of how you travelled, such as tickets or receipts for both directions, and sometimes a signed declaration. Keep everything until your claim is settled.
Erasmus+ and other exchange schemes
Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme, but it is not the only way to study abroad. Bilateral university exchanges, national schemes and programmes such as the Turing Scheme, Taith, Nordplus and the Swiss-European Mobility Programme have their own rules, and some offer nothing specific for green travel. Interrail's Erasmus+ pass is open to several of these programmes, but the pass and any funding are separate.
Studying at a UK university? The UK is due to take part in Erasmus+ from 2027 (European Commission (opens in a new tab)). The UK government says Erasmus+ placements can begin in the 2027 to 2028 academic year (GOV.UK: study in the European Union (opens in a new tab)), and that the Turing Scheme, which funds placements in 2026 to 2027, will not run in 2027 to 2028 (GOV.UK: Turing Scheme 2026 to 2027 (opens in a new tab)). Individual students cannot apply for Erasmus+ funding themselves: universities apply, and what is available to you depends on your university taking part and on the funding it receives (GOV.UK: Erasmus+ guidance for higher education (opens in a new tab)). Ask your international office which scheme, if any, covers your placement.
Questions to ask your university
- Is my exchange funded through Erasmus+ or through another scheme?
- Does my placement qualify for green travel support, and how is the amount worked out for my journey?
- What counts as green travel for my placement, and does it apply to both directions?
- What evidence do you need, such as tickets or receipts, and when do I submit it?
- Can I claim extra travel days if the train journey takes longer?
- Does an Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ count as evidence, and what else do you need with it?
- When is the support paid, and what happens if a cancellation forces me to change transport?
Practical student travel advice
Luggage and valuables
Keep your passport, phone, laptop and cards in a bag that stays with you. Label larger bags and use racks you can see from your seat where possible.
Seat reservations
Compulsory on many high-speed and night trains, optional on others and unavailable on many regional trains. Book early for busy dates, such as the start and end of term.
Sleeper trains
Beds and private compartments sell out first, and couchettes and beds are booked for a specific train and date: see sleeper trains.
Overnight connections
Avoid a late arrival followed by an early departure on separate tickets. Know where you will spend the night, as some stations have limited facilities overnight.
Missed trains and passenger rights
On a through-ticket, EU rules cover missed connections and set compensation for long delays. Keep tickets and delay evidence, and see EU rail passenger rights (opens in a new tab).
Passports, visas and residence permits
Carry a valid passport or ID card for every border. If you are not an EU national, check the rules for short stays and what your residence permit allows in each country you pass through: travel documents for non-EU nationals (opens in a new tab).
Food, water and budgeting
Catering varies, and many regional trains have none. Carry water and food, and budget for reservations, local transport and luggage storage as well as the main ticket.
Accessibility and assistance
In the EU you have the right to free assistance at stations and on board. Request it at least 24 hours before your journey: passenger rights for people with reduced mobility (opens in a new tab).
Student train travel checklist
Before booking
- Compare a rail pass with individual point-to-point tickets for your actual dates.
- Check which trains need a compulsory seat or sleeper reservation.
- Check whether your exchange offers green travel support, and what evidence it needs.
- Check your passport or ID, and any visa or residence-permit rules for every country you pass through.
- Decide between one through-ticket and separate tickets, and allow longer connections if they are separate.
Before departure
- Download your tickets, reservations and pass to your phone, and keep a copy offline.
- Check for engineering works or timetable changes on your travel date.
- Confirm every connection time and the station name for each change.
- Check the luggage rules for each operator, and pack what you can carry yourself.
- Save your accommodation address, check-in details and the first local journey.
During travel
- Keep your passport, ID and tickets where you can reach them on board.
- Watch for platform changes and service updates in the operator's app or on station screens.
- Keep tickets, receipts and evidence of any delay in case you need to claim.
From Railero's student train travel guide: railero.com/guides/student-train-travel-europe
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Interrail cheaper for students?
- Not automatically. The Interrail Youth Pass is cheaper than the Adult Pass, but it is based on age rather than student status: you must be 27 or younger on the day your trip starts. Whether a pass beats individual tickets depends on how many journeys you make, how far ahead you could book them and how many compulsory seat reservations you would add. For a single return journey, individual tickets are often cheaper; for several journeys in a short period with flexible plans, a pass can be better value. Price both for your actual dates before you buy.
- Do European trains offer student discounts?
- Some do, but most European rail discounts for young people are youth discounts based on age rather than student status. Examples include the Interrail Youth Pass (ages 12 to 27), Germany's My BahnCard for under-27s and Britain's 16-25 Railcard, which is also open to mature students in full-time education in Great Britain. Conditions, prices and exclusions vary, so check the operator's own terms before you buy, and ask your host university whether a local student transport ticket is available.
- Can Erasmus students receive green travel funding?
- They may be able to. The Erasmus+ Programme Guide supports "green travel", meaning travel that uses low-emission transport such as train, bus, bike or car-pooling for at least half of the round trip, and sets a higher travel-support rate for it than for non-green travel. Your sending university applies the rules, which can differ by institution, country and programme year, so ask your Erasmus+ coordinator what you are eligible for and what evidence you need before you book.
- Do I need reservations with an Interrail Pass?
- On many trains, yes. Interrail says most high-speed and night trains require a reservation at an additional cost, and these places are limited and can sell out. Many regional and local trains need no reservation. The pass price never includes compulsory reservations, so check each train you plan to take and add the reservation costs when you compare a pass with ordinary tickets.
- What happens if I miss an international connection?
- It depends on how you booked. If both trains are on one through-ticket and a delay means you will reach your final destination 60 minutes or more late, EU rules let you choose a refund or re-routing to your destination at no extra cost, and the railway must offer meals and refreshments and, if you have to stay overnight, accommodation where it can be provided. If you booked the trains on separate tickets, those missed-connection rights do not apply, although some operators have their own arrangements to carry you on the next train. Leave generous connection times when tickets are separate.
- Can I travel to my European university from the UK by train?
- Often, yes. Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, where you can connect to trains across the continent, so many European university cities are reachable in a day or with one overnight stop. Passport and security checks happen before you board in London, so arrive in good time, and note that the UK 16-25 Railcard does not apply to Eurostar tickets. If your exchange is funded, ask your university which scheme covers it and whether it supports green travel.
- Is an Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ the same as green travel funding?
- No. The Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ is a rail pass with 4 or 6 travel days within 6 months, sold to participants of Erasmus+ and some other named mobility programmes. Green travel support is funding that your university may provide under its programme rules. Buying the pass does not by itself entitle you to funding, so check with your university what counts and what proof it needs.
- How much luggage can I take on European trains?
- Most European trains have no airline-style weight limit, but you need to carry and lift your bags yourself, and luggage space fills up on busy trains. Eurostar allows two pieces of luggage plus one small item of hand luggage per passenger, with a maximum bag length of 85 cm on routes to and from London. If you are moving for a semester, travel with what you can manage on stairs and platforms.