Ticket to ride
Strapped for cash? Try these European rail discounts
by Erin Keane
One of the best parts about living overseas is exploring – traveling to neighboring cities and even other countries. Lucky for you, many European countries offer student train discounts for getting away on a budget.
“The SNCF Carte 12-25 was instrumental to my ability to see France, given I was a poor student,” says Ikeogu Imo, a Rice University grad who studied abroad in Pau, France, of the French National Railway’s discount. “Considering the length of my stay and the frequency of little trips, it was an obvious choice.”
Here are the details on three deals for riding the rails:
France’s SNCF Carte 12-25
Age Range: 12-25 years old
Cost: €43.50, or about $62
Duration: One year
Discount: Between 25 and 60 percent off on all SNCF trains, including TGV (high speed trains) and Lunea (overnighters)
Perks: 25 percent off rail fares in 29 other European countries
Order here: www.raileurope.co.uk
Age Range: 16-25 years and older if enrolled in full-time education program
Cost: €28.50, or about $40
Duration: One year
Discount: One-third off rail fares across England
Perks: Partnerships with hotels, restaurants and media companies provide even more discounts
Order here: www.16-25railcard.co.uk
Age Range: Available to the general public but discounted for students younger than 27 years old
Cost: €118, or about $169 for standard class, €236 for first class, or about $338
Duration: One year (Note: This card renews automatically unless otherwise specified)
Discount: 50 percent off all fares
Perks: Sort of like airline miles, Bahn Bonus points accumulate as you ride and can be cashed in for travel upgrades and further discounts
Order here: www.bahn.com