Using the Rail Europe website, explore the route you wish to travel by typing in your origin and destination cities, the date of travel and number of travelers. The result will be a list of potential trains with times, rates, available classes of travel and length of trip. From this list select the most suitable trip for your needs. Factor in the rates, class of travel, time of departure, arrival time, travel time and stations traveled to and from. Many cities have more than one rail station.
Once you have your travel information, visit the official website of the national railway at interrail.net (see References). Many of these sites will be in another language but will have English versions.
Price your journey on the national railway site. Often the official site rates will be far cheaper than brokers like Rail Europe, but the sites will be harder to operate and will only list tickets within their own territory. This is why you should first identify the tickets you wish to purchase using the broker site, then make the purchase on the official site. Purchase the ticket but note that you will have to pick it up at the station prior to your journey or in some cases you will be able to print it out.
Purchase your tickets at the rail station on the day of travel if you are departing from a lesser traveled area. This can result in lower rates, without all the fees associated with reservations and brokers, and a simpler, less frantic transaction. When traveling in the high season--summer months and local holidays--it is often necessary to book your trips ahead of time via the Internet.
Choose your accommodations. On local trains the options are simple, as all cars tend to be one class of travel and there are several departures per day. On long distance and high speed trains, you will be asked to select your class of travel (first, second, sleeper, etc.), and will be limited on departure times. Weigh the benefits of more leg and luggage room in first class, versus a higher rate.
Pay for your tickets using any major credit card with purchase protection, as this will ensure a way out if your tickets are stolen, lost, or you miss your train. Travel credit cards are also well-known for their cardholder-friendly attitude and will almost always find a way to remove the charges for unforeseen incidents.
