When I tell people I spent two weeks in Europe for under ₹80,000 (about €900), they usually don't believe me. But it's true. The secret? Ditching the Eurail pass and booking individual train tickets in advance.
Eurail passes might look like a good deal, but unless you're traveling every single day, they're rarely the cheapest option. Individual tickets, booked 2-3 months in advance, are almost always cheaper.
My 14-day route
- Paris → Amsterdam: €35 (Thalys, booked 2 months ahead)
- Amsterdam → Berlin: €45 (ICE train, booked 2 months ahead)
- Berlin → Prague: €29 (Czech Railways, booked 1 month ahead)
- Prague → Vienna: €28 (ÖBB, booked 1 month ahead)
- Vienna → Budapest: €19 (Hungarian Railways, booked 2 months ahead)
- Budapest → Zagreb: €22 (Croatian Railways, booked 1 month ahead)
"The key to budget rail travel in Europe is not the pass — it's planning ahead and being flexible."
Accommodation strategy
I mixed hostels with budget hotels and Airbnb rooms. In more expensive cities like Paris and Amsterdam, I stayed in hostels. In Prague and Budapest, I found private rooms on Airbnb for the same price as a hostel bed in Paris.
I also used night trains for two of the long journeys, which saved me a night of accommodation and gave me more time in each city.
