Eurail: A Rite of Passage

Ask many of us here at Matador where our travels started, and we’ll come back with the same answer: Eurail. For decades now, the traveler’s rite of passage involved a rucksack and a Eurail Youth Pass. That fact is no less true today than it was when we on the Matador staff were first striking out into the world.

So we’re beyond stoked to partner with Eurail and have the opportunity to share our experiences, to tell our stories of crisscrossing the continent with nothing more than a few changes of clothes, a train timetable, and a drive to see what was out there. We bet you’ll recognize some of your own stories here as well.

Series Articles

Eurail: A rite of passage for the American traveler

A well-worn Eurail pass is a tangible badge of honor, proof of a deep journey planned and executed not by a tour company or your parents, but by you and you alone. Was Eurail your rite of passage as a traveler? Tell us your story.

12 characters you'll meet on trains in Europe

One staple I remember from train travel in Europe are the Russians smoking cigarettes next to the "No smoking" sign. How many of these characters do you recognize?

10 truths about traveling on a Eurail pass

From money-saving tips to train-seat etiquette, here's what you need to know if you're traveling by Eurail.

14 things we'll never forget about our first Eurail adventure

#14: The feeling of standing on a platform, knowing exactly where you're going, but nothing more

18 experiences you probably had traveling on a Eurail pass

These vignettes should seem pretty familiar to anyone who participated in the traveler's rite of passage that is Eurail.

13 reasons you need to see Europe by train

#3: No one falls in love with a beautiful stranger on a plane.

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