From the book Go Well: A Summer Field Guide for Graduates and College Students · Updated October 2026
Rail passes, seat reservations, budget-airline bags, rental cars, and ferries.
Trains and the Eurail pass
A Eurail Global Pass lets non-European residents ride trains across most of Europe on one pass. You choose how many travel days you want and over what period, such as 15 days in a row or a set number of travel days within two months.
What it costs (2026):
- A 15-days-within-2-months adult pass in second class is about €434 (about $490) (Rail Pass Guide).
- If you’re 27 or younger, you pay the youth price, roughly 25% less than adults. A 15-days-in-a-row youth pass in second class is about €357 (about $403) (College Hobbies).
The rule that surprises everyone: seat reservations. The pass gets you on the train, but some trains also require a paid seat reservation that the pass doesn’t cover. High-speed, international, and night trains often require one; regional trains usually don’t (EveryRail, Eurail). France, Spain, and Italy require reservations on their high-speed trains, while some countries, including Switzerland, let you board most trains with just the pass (Eurail Community). In summer, reserved seats on popular routes can sell out, so reserve as soon as your dates are set.
Is a pass worth it? Add up the point-to-point tickets for your route and compare. A pass usually wins if you’re taking several long train trips, want flexibility, or are traveling through pricey rail countries such as Switzerland. Point-to-point tickets often win for just two or three trips booked well in advance.
Leah’s Field Note: I used my Eurail Global Pass for the direct train from Paris to Nice. It was easy to figure out, comfortable, and a beautiful ride down to the coast.
The lesson from my pass: my pass covered 7 travel days within one month, but the direct train to Nice was the only train I ended up taking, because the rest of my route was faster by air. If you’ll take only one or two trains, price point-to-point tickets first; they often cost less than a multi-day pass (see “Is a pass worth it?” above). If you do buy a pass, buy it at least 30 days before you leave, and book any required seat reservations early.
Short flights inside Europe
Some legs are faster and cheaper by air, especially to islands or across a long stretch of coast.
Leah’s Field Note: Nice to Barcelona was a short flight, under an hour and a half, for $47 one way, and Barcelona to Mallorca was about 40 minutes in the air, with a $97 fare plus $45 in bag fees. Both were easy and flexible. That bag fee is the lesson: for short European flights, compare the total cost, not just the fare.
The budget-airline bag rule. On many European budget airlines, the base fare includes only one small under-seat bag, not a standard carry-on (Gamin Traveler). For example:
- Vueling’s free under-seat bag can be up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm (about 16 x 12 x 8 inches). A larger overhead-bin bag costs extra (Vueling).
- Ryanair charges about €6–36 (about $7–41) at booking to add priority boarding and a second cabin bag, and more if you add it later or at the airport (Ryanair).
Add your bag when you book, measure it at home, and include the airport train or taxi in your cost comparison.
Renting a car
A car can open up places trains don’t reach, like hill towns, beaches, and coastal roads.
- Age: in most European countries, you must be at least 21 and have held your license for a year, and drivers under 25 usually pay an extra young-driver fee (Europcar, Kiwi.com).
- Under 21? You must have a responsible adult with you. If you’re younger than the rental age, an adult who meets the age and license rules has to rent the car and be the named driver. That’s how I did it: my mom rented our car in Nice. Don’t drive a car rented in someone else’s name unless you’re listed on the rental agreement.
- International Driving Permit (IDP): some countries require one alongside your U.S. license, and rental companies may ask for it. AAA is one of two organizations the U.S. State Department authorizes to issue IDPs, for a $20 permit fee plus photos (AAA). Get it before you leave.
- Insurance: your U.S. auto insurance may not cover you abroad (Go Well, Chapter Three). Read exactly what the rental includes.
- Manual vs. automatic: many European rentals are manual. Reserve an automatic early if you need one.
- Parking and city centers: many historic centers restrict cars. Park outside and walk in.
Leah’s Field Note: Renting a car in Nice was easy and opened up the coast in a way the train couldn’t. My mom and I rented one of NiceCar’s tiny open-air electric cars, and it was small enough to get us everywhere we wanted to go. In Mallorca, a boat day with my friends was one of the highlights of the trip (Go Well, Chapter Seven).
The Japan Rail Pass
The nationwide Japan Rail Pass covers most JR trains, including most bullet trains, for a set number of days. It’s available only to visitors entering Japan with “Temporary Visitor” status (JRPass.com).
Prices rose on October 1, 2026 for passes bought through overseas agencies (JR Central, Japan National Tourism Organization):
| Pass (adult, standard class) | Through an overseas agency | Through JR’s official online service |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days | ¥53,000 (about $335) | ¥50,000 (about $316) |
| 14 days | ¥84,000 (about $532) | ¥80,000 (about $506) |
Is it worth it? Usually only if you’re making several long bullet-train trips in a short window, such as Tokyo to Kyoto to Hiroshima and back within a week. For a trip based in one or two cities, regional passes or individual tickets are often cheaper. Chapter Eight compares the options for each itinerary.
Transit at a glance
| Option | Best for | Book ahead | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail pass | Many long train trips, flexibility | Buy the pass 30+ days out; reserve seats early | Required seat reservations |
| Point-to-point trains | 2–3 trips on a fixed route | As early as possible for the best fares | Nonrefundable cheap fares |
| Short flights | Islands, long coastal hops | Several weeks out | Bag fees and airport transfers |
| Long-distance bus | Mexico, budget legs in Europe | A few days to a week | Daytime travel only in Mexico |
| Ferries | Islands | As early as booking opens in summer | Limited online inventory |
| Rental car | Coastlines, small towns | Early for automatics | Age rules, IDP, insurance |
Checklist: Transportation Booked and Backed Up
- ☐ My long-haul flight is booked, and I’ve saved the confirmation.
- ☐ I know how I’m getting from the airport to my first bed.
- ☐ If I’m using a rail pass, I bought it at least 30 days ahead and checked which trains need reservations.
- ☐ I’ve reserved seats on any high-speed or international trains.
- ☐ For short flights, I’ve added the right bag and measured my bag at home.
- ☐ If I’m renting a car, I meet the age rule (or, if I’m under 21, a responsible adult is renting and driving), have my IDP, and understand the insurance.
- ☐ In Mexico, I’m using rideshare apps or official taxi stands and traveling between cities by day.
- ☐ Ferry tickets are booked, with a backup plan.
- ☐ I’ve saved every booking offline (screenshots or PDFs) in case I lose signal.
- ☐ I know each airline’s and ferry’s change policy for summer storms.
Prices and rules change. Everything on this page was checked in October 2026. Always confirm with the official source before you book.
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