A Look at Eurail: Bridging Borders and Cultures One Track at a Time

Eurail, a 65-year-old pioneer of European rail travel, is redefining the way travelers explore the continent, one journey at a time. Spanning 33 destinations, its extensive network allows travelers to explore Europe with ease, with Passes offering a seamless and flexible way to move around.

"We have two main products, the Eurail Pass for non-European residents and the Interrail Pass for European residents,” says Silvia. “The concept is the same – multiple countries, one Pass, and one access to Europe."

The traditional European rail industry, with its fragmented distribution systems, presented a challenge for international travelers. Eurail recognized this challenge and took a bold step towards digitalization by launching the mobile Eurail Pass in 2020 - a paperless all-in-one digital Pass.

“The mobile Pass was developed during the pandemic, allowing us to align different railways under one digital platform and making it easier for travelers to navigate the complexities of cross-border rail travel,” says Silvia.

For Eurail, the app represents more than just digitalization; it embodies the future of European rail travel, where flexibility and convenience go hand-in-hand with sustainability. The app allows travelers to plan and book their trips, modify their routes on the go, and access real-time timetable data.

And this digital transformation has been swift, with 87% of Interrail travelers and 98% of Eurail travelers choosing a mobile pass over a paper pass in 2023, marking a significant shift towards digital convenience. Building on this success, Eurail and Klook collaborated further to develop an API connection in early 2024. This seamless integration has since streamlined Eurail Pass sales on Klook's platform, offering a smooth and user-friendly experience for travelers.

And at the heart of Eurail’s philosophy is championing slow travel—a concept that encourages travelers to immerse themselves in their surroundings rather than rushing from one destination to another. Europe's vast rail network offers more than just transportation, as a bridge for cultural exchange.

With its Passes covering both high-speed and regional trains, travelers are encouraged to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations, where authentic experiences await. “Our Eurail and Interrail Passes offer more than just access,” emphasizes Silvia. “Our message ‘Go One Stop Further’ encourages travelers not only to visit Europe’s iconic capitals but also to explore its hidden gems, helping travelers explore beyond the typical tourist spots.”

“Rail travel is like the essence of erleben, to live and experience as a sort of combination, It’s about the quality of travel, not just the mode of transport that takes you from Point A to Point B. It’s connected with the experience of the travel and purpose,” adds Silvia.

And despite initial challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, both organizations have witnessed a significant uptick in sales and customer engagement, driven by Klook’s expertise in the Asian markets and marketing capabilities to find the best way to capture engagement and sales.

Matching Klook’s focus on curated experiences, the partnership has been instrumental in promoting this shared philosophy to bring the spirit of European train travel to a wider audience. "The partnership with Klook has been successful from the beginning, even if slow initially, due to the post-pandemic recovery. The ability to engage and inspire has been invaluable, and we’ve seen very successful outcomes like Klook's effective market-focused campaigns, which have resonated well with our customers,” says Silvia.

Looking ahead, Eurail is poised for continued growth and innovation as it seeks to enhance its offerings further. Leveraging Klook’s regional expertise and marketing prowess, Eurail is committed to making European train travel more accessible and enjoyable.

“This includes enhancing the digital ticketing process and expanding the use of contactless technologies across the network to make it more seamless and user-friendly,” says Silvia. Other plans include exploring AI-powered personalized travel recommendations to cater to user preferences, and integrating advanced technologies into their services for a more frictionless travel experience.

And it’s really about the quality of travel. “Taking a train at any age, it’s an experience. It's like sitting in a cinema, and your window is the screen, looking at all the magnificent scenery outside,” says Silvia. “Even as an adult and when I travel on train, which I do a lot for work, it’s still amazing to just stop sometimes, look outside, and lose the sense of time.”