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From Internship to further travel
As my month in Barcelona nears the end I am already contemplating my next trip abroad. Whilst here I have met many people who are travelling round Europe, and as I have enjoyed exploring Spain so much I would love to experience other countries too. A great way to do this is by train, as a rail pass offers the freedom and flexibility to see up to twenty countries at your own pace. Having read many travel blogs it is this clear this would be an unforgettable experience, a trip filled with adventure and discovery.
The main companies offering this ticket are Eurail, for European residents, or Interrail for those outside of the continent. These companies offer various passes of consecutive travel, or select travel days within an allotted time period, depending on which best suits your needs. However it may be cheaper to buy the latter pass and extra travel in cheaper countries. Other discounts are also available, for example the youth pass for people under twenty five receive 35% off adult prices. In addition there is a saver pass, available when two or more people travel together, which gives a 15% discount. Yet one must be aware when using the saver pass the participants must travel together, and even if only one travels to a destination it also taken out of the other person’s allowance. Regardless of which pass is best for you, all tickets must be validated upon commencing travel by an attendant at your first train station.
Once your ticket has been validated you will then be entitled to extra benefits such as cheap local travel, discounts for selected entrance fees and even reductions on ferry tickets. While these benefits will definitely enhance your trip they are not available in every country so it is always best to check before you travel.
Another aspect to be aware off is that there may be supplements to pay on trains, whether it be for seat reservations, high speed trains or overnight trains. However if you use the 7pm rule, of departing after 7 o’clock in the evening, an overnight train will only count as one of your travel days rather than two. Nonetheless it worth putting extra money aside for the additional expense of supplements as they cost between 5 and 20 euros, although specific trains such as the Eurostar can cost over 100 euros.
In terms of other extra costs it may be worth taking out pass protection on your ticket as this is the only way to ensure a replacement ticket or refund should your ticket be lost or stolen. Whether you receive a replacement ticket or refund will be decided by which is cheapest, and pass protection can only be purchased at the time of buying your ticket. Obviously other costs will include hostels, food, excursions and other expenses such as night out, so it is essential to budget accordingly.
I cannot wait to plan my next trip abroad, and I feel my experience of living in Spain has prepared me for a backpacking journey. Thanks to my internship abroad I have a greater awareness of other countries, and appreciation of how valuable it is to speak even a little of the countries language, and the ability be flexible while travelling without worrying.
Megan French is an intern in Spain
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