Eurail Passes Aren’t Just for Trains: Sail Between Islands, Countries

Families traveling on a Eurail Pass can make faster connections between countries or islands, as well as save from 20 to 100 percent off ferry rates. On many routes, families can save a precious day of their pass allowance while traveling on ferries.

Some of the best savings are on Superfast Ferries traveling across the Adriatic Sea, connecting Greece and Italy. With a Eurail six-day Greek island pass, you can travel free, or with a Eurail Pass valid in either Greece or Italy, you can get 30 percent off.

Once in Greece, passholders have the same free and discounted fares for trips between Greek islands. Blue Star Ferries offers four days of free passage with a Eurail four- and six-day Greek Island Pass. Routes begin in Piraeus and include The Cyclades (Naxos, Santorini, Mykonos, etc.), The Dodecanese (Rhodes, Kos, Patmos and eight other islands), the Northeast Aegean Islands (Rhodes and Karpathos) and Crete.

Although Grimaldi Lines offer two routes across the Adriatic between Italy and Greece, most of its departures are from Livorno and Civitavecchia, on the west coast of Italy. From here, the ferries sail to Sardinia, Sicily and Barcelona. Eurail Pass holders get a 20 percent reduction on ship passage and 10 percent discount on accommodation (cabin, berth, pullman seats).

Travelers in northern Europe will find plentiful options on Stena Line, between ports in Great Britain, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Poland and Latvia. Along with up to 30 percent discounts on Economy, Flexi and Premium passenger fares, passholders save one day of their pass limit.

Irish Ferries operates on routes between France, Ireland and Wales, offering Eurail Pass holders a 30 percent discount on adult or child foot passenger fares if the pass is valid in either the country of departure or arrival. You do not need to use a travel day on a flexi Pass for this discount.