Explore Europe's 10 Cheapest Cities by Train
With the rise in popularity of interrailing, travelers can now explore Europe's ten cheapest cities for less than £65 a day. The interrail pass, allowing for 10 days of train travel within two months, costs £287 for those under 27 and £383 for those up to 60.
Interrailing provides unlimited, borderless travel across 33 countries. The pass is valid for one outbound and inbound journey from your home country during any of your travel days. The Interrail Pass is for European residents, while the Eurail Pass serves non-European residents, connecting over 30,000 destinations.
Eurail B.V., owned by over 35 European railway and ferry companies and based in the Netherlands, saw a 25 percent growth in ticket sales last year. The most popular destinations include Italy, France, Germany, and Austria, but for budget travelers, cities in Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, and Romania offer a more affordable experience.
Poland's Warsaw offers free museum visits on Sundays and affordable beach days along the Vistula River, bringing daily costs to about £36. A 2.5-hour train ride to Krakow, another budget-friendly city, offers experiences like the Krakow Nights Festival with an average daily cost of £37.30.
The Czech Republic's Český Krumlov, although the most expensive city on this list at £60 a day, features free castle tours and cheap dining options. Slovakia's Bratislava can be enjoyed for £48 a day, with free museum visits and summer film screenings.
In Budapest, Hungary, explore Castle Hill and the National Gallery for a daily cost of £37.30. Zagreb in Croatia and Belgrade in Serbia offer daily costs of £44.10 and £39.99, respectively, with free access to markets and historical sites.
Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina costs £39.17 per day, featuring free entry to its Old Bazaar and religious sites. Finally, Sofia (Bulgaria) and Bucharest (Romania) cost £31.30 and £33.17 per day. Sofia offers free art gallery visits and hot mineral water, while Bucharest's Palace of the Parliament is a must-see.
Jody Bauer, Research Analyst at Eurail, emphasized the pass's flexibility, allowing travelers to explore Europe at their own pace, making it ideal for long journeys with multiple stopovers.
