MEDIA RELEASE PR37614
Eurail: Italy Pass Tops Sales & Popularity Charts
UTRECHT, Dec. 17 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Always in season, Italy continues to attract Eurail travelers in search
of "la dolce vita".
According to the Eurail Group this vibrant Mediterranean nation has
climbed the charts to become the second most popular country of choice for
Pass holders, while the One Country Pass available for Italy is currently the
best selling Eurail Pass overall.
This trend should come as no surprise considering the 10,000 miles of
undiscovered tracks traversing across the alluring Italian countryside and
the fact that Trenitalia lowered the cost of compulsory train reservations in
2009. Additionally, the Eurail Group launched the website EurailTravel.com(
who wish to experience the freedom and exhilaration of the European rail
network, making planning a trip to Italy easier than ever.
Based on Eurail Group's requirements, Lonely Planet Publications assisted
with the inspirational content. The website's wildly popular "Moveable Feast"
itinerary, which highlights the culinary capitals of Southern Europe, has
generated the most online traffic. Consequently, rail travel between Rome,
Milan, Venice, Pisa and Florence are amongst Eurail's top 10 most popular
routes. Feedback from Eurailers confirms that the short travel times between
these magnificent Italian cities are a great reason to head towards the
Italian sun. Travel times for Eurail's top 10 most popular routes are listed
below, with Italian cities indicated in bold.
From Station To Station Travel Time
1 FLORENCE ROME 1hr 38m*
2 FLORENCE VENICE (+S. Lucia) 2hr 35m*
3 BRUSSELS (+Midi) PARIS 1hr. 25m*
4 AMSTERDAM (+Central) BRUSSELS (+Midi) 1hr 53m*
5 ROME VENICE (+S. Lucia) 4hr 22m*
6 MILAN VENICE (+S. Lucia) 3hr 5m*
7 FLORENCE PISA (+Centrale) 1hr 4m*
8 MUNICH (+Hbf) SALZBURG (+Hbf) 1hr 28m*
9 SALZBURG (+Hbf) VIENNA 2hr 40m*
10 FUSSEN MUNICH (+Hbf) 2hr 05m*
Continental Europe continues to entice international travelers from all
over the globe, with the majority of Eurail Passes sold in North America,
followed by Australia, Canada and Japan. 396,000 Eurail Passes were sold in
2008. This year, despite fears of influenza and the economic crisis, Eurail
Pass sales are going strong with 341,000 passes sold between January and
October 2009.
Mr. Rene de Groot, Managing Director of the Eurail Group confirms that
although the travel industry has endured the worst economic recession since
the 1930's, the Eurail Group remains optimistic with regards to the
stabilized sales of Eurail Passes, especially those available for Italy. "As
another year draws to a close" he says "it's apparent that the Eurail Pass
stands the test of time as an invaluable accessory for European travelers and
a true industry survivor, even during times of extreme adversity".
Note for the press:
Press Contacts: Ana Dias e Seixas & Ellie Kingswell, email:
pressinfo@eurail.nl
Eurail Group corporate website and press room:
* Travel times are indicative only and may be subject to change without
prior notice
Source: Eurail Group G.I.E.
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