Austria: An Increasingly Popular Choice Among Eurail Pass Travelers

UTRECHT, Netherlands, February 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- If you were going to only visit one European country this year, what would it be? In a continent teeming with diversity, new statistics show that Austria, home of Mozart, Sigmund Freud and Maria Von Trapp, is gaining popularity among Eurail riders as a one-stop destination for arts, culture, and breathtaking beauty.

While traversing through multiple European countrysides and cityscapes will never go out of style, key travel trends for 2011 indicate that shorter jaunts to the continent are becoming more in vogue among international travelers.

Eurail Group G.I.E., in cooperation with their member railways, is catering to this current shift in consumer behavior by increasing their single country product offerings for those interested in shorter European getaways, making a quick trip to Spain, Denmark or the Benelux countries easier and more accessible.

The Eurail Italy Pass proved to be the most popular choice in 2010 with more than 64,000 passengers while Eurail's Spain Pass ranked second with more than 14,000. But 2011 may witness a rise in rail travel to Austria, which rounded out the top 3 most popular Eurail One Country Passes last year.

The Eurail Austria Pass offers the opportunity to travel through one of Europe's most diverse and breathtaking terrains in record time. You can now easily ski the Tyrolean Alps, tour Salzburg's majestic lake region (immortalized in the opening scenes of The Sound of Music), and stroll through Vienna's royal gardens all within the same trip. And with prices starting at approximately $27 per travel day (depending on options selected), this Austrian adventure can be more affordable than ever.

During 2010, Eurail Group witnessed a large number of Eurail Pass holders choosing to explore their selected destination with the One Country Pass. Eurail Group predicts that in 2011, more than 100,000 travelers will use this category of passes alone.

"Eurail offers the best way to experience the European continent, enabling pass holders to hop from city centre to city centre at their own leisure whilst absorbing the ever-changing landscapes. Passengers will surely discover the flexibility that only the Eurail Pass can provide by jumping on and off the trains with ease" states Ana Dias e Seixas, Eurail Group's Marketing Director. "Plus, it's the most economical and convenient way to discover Europe, thanks to the unlimited train travel available."

More about Eurail Group G.I.E.

The Eurail Group offers a wide range of rail passes to suit all itineraries. Eurail Passes are available from the following authorized sales channels: ACP Rail International (http://www.eurail-acprail.com), Eurail.com B.V. (http://www.eurail.com), Flight Centre (http://www.flightcentre.com); Rail Europe North America (http://www.raileurope.com), Rail Europe (rest of the world: http://www.raileurope.fr) and STA Travel (http://www.statravel.com ).

Eurail Group corporate website and press room: http://www.eurailgroup.com