Back on track: Why Indian travellers are exploring Europe by rail

Out of the over 30 European nations that one can access with an Eurail pass, Switzerland remains the standout performer within this rail ecosystem

• Rupee's fall makes Europe trips costlier for Indians
• Indian travellers prefer trains over flights in Europe
• India is second-largest market for Swiss Travel Pass

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With the rupee weakening and the euro crossing the Rs 100 mark, travelling in Europe has turned costly for Indian travellers, who are now looking at cost-effective travel options and are preferring to take trains instead of flights.

According to a report published by the Economic Times, India has emerged as the second-largest market for the Swiss travel pass and the fourth-largest for Eurail, which allows travel across more than 30 European countries.

A spokesperson ET spoke to said the Indian market is demonstrating a clear preference for products that offer predictable costs and the freedom to adapt plans mid-journey.

Out of the over 30 European nations that one can access with an Eurail pass, Switzerland remains the standout performer within this rail ecosystem.  According to ET, the Swiss Travel Pass recorded more than half a million passengers from around the globe, with Indians ranking second only to travellers from the US.

The Swiss Travel Pass is a comprehensive travel pass that lets one travel freely across Switzerland using the country’s public transportation network — trains, buses, boats and more — for a set number of days, with free or discounted access to several hundred museums and mountain railways, including tourist attractions such as Glacier 3000 and St Moritz.

Indian travellers are also increasingly combining Switzerland with France and Italy in multi-country itineraries, reported ET.

According to data available with the Tourism Ministry that ET accessed, 8.39 million Indians travelled abroad in the July-September quarter of 2025, with Europe and the US remaining key markets.

Besides Europe, there is also an uptick in the number of Indians travelling to Japan and making use of the Japan Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on most trains and other services operated by Japan Railways throughout the country for a set period.

According to ET, although Tokyo and Osaka remain the sought-after destinations, there are also many takers among Indian travellers for regional areas such as Kyushu.