While Interrail Paper Passes are always pre-activated, a Eurail Pass must be activated before you can start using it. It must be activated within 11 months of the purchase date.
You can get your pass activated at a European train station, or when you place your order at Eurail.com. This service is always free of charge.
1. Activate your Eurail Pass for free at a European train station.
To do this, simply go to the ticket office of any large train station in one of the participating Eurail countries. A railway official will then activate your Eurail Pass by filling in the start and end date of your Pass, as well as your passport number. They will also stamp the Pass in order to validate it.
2. Get your Eurail Pass activated for free when you place your order at Eurail.com.
We can activate your Eurail Pass before you receive it. If you use this service your Eurail Pass will arrive pre-activated. This option is useful if you already know the exact dates you're going to travel. Simply select the 'activate my pass' option, and pick the starting date of your trip.
You can only activate your pass online at the time of booking. Please note that we'll ask you to fill in your passport number. If you're not yet in possession of the passport you'll be traveling to Europe with, you can't make use of pre-activation.