Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news

Booking a Eurail Pass in Shanghai before setting out on a trip to Europe has become popular among local business travelers and backpackers since its introduction two years ago, today's Shanghai Morning Post reported.
This year, the East China sales center of the Eurail Group G.I.E., the rail service's operator, received more than 100 travelers per month, they revealed.
Industry insiders attribute this popularity to the discounts and convenience offered by the local sales service.  According to the group, passes booked here are 10 percent cheaper than those in Europe and the payment can be settled in renminbi, skipping the currency exchange process.
Covering 28 European countries, the Eurail Pass gives unlimited train travel in a maximum of 17 countries through the extensive 100,000-mile rail network of Europe, with a variety of options to choose from.
The rail service is less attractive to group travelers, however, according to Chen Zhongyang, East China executive director of CAISSA Touristic (Group) AG, an agency specialising in helping Chinese travel agencies to organize local reception services for European tours.
"For them, air service and road transport are more efficient or flexible," he noted.