Image: Tero Vesalainen / Shutterstock.com
Anyone traveling through Europe with Eurail, Interrail, or DiscoverEU thinks of freedom, the romance of rail travel, and cheap tickets. However, as reported by the Golem portal, a much more unpleasant side effect has emerged: Eurail B.V. has become aware of a data leak—and it appears that data records are now circulating on Telegram and the darknet. This is not just a rumor, but according to a company statement, the data is actually "for sale." For travelers, this means they need to be careful before their dream route turns into a nightmare.
What happened—and why is it serious?
In mid-January, it became public knowledge that Eurail B.V., a service provider specializing in ticket and reservation processing, had experienced a security breach. Eurail now believes that attackers were able to extract at least some of the data. This is the crucial point: it is not just a theoretical risk, but data that is already in circulation.
Particularly explosive: a sample data set is said to have been published on Telegram. And data packets are said to be appearing on the darknet, where they are being offered for sale. Exactly how many data sets are affected is still unclear—according to Eurail, this is still being investigated. It is precisely this uncertainty that is so unpleasant for those affected: you don't know whether you are among them until you receive information—or the first attempt at fraud.
What data may be affected?
As things stand at present, this could include several types of data that are extremely valuable to fraudsters—not because they are "exciting," but because they can be combined. These include:
- Order and reservation details
- identity data
- contact information
- Information about travel companions
- in some cases, passport details (passport number, country of issue, expiry date)
At first glance, this sounds like "bureaucratic stuff." For criminals, however, it's a kind of toolbox: with real booking details, phishing emails can be made much more credible ("Your reservation XY...") or calls can be made that sound like genuine support.
DiscoverEU: Even more sensitive dispute over data
DiscoverEU is also affected, as the EU initiative is a contractual partner of Eurail. In its own statement, DiscoverEU refers to a possible leak of ID and passport copies, address data, telephone numbers, IBANs, and unspecified health-related data. Eurail, for its part, emphasizes that it does not store copies of ID cards or bank details itself. This means that it is not yet clear where the data came from, but it is clear that those affected should not rely on the assumption that "it will be fine."
What you should do now—without panicking, but with a plan
Eurail will inform those affected as soon as reliable information is available. Until then, the following applies: be vigilant.
- Be wary of emails/text messages/phone calls that seem "urgent" and push you to click on links.
- Check accounts for unusual transactions and report suspicious cases to the bank.
- Use strong, unique passwords and, if possible, two-factor authentication.
- If someone asks for your passport details or IBAN "for verification purposes," it is best to hang up and call back yourself via official channels.
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Such leaks are the moment when companies like to say, "We are still investigating." Understandable—but for customers, that is little consolation if the data is already being offered for sale. Those who collect travel data collect trust. And trust is not a file that can simply be "patched" after an incident. When DiscoverEU even mentions IBANs and sensitive information, then what is needed is not just clarification, but measurable consequences: less data collection, shorter storage periods, clear evidence of who really stored what. Otherwise, many travelers will be left with one thing in mind: a ticket to Europe, yes—but please without a digital suitcase full of personal data.
Sources: golem.de, youth.europa.eu




