What is an InterRail
Pass?
The InterRail Pass has always been the perfect companion to
anyone exploring Europe as it provides a fun and economical way to see all that
Europe has to offer. On selected routes you can get a 50% discount in the
normal ticket price.
Please Note: Many High-Speed trains (like the TGV or AVE
trains) and Overnight Sleeper train can be used, but you will have to pay
additional 'pass holder supplements' for seat / sleeper berth reservations on
them.
Am I eligible for an
InterRail Pass?
To qualify for an InterRail Pass, you must be normally
resident in one of the participating European countries i.e.:
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Luxembourg
|
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Ireland
FYR Macedonia
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Switzerland
Sweden
Turkey
|
The InterRail pass is also valid on the ferry between Italy
and Greece operated by Attica Group.
Please note that the InterRail Pass is not valid to be used
in the passholder's country of residence.
You must be able to prove that you are normally a resident in
one of the aforementioned European countries, and have been for a period of at
least 6 months preceeding the first day of the validity of the pass.
If you have not been normally resident within Europe for the
last 6 consecutive months then you would need to purchase the Eurail pass.
What are the benefits
in purchasing an InterRail pass?The InterRail pass provides incredible value for money and
unrivalled level of flexibility and choice when exploring Europe. You can just
hop on and off trains as you please (though please bear in mind the need for
additional seat / berth reservation supplements on certain high-speed and
overnight trains) and if you decide to stay in one place longer than you
anticipated then that is no problem. All that is required is that you record
all of your journeys down on the travel report that is printed on your pass
within the required time/ days that your pass is valid from and to.
Other pass benefits include discounts on certain ferries,
entitlement to pass-holder fares on the Eurostar services, discounts in some
European hotels and hostels, museums and other local transportation.
Am I entitled to a
discount if I am a student or a senior?Yes, if you are a Youth (aged between 12 and 25 years on the
date that your pass starts) or a Senior (aged 60 years or older on the date
that your pass starts) then you can benefit from either the Youth InterRail
Pass or the Senior InterRail Pass. Please note that the Senior Pass is only
available on the Global pass and not the One Country.
Can
children travel with an InterRail pass?Children from the age of 4 years up to and including 11
years are entitled to a 50% discount off the Adult (over 26 years) InterRail
pass price.
Children under 4 years are entitled to travel for free (but
they will not be automatically entitled to a Seat - especially on busy trains -
so be prepared that children under 4 years without a Pass may have to travel on
an Adult's lap in some cases).
Do all trains and
stations within Europe offer disabled facilities?The standard of disabled facilities on trains and at
stations around Europe can vary. In general, most major city stations do offer
full wheelchair access. If notified in advance the train company and station
staff can assist with helping you on and off of the trains.
Most modern, high speed trains do usually have allocated
spaces for wheelchair users (plus a companion) close to accessible restroom
facilities. These spaces are limited per train so it is recommended that you
book these well in advance of your travel.
How
often can I travel?The number of days on which you can travel depends on
whether it is a Flexi Pass or a Continuous Pass. InterRail Global Passes valid
for 15 days, 22 days or 1 month are Continuous Passes. InterRail Global passes
valid for 5 or 10 days within a longer period of time are Flexi Passes.
Flexi Passes can only be used for a certain number of travel
days within a set period. If you have a Flexi Pass, a travel calendar will be
included with your ticket.
Continuous Passes can be used on unlimited valid services
(every day) during the period in which the pass is valid.
How do I fill out the travel calenderWhen travelling with the Flexi Pass it is important that you
record the date of each day that you use it on, in the travel calendar boxes
(printed on the pass). You must write in ink and it is imperative to do this
before boarding each train. Not doing so is the same as travelling without a
ticket, which means that you risk a hefty fine.
The month should be written below the day but be careful in
filling this in as if you make a mistake that you cannot correct then the guard
could interpret that as fraud. If you do make a mistake then you should enter
the date correctly in the next travel day box and consequently lose a travel day.
Are there any
additional costs?On special trains, such as many high-speed trains and
overnight services, you will have to pay a supplement for a seat or sleeping
berth reservation. Some normal Inter-City trains in Italy are also considered
high speed trains, and you may have to pay a supplement. To travel by TGV in
France for example, you only have to pay the reservation fee, which costs
Approx. €5-10 (for a Seat).
High-Speed trains that always require an additional
supplement include;
TGV (France), Italian Eurostar and Inter City (Italy),
Thalys (Belgium, Netherlands), Rail Jet (Central & Eastern Europe), Inter
City (IC) and Euro City (EC) trains (everywhere, except within Belgium,
Netherlands and Luxembourg), AVE (Spain).
Inter City (IC) and Inter City Express (ICE) trains
involving a German Station do not require a seat reservation as mandatory, but
it is always recommended, as these routes do get very busy, and you could end
up travelling standing for long journeys.
Overnight trains always require an additional supplement for
Seats and Sleeping accommodations;
The principle cross-Europe overnight trains are the City
Night Line (CNL) and Euro Night (EN) services; they usually have a combination
of 2nd Class Seats, 4 / 6 Berth Couchettes and Double / Single Sleepers (note:
not all trains have all levels of accommodation).
Other overnight trains of note include the Trenhotel from
Paris to Madrid / Barcelona / Lisbon; these have Seats, 4 Berth Couchettes and
Double / Single Sleepers. There are also many domestic overnight trains, with
varying levels of accommodation in places like France, Italy and Scandinavia.
How do I make
reservations?You can either book your seat or sleeper reservations in
advance with us or locally at the station. Please be aware that on some train
types (e.g. TGV) there are limited numbers of Pass holder Seats available on
each individual service, so advance purchase (whether through us, or once in
the country of travel) is recommended; especially in peak travel seasons (i.e. Easter
and Summer Holidays).
If you wish to book reservations with us in advance then all
we will need to know is the date of travel, approximate times, whether you
would like a seat or a sleeper compartment (if travelling overnight), how many
people travelling and the train number if known. Then we can give you a quote
based on that information; please be aware that there will be a small booking
fee added for doing this on your behalf, and as most seat reservations can only
be issued as paper tickets, there will also be a postage fee to deliver them
safely to you.
How much does a
reservation cost?The cost of a seat reservation depends on the type of train
and the level of comfort that you require. 2nd class seat reservations on
domestic trains are usually between £5.00-10.00(GBP). International journeys on
trains can be more expensive, for example Thalys or TGV trains, where
supplements can range from around £20-60(GBP) per pass-holder. Supplements for
night trains can range from £5.00(GBP) for a seat to over £80.00(GBP) for a
private sleeping cabin.
Can
I travel overnight on a train using my InterRail pass?Yes, you can travel overnight on a train using your pass by
purchasing a pass-holder fare at a discounted rate. There are different sleeper
options to choose from and they can vary between each service provider, but
generally consist of the following:
Single Sleeper Cabins (and Double Deluxe Cabins) - These are
generally only available with a 1st class InterRail pass and are for the sole
use of 1 person only. Some do come with private toilet and shower facilities
but others will have shared facilities located within the sleeper coach.
Double Sleeper Cabins - These are ideal for 2 people
travelling together and have shared facilities located within the sleeper
coach. On City Night Line and Euro Night trains - you now only need a 2nd Class
Pass to travel in these.
Three berth sleeper cabins (or T3 Sleepers) -These cabins
offer three bunks for 3 people and have shared facilities located within the
sleeper coach.
4 berth sleeper cabins - These cabins offer four bunks for 4
people and have shared facilities located within the sleeper coach.
6 berth sleeper cabins - These cabins offer six bunks for 6
people and have shared facilities located within the sleeper coach.
Seat - Seats are not available on ALL overnight trains and
can be uncomfortable but offer an inexpensive way to travel on long distance
trains.
Is the Eurostar
included in my InterRail pass?Unfortunately not: Journeys with Eurostar (from and to
London) are not included in the InterRail Global / Flexi pass. You can get a
Pass-holder fare if your InterRail Global / Flexi pass is valid in either the
country of departure or the country of arrival. Note: if you travel only
between Brussels and Lille, you can buy a ticket for the TGV-fare:
approximately £5.00(GBP).
How much luggage can I take on board the
train?Most major railway stations have luggage carts, left luggage
offices or coin operated lockers for storage of your luggage. Aboard the train,
luggage racks are found above the seats or at the end of the car, but do keep
an eye on your luggage as the railway company will not be held responsible for
lost or stolen bags. It is also recommended that you label all of your luggage
clearly before you travel.
There are no weight restrictions on any one piece of luggage
and passengers can generally bring 2 bags/suitcases on board, plus 1 piece of
hand luggage. Spaces for larger pieces of luggage such as bike bags, skis,
collapsible push chairs and surf boards etc can be found at the end of each car
on many services.
Will there be food on
board?Many long distance trains have full service restaurant cars
offering breakfast, lunch and dinner but this will vary between services.
Buffet and bar cars, found on most High-Speed, middle distance and overnight
trains, sell light meals throughout the trip and vendors with food trolleys
often pass through the train selling beverages and snacks. We recommend that you
enquire at the station before you board to find out if these services are
available and if not then you can stock up on snacks and beverages before you
depart.
What
details do I need to purchase an InterRail pass from you?To purchase an InterRail pass from us you will need to have
your passport number and date of birth handy at the time of your order. Once
you have placed the order via our website we do aim to ship all tickets and
passes out via next day delivery (if the order is placed before 15:00 GMT, we
aim to get all orders to UK address out the same day - with Royal Mail's
Special Delivery service, that guarantees next working day delivery within the
UK).
How
will my pass be delivered?If the delivery address that you provide is within the UK then
your pass will be sent out via Royal Mail Special Delivery™ Next Day (Excluding
weekends and bank holidays). In order to benefit from Royal Mail Special
Delivery™ you will need to place your order via our website before 3pm Monday
to Thursday. Any orders placed after 3pm or on a Friday will not reach you
until the following business day.
If your delivery address is outside of the UK then your pass
will be shipped via DHL and depending on where you are in the world the
delivery times vary from 2-6 business days. All UK and overseas shipments will
require a signature on arrival, so please make sure that there is someone at
the address you give to sign for your pass.
If the postman or delivery driver calls at your address and
no one is there to sign for the shipment then they will leave a card to say
they have called with their contact details on. It is then your responsibility
to contact the appropriate delivery office and arrange a re-delivery or
collection in person.
Please note that you cannot collect your InterRail pass from
a station if you order via our site.
I have received my
InterRail pass but some of the details on it are incorrect, what should I do?Once you have received your pass we do recommend that you
check all documentation carefully. If you find that any of your information is
incorrect then please contact us within 48 hours of receiving it, so that we
can sort out any problems before you depart for your travel.
Please Note: if details (such as the spelling of your name,
the date of birth or your passport number) on the issued Pass are incorrect
because you entered them incorrectly when booking, there will be a charged
levied by InterRail, and a small administration fee from International Rail, to
cancel and re-issue the pass correctly.
I can no longer use
my pass and would like a refund, how do I go about this?We can offer refunds on passes as long as the start date has
not passed. Refunds before the start date can be issued minus a cancellation
and administration fee, please contact us or further details. Unfortunately we cannot offer refunds on passes after the
start date.
Images courtesy of Eurail