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.
Please Note: High-Speed trains (like the TGV or AVE trains) and overnight
Sleeper trains 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:
Albania
Andorra
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
FYR Macedonia
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland (Republic of)
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands (The)
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russian Federation
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom (including
Isle of Man and Channel Islands)
Vatican City
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
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 aged 4-11 on their first day of travel, can
travel for free. They will need to travel with a Child Pass, which can be
bought together with an Adult Pass. Up to two children can travel for free with
any one adult. The adult they travel with doesn't even have to be a family
member, just any adult over the age of 18 at the time of travel. Any extra
Child (i.e. a third or fourth Child) 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 calendar?
When 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 Frecciarossa/Frecciargento/Frecciabianca 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; 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).
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 most domestic
trains are usually between GBP5.00-GBP10.00. International journeys on trains
can be more expensive, for example Thalys or TGV trains, where supplements can
range from around GBP20-GBP60 per pass-holder. Supplements for night trains can
range from GBP5.00 for a basic seat to over GBP80.00 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 or 2 persons 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.
Three berth sleeper cabins (or T3 Sleepers) -These cabins offer three bunks
beds 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/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 GBP5.00.
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 15:00 GMT Monday to Thursday.
Any orders placed after this time 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 charge 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 for further details. Unfortunately we
cannot offer refunds on passes after the start date.
If you would like to purchase an InterRail pass please
click here