Why should you use an Interrail Pass to travel through Europe?
Hey there!
I love traveling by train because it is very relaxing, there is a possibility to do some work and ecologically speaking it is a better solution to get around in Europe. I already made 2 videos about this for my YouTube channel, but now I wanted to write down in a blog what you need to know before you travel with an Interrail Pass.
I tell you about the advantages, disadvantages, prices and more.
What is an interrail pass?
It is a paper train ticket that allows you to travel on almost all trains in Europe, to be exact, you can travel through 33 European countries. All European residents can travel with an Interrail Pass, it is available for all ages. (If you’re a non-European resident, you can travel with a Eurail Pass.)
The interrail pass will come together with a travel diary, in which you have to write down the details of every journey by train you make. It is strictly personal; your name and birthdate are written on it.
Interrail Global Pass Vs. Interrail One Country Pass
You can use an interrail pass to travel through European countries or to travel within 1 European country. The first one is called a “global pass”, the other one is a “one country pass”.
- There is a minimum of 4 days/month traveling and a maximum of 3 full months for a Global Pass.
- There is a minimum of 3 days/month traveling and a maximum of 8 days/month for a One Country Pass.
I find the One Country Pass rather expensive, so if you don't look for flexibility while traveling, I recommend you to buy your tickets on another website.
Watch https://bit.ly/cheaptrainticketsEU for the video I made comparing which website is the cheapest to buy train tickets in Europe.
The final price of your ticket will depend on your age, the shipping and additional supplements.
In my video about the Interrail Pass I talk you through the process of buying the ticket and finding which one is the best price-quality: https://bit.ly/interrailpassEU
A little summary here:
Age
Youth between 12 and 27yo, get a 25% discount on the regular price. Seniors older than 60, get a 10% discount. Each adult can take up to 2 children between the age of 4 and 11 free of charge. Children under 4 travel for free and don't need a Interrail Pass.Shipping
The cost of a delivery within Europe is between €9 and €15 and can take up to 10 days. Too late? You can also buy it in an international travel center! On Interrail they don’t mention this as an option, but I when you look on the website of your national railway, you will find out where you can buy it (In Belgium eg. you can only buy the ticket in Brussels-Midi, and you have to travel more then 3days to buy it there). But it isn't cheaper than paying the shipping because eg. I had to pay a supplement of 9 Euros service fee in Brussels.Supplements
If you use a special speed train, you’re not done paying yet: a reservation of a seat is mandatory. These “special trains” includes high-speed and night trains and many trains in France, Italy and Spain. Eg. Eurostar, Thalys, TGV, Rail Jet require an extra seat reservation. And if you travel by bike, you will need an extra reservation for that as well.
So I will finish this blog discussing the advantages and disadvantages of using this train ticket:
Advantages
- Flexibility (and less stress, because you don’t have to think about the strict train connection on a train ticket)
- Cheaper for last minute train tickets (with the TGV, Eurostar and other expresstrains)
- Good interrail.app who shows the trains all over Europe.
- Night train: you only pay for one day (the day of departure)
Disadvantages
- Not the cheapest way to travel around Europe
- Requirement to make a reservation for trains (more expensive and you lose the flexibility)
- Global Pass: only 1 out- and inbound journey
Thank you for reading and / or watching the video!
Have a great day and if you have any questions, you can always leave them in the comment section. I'd be happy to help.
Clara