Interrail, all you need to know about traveling Europe by train

Also available in: Nederlands

What is Interrail?

Beware that these passes are only available for EU-citizens. For non-EU citizens, go here!

With Interrail, you travel around Europe by train in combination with a global – or one country pass. Within this passes you have different options. There is a total of seven options with the global pass and four options with the one country pass. The global pass is by far the most flexible and has the big plus point that you are able to travel trough all participating countries.

Austria	Germany	Poland
Belgium	Great Britain	Portugal
Bosnia-Herzegovina	Greece	Romania
Bulgaria	Hungary	Serbia
Croatia	Ireland	Slovakia
The Czech Republic	Italy	Slovenia
Denmark	Luxembourg	Spain
FYR Macedonia	Montenegro	Sweden
Finland	Netherlands	Switzerland
France	Norway	Turkey

Download the map.

Why interrail?

 

Some reasons for me to interrail are.

• Most important, traveling by train is a holiday in itself already. Watch the scenery slide by your window, take a nap whenever you want, read a book, listen to music, meet new people. And when you are tired of sitting, get up and take a walk.
• Freedom, go wherever you wanna go.
• Costs are known in advance.
• No long lines and waiting time at the airport. Not many people can afford flying from one country to the next.
• Ideal if you don’t have a drivers license or just don’t wanna drive

It’s a great and relaxing way to travel and see Europe. 

The main rail network in Europe.

What do you need to know?

 

Reservations are only needed for high-speed trains like the TGV in France. with an exception for the ICE international, that doesn’t need a reservation. However, I would recommend making one in the high season period like summer. Reservations can be made at the bigger stations, against a small fee. My experience has been really good. I never paid more than ten Euros for any of my reservations on my interrail trip last year. When you reserve in advance trough the interrail reservation system, you might pay more than making the reservation at the stations.

Make sure your personal details on your global- or one country pass matches the ones on your passport or ID-card.

Make sure to always fill out the date you travel on the calendar of your pass. And also, fill out your travel diary for every train you take. If you need more space in your travel diary, you can download additional pages here. When you get an inspection from the conductor he might ask for it. If you make your first trip of the day with a direct night train leaving after 19:00 (7 p.m.) that day and arriving after 04:00 (4 a.m.) the next day. Then you only have to fill out the day you arrive on your travel calendar. You will save one day ?

Looking up train schedules can be done here. Download the app here:

Android, Apple

 

Interrail prices for the global pass 2017

 

• Since 2016 the global pass will include one outbound and one inbound journey in the country of residence.
• The passes may be bought up to 11 months prior to departure.
• youth: 12-25 years.
• Senior 60 years and up.
• 2 children from 4 to 11 years old may travel free with an adult. All accompanying children must be given a pass (which is stapled to the tickets of the adults.)

 

	Jongeren	Volwass.	Volwass.	Senior	Senior
Class	2nd class	2nd class	1st class	2nd class	1st class
5 days within 15 days	€ 206	€ 267	€ 355	€ 240	€ 319
7 days within 1 month	€ 253	€ 318	€ 422	€ 287	€ 379
10 days within 1 month	€ 301	€ 378	€ 505	€ 341	€ 454
15 days within 1 month	€ 372	€ 468	€ 621	€ 421	€ 559
15 days continuous	€ 348	€ 418	€ 558	€ 377	€ 503
22 days continuous	€ 385	€ 489	€ 652	€ 441	€ 588
1 month continuous	€ 493	€ 632	€ 844	€ 570	€ 761

Interrail prices for the one country pass 2017

 

• Category 1: France, Germany, and Great Britain
• Category 2: Austria, Italy (inc. ferry Greece – Italy), Norway*, Spain, and Sweden.
• Category 3: Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg – see conditions), Denmark, Finland, Greece + (inc. ferry Greece – Italy), Ireland, Italy, Switzerland
• Category 4: Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Turkey
• Category 5: Macedonia, Serbia

*There is no 1st class on offer in Norway. The trains in Norway do not have 1st class seats. On board the long-distance trains, Norwegian Railways does offer a Comfort class, which you can travel in by paying a € 10.00 surcharge.