A single train pass opens the door to unforgettable travel throughout Europe. Traveling with Interrail means meeting new people, experiencing adventure, seeing breathtaking scenery, and getting to know new cultures. It joins, gives the freedom to be spontaneous and allows flexibility to savor his journey. Whether city breaks throughout Europe or an intensive tour of a single country – with the Interrailpass every adventure is possible. As a result, a city trip to Vienna can be easily combined with other cities.
Interrail – planning the trip
Before you start, you should plan your trip in advance. This is especially important to prevent stressful and unpleasant situations and it increases the anticipation. It belongs to the planning …
… choose the Interrail Pass:
There are different passes, each adapted to different destinations and comfort needs. To find out which passport is the right one, you should know your goals in advance.
- The Global Pass is valid in 31 European countries for a freely selectable period of time. These include Scandinavia and the UK, but not Albania.
- The One Country Pass is valid in one country and can be combined with passports for other countries. For smaller countries, there are alternatives such as the Benelux Pass to travel through Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Travel from and to the country of residence are included.
… to plan the route:
To know which pass you need, you should at least know its rough route beforehand. This also affects the required travel days. This is the Interrailkarte, which indicates the railways in Europe, which are included in the pass. In addition, there is a map showing the travel times from city to city.
… to look up the travel times:
Also online and in the app for your smartphone, you can see arrival and departure times and find out if you need to change. This also allows you to plan reservations in advance if necessary.
… make train reservations:
In certain trains you must also have some paid reservations. These should definitely be booked in advance, as the trains can be booked in the summer. In the Premium Pass (One Country or Global Pass Upgrade), reservations are free.
… to plan extras before the trip:
Interrail has partnerships with many residences across Europe and it’s often cheaper to pay attention to certain offers. There are also helpful tips on transfers from the train station to the property or attractions. This makes the journey particularly uncomplicated.
Questions and answers about the advantages of a train journey through Europe
When does it benefit to buy an Interrail Pass instead of a regular ticket?
Der Interrail Pass macht vor allem bei langen Distanzen und vielen Reisetagen Sinn. Auf kurzen Distanzen oder Direktreisen hingegen sind oft sogar international eigene Tickets günstiger.
What are the top destinations in Europe?
Especially popular are the Mediterranean countries Spain, Italy and Portugal. But also Croatia and France attract many travelers in the summer. Because Austria and Switzerland often pass by, travelers often stop here because of the breathtaking scenery of the Alps and beautiful cities.
Is it easy to change the goal and if so, how are you?
Yes, it is amazingly easy. A traveler has the complete freedom to enter the planned trip (preferably only on the day of travel itself) in the passport. Only the possibly resulting new reservations can be paid. The changes are particularly easy with the app. There you can search for connections with destination and date. It is also there the train number if the linguistic barriers at the station are too high and you are afraid to miss his connection.
What should you wrap up?
That depends on the travel style. Something to wear, however, is often more practical than a scissors suitcase, because otherwise you depend on the station on elevators. For the train travel also offers comfortable clothes and certainly enough water. The culinary catering can be obtained at the train station, in supermarkets or sometimes in the on-board restaurant.
Tips:
For youngsters under 27, the Interrail passes are much cheaper. The Youth Pass can also be chosen for the first or second class. Some websites also suggest certain specially-tuned routes. For example, you can travel from Berne via Milan and Florence to Rome and back to Lugano.
There are also many ways to save money. If you first have to fly to your starting point, it is advisable to choose low-cost airlines and book through comparison portals. Many hostels have kitchens where you can cook for yourself. This saves you an expensive dinner. The travel backpack should still have good quality. Because this suffers a lot on the journey and a bad investment can often be punished evil.
More information about the train connection in Europe.
