- Departure and arrival: one of 40,000 European channels
- Distance: 243,360 kilometers
- Duration : from 4 days to 3 months
- Country: 33
The Interrail Pass, the collective ticket that allows you to travel by train (and ferry) to 40,000 destinations in 33 European countries, is experiencing a second life. Designed in 1972 for people under 21 to enable them to travel inexpensively throughout Europe, it is now also very popular with adults and seniors over 60, as it is much easier to get than a ticket on any train to buy companies in the countries crossed.
Travel without route restrictions
Its success is also due to the growing attention paid to rail as an environmentally friendly means of transport that can reach all cities and regions in Europe more easily than planes.
It is no coincidence that it has sparked renewed interest despite cheap flights being offered at unbeatable prices. Whether first or second class, the Interrail Pass allows you to travel for 24 hours and a predefined number of days (from four consecutive or separate days up to three months) without travel restrictions, without having to set a route in advance. but choose the destination and the number of stages of the journey day by day.
⋙ With these rail passes you can travel around the world and save money
The different types of passports
With the Flexi Pass, for example, it is possible to travel for four to fifteen days for one or two calendar months without any route restrictions. There are two types: the country passport, which, as the name suggests, is valid in a single country, and the global passport, which can be used in 33 European countries.
But that’s not all: with the Continuous Pass, which is naturally more expensive, you can travel as you wish for the entire period of validity, which ranges from fifteen days to three months. Ideal for real globetrotters. Finally, there is a special pass for ferry connections between the Greek islands.
How do I buy an Interrail pass?
Any citizen, European or not, legally residing in a European country can buy an Interrail pass, now without age restrictions. The price of each type of pass varies depending on the four age groups so defined: children aged 4 to 11 (who travel for free); young people aged 12 to 27; adults aged 28 and over; Seniors over 60 years old. Children under 4 years of age travel free of charge, accompanied of course, and do not need an Interrail Pass.
All passes, whether paper or mobile, can be purchased on the official website or from railway companies, at train station ticket offices and in travel agencies. Regardless of whether the pass is dematerialized on a smartphone or in paper form, for each trip it is necessary to “record” the journey to be taken, the date and the departure and arrival times of the train taken. are subject to inspection by the on-board personnel.
The mobile version has a very useful application, Rail Planner, with which you can view the train schedules of the 33 countries, find out which ones require reservation (paid separately) and plan the routes.
⋙ Very, very high speed: the 10 fastest trains in the world
Discounts for pass holders
With the Interrail pass you have access to all trains, whether local, regional, high-speed or night trains. However, some trains require a seat reservation, which you can do directly via the application.
The latter also highlights the discounts that Interrail pass holders receive on many services, from accommodation to local transport to entry to museums.
Which countries can you travel to by train with an Interrail Pass?
The Interrail Pass is valid in the following countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia , Montenegro, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.
For example, you can set off from Gällivare in northern Sweden, well beyond the Arctic Circle, after enjoying the midnight sun, and arrive in Palermo or Athens to enjoy the warm Mediterranean climate, with a single ticket and the choice of which each day Itinerary you would like to take as well as the location and duration of the stages.
More than 10 million travelers since 1972
The Interrail Pass stands for an extraordinary experience, the discovery of cultures, encounters that create lasting friendships and offers much more than a simple trip or flight to a destination. Since its founding in March 1972, more than 10 million people have traveled the continent with it. Interrailers mainly run from June to September, mainly to southern and western Europe, but also to central Europe.
Young people still make up a high percentage of users (64%). In the year before the Covid-19 pandemic, sales recorded a 20% increase, in line with the trend of previous years, with the proportion of seniors increasing (78%).
The content is taken from the book “Discover the world by train“ (Editions GEO), which offers exceptional railway routes for every continent.
This book about traveling differently has been available in stores since September 21, 2023. GEOOn the same topic:
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