Interrail is… The trip of a lifetime
Travel through 30 countries with just one ticket,
and see the magnificent sights of Europe for yourself!
Discover Europe with Interrail
There’s a lot of great reasons to go Interrailing, be it alone or with friends or family.
Unforgettable sights and spectacular landmarks await you all over Europe.
It’s never too late, or too soon – get out there and see it all!
Let’s Go!
Choose your Interrail Global Pass
– Our Top Picks –
22 days Pass
Youth ( 12-27 years old )
Travel every day for only
€ 385
On interrail’s secure website
10 days Pass
Adult ( 28-59 years old )
Travel 10 days in 1 month
€ 378
On interrail’s secure website
10 days Pass
Family ( 2 adults, 2 children )
Travel 10 days in 1 month
€ 756
On interrail’s secure website
Interrail Pass Europe
Having two types of tickets on offer affords you a choice when it comes to your planning. Do you want to explore each country you visit in detail, spending several weeks or more at each one? Or would you rather do more of a whistle-stop tour through several countries, taking in the highlights of each one as you go?
Or why not both? Depending on how much time you have available and how much you have in your travel budget, it is entirely possible to get the best of both worlds by seeing multiple European countries in great detail. It may take a little more planning, as you will need to set dates in advance when you will be moving on to the next country.
Although some seasoned travellers may find this more constraining, many first-time travellers can benefit from having a clear plan of action.
InterRail Global Pass and Tickets
The original InterRail Pass is now referred to as the InterRail Global Pass. For a one-off fee, the InterRail Global Pass allows the holder to travel by train and sometimes other methods such as buses and boats, throughout the 30 countries which participate in the scheme.
The reason for the name change is to differentiate it from InterRail’s other ticket offering; the InterRail One Country Pass, which allows unlimited Interrail travel in one particular country, rather than all participating countries.
This is ideal for travellers who want to take their time and really get to know each country they visit in as much depth as possible.
Your Interrail Guide
InterRailing is the term used to describe a trip devoted to experiencing the many wonders of European travel.
You can do this by travelling via its vast network of highly efficient public transport services. This is facilitated by the InterRail Pass.
There is no such thing as an Interrail train or Interrail bus – Interrailing simply enables you to use the existing infrastructure in the country to travel freely!
With 30 countries to see, there’s plenty of journeys and destinations to keep you busy for as long as you would like!
Explore 30 countries with the Interrail Global Pass
Start your journey!How did Interrail start?
The InterRail idea was born all the way back in 1972. The national railways of multiple European countries all grouped together in order to offer people ‘Interrail passes’ allowing them unlimited access to rail travel throughout the continent.
At the time, the InterRail Pass was aimed more towards young people, and that is still the largest demographic of people using the InterRail today.
The ‘InterRail around Europe’ trend has taken off massively all over the world since its inception, with over 300,000 people enjoying the InterRail experience last year alone. It is now a popular go-to option for all sorts of people who wish to travel in and around Europe.
From recent university graduates, to thirty-somethings, to people who always wanted to travel but never had the opportunity. It’s never too early or too late to take an Interrail trip!
How do InterRail Reservations work?
- InterRail Passes are valid for an amount of time between five days and one months, depending on which one you get.
- InterRail Passes can only be used by European residents. For non-European residents, there is an alternative; the Eurail Pass.
- Youth InterRail Passes are available at a reduced rate, to anybody under the age of 28. Children under 12 can get InterRail Passes completely free.
- You can use your InterRail Pass to travel for free on the national rail service of any participating country; there are no special InterRail trains. Sometimes you need to pay a small reservation or supplement though.
What are the Interrail destinations?
Participating Interrail countries include: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom.
Interrail Map
Here we have a map featuring all of the different routes that you can take while Interrailing. Click the button below to download it:
Interrail Routes
For a timetable of train times around Europe, you can consult the excellent German website bahn.de/en. You will find that you can ride on almost all of the trains displayed there with an InterRail Pass.
If you are looking for some Interrail route ideas to follow, we’ve got you covered – check out our pre-planned routes for each of the Interrail destinations we have guides for!
Alternatively, be your own Interrail route planner and dive into our Interrail destinations guide. Just decide which Interrail Europe routes you like the look of and get started on your perfect Interrail plan.
Can I use my InterRail Pass in my home country?
The InterRail Global Pass is only valid in your country of residence for one inbound and one outbound journey. For example, if you live in the UK, you can use the InterRail Pass to ride the Eurostar into mainland Europe at the start of your trip, and take the Eurostar back to London again at the end of your trip.
If you are planning to use your Interrail Pass to ride the Eurostar, be aware that reservations are required and should be made at least three months before your intended travel date.
The reason for the limitation is to prevent people from using their InterRail Pass exclusively in their own country for reasons which they weren’t intended, such as commuting to work. As the InterRail Pass is considerably cheaper than many monthly rail tickets, this was a necessary measure to take.
Does the InterRail Pass only work on trains?
No! The InterRail Pass works on ferry and bus transport services as well, in certain countries. Although it is true that the rail coverage is vastly more comprehensive than the ferry and bus services, this is improving all the time.
Here is a table which shows which public transport services accept InterRail Passes in each of the 30 participating countries:
What does the InterRail Pass look like?
This is called a Global 5 days in 10 days ‘Flexi’ InterRail Pass. It is valid for 10 days, between 17-11-2009 and 26-11-2009. During these 10 days, the holder of this ticket may make 5 separate journeys. There are spaces to write the day and the month or each journey under the numbers 1-5. Each space is equal to one free day of travel, valid from midnight to midnight, and if you are travelling overnight the space is counted as the day you arrive at your destination, which makes it easier if you have plans to travel further after your overnight trip.
‘Continuous’ passes, such as the Global One-Month Pass, look very similar, except without the spaces to write in your journey days. You are however required to fill out the InterRail travel report, which should contain the date, time, starting point and destination of each train you board. Most train conductors will wait for you if you forget to fill it in, but theoretically there could be a fine if you don’t. The Travel Report is sent back to InterRail after you get home (free postage) and used for market research purposes.
Interrail Advice – is it safe to Interrail alone?
Travelling in Europe is safer generally than other parts of the world such as Asia, Africa and South America, mainly because the countries are more economically developed, and because diseases are less common.
That being said, there are still important steps that you would be wise to take which will help to keep you safe, and cover your back in case something unexpected does happen.
Simple precautions like keeping your valuables out of sight, hidden in the inside pocket of your backpack for example, go a long way.
Another important one is to divide your money instead of keeping it all in one place which could leave you high and dry if that place becomes compromised.
3 great alternative to cash you can use while travelling in Europe
As far as money goes, there are now several modern and easy to use options available to travellers who don’t want to carry all of their cash with them, but still want to access it whenever it is needed.
FairFX Card
Available: Worldwide
Card Details
No obligation, secure link
WeSwap Card
Available: UK Only
Card Details
Quick and easy top-ups
Revolut Card
Available: Worldwide
Card Details
Manage from your mobile with ease
Interrail Planner – Where should I InterRail to?
(Screenshot taken from interrail-planner.com)
How long is a piece of string?! Europe is an incredibly large and diverse place, with countless fantastic sights to see, fun things to do, and interesting things to learn. Take a browse around interrail-journey.com and you’ll find plenty of great ideas for all of these.
For starters, you could look at the InterRail Destination of the Year for 2016; Valencia. Out of 10 shortlisted destinations, Valencia came out on top with 33% of the votes. What’s more, it’s easily accessible via high-speed lines from other popular Spanish locations such as Barcelona and Madrid, in addition to countless daily connections to other popular Interrail Spain destinations.
If that’s not enough to pique your interest about Valencia, you may also like to know that it is Spain’s third largest city. A combination of old and new is provided by the characterful Barrio del Carmen area and its labyrinthine cobbled streets overseen by tall medieval buildings, juxtaposed with the L’Assut D’or Bridge and the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (The City of Arts and Sciences).
But Valencia is just the tip of the iceberg – Europe is full of places just as interesting, entertaining and beautiful, and they’re all waiting for you to discover them!
Interrail Cost – How much money do I need to go InterRailing?
When you are planning the Interrail budget for your grand European adventure, there are plenty of different expenditures to consider. As you can see below, Interrail ticket prices are very reasonable and offer great value for money.
Regarding your day-to-day Interrail budget, as a starting point you should be able to get by spending on average €55 per day, including accommodation, meals and occasional drinks at the bar with newfound friends.
You will find you make lots of these when you Interrail in Europe!
Benefits of train travel in Europe
In most parts of the world, travelling through multiple countries across country borders would be a very complicated undertaking due to difficulties involved with different visa requirements in each country, but InterRail makes planning your trip as simple as possible.
What makes it even easier is if you are British, or an EU citizen / resident, you are able to travel to almost all of the 30 countries that feature InterRail visa-free, thanks to the borderless Schengen Area.
Interrail Tickets
There are numerous types of InterRail tickets (referred to commonly and throughout this website as InterRail Passes), ranging between €200 – €500, each catering to people with varying travel plans and budget constraints. Just remember when you are adding up the costs, you may need to pay fees to book on some journeys, including night trains or high-speed trains.
Becoming an Interrail Rail Planner
If you are the planning type, start by creating a shortlist of all the different places in Europe you would like to visit as part of your journey.
Then you’ll want to start figuring out what order you’re going to see them. And once you know that, you will know exactly which InterRail Pass you will need!
[plan your trip]
On the other hand, if you are more of a free spirit and would like to embrace the spontaneous and slightly random aspect of InterRailing, all you need to know is how long you are going for, so you can choose a ticket that is valid for as long as you need it.
If you don’t even know that, just take the plunge, buy a Global InterRail Pass for unlimited European travel lasting a month, and get going!
[button: Get Global InterRail Pass here]
Interrail Tips: Accommodation
Although the cost of accommodation can vary wildly between the different countries in Europe, and even the different regions in those countries, a good ballpark average figure for a hostel room for one night would be €15.00 – €45.00.
Hostels are preferable for the typical InterRail traveller, as they offer the opportunity of staying in close quarters with other like-minded travellers. They also often provide homely common areas where you can get to know the people you are staying with and spend some down time when you feel like resting.
If you are travelling as a couple, and would like some privacy, then guest house rooms, Airbnb places, or even hotels might be preferable. This will largely be decided by your budget.
Some travelling couples choose to ‘slum it’ in the hostels for the majority of their journey, perhaps staying at a nice hotel for one or two nights to make the most of the novelty.
[find accommodation all over Europe]
InterRail ticket - Where to buy your Interrail Pass
There are plenty of ways to get your hands on an InterRail Pass, both on and offline. Buying them online is preferred by most, and you will find the best websites for buying InterRail tickets right here on interrail-journey.com
[Button: compare InterRail Passes]
InterRail Europe: Travel Trends
InterRailing may become even more popular soon, if plans by the European Parliament come to fruition. Proposals have been submitted to give a free InterRail Global Pass to every European when they turn 18, thereby facilitating free movement and encouraging travel and discovery throughout the continent.
For now however, this remains merely a proposal. But there’s nothing stopping you from giving the gift of free travel and life experience to someone you know! Do you know someone who would appreciate an Interrail gift?
[Button: Give the gift of InterRail]
Interrail Packing List
Make sure you’ve got all the Interrail essentials ready for your Interrail journey – run your eye down our Interrail packing list before you go!
Not started packing yet? Perhaps we can help you to choose an Interrail backpack: