For a long time, Interrail was the way for young people to get to know other cultures and thus begin their traveling curriculum. The ideal time to take that trip through Europe was the summer, a cheap and fun way to spend the holidays with friends on board a train.
Some prefer to leave their next destination to chance and others, on the other hand, plan every step they take in detail. However, to travel on Interrail it is convenient to be clear about some premises such as the type of trip you want to do, the days it will last and the season of the year in which you are going to travel, because depending on them it will be easier to choose the ticket with which several countries will be traveled.
If you are planning to do the Interrail soon, then we will tell you everything you need to know to travel Europe by train by train. There are many new features!
What is Interrail?
It is a ticket that allows you to get on all the trains you want to travel through different countries for a certain time. In Spain, the Interrail ticket can be purchased through Renfe, which offers promotions in both spring and autumn.
What kind of Interrail tickets are there?
The types of Interrail passes that exist are the Interrail One Country Pass and the Interrail Global Pass. In the case of choosing the One Country Pass, the ticket can be used 3, 4, 6 or 8 days in a period of one month. In the case of the InterRail Global Pass, the ticket can be used 5 days in a period of 10 (without having to be consecutive) or 10 days in a period of 22.
In case of traveling in two specific countries, it is probably cheaper to use two One Country Pass from those countries instead of buying the Interrail Global Pass for 30 countries. Now, if there are more than three countries that want to know each other, then it is convenient to get the Interrail Global Pass.
How are the Interrail ticket prices?
The prices vary depending on the age, the chosen areas and the days of travel. My advice is that you choose the Interrail Global Pass, which includes many countries, and see the days you need for your trip but if you want to visit some small Central European countries such as Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium (one of the most popular) it is best to buy several One Country Pass because it is cheaper.
Who can travel with Interrail?
Only European citizens and official residents of any age can travel with an Interrail Pass. Non-Europeans can use a Eurail Pass instead. Finally, non-Europeans who can prove that they reside in Europe will be able to use an Interrail Pass.
Where are Interrail tickets bought?
In Spain, the Interrail ticket can be purchased through Renfe three months before the date of the first day of validity. Once purchased, the ticket is personal and non-transferable so it is necessary to prove identity and date of birth by presenting ID, passport or residence certificate.
Tickets are not obtained immediately. There are several types of shipping, ranging from "Budget shipping", free and taking about 11 business days, to "Premium shipping", the fastest with 3 days of waiting and tracking for approximately 25 euros. The Interrail ticket always arrives by registered mail.
Can the Interrail ticket be used in the country of residence?
Interrail tickets are heavy to offer travelers the best of train travel abroad. This is why it is not possible to use the Interrail One Country Pass to travel within your own country of residence. Instead, An Interrail Global Pass is valid for two trips within the traveler's country of residence.
This means that with the new Interrail Global Pass you can start and end your Interrail at a train station close to home. This novelty makes this trip to Europe more economical and simple because it will no longer be necessary to take a flight to start the train journey.
Is there an app to do the Interrail?
There is and it is available on both Android and iOS! This is another of the latest news about Interrail. With the new Rail Planner app, you can see the schedules of each train from any corner of the continent. Also, it works without an internet connection.
On its website you can plan your trip to measure and in advance using the information available about each European city and the maps.
How to prepare for the trip on Interrail?
The documentation to do the Interrail
It is very important to have the relevant documentation in order. For most European countries, the valid ID is sufficient to pass border controls, however it is advisable to also travel with a passport. In addition, we cannot forget the European Health Insurance Card.
Set a budget for travel
Another fundamental step before starting the trip is to set a budget for food, accommodation or souvenirs. Although we can have a credit card for unforeseen events, having a budget will avoid us coming back in the red.
Plan the tour in advance
You cannot start the Interrail without planning the route beforehand as the use of the tickets has a limited time. The most advisable thing is to be clear about which cities to visit each day, avoiding improvisation and making sure that we will see the most important monuments. In this sense, the use of the new Rail Planner Interrail app is recommended, which offers us the schedules of each train from anywhere in Europe and very useful information and maps for traveling.
Choosing accommodation during Interrail
Once the destinations have been decided, it is also important to decide the type of accommodation, keeping several options in mind to avoid wasting time looking for the right place. In general, an Interrail traveler tends to opt for youth hostels, although many also opt for cheap hostels. You can also sleep on night trains, making the most of this transport to move and rest at the same time.
When we get off a train we already begin to visit the city and do not stop until night, so it is important to have enough strength to resist the long days of tourism. Do not forget that Interrail has no breaks.
Luggage during Interrail
The key to Interrail is to carry light luggage. One trick is to avoid what can be bought in the country you are visiting, such as sunscreen, shampoo or toothpaste. As for clothing, it is best to reduce the amount of clothing that is put in the backpack as much as possible to avoid weighing too much.