InterRail
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The InterRail pass is a train pass, available only to residents (minimum 6 months) of Europe, that allows unlimited travel for a defined period of time, except on special trains such as high-speed trains and some night trains. Residents of other countries can purchase the similar Eurail pass.
The fare structure is different from that before 1 April 2007.
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[edit] Global Pass
The Global Pass is, except for the traveller's country of residence, valid in all participating European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey.
Thus it is not valid in the traveller's country of residence, and not on railways in Albania, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. There are no railways in Andorra, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Malta or San Marino. L'Hospitalet-Près-l'Andorre in France is the closest railway station for Andorra. Rimini in Italy is the closest station for San Marino.
[edit] One-Country Pass
The One-Country Pass is available for each of the following countries, except the traveler's country of residence:
Countries with price level 1 (highest):
- France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Norway, Sweden
Countries with price level 2:
- Austria, Benelux, Finland, Greece Plus, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey
Countries with price level 3:
- Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania
Countries with price level 4:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia
There are no separate passes for Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, instead there is one for the whole Benelux (price level 2). It is also available for residents in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, but for them it is only valid in the two countries which are not the country of residence. The "Greece Plus" ticket includes ferry transfer between Greece and Italy. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro don't take part in the Inter Rail One-Country Pass offer.
The One-Country Pass has replaced the Eurodomino pass.
[edit] Trains
Route where the passes are not valid without paying a supplement:
- Channel Tunnel - Eurostar, requires supplement of €75, one way.
Notes on routes and supplements:
- Amsterdam - Paris: the passes require changing at Brussels, Quévy and Aulnoye-Aymeries (8 hours) - the normal connection, with Thalys (4 hours), requires a supplement of €15, one way (limited availability).
- Austria: Overnight trains require reservation. Between Vienna and Hamburg this is around €20.
- Italy: All Eurostar Italia trains have a quite high fee. InterCity Plus and international trains when crossing the border require reservation.
- Croatia: Overnight train between Zagreb and Venice requires reservation.
- Spain: AVE trains
- Switzerland: Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn between Zermatt-Brig-Andermatt-Göschenen/Disentis gives a 50% discount, as do many other railways.
[edit] Residence condition
The passes are available to those who have been legal residents (not travelling on a visa or military personnel living on a base) for at least six months in any of the 30 countries of the IRC, or in any of certain neighbouring countries:
[edit] History
- 1972: The program was begun, limited to travellers 21 or younger. It covered 21 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, West Germany , Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Yugoslavia. The initial price in the United Kingdom was £27.50 for one month's travel.
- 1976: the age limit for the pass was raised to 23; it was raised again to 26 in 1979.
- 1982: the six-month residency requirement was introduced.
- 1985: Certain ferry services were included.
- 1991: the end of the Soviet Union led to expansion of the IRC.
- 1994: 29 of the 30 present-day countries are included (all but Bosnia-Herzegovina); the IRC has seven zones, with Zone D including Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia.
- 1998: Inter Rail passes became available to all ages, with fares based on age. The eight zone system is established, minus Bosnia-Herzegovina.
- 2005: Bosnia-Herzegovina joins the IRC.
- 2007: Beginning on April 1, the Eurail Group takes over management of all Inter Rail pass products; no more zones, merged with Eurodomino.
[edit] Zones before 1 April 2007
As of April 2005, the IRC included 30 countries, organized into eight zones:
- Zone A - United Kingdom, Ireland
- Zone B - Finland, Norway, Sweden
- Zone C - Austria, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland
- Zone D - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia
- Zone E - Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
- Zone F - Morocco, Portugal, Spain
- Zone G - Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Turkey
- Zone H - Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro
The cost of the pass was based on the zones included and the traveler's age. 16-day passes included one zone, 22-day passes covered any two zones, and month-long passes covered all zones.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- InterRailNet.com, the official InterRail website for all Europeans.
- InterRail Station, the main InterRail weblog.
- InterRail.net, the in-depth personal website of an Inter Rail traveller named Peter Freisberg, online since 1996
- WorldonRails The biggest Dutch site about InterRail.
- Inter-Rail.it, the Italian InterRail community.
- InterRail.ch, a Swiss InterRail site.
- Inter-Rail.org, the Spanish InterRail site.
- Eurail, InterRail alternative for non-european citizens.
