Interrail Pass Review & Guide: Worth it? (Formerly Eurail)
Getting an Interrail Global Pass was one of my most exciting travel moments as someone who loves to travel by train. And the dream of crossing through Europe by train could finally be a reality for me.
Important 🚨 The Interrail Pass used to have two pass types: Eurail and Interrail. Eurail was for non-European travelers, while the Interrail Pass was for European travelers. Now they have merged into one, so the former Eurail Pass is now the Interrail Pass.
To be honest, though, depending on your travel route, it’s a good idea to ask yourself: Is the Interrail Pass worth it? Because while it can save tons of money, sometimes routes can be very long and flying might just be easier.
In my Interrail Pass review, I’ll cover everything you need to know about buying an Interrail Pass for Europe travel, and reveal the savings of the Interrail Pass versus individual tickets.
Disclosure: Some links to products and recommendations are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you).
Is the Interrail Pass Worth It? My Experience
The Interrail Global Pass I bought was for 5 flexible days to be used within 30 days.
This was my 5-day route:
- Day 1: Blackpool to London to Paris
- Day 2: Paris to Munich
- Day 3: Munich to Neuschwanstein Day Trip
- Day 4: Munich to Paris
- Day 5: Paris to London
After calculating the individual ticket prices, I realized I saved over $300, which is huge, and I’ll break down later in this Interrail pass review.
The Interrail Pass was super useful for expensive tickets, particularly between London and Paris.
For Neuschwanstein, separate tickets would actually be cheaper, but since I had the extra day to use the Interrail Pass, I used it for that day trip. Otherwise, I would suggest using it for more expensive long-distance trains.
My official Interrail review conclusion is that yes, it’s totally worth it, especially for expensive routes! As long as you plan it out right.
What to Know About the Interrail Pass
Difference Between the Eurail & Interrail Pass
There is no longer any difference, as the two have merged. Now the “Eurail” pass, is the Interrail Pass and it’s for both European and non-European travelers.
What Trains Does the Interrail Pass Cover?
The Interrail pass covers all national and regional trains within specific countries or across Europe, depending on the pass you have. I was even able to use it on a commuter train in Munich as I was staying just outside of the city.
It does not work for local metros and buses.
Pro Tip: If you’re unsure whether the Interrail pass will work on a route, you can check the Interrail to see if the route is available. This is especially helpful for trains like commuter trains, which are sort of an in-between.
Types of Interrail Passes
Flexible: The flexible Interrail pass is the pass I used while traveling in Europe by train.
The flexible pass allows you to use the train for a certain number of days within a larger timeframe.
Of all the options in my Interrail Pass guide, the flexible pass is one of the best for slower travel.
Continuous: The continuous Interrail Pass is meant for multiple days straight. So if you buy a 15-day continuous pass, you have 15 days to use it and can use it as much as you want within that 15-day time frame.
These are the Interrail Global Continuous Pass Options.
Country Specific vs Global Pass:
There are multiple Interrail passes; the global Interrail pass covers 33 countries in Europe, and there are also many country-specific passes.
So let’s say you’re only going to travel extensively in Italy or Germany, you can get passes just for traveling in those countries.
🇪🇺 Check out different Interrail Passes 🇪🇺
Italy Rail Pass 🇮🇹
Germany Rail Pass 🇩🇪
France Rail Pass 🇫🇷
Austria Rail Pass 🇦🇹
Spain Rail Pass 🇪🇸
What Routes to Book Ahead of Time
As you use the Interrail pass, you’ll see that some routes require seat reservations and some of those reservations need to be made ahead of time. Like, way ahead of time.
If you’re planning to take the Eurostar from London to Paris, especially during summertime, you should probably book that at least three months ahead of time.
I went to reserve my seat for early November on the Eurostar about a week before, and my intended departure date had no availability.
So I had to leave on the following day with limited train times to choose from. For off-season, I would still book like two-three weeks ahead of time, and watch out for peak days like weekends.
Pro Tip: For trains that require seat reservations, there are often a limited number of seats available to Interrail Pass users. That’s why some routes can sell out despite technically still having seats officially for sale at regular prices.
How to Use the Interrail Pass
In this Interrail Pass review, I have to say that, at first, it can be a bit intimidating to use. But once you know how to use the app and make seat reservations when necessary, it’s simple.
Where to Buy Your Interrail Pass
Before you get to making bookings, you of course need to buy an Interrail Pass first.
I bought my Interrail Pass through Klook, although you can also buy it directly. Klook’s prices are about the same, and I love getting my Klook cash when I book there.
Download the Interrail Planner App & Rail Europe/B-Europe Apps
How to Use the Interail Rail Planner App:
Okay, so once you’ve gotten your Interrail Pass, you’ll need to register it within the Interrail Planner App.
You’ll get a code after you buy your pass, then you can activate it in the app. The pass, though, only starts counting your days from the first day you use it, so you don’t have to worry about cutting into your days.
You can search all sorts of train journeys, save them, and create a schedule of your trips. I found it so helpful.
For non-reservation train journeys I’d save, it didn’t mean I had to be on that train; they were just for reference. Only when I actually picked the train I’d go on did I make sure it was officially in the schedule.
The app will also tell you whether you need to reserve a seat. When you do need to make seat reservations, you’ll use the Rail Europe App or B-Europe App.
Pro Tip: Every time you go on a train journey, there is a toggle to activate the pass for that specific journey. Ensure it’s toggled on so if you need to present your QR code, it’s accepted.
Rail Europe & B-Europe Apps (for seat reservations)
If you need to make seat reservations, then you can use either the Rail Europe or B-Europe App to make those reservations.
To clarify in my Interrail Pass review, I used Rail Europe to make my seat reservations. But B-Europe is also an official choice. I just preferred the Rail Europe Interface.
How to Make Seat Reservations
Here’s the thing… you’re wondering is the Interrail Pass is worth it, and then find out you have to pay more for seat reservations?
I know, I know. That’s one thing in my Interrail review that I wasn’t a fan of, but when you factor in all the differences, I still saved a lot of money!
When planning your journeys, you’ll see what trips in the app require a seat reservation. There’s usually a link to book, but you can also go directly to the RailEurope or B-Europe apps/website and make the reservation there.
On those sites, you’ll need to enter your Interrail Pass information in order to see the available seats (at the prices meant for Interrail Pass holders). Because there may be booking fees, it can help to book multiple seat reservations at once to save.
Pro Tip: Seat reservations create a separate reservation, so you’ll have both your Interrail Pass and a ticket for your seat reservation. Ensure your journey is toggled on in the Rail Planner App and that you have your separate ticket.
Pro Tip: For trains in the UK, you’ll see seat reservations are required. But in reality, they usually aren’t unless it’s an overnight train. You can usually go to the station before the scheduled time and ask at the ticket office for a reservation if you want.
Making Train Connections
For long train journeys with connections, you’ll want to consider the time between journeys.
For example, I took a train from Paris to Stuttgart, and then Stuttgart to Munich.
When you plan trips in the Rail Planner App, it will show you the whole journey with multiple connections, with the shortest connection times.
What I did instead was look at the other times for the second leg of the trip because if the first train was late, I needed to know there would be more options after.
This is similar to catching connections for a flight, right? But at least with trains (that don’t require a seat reservation), you can always catch a later one.
Or if your connecting train has a seat reservation, be sure to catch the first train early enough to give time for delays.
When you have connections, it’s not a bad idea to give yourself a few hours to make them to account for delays, especially if one of your journeys requires a reservation. Plus, you can usually store your bag at the station and explore a new city for a bit!
Is the Interrail Pass Worth It? My Savings
Let’s officially answer the question: Is the Interrail Pass worth it? With my calculated savings.
Europe Train Route Separate Ticket Costs
- Day 1: Blackpool to London to Paris
- Blackpool to London: $119.00
- London to Paris (Eurostar): $209.50
- Day 2: Paris to Munich: $121
- Day 3: Munich to Neuschwanstein Day Trip: Bayern Day Pass: €34
- Day 4: Munich to Paris: $101.50
- Day 5: Paris to London: $190.00
Total for separate tickets: $780
Europe Interrail Pass Costs
- 5-Day Flexible Interrail Pass: $369
- Seat reservations: ~$100 (4 seat reservations)
Total for Interrail Pass + Seat Reservations: $469
Total Interrail Pass Savings
As you can see, we saved over $300 by using the Interrail Pass instead of buying separate tickets.
The final verdict of my Interrail Pass review is that yes, it’s very worth it when it comes to saving money (and giving you flexible planning options).
While the separate ticket costs can vary, I used the prices from the exact trains I took.
One thing worth mentioning in my Interrail Pass review is that the Interrail Pass gives so much flexibility when traveling. It’s much better to use the pass to save money than to check and plan around other train times if you are on a budget.
FAQs about the Interrail Pass
How long is the Interrail Pass valid after purchase?
You have up to one year to activate your Interrail Pass after buying it.
Does the Interrail Rail Planning App provide live train time updates?
Overall, yes, it does! But I always double-check with the official train schedule online in case there are any changes or delays. To find the official train provider site, check the train route you’ve planned (usually it’s on the app), and you can search for them directly.
Where Can I Find In-Depth Guides for Different Routes on the Interrail Pass?
I often used this intensive Interrail Pass Guide from the Man in Seat 61. It is extremely thorough, covering so many routes in-depth. When I was lost and had specific questions, I could usually find the answer there.
More Europe Travel Guides Beyond my Interrail Pass Review
By now you know if the Interrail Pass is worth it — happy train travel! Here’s more of my Europe travel guides to explore.
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