Interrail pass in action.
Well I’ve been using the Interrail pass for just over a month now and so I think it’s time to discuss my experiences with it.
Leaving London
I left London on the 9th January with no clue really about how this all worked I read all the literature, asked questions on the interrail site and so on. However I quickly realised I’ve no clue how this works. This moment of realisation happens when I sit down to write in my travel for that day.
Why what happened?
To me the world was about to end to everyone else nothing really. What’s happened is I’m travelling from London st Pancreas International to Amsterdam central. However the space on the ticket for writing this is no where near enough space and each letter has separate box so panic sets in I’m checking all the info about the pass on the the interrail website then I has the ingenious idea to ask someone. So that’s what I did I asked and apparently I just put London and Amsterdam.
Using the Interail Pass on the Eurostar
Eurostar is one of the companies that a seat booking is compulsory and you really need to do this in advance. Preferably weeks in advance or all pass tickets for interrail may be sold out.
Anyway I takes the eurostar to Amsterdam it was very easy to do. Interail say you need to print your seat ticket but as long as you are able to scan qr code it’s not necessary
Next few journeys
The next journey to Brussels and day trip to Ghent all went without at hitch. I’m thinking yeah this is good I got this. Then it happens I’m on the train to Luxembourg and all is good but the announcements are all being made in French and Luxembourgish which is fine you know until its not. I speak a little French but not well enough to hold a conversation etc. Anyway we gets to Arlon for anyone who doesn’t know it’s right on border between Belgium and Luxembourg and there is an announcement made over the tannoy but its in very fast French so I have no clue whats been said.
Whats happened,??
Turns out the train is terminating here and we need to go to another platform for train. Luckily the guard came up the train and spoke English. Was able to direct me to right train. Disaster diverted and I get to Luxembourg.
Off to Strasbourg or am I?
I’m due to travel to Strasbourg France but two day before I’m due to travel I receive a message from interrail about rail strikes in France. I go right online and check and no trains oh no what am I going to do will i get a bus maybe then I notice there is a train it’s direct I just need to book a seat. Result now I booked it directly with interrail which meant it was more expensive but I didn’t care we where back on track that’s all that mattered.
I managed to get to strasbourg then I was off to Germany.
Germany
I travelled to Germany, Frankfurt to be precise. Alas only one night here as meeting family in Berlin on Monday. No issues with this part of the trip. Except Berlin train station is huge took us ages to find each other.
We then travelled down to Hamburg stayed there for a few days then I am travelling to Szczecin in Poland. Niece is going to Berlin for flight home. I have to go via Berlin anyway so we plan to get same train. That’s all great niece has a ticket for specific train and she checks her ticket before we leave and no issues. We to the station trains is due in 30 minutes niece gets message trains cancelled. However she can travel on a different service that’s a replacement for that one. That’s all good and well buy can I travel on it? I’m really not sure we asked staff on the platform and they say yes. So that’s cool .
However i almost missed the connecting train in Berlin. Despite being on platform before the train arrived it early and at the time another train was due in. I’m so glad I stepped forward and read the door information.
The Rookie mistake of the interrail pass
I have my journey planned out all the way to Szczecin. I know what time my train is I know where to get off and so on. However I forgot the golden rule the planner is not live. Anyway I’m on train from Berlin and I’m trying to find my connection. However all the live apps including the DB one all saying there is no such journey. I tries a Google maps direction and it’s showing same as interrail planner. I’m already on my way so no turning back now.
Anyway I gets to my stop gets off checks the DB app again and I can get a train from another station but its a 20 minute walk away. I’ve got an hour so I’m psyching myself up for the walk when I glance up at the notice board as I’m passing and wait for it drum roll moment. There is a train to Szczecin so interrail site was correct. Woohoo literally first time for everything.
No more hitches so far I’ve travelled to Szczecin, Poznan,Wroclaw, Warsaw and Krakow and been plain sailing. Only thing is I need to book seats on some trains but I did this via PkP website and it was literally much cheaper than interrail which was 5 euros plus 2 euros booking fee pkp intercity 1 zolty which is about 18 European cents.
My Thoughts on the pass
The Interrail Pass is easy to use once you get the hang of it. Just remember to check if you need to book seats and don’t forget to enter journey in your journey log. Also if your lost or unsure don’t be afraid to ask station staff.
Another thought people say planes are faster. Well I left my niece at 12.10 she boarded train to airport for a flight to Edinburgh in Scotland. I had lunch boarded two different trains and checked into my hotel and had dinner before she left Berlin due to flight delays.
Check out my other post about the Guide to using the interail pass
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