Buying an Interrail Pass
One of the best ways to explore Europe is to buy an Interrail Pass, which grants you unlimited train travel across most of the continent.
Below are the most popular Interrail passes and their prices. Discounted passes are available for seniors (60+) and youths (12-27), while children (4-11) can travel for free when accompanied by an adult pass holder. Click on ‘buy pass’ to purchase the Interrail Pass of your choice! In the window that appears, you can then choose your preferred pass (second or first class), apply possible discounts for seniors or youths, and finalise your booking.
Interrail: How does it work?
An Interrail pass allows unlimited train travel across Europe within a set period. Nearly all European train operators accept Interrail, though a few exceptions exist. What is the greatest aspect of an Interrail pass is that it provides full flexibility by allowing travellers to board most trains without needing to buy separate tickets for each trip. Instead of buying tickets for each and every journey, pass holders can simply hop on trains covered by Interrail, making spontaneous travel easier. While some high-speed or overnight trains may require an additional seat reservation or a supplement, many regional and local trains can be used freely with the pass, making it a convenient and cost-effective way to explore Europe.
Interrail is especially useful for those who want to visit many different cities or travel across multiple countries without rigid plans. With an Interrail pass, you have the freedom to decide spontaneously whether to sleep in and take an afternoon train instead of an early morning departure, or to make a day trip from Berlin to Leipzig instead of Dresden, for example.
However, even those with a fixed itinerary may find an Interrail pass highly useful or even advantageous compared to booking standard point-to-point tickets. This is especially true when travelling through relatively expensive countries where trains do not require compulsory reservations, such as Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK. This also applies to those with highly intensive itineraries, hopping to a different destination each day and taking multiple long-distance journeys. Moreover, even if your plans are rigid, the flexibility of Interrail is invaluable in case of a sudden cancellation, strike, or other unforeseen circumstances, as the pass allows you to change your route freely and take an alternative train — whereas with regular tickets, you might have been stuck.
Different interrail passes
There are two main types of Interrail passes. The Global Pass covers train travel across 33 European countries, while the One Country Pass allows unlimited travel within a single nation. Passes also differ in duration: Flexi passes permit unlimited travel on a set number of days within a given period (e.g., 5 days in a month), while continuous passes allow unlimited travel every day for the full duration (e.g., 1 month straight). This variety lets travellers choose a pass that best fits their plans and budget. Interrail passes can be bought for second class travel, as well as for first class travel.
Interrail reservations
When using an Interrail pass, you might need to make an additional seat reservation to hop on certain trains. While many regional and local trains don’t require reservations, some high-speed, long-distance, and international trains do.
On trains where seat reservations aren’t required or possible, such as many suburban, regional, and interregional trains across Europe, you can simply board and choose any available seat.
In many countries, such as the UK, Germany, and Austria, long-distance and even high-speed trains offer a system where seat reservations are optional. While these trains don’t require a reservation and you can always board freely and choose any available seat, it is recommended to make a reservation during busy travel periods or on popular routes to ensure a seat.
On trains with compulsory seat reservations, such as high-speed trains in countries like France, Italy, and Spain, as well as the Eurostar, you must reserve a seat for the departure you want to take and cannot board these trains with just your Interrail pass as you will also need to present your reservation. It’s therefore best to book your seat reservation as early as possible to avoid the risk of the train being fully booked. In that case, you would have no choice but to take a different train.
Night trains also require a reservation (and supplement) if you want a berth in a couchette or sleeper wagon. Higher prices are charged for private occupancy of an entire compartment compared to those willing to share.
Where to book interrail seat reservations?
You can book Interrail seat reservations through various channels, including the official Interrail website, the websites of individual rail operator, or at stations across Europe. In some cases, you cannot reserve a seat or night train berth online and must do so in person at a railway station within the specific country.
INTERRAIL & EURAIL: What IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Interrail and Eurail are essentially the same in all but name, as both passes provide unlimited train travel through Europe and work the same in practice. The difference is that Interrail is for residents of Europe, while Eurail is designed for non-resident overseas tourists. If you reside in Europe, you must buy an Interrail pass, while those living outside of Europe need to buy the Eurail pass instead. Both passes offer the same benefits, but the key difference is based on your place of residence.