Eurailpass becomes Interrail from 9 September 2026

[railfan99]

I have just received an email re the above.

Unnecessary and silly change dreamt up by bureaucrats, although it probably reduces the amount of work website and app maintainers have to undertake.

The combining of the two opens the opportunity for Interrail holders based in the UK or Europe to further attempt to circumvent conditions that allow them only one return journey in their country of residence.

If conductors and gate staff don't properly check the mobile or paper passes, some travellers may try to make multiple journeys (unrelated to travelling to or from St Pancras International for Eurostar, or to or from an airport or port) in their own nation.

Some may already do this in a sort of way by choosing an indirect route between their home and the 'international' transport terminal, but why give Brits and Europeans even more possible opportunity to abuse the conditions of travel?

By having a previous Eurailpass, this easily demonstrated one was a resident of Asia, Africa, Oceania or North or South America.

Why scrap the name Eurail that's worked well?

Moderator note: incorrect/misleading information has been struck through.

 

[rvdborgt]

Some may already do this in a sort of way by choosing an indirect route between their home and the 'international' transport terminal,

There is no obligation whatsoever to choose the shortest or fastest route from/to your 'international' transport terminal.

Why scrap the name Eurail that's worked well?

Not so well as you might think. The mere existence of both names already creates confusion, as you can see almost daily in multiple Interrail/Eurail Facebook groups and discussion fora.

 

[williamn]

Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[AdamWW]

Having one ticket type sounds sensible rather than two almost identical types with different names.

But I thought there were *some* differences between the two in which case the change is presumably a little more significant than just a change of name.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The combining of the two opens the opportunity for Interrail holders based in the UK or Europe to further attempt to circumvent conditions that allow them only one return journey in their country of residence

No it doesn’t.

The differences between Eurail and Interrail were minimal: one was for people from within Europe, one was for people from outside of Europe. Everything else was almost the same. I’m still never 100% certain without checking which ticket is which.

The change of name makes no difference whatsoever to how European nationals will use the tickets, nor to how (or if) misuse would be detected.

 

[AdamWW]

The differences between Eurail and Interrail were minimal: one was for people from within Europe, one was for people from outside of Europe. Everything else was almost the same. I’m still never 100% certain without checking which ticket is which.

It's not exactly obvious that the one for Europeans is the one that isn't called Eurail.

I have a vague recollection that Eurrail used to only come in a 1st class version.

 

[Starmill]

Unnecessary and silly change dreamt up by bureacucrats, although it probably reduces the amount of work website and app maintainers have to undertake.

If it lowers the running costs of the scheme without damaging customer experience why are you upset about it?

The combining of the two opens the opportunity for Interrail holders based in the UK or Europe to further attempt to circumvent conditions that allow them only one return journey in their country of residence.

It doesn't. It makes absolutely no difference.

If conductors and gate staff don't properly check the mobile or paper passes, some travellers may try to make multiple journeys (unrelated to travelling to or from St Pancras International for Eurostar, or to or from an airport or port) in their own nation.

Again there are no changes from today in anything happening here.

By having a previous Eurailpass, this easily demonstrated one was a resident of Asia, Africa, Oceania or North or South America.

So what?

opportunity to abuse the conditions of travel

This is bizarre. Abuse of a pass is not commonplace, because you cannot get more than two days of travel in your home country. That won't change. Why are you so worried about this? There is no evidence that there's any big risk of fraud in the scheme.

It's not exactly obvious that the one for Europeans is the one that isn't called Eurail.

I have a vague recollection that Eurrail used to only come in a 1st class version.

There also used to be a lot of one country passes available in one and not the other, although thankfully all of that is going.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It's not exactly obvious that the one for Europeans is the one that isn't called Eurail.

Yeah. Always struck me as odd that Eurail was for non-Europeans and Interrail was for Europeans. The name makes you think EU Rail, but no.

 

[AdamWW]

Yeah. Always struck me as odd that Eurail was for non-Europeans and Interrail was for Europeans. The name makes you think EU Rail, but no.

So far as I know they used to be entirely separate schemes that later came together.

Interrail was for youths resident in Europe (and maybe even intended as a one-off when introduced?) whereas I think Eurail (originally 1st class only?) was aimed more at the well heeled foreign tourist from outside Europe.

Also the UK accepted Interrail but not Eurail. There was the Britrail pass instead for Americans and the like.

 

[Meole]

Interrail started for under 21 around 1972, worked out less than £1 a day, think it was linked to some anniversary, it was a small paper book which you had get stamped for each journey, surrendered when finished got you a £1 refund, which in retrospect years later was perhaps a mistake as you lost the history.
It was raised to 26 later which for some allowed more trips, and a further chance to travel extensively behind steam.

 

[Farigiraf]

If these were new brands then I'd fully support the change, but Eurail (and to a lesser extent interrail) does have a fairly significant cultural footprint even outside railway circles. The name features in books, films, tv etc. - many people who never plan on using one will have heard of it. Note that the original intended purpose of the Interrail pass (young adults exploring the continent cheaply) is virtually impossible these days due to mandatory reservations and hotel prices. I'm fairly confident that they wouldn't go bankrupt if they didn't make this change, so I'd have opted for keeping things as they are, but if it's going to happen then I think actually merging the Interrail brand into Eurail makes a bit more sense than vice versa.

 

[ivanhoe]

It makes sense to combine EURAIL and Interrail into the one brand.
I used the Interrail Pass in 1972 and met many Canadians and Americans who were travelling on the Eurail Pass. The Eurail Pass then was first class. Over time, the two have come together with their common pass types and conditions. Indeed, the term Interrailing has crept into our vocabulary. There should be less questions about what Pass do I need, on Interrail Forums in the future.

 

[AdamWW]

Indeed, the term Interrailing has crept into our vocabulary.

It has certainly been in mine for a while. Though have had the odd blank look when using it.

I don't know if Eurrailing has similar currency in the appropriate parts of the world.

 

[Warrior2852]

The combining of the two opens the opportunity for Interrail holders based in the UK or Europe to further attempt to circumvent conditions that allow them only one return journey in their country of residence.

If conductors and gate staff don't properly check the mobile or paper passes, some travellers may try to make multiple journeys (unrelated to travelling to or from St Pancras International for Eurostar, or to or from an airport or port) in their own nation.

Some may already do this in a sort of way by choosing an indirect route between their home and the 'international' transport terminal, but why give Brits and Europeans even more possible opportunity to abuse the conditions of travel?

You are under no obligation to take a direct route to a border point, or even go to a border point at all. The only restriction is that the pass only includes two days of travel in your country of residence, what you do with those days is entirely up to you, with no restrictions on route. As long as you do actually go to Europe at some point during your pass's validity and aren't using it just for home country travel (since there's a rule against just using it for home country commuting), you can do whatever you want on the home country days. Would be perfectly possible to go around the UK doing random things for a day, travel to Europe using a separate ticket, then continue using the pass when actually in Europe.

 

[30907]

A quick search online suggests Interrail sales outnumber Eurail about 2 to 1 in number (though I wonder if the value of Eurails is a bit higher?).

The merger has therefore chosen the right option.

 

[Gordon]

I can confirm that Interrail was originally intended as a one-off promotion.

The 1972 start date is the clue. It was launched to celebrate 50 years of the UIC (founded 17 October 1922).

I never returned my booklets because (a) what you got for them was a pittance even back then and (b) they were useful reminders of each holiday - in fact I still use some of them today when scanning old photos to remind me of dates for photos etc, because in some cases the contemporary notes I wrote were in notebooks that have been lost!