InterRail + outbound/inbound journeys

[scragend]

I'm planning a trip in summer using an InterRail Global pass (4 days in one month). As I understand it this gives me one free outbound and one free inbound journey from/to the UK.

My plan is to travel from Wigan to Euston with Avanti, and then take the Eurostar from St. Pancras to Amsterdam, and onwards from there. Returning on Eurostar from Paris to St. Pancras and then back up the WCML.

I know I need a passholder fare on Eurostar, that's fine. Am I understanding it correctly that I can take *any* Avanti train to and from Euston, on a walk-up basis? No peak restrictions/no seat reservations required?

Are the Avanti ticket inspectors familiar with InterRail tickets used in this way? Am I likely to get any hassle with it?

And more to the point - are the Euston barrier staff familiar with them?

Many thanks

 

[FlyingPotato]

I've found that gwr and lner staff are fine with it
It says you need reservations for gwr every now and again but I've found that not to be the case


The pass won't scan on barriers so you will have to show it to staff

You should be alright

 

[rvdborgt]

There are no compulsory seat reservations in GB day trains, although many planners will say otherwise on LNER, Avanti and TransPennine Express trains (and maybe some others) because these operators send incorrect data to the European Timetable Centre.

There are no time or day restrictions whatsoever for the trains on which the pass is valid. Reservations may be recommended on some busy services in GB and you can book them free of charge via the regular channels (GWR, LNER website, ticket office etc.).

If the pass doesn't scan, the staff just need to scroll down and check the information below the barcode. If any staff make you pay anything because they claim your ticket isn't valid, you can get reimbursement from Eurail.

Although there shouldn't be any problems on main lines since after over 3 years the staff should have had some exposure to the mobile pass.
Eurostar pass holder fares can be booked on www.raileurope.com without any extra booking fees. After that, can change seats free of charge on the Eurostar website via Manage Booking.

 

[30907]

There are no restrictions whatever, so long as your journey is in the direction of a port, airport or international rail connection.

As you know, you have to use the inbound/outbound days for your Eurostar leg - but that is no problem unless you live north of Lairg

Slightly OT, but note that the 1104 to Amsterdam tends to sell out of passholder fares quite early, as do trains from Paris late afternoon, especially in SP.

 

[Benjwri]

If the pass doesn't scan, the staff just need to scroll down and check the information below the barcode. If any staff make you pay anything because they claim your ticket isn't valid, you can get reimbursement from Eurail. Although there shouldn't be any problems on main lines since after over 3 years the staff should have had some exposure to the mobile pass.
Eurostar pass holder fares can be booked on www.raileurope.com without any extra booking fees. After that, can change seats free of charge on the Eurostar website via Manage Booking.

There should almost definitely be no problems, I’ve had to use them in some fairly odd places and no one has ever batted an eye. To be honest they usually just glance at the barcode and wave you through, a couple of times they’ve had a scroll and actually read it, I’ve never had someone actually scan it in the UK.

 

[wellhouse]

Including Avanti, I've never had problems in the UK, including one rambling journey from Warwick to Harwich that included Chiltern, Cross Country, and Anglia services.

 

[rvdborgt]

Slightly OT, but note that the 1104 to Amsterdam tends to sell out of passholder fares quite early, as do trains from Paris late afternoon, especially in SP.

In case there's no availability to Amsterdam, try Rotterdam and then Brussels. There are connecting reservation-free intercity trains, although the unreliable rail planner app sometimes claims there's a supplement to pay, which is incorrect.
In case there's no availability from Paris to London, try from Lille.

 

[nwales58]

Avanti on-board seem well trained on Interrail acceptance, I've done 3 return trips since 2020. One incident of Euston gateline staff thinking it was not valid but the neighbouring staff member accepted it.

Assuming using the app rather than paper, remember to activate the leg before you get on.
Show them the ticket text, the code does not scan for UK operators.

 

[stuu]

I'm planning a trip in summer using an InterRail Global pass (4 days in one month). As I understand it this gives me one free outbound and one free inbound journey from/to the UK.

My plan is to travel from Wigan to Euston with Avanti, and then take the Eurostar from St. Pancras to Amsterdam, and onwards from there. Returning on Eurostar from Paris to St. Pancras and then back up the WCML.

I know I need a passholder fare on Eurostar, that's fine. Am I understanding it correctly that I can take *any* Avanti train to and from Euston, on a walk-up basis? No peak restrictions/no seat reservations required?

Are the Avanti ticket inspectors familiar with InterRail tickets used in this way? Am I likely to get any hassle with it?

And more to the point - are the Euston barrier staff familiar with them?

Many thanks

I would pay attention to when the Olympics are happening - I would imagine that will have significant impact on Eurostar availability

 

[Peterthegreat]

Avanti on-board seem well trained on Interrail acceptance, I've done 3 return trips since 2020. One incident of Euston gateline staff thinking it was not valid but the neighbouring staff member accepted it.

Assuming using the app rather than paper, remember to activate the leg before you get on.
Show them the ticket text, the code does not scan for UK operators.

The ticket scan DOES work for some UK operators.

 

[scragend]

Thank you all for your comments. Reassuring.

I would pay attention to when the Olympics are happening - I would imagine that will have significant impact on Eurostar availability

This is a good point which hadn't crossed my mind! My intended dates are 10th - 19th July, so coming back from Paris a week before the Olympics start. Hopefully in that direction it will be OK, but I will make sure to keep an eye on availability and book early.

Thanks again

 

[Watershed]

The ticket scan DOES work for some UK operators.

It seems highly variable in my experience. Some TOCs' Cubic gatelines appear to have been configured to read the Interrail barcodes (e.g. Greater Anglia and Avanti) but often the pass is rejected after the first journey - which almost makes it seem like they've incorrectly been configured as single/return tickets rather than rovers.

TOC staff with TTK (The Ticket Keeper) scanning equipment, such as Avanti and LNER, can also scan the barcode directly and this is often what is done when a pass doesn't work the barriers. This shows the key details of the pass as well as the pass scan history (within the UK, for TTK devices).

The only problem I've had with using Interrail passes in the UK is when I relied on the ticket acceptance during strikes to travel on a different day - I had to remind a member of staff about this (at first they said I hadn't activated a day's travel) but they then let me through without issue.

 

[rvdborgt]

The ticket scan DOES work for some UK operators.

Also for the barriers at some stations, but probably not a lot. I've forgotten where it worked, I did read a comment about it last year.

 

[stuu]

This is a good point which hadn't crossed my mind! My intended dates are 10th - 19th July, so coming back from Paris a week before the Olympics start. Hopefully in that direction it will be OK, but I will make sure to keep an eye on availability and book early.

Thanks again

In that case you should also be aware of the Euro football championships in Germany - the semi final is on the 10th in Dortmund which England would be in if they get that far, so Eurostar is an obvious route

 

[MrJeeves]

For what it's worth, I've spent 8 days travelling around the UK with an Interrail pass over the last two months.

I have been asked for my ID once, and that was to access the Birmingham New Street 1st Lounge.

Often staff attempt to scan the Aztec and they cannot. The intercity TOCs like Avanti, LNER, etc. can scan them, but others like GTR can't. Euston has been fine the 5 or 6 times I've passed through it to board. Not had a single issue so far, minus someone scrolling down on the ticket to view my itinerary and asking "which train are you getting" as it wasn't on my list as I had been delayed and missed the earlier planned connection.

Staff are very well-versed in accepting Interrail, and I've not had a single issue with its use so far.

Also, no reservations are mandatory in the UK whatsoever, except those for the Night Riviera and Caledonian Sleeper services. And those can be made free (seated reservations) online through something like GWR's seat reservation tool, along with other trains too if you want to try and guarantee yourself a seat. No need to pay for a reservation through Interrail at all.

 

[scragend]

In that case you should also be aware of the Euro football championships in Germany - the semi final is on the 10th in Dortmund which England would be in if they get that far, so Eurostar is an obvious route

Wasn't aware of that. Thanks

 

[rvdborgt]

Also, no reservations are mandatory in the UK whatsoever, except those for the Night Riviera and Caledonian Sleeper services. And those can be made free (seated reservations) online through something like GWR's seat reservation tool, along with other trains too if you want to try and guarantee yourself a seat. No need to pay for a reservation through Interrail at all.

Interrail can't book any UK reservations. They might have been able to if the ATOC (at the time) hadn't made making reservations impossible from abroad. Sadly, they still refer to ACP Rail, who charge €6 per reservation, instead of to GWR.

 

[Watershed]

Interrail can't book any UK reservations. They might have been able to if the ATOC (at the time) hadn't made making reservations impossible from abroad. Sadly, they still refer to ACP Rail, who charge €6 per reservation, instead of to GWR.

I think the reason for this is that the GWR option for making reservations is probably intended only for those who have bought a ticket through GWR. It would probably be withdrawn if it became too popular, since it doesn't require you to prove you actually hold a ticket.

 

[Flying Snail]

I think the reason for this is that the GWR option for making reservations is probably intended only for those who have bought a ticket through GWR. It would probably be withdrawn if it became too popular, since it doesn't require you to prove you actually hold a ticket.

Ironically the one thing you can't book from GWR or anyone else is Night Riviera berth supplements, they are next to impossible for interrailers to buy before being in person at a (competent) UK ticket office.

 

[rvdborgt]

Ironically the one thing you can't book from GWR or anyone else is Night Riviera berth supplements, they are next to impossible for interrailers to buy before being in person at a (competent) UK ticket office.

Last year, at least one person managed to book such a supplement by phone:

Making GWR Riviera Night Sleeper reservations from abroad | Community

Hello everyone,So, I’m having great trouble reserving a sleeper cabin on the GWR Night Riviera Sleeper. From the GWR website the reservation with an interrail ticket can’t be made. I called them up and they said that by phone they won’t book them anymore either (apparently this has been like...

community.eurail.com

Maybe it's a staff problem, or GWR don't make it easy for their staff to book a supplement if you don't have a UK address (since that seems to be the recurring issue).

 

[SeanG]

The only problem I've had with using Interrail passes in the UK is when I relied on the ticket acceptance during strikes to travel on a different day - I had to remind a member of staff about this (at first they said I hadn't activated a day's travel) but they then let me through without issue.

I've contacted LNER about this on twitter - what if your Day 1 of the pass itinerary is North East - London - Eurostar, but LNER are on strike?

They have told me to travel the day before (ie day 0) and that my interrail pass would be accepted even if not activated yet. Then stay (at my own expense) in London and activate the pass for the Eurostar on Day 1

Same for coming back I could travel 1 day after expiry as per allowed with usual ticket acceptance rules.

 

[Flying Snail]

Last year, at least one person managed to book such a supplement by phone:

Making GWR Riviera Night Sleeper reservations from abroad | Community

Hello everyone,So, I’m having great trouble reserving a sleeper cabin on the GWR Night Riviera Sleeper. From the GWR website the reservation with an interrail ticket can’t be made. I called them up and they said that by phone they won’t book them anymore either (apparently this has been like...

community.eurail.com

Maybe it's a staff problem, or GWR don't make it easy for their staff to book a supplement if you don't have a UK address (since that seems to be the recurring issue).

That's why I said next to impossible, a (costly from overseas) phone line that will probably make up some rubbish about how they can't sell to you because you are a filthy foreigner is something I wouldn't bother with never mind recommend it to an unsuspecting tourist. I can only assume they have been getting customer relations training from SNCF call centres.

 

[Benjwri]

Maybe it's a staff problem, or GWR don't make it easy for their staff to book a supplement if you don't have a UK address (since that seems to be the recurring issue).

From what I understand they have issues accepting foreign payment cards.

 

[rvdborgt]

From what I understand they have issues accepting foreign payment cards.

Which on the one hand sounds strange to me, but on the other hand SNCF also has a weird credit card acceptance policy for ordering by phone, which is something like "Visa/Mastercard/American Express from all neighbouring countries and for all other countries only American Express". And if you use the French-speaking service, then you need a card issued in France. I'm pretty sure there's EU legislation that should prevent such behaviour...

 

[Benjwri]

Which on the one hand sounds strange to me, but on the other hand SNCF also has a weird credit card acceptance policy for ordering by phone, which is something like "Visa/Mastercard/American Express from all neighbouring countries and for all other countries only American Express". And if you use the French-speaking service, then you need a card issued in France. I'm pretty sure there's EU legislation that should prevent such behaviour...

I believe that it is because US Card issuers do not support 3DSecure authentication, which GWR uses (As shown by the 'Verified by Visa, MastercardSecure logos on the payment page). This makes US cards incompatible with the site. The SNCF policy sounds similar, as that is a very basic rule as to which countries use 3D Secure.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I believe that it is because US Card issuers do not support 3DSecure authentication, which GWR uses (As shown by the 'Verified by Visa, MastercardSecure logos on the payment page). This makes US cards incompatible with the site. The SNCF policy sounds similar, as that is a very basic rule as to which countries use 3D Secure.

If a card doesn't support 3D Secure it should just not ask for it. That's a company not accepting the risk of not using it.

 

[rvdborgt]

I believe that it is because US Card issuers do not support 3DSecure authentication, which GWR uses (As shown by the 'Verified by Visa, MastercardSecure logos on the payment page). This makes US cards incompatible with the site. The SNCF policy sounds similar, as that is a very basic rule as to which countries use 3D Secure.

SNCF should then still be able to accept all cards within the EU (as they're required to do: they may not discriminate between EU countries), but sadly they don't.

 

[Benjwri]

SNCF should then still be able to accept all cards within the EU (as they're required to do: they may not discriminate between EU countries), but sadly they don't.

Ahhh I thought the policy meant neighboring counting the EU as the country those neighboring countries neighbour, if they mean otherwise then I do not know

 

[OscarH]

If a card doesn't support 3D Secure it should just not ask for it. That's a company not accepting the risk of not using it.

While it's unfortunate for residents of backwards countries, without 3DS the company is liable for any fraud instead of the issuing bank, so it's often not feasible to accept the risk

 

[Bletchleyite]

While it's unfortunate for residents of backwards countries, without 3DS the company is liable for any fraud instead of the issuing bank, so it's often not feasible to accept the risk

It's feasible, but they are able to choose not to accept it.