Interrail Sale

[popeter45]

if i bought a pass a few weeks ago (with plus) is it possible to refund then buy the new sale price?
already booked a eurostar ticket thru it

 

[signed]

if i bought a pass a few weeks ago (with plus) is it possible to refund then buy the new sale price?

You can, but if you didn't get the €25 flex at checkout, you'll only get 80% (AFAIR) back

 

[popeter45]

You can, but if you didn't get the €25 flex at checkout, you'll only get 80% (AFAIR) back

yea thats what plus is and its €7 rather than €25

 

[rvdborgt]

I usually use a paper inter-rail ticket which requires a start date upon ordering. I see there are some 25% off offers at present but don't have firm travel dates yet. Is it possible to get a paper ticket without a start date from any suppliers? I couldn't see anywhere on inter-rail.co.uk that asked for a start date.....?

For an Interrail paper pass you always have to give the start date when you buy it. Also on www.myinterrail.co.uk (I just checked).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2024 ==

if i bought a pass a few weeks ago (with plus) is it possible to refund then buy the new sale price?
already booked a eurostar ticket thru it

You can do a pass exchange and that should cost only €15 or £15 depending on where you bought it. With Plus it should not cost anything.
Pass reservations remain valid. Eurostar reservations don't even mention your pass number.

 

[MarcVD]

Can the discounted price be obtained if purchasing from a belgian railway station, or do I have to order via interrail website ? If I want a paper version, how is that delivered then ?
TIA,

 

[rvdborgt]

Can the discounted price be obtained if purchasing from a belgian railway station, or do I have to order via interrail website ? If I want a paper version, how is that delivered then ?

Belgian railways sell paper Interrail passes at Brussel-Zuid/Bruxelles-Midi (no other station!) or by phone. This includes this promotional offer, according to their product sheets (NL/FR/EN). There's an additional €12 "handling fee".

 

[MarcVD]

Ok thanks. I'll go to Brussels midi to purchase it and make my reservations tomorrow then.

 

[rvdborgt]

I'll go to Brussels midi to purchase it and make my reservations tomorrow then.

If you do that in one transaction, then you pay the handling fee only once. ICE reservations are only half the price online on tickets.oebb.at though (€3 instead of €6 - SNCB are quite expensive for optional reservarions).
Do check the price of the Interrail you're paying. It wouldn't be the first time they don't know how to issue a promotional pass or aren't aware of the offer.

 

[peteb]

For an Interrail paper pass you always have to give the start date when you buy it. Also on www.myinterrail.co.uk (I just checked).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Nov 2024 ==


You can do a pass exchange and that should cost only €15 or £15 depending on where you bought it. With Plus it should not cost anything.
Pass reservations remain valid. Eurostar reservations don't even mention your pass number.

Ok thanks must've missed it.

 

[mtmikethom]

Interrail sale today until 1st April just about all passes 15% off

 

[rvdborgt]

In the meantime, Allaboard is offering fully refundable passes, including in the current sale. No Refund fees there.

 

[railfan99]

Eurail (and I assume Interrail) has a 20 per cent off sale until 3 July 2025. These mobile or (my preferred) paper passes are valid for travel from 1 September 2025.

 

[Mag_seven]

Eurail (and I assume Interrail) has a 20 per cent off sale until 3 July 2025. These mobile or (my preferred) paper passes are valid for travel from 1 September 2025.

Details for Interrail passes here:

Discover Off-Season Europe | Interrail.eu

Stretch your summer with Interrail and discover the magic of off-season Europe.

www.interrail.eu

Stretch your summer and get 20% off your Pass until 3 July, valid for travel from 1 September.

 

[zero]

In the meantime, Allaboard is offering fully refundable passes, including in the current sale. No Refund fees there.

Can anyone share their experience using allaboard and getting a refund?

In the interrail app, when you go to My Pass > Add a Pass, does that make it non-refundable from that point? Or can you still refund it if you haven't added any travel days?

 

[rvdborgt]

Can anyone share their experience using allaboard and getting a refund?

SOmeone I know got a refund last year without a problem.

In the interrail app, when you go to My Pass > Add a Pass, does that make it non-refundable from that point? Or can you still refund it if you haven't added any travel days?

For a pass to be refundable, it must not be activated. In step 3, where you choose a start date, you activate the pass. You can cancel activation as long as the start date is in the future, but there's no reason to activate in advance.

 

[Perosu1]

Can anyone share their experience using allaboard and getting a refund?

In the interrail app, when you go to My Pass > Add a Pass, does that make it non-refundable from that point? Or can you still refund it if you haven't added any travel days?

I've had a a very good experience with them. I forwarded my purchase confirmation email to support@allaboard.eu with a request for a refund on a Saturday. They got back to me on Monday and the money was in my bank account on Tuesday.

Just make sure it's not activated like @rvdborgt said. But in any case you should only ever be activating an interrail pass at most a day before you start travelling.

 

[ABB125]

If I buy a first class pass, I assume I can still choose to travel in standard on a train which has both classes? Eg: on Eurostar, I might want to be a cheapskate and not pay the extra 5eur for a first class reservation. Just trying to decide whether to buy first or standard before the sale ends tomorrow!

Are there any other benefits to a first class pass, other than (obviously) being able to sit in first? Any difference in price structure for sleeper train reservations?

Thanks

 

[Flying Snail]

Yes, 1st always allows travel in 2nd class ("Standard" is a British affectation) if you choose to. Which accomodation/service you are entitled to with operators with more than 2 clases varies.

Most sleeper operators including Nightjet do not have class differential reservation rates, there are a few exceptions.

 

[43096]

If I buy a first class pass, I assume I can still choose to travel in standard on a train which has both classes? Eg: on Eurostar, I might want to be a cheapskate and not pay the extra 5eur for a first class reservation. Just trying to decide whether to buy first or standard before the sale ends tomorrow!

Are there any other benefits to a first class pass, other than (obviously) being able to sit in first? Any difference in price structure for sleeper train reservations?

Thanks

Use of first class lounges - I've used the ÖBB lounges at Innsbruck and Wien Hbf and they're good for a free snack and drink while waiting for your train.

 

[Flying Snail]

Use of first class lounges - I've used the ÖBB lounges at Innsbruck and Wien Hbf and they're good for a free snack and drink while waiting for your train.

Use of some 1st class lounges.

UK, Austria, Czechia, Netherlands, Spain but only with a Pemium reservation and Sweden with a SJ reservation.

 

[DeverseSam]

If I buy a first class pass, I assume I can still choose to travel in standard on a train which has both classes? Eg: on Eurostar, I might want to be a cheapskate and not pay the extra 5eur for a first class reservation.

For Eurostar you have to take what you can get as availability is limited. But definitely first class gives you more chance to get the train you want.

Same with TGVs which fill up quickly

 

[rvdborgt]

For Eurostar you have to take what you can get as availability is limited. But definitely first class gives you more chance to get the train you want.

Same with TGVs which fill up quickly

Domestic TGVs only have limited availability of the €10 reservation but the €20 one can be booked until the train is full. The international TGVs often have expensive reservations (because SNCF) but no limited availability, except for the TGVs from/to Brussels, where the pass holder quota is quite limited, more so than on Eurostar in my experience.

Use of some 1st class lounges.

UK, Austria, Czechia, Netherlands, Spain but only with a Pemium reservation and Sweden with a SJ reservation.

Eurail provide an overview here.
SJ themselves write you need a ticket for an SJ departure the same day, so an active travel day with an SJ train added to the pass should suffice, but they seem to mean "reservation" indeed.
The British lounges are missing because RDG are of the opinion that pass holders aren't allowed, or so they have told Eurail. In practice though, access is always allowed.

 

[AdamWW]

Domestic TGVs only have limited availability of the €10 reservation but the €20 one can be booked until the train is full.

I think that both used to be quota controlled and - given that this comes up quite a bit - the fact that it's changed very much for the better isn't well known enough yet.

 

[mad_rich]

Are there any other benefits to a first class pass, other than (obviously) being able to sit in first? Any difference in price structure for sleeper train reservations?

Free reservations in Norway (second-class passholders have to pay 80 NOK).

You can use the Leonardo Express in Rome (it's deemed to be an all first class service).

Not exactly a perk, but the option to go first or second class does give more availability when on looking at heavily-reserved services.

You used to get free reservations in Germany via ÖBB. I think this loophole has been closed now, but it's possibly still around on some trains.

The downside is that many operators charge higher fees to first class passholders who have the temerity to sit in first class. Off the top of my head: Eurostar, RENFE, Westbahn, Railjet to Italy, some SNCF International, SJ and Snälltåget are the main ones.

 

[43096]

You used to get free reservations in Germany via ÖBB. I think this loophole has been closed now, but it's possibly still around on some trains.

Think that loophole has been closed, but ÖBB only charge €3 for a reservation rather than the rip off amounts that EUrail/Interrail want.

 

[nwales58]

ÖBB only charge €3 for a reservation rather than the rip off amounts that EUrail/Interrail want.

ÖBB Eur3 is the cheapest but only choice of seat type, not seat. If you want a visual seat selector, DB charge Eur 6.90.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jul 2025 ==

The downside is that many operators charge higher fees to first class passholders who have the temerity to sit in first class. Off the top of my head: Eurostar, RENFE, Westbahn, Railjet to Italy, some SNCF International, SJ and Snälltåget are the main ones.

On the other hand ...

Eurostar Plus costs Eur 5 more than Standard and adds a light meal as well as the better seat.

Renfe, different as usual, charge Eur 3-3.50 more for Confort, the better seat (and possibly available to 2nd class passes as they have no concept of a 1st class ticket themselves?). On AVE it's only if you want the lounges and meal that you need to pay an additional Eur 10.50 (over Confort) for Premium.

SJ's 1st charge is steep, though before 0900 it includes some breakfast.

 

[rvdborgt]

ÖBB Eur3 is the cheapest but only choice of seat type, not seat. If you want a visual seat selector, DB charge Eur 6.90.

or €5.50 in 2nd class, both per journey.
I now often use cd.cz to book reservations, also in Germany. You can enter coach and seat number (get them from DB's seat map) and they're refundable until 15 minutes before departure. That also saves you from requesting your money back from DB after missing yet another connection.

 

[nwales58]

I now often use cd.cz to book reservations, also in Germany. You can enter coach and seat number (get them from DB's seat map) and they're refundable until 15 minutes before departure.

That is ideal. I hadn't realised CD foreign reservations were that flexible.

 

[43096]

ÖBB Eur3 is the cheapest but only choice of seat type, not seat. If you want a visual seat selector, DB charge Eur 6.90.

I had a visual seat selector on the ÖBB site last week, admittedly it was for a München to Innsbruck journey on ÖBB stock. Is it just for ÖBB journeys?

 

[AdamWW]

or €5.50 in 2nd class, both per journey.
I now often use cd.cz to book reservations, also in Germany. You can enter coach and seat number (get them from DB's seat map) and they're refundable until 15 minutes before departure. That also saved you from requesting your money back from DB after missing yet another connection.

That is good to know.

I was pleasantly surprised recently when I made OBB reservations that they were refundable. Though only fully refundable up to 15 days before, I think.
Also I think as with their tickets they become non-refundable as soon as downloaded - but unless you're arguing over a seat with someone I can't see much point in downloading a reservation anyway.

This was for a Railjet service and did come with a seat selector.

Renfe, different as usual, charge Eur 3-3.50 more for Confort, the better seat (and possibly available to 2nd class passes as they have no concept of a 1st class ticket themselves?).

A few years ago a seat in "1st class" was just one of the many paid upgrades selectable with an Elige (choice) ticket.

But now they seem to be a separate type of Elige ticket.

But even if 1st class isn't a general concept with RENFE I suppose nothing stops them offering reservations in Comfort class only to 1st class passholders just as Eurostar map 1st and 2nd class passes onto their different class structure.

(Oddly, RENFE's web site is still claiming that an Elige ticket covers both classes, but that's not what I see when I make bookings. Mind, it's also out of date because it claims that Comfort seats are always in 2+1 format).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jul 2025 ==

I had a visual seat selector on the ÖBB site last week, admittedly it was for a München to Innsbruck journey on ÖBB stock. Is it just for ÖBB journeys?

That's what I assumed. Meanwhile DB don't seem to offer seat selection on ÖBB services from Munich.