Eurail becomes Interail

[mel-world]

Just looking at the Eurail App and see that they are integrating Eurail into the European Interail Pass so, in future, there will only be a single Pass for everyone.
Not sure what else is changing - it's a bit vague on the website.
I do hope we still get the same benefits as non-European residents, including the discounts often offered each November.

 

[Melburnian1]

Not sure what else is changing - it's a bit vague on the website.
I do hope we still get the same benefits as non-European residents, including the discounts often offered each November.

There is a 'community forum' where we can ask questions.

 

[mel-world]

There is a 'community forum' where we can ask questions.

Tks for that. I'm waiting to see if they have their usual sale in November for my trip in May '27.

 

[Melburnian1]

Tks for that. I'm waiting to see if they have their usual sale in November for my trip in May '27.

There is a 50 per cent off sale until 30 September 2026. Not a lengthy period.

This makes what was Eurailpass and now is (irrespective of residency) Interrail even better value, especially for 1st class.

The two or three month consecutive passes have the lowest per diem cost, although with many trains requiring compulsory seat or sleeping berth reservations, one needs to allow for the latter, including trains such as Eurostar and TGVs that require supplements to be paid.

 

[VPS]

I'm just about to buy one and it asks for a valid from date. I thought you could buy them and then not activate them for up to a year

Man in Seat 61 says this but I just don't know whether they combined pass has different rules

• Step 5, when you're ready to travel, activate your pass
  
  When you know for sure when you want to start using your pass, follow the in-app instructions to activate it, entering your passport number and desired start date. With a flexi-type pass, activation means the overall 1 or 2 month validity period starts ticking.
  
  Even after doing this, you can still change your mind - you can alter the activation date any time until 23:59 the day before, Central European Time. But once the pass has activated at 00:00 CET, you can't change your mind or get a refund, the pass is used.
  
  It safest to activate on the day you want to start using it. One person bought a pass in February and immediately entered a July activation date. They forgot about it, and later postponed their trip until August. When they came to use their pass they found it had activated in July and burned through its 1 month validity period so was worthless!
  
  Incidentally, you'd normally activate a flexi-type pass on the same date as your first travel day, but I can think of two reasons you might want to activate before your first travel day. First, there are some ferry/train/attraction operators who sell discounted tickets to holders of an active pass, but this does not require a travel day. You could activate the pass, get the discount, and spend your travel days later. Second, suppose you bought a 10-days-in-2-months pass in the last days of a 15% off sale, with 11 months to activate it, but you wanted to travel 12 or 13 months after buying it. You could activate the pass 11 months after buying it, then you'd have another 2 months to use up your travel days.

 

[VPS]

OK - just reread the fine print on RailEurope

• Buying now doesn't start the clock. A mobile Pass sits in the Rail Planner app until you activate it, and you have 11 months from the date of purchase to do that, so a Pass bought in this sale can still start a trip in the summer of 2027. Each travel day still has to be added in the app before you board, not after the conductor appears.

It's incredible value at the moment. As a senior I can get 1st class for a month continuously for $700