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Interrailing/Eurailing Advice Superthread (IMPORTANT: FAQ at start)

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Original post by usernonapplicable
After some research I've abandoned the idea of using an interrail pass. There are potentially too many additional supplements (some of them being significant in value) which could increase the cost, especially as I'll be paying full price.

Another thing that annoyed me is the £19 postage cost for 'premium delivery' of which the pass would get to me no sooner than 04/07. When you consider that all the pass is nothing more than a piece of paper, I certainly will not pay anything more than a few pounds for that service.

FYI (which I hope you're aware) the website declares that the pass cannot be used in the country of purchase so you would be unable to use your pass on your first journey out of the Netherlands.


What are you going to do instead?

I read that in a few places but I called up and they told me that I can. You can't use the pass in a country you've been a resident in for 6 months. It doesn't matter where you buy it.
Original post by cvarley
Thanks for this post - it's pretty damn helpful :smile:

See, the problem is, I've heard mixed opinions about Bratislava. In terms of nightlife it's meant to be incredible given how cheap it is. I imagine we'll potentially spend a night or two there if any purely for the nightlife rather than sightseeing etc.

I hear that Vienna is pretty expensive. I've been there before but only when very young. We may go there but it's unlikely.

Well we haven't actually got a set length of time that we plan to go for. The current idea is to go for around a month so we can probably fit in quite a few places. Really wanting to go to Croatia although I don't know which places are best. I hear the islands are great. Zagreb isn't so great in summer apparently because everyone goes to the islands. Any idea which would be good to go to?

Lake Bled looks incredible, just googled it. Think we'll definitely be going there then. Staying in a nearby hostel would be good but I guess we could just go there as a day trip from Ljubljana.

We've only booked the first 5 days so the trip is completely flexible. We'll be booking hostels on our phones using hostel wifi as we go.


Yeah Bratislava is cheap but I still wouldn't go out of my way to go there for a night out. Just think, you're going to Berlin and Prague, cities that are well known for their amazing nightlife and cheap beer, respectively. Do you really want to waste a couple of days all for the sake of a cheap night out?
Berlin has incredible nightlife and Budapest is super cheap too...! Plus I found that people were much friendlier in Budapest (and therefore making a better night out) than in Bratislava.

I'd recommend that you spend at least one full day in Ljubljana and at least one full day in Lake Bled. I only had one day and night in Bled but I wish I had stayed a longer as it's so beautiful! There isn't anything to do in the town but obviously people just go to Bled for the AMAZING views. Spending a day swimming in the lake and hiring rowing boats was lush.
If you do go to Bled, you should stay here: http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/slovenia/bled/47098/ . It's just some guys house but he was super welcoming and gave us so much advice about the area and the rest of our trip. The rooms were also the best I've ever stayed in. Seriously the best hostel I've ever stayed in.
Original post by cvarley
What are you going to do instead?

I read that in a few places but I called up and they told me that I can. You can't use the pass in a country you've been a resident in for 6 months. It doesn't matter where you buy it.


I'm having a difficult time deciding what to do. Interrail or not, it's going to cost a fair bit, so I'll have to pay up.

Seen a cheap(ish) flight to Paris on Monday, quite tempted..
Original post by Chambo
Thank you so much! Wonderful advice!!!! :biggrin:


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


No problem, if you have any other interrailling questions feel free to ask.

Enjoy your trip!
Hey we are trying to plan our interailing trip round eastern Europe and have got a bit stuck and wonder if anyone can help us.

The route so far looks like this:

Amsterdam - Berlin - Krakow - Prague - Munich - Budapest - Romania (any suggestions for places welcome!) - Sofia - Belgrad - Croatia

We feel quite sorted up until Budapest so any help for routes from Romania to Croatia, and experiences with the trains there as they seem to be quite slow!

Also are night trains worth doing and any advise on those would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks :smile:
So I've basically got myself in a total mess and need some help.

Booked some interrailing fairly last minute to leave on the 13th July, spent a good number of hours trying to thoroughly research what I was doing and I thought my plan was fine despite the short notice so I went ahead and booked various amounts of hostels/trains/boats and suchlike.

However part of my plan was a direct night train from Amsterdam to Prague (where I'll be meeting some friends) which as far as I could see was a legitimate option. However I am not able to book it online and it says I have to contact the ACP international call centre - for starters, I can't seem to get through to them anyway, and then after trying to chase it up some more I found something that implied point-to-point night train reservations have to be booked 3 months in advance?!

If this is the case I am basically screwed, unless I take an all day journey from Amsterdam which will essentially mean I get 13 hours there rather than 24 as I had planned (it was just going to be a short 1 night 1 day stopover).

Is there any way around this? Is it possible to book last minute/can I turn up on the day and hope that somebody isn't claiming their seat reservation?
Original post by .Scout.
We made our reservation on the overnighter from Berlin to Krakow in person, the day before. You should be fine.


Sorry, I'm quoting from weeks back - did you still manage to get it on a discounted price this way (supplement only) or did you have to pay for a full price ticket?
I just got back from my trip to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Zagreb, Venice, Milan, Nice, Barcelona, Ibiza. Any questions, please ask me!
Original post by dirtyoldriver
Sorry, I'm quoting from weeks back - did you still manage to get it on a discounted price this way (supplement only) or did you have to pay for a full price ticket?



Just had to pay the supplement :h: .
Original post by simoncino
I just got back from my trip to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Zagreb, Venice, Milan, Nice, Barcelona, Ibiza. Any questions, please ask me!


A very similar to trip to mine, though in reverse. Am leaving for Benicassim on Monday, interrailing ticket begins on the 18th. Just wanted to know what you found yourself doing in places like Zagreb and Budapest. Obviously I'll research things on hostel wi-fi when I'm out there, but I'm clueless as to what I'll do when I get out there.
Original post by SLlewellyn
A very similar to trip to mine, though in reverse. Am leaving for Benicassim on Monday, interrailing ticket begins on the 18th. Just wanted to know what you found yourself doing in places like Zagreb and Budapest. Obviously I'll research things on hostel wi-fi when I'm out there, but I'm clueless as to what I'll do when I get out there.


I found Zagreb relatively quiet and boring, but I am sure you can find something good to do. Budapest was incredible. I recommend a "ruin pub". These are abandoned old buildings which have been turned into clubs/bars/pubs. Seriously amazing the one we went to!

Any other specific questions?
Original post by simoncino
I just got back from my trip to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Zagreb, Venice, Milan, Nice, Barcelona, Ibiza. Any questions, please ask me!


Wow! How long did that take you? What was your budget? How much are the supplements or reservation fees you pay when getting a ticket? I'm just about to buy an InterRail pass and I've never travelled abroad before. Do you just go to the ticket office and show your pass and state your destination? How many nights did you spend in each place? What was your most enjoyable and least enjoyable cities? Is it worth stopping in Nice? Did you travel alone? Did you book hostels in advance or just turn up?

Thanks! :biggrin:
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 1232
Just arrived back today after travelling for the last 3 and a half weeks! I did Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Venice, Florence, Rome and Munich and it was really enjoyable. If anyone has any questions about these places or questions in general, feel free to ask.
Original post by 21stcenturyphantom
Wow! How long did that take you? What was your budget? How much are the supplements or reservation fees you pay when getting a ticket? I'm just about to buy an InterRail pass and I've never travelled abroad before. Do you just go to the ticket office and show your pass and state your destination? How many nights did you spend in each place? What was your most enjoyable and least enjoyable cities? Is it worth stopping in Nice? Did you travel alone? Did you book hostels in advance or just turn up?

Thanks! :biggrin:


We departed 1st June, and got back the early hours of this morning! My budget for EVERYTHING including accommodation, flights, Interrail came to about 2500 euros... Quite hefty, but I'd been saving up for this trip for a long time, plus I used some of my savings :P The supplements were never much. For example, to get from Paris to Brussels you can get the fast train for 30 euros, but we got the slow connection option for 6. Reservations varied for about 3 euros to 10 euros, and it was reasonably rare to need them. You just write in the train details every time you get onboard a train onto the ticket (it is obvious when you have it). We spent between 3 and 1 nights in each place. I really enjoyed Berlin, Budapest, Amsterdam and Venice; even if the heat did its best to put me off some of them! I didn't really enjoy Paris because I have been a few times already, Bratislava because I found it relatively vacant, and Ibiza wasn't really my scene, not gonna lie. Nice was nice :P It was a good stopping point for us really, nothing more. It was a fun city, but the beach was crap and pebbly so you have to get a 5 min train to Villefranche if you lust for beach. There is relatively little in the city, but the St Exupery hostel is meant to be so fun to go, I am annoyed we couldn't go there. I travelled as a group of 4. We had all our hostels pre booked, although we did modify our plans mid-trip and extended our stay in Venice to 2 nights and shortened Milan to 1. I think perhaps it would be more fun in the future to not book and give an extra element of flexibility, but it was my first trip of this type and I found booking reassuring.

Hope that helped haha
Original post by simoncino
We departed 1st June, and got back the early hours of this morning! My budget for EVERYTHING including accommodation, flights, Interrail came to about 2500 euros... Quite hefty, but I'd been saving up for this trip for a long time, plus I used some of my savings :P The supplements were never much. For example, to get from Paris to Brussels you can get the fast train for 30 euros, but we got the slow connection option for 6. Reservations varied for about 3 euros to 10 euros, and it was reasonably rare to need them. You just write in the train details every time you get onboard a train onto the ticket (it is obvious when you have it). We spent between 3 and 1 nights in each place. I really enjoyed Berlin, Budapest, Amsterdam and Venice; even if the heat did its best to put me off some of them! I didn't really enjoy Paris because I have been a few times already, Bratislava because I found it relatively vacant, and Ibiza wasn't really my scene, not gonna lie. Nice was nice :P It was a good stopping point for us really, nothing more. It was a fun city, but the beach was crap and pebbly so you have to get a 5 min train to Villefranche if you lust for beach. There is relatively little in the city, but the St Exupery hostel is meant to be so fun to go, I am annoyed we couldn't go there. I travelled as a group of 4. We had all our hostels pre booked, although we did modify our plans mid-trip and extended our stay in Venice to 2 nights and shortened Milan to 1. I think perhaps it would be more fun in the future to not book and give an extra element of flexibility, but it was my first trip of this type and I found booking reassuring.

Hope that helped haha


Fantastic, thank you! It sounds like you had a great time. :smile:

Regarding the emboldened text, I think I will feel the same after my trip but this is my first journey of this type so I would also appreciate the peace of mind in knowing I have a hostel booked for the end of the day. Plus, it saves time hunting for a hostel upon arrival, too.
Original post by 21stcenturyphantom
Fantastic, thank you! It sounds like you had a great time. :smile:

Regarding the emboldened text, I think I will feel the same after my trip but this is my first journey of this type so I would also appreciate the peace of mind in knowing I have a hostel booked for the end of the day. Plus, it saves time hunting for a hostel upon arrival, too.


Yeah I seriously recommend that you do book somewhere, at least for the first night of your stay in a city.
There's nothing worse rocking up and not being able to find anywhere in your budget or even worse, anywhere AT ALL to stay. Especially if you have limited time in a city, you don't want to be wandering the streets stressing over somewhere to accommodation.

What I found was best was to book a couple of days in advance or to book accom for the next city the day before you are due to depart for it. That way you have the flexibility of choosing how long you want to stay but still have the reassurance of having a guaranteed bed!
Original post by Soilwork
Just arrived back today after travelling for the last 3 and a half weeks! I did Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Venice, Florence, Rome and Munich and it was really enjoyable. If anyone has any questions about these places or questions in general, feel free to ask.


I'm perhaps considering visiting Florence, Venice, Llubljana and Lake Bled; in that order. What your was opinion on them? What sights did you see on your time in these places? Venice looks amazing and I think I'd need at least 3 nights to even begin to appreciate it. I didn't even consider Slovenia en route to Vienna until a fellow forum member suggested it. I was considering perhaps one night each in Ljubljana and Lake Bled. Is it worth it do you think?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by .Scout.
Yeah I seriously recommend that you do book somewhere, at least for the first night of your stay in a city.
There's nothing worse rocking up and not being able to find anywhere in your budget or even worse, anywhere AT ALL to stay. Especially if you have limited time in a city, you don't want to be wandering the streets stressing over somewhere to accommodation.

What I found was best was to book a couple of days in advance or to book accom for the next city the day before you are due to depart for it. That way you have the flexibility of choosing how long you want to stay but still have the reassurance of having a guaranteed bed!


I'm actually normally a 'leave it and go' kind of guy, but for this trip I've become the complete opposite. I'm aiming to have all of my hostels booked before I leave. I depart on the 22nd July, and so far I've got all my accommodation booked up to the 8th August. :biggrin:
Original post by 21stcenturyphantom
I'm actually normally a 'leave it and go' kind of guy, but for this trip I've become the complete opposite. I'm aiming to have all of my hostels booked before I leave. I depart on the 22nd July, and so far I've got all my accommodation booked up to the 8th August. :biggrin:


Hmm, I know it's a bit late for me to say this but having your whole trip planned out may force you to stay longer in places that you really don't like. For example, I hated Vienna so cut my time there short so I could move on to Slovenia. And I loved Ljubljana and Bled so much that I decided to stay there longer! This wouldn't have been possible if I had planned everything super in advance!

I do understand your worry about not having anywhere to stay, though. Especially as you're going in peak season (hostels will be packed) maybe you've made the right choice :h:
Original post by .Scout.
Hmm, I know it's a bit late for me to say this but having your whole trip planned out may force you to stay longer in places that you really don't like. For example, I hated Vienna so cut my time there short so I could move on to Slovenia. And I loved Ljubljana and Bled so much that I decided to stay there longer! This wouldn't have been possible if I had planned everything super in advance!

I do understand your worry about not having anywhere to stay, though. Especially as you're going in peak season (hostels will be packed) maybe you've made the right choice :h:


I've only booked 2 nights maximum in one place (excluding London & Paris) so I think I should be OK. Yes I'm going in high season and I'm on a very tight budget. Very excited though! Thank you for your replies. :smile:

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