The Student Room Group

International Identity Cards (ISE, ISIC...) - help!

I am currently trying to organise things for an Interrailing trip a friend and I are taking in the summer, and it seems that we would benefit from having some kind of international identity card.
Does anyone know what the practical differences are between an ISE card, an ISIC card and an IYTC card? Is it worth getting any of them, or more than one of them? Are there any other organisations we should be looking to become members of (we have already joined YHA)?
Please help, we are in a state of confusion.
Get an ISIC card. Easy to get hold of and probably the most popular option, so more people in foreign countries will recognise it. As for other organisations, I shouldn't bother - you don't even really need the YHA.
I'd agree that an ISIC card is the best to get (although we only used it once) but you can use it here as ID and stuff instead of taking out irreplaceable stuff!! And I agree with the dr. you dont need anything else i wouldnt have thought.
xxx
helenfunkyhelen
I am currently trying to organise things for an Interrailing trip a friend and I are taking in the summer, and it seems that we would benefit from having some kind of international identity card.
Does anyone know what the practical differences are between an ISE card, an ISIC card and an IYTC card? Is it worth getting any of them, or more than one of them? Are there any other organisations we should be looking to become members of (we have already joined YHA)?
Please help, we are in a state of confusion.


No difference between the ISIC and the IYTC other than the nature under which you can qualify for it.

ISIC = Student.

IYTC = Under 25.

Both by the same agency, no point having both - if you're a student you're better of with the ISIC - if you've graduated/not a student (anymore) then you need to go with the IYTC. Both with the same benefits, just different qualification.

YHA extremely useful as enables discounts at any "Hostelling International" hostel (identfiable by the blue triangle) worldwide.
Reply 4
I'm going interrailing this summer too!

I think I'm going to get the ISIC card, i havent heard of the IYTC card! I'm also a member of YHA, it gets you great discounts in international youth hostels, I really don't think that there's 'no point' in getting it!
spoon1
I'm going interrailing this summer too!

I think I'm going to get the ISIC card, i havent heard of the IYTC card! I'm also a member of YHA, it gets you great discounts in international youth hostels, I really don't think that there's 'no point' in getting it!


It depends where you go and what you want to do, but in my experience, the 'official' hostels tend to be far more expensive than the independents, so you don't get much of a saving anyway.
In the end we've not booked at any YHA hostels yet because they seem to be few and far between - and not always that good! But it may yet come in handy.
Thanks everyone for the help!