For many, Interrail is a must-do on their bucket list. Going around Europe and seeing all the different countries via train with one or a bunch of friends sounds like a dream. And believe you me, it is! However, the common picture that people have about interrailing is that it also includes sleeping on train stations, being rejected from all of town’s fully-booked hostels and going many days without a proper shower. While this may be true for those who like “living on the edge”, as they say, it doesn’t necessarily have to be so. Check out our tips for a successful and amazing Interrail with minimal stress and maximal fun!
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It’s okay to plan ahead
Even though some people prefer to just hop on a train and go wherever it takes them, without knowing where they will spend their next night, it is not for all. It is okay to plan ahead and even book your hostels in advance (especially during the high season). A strategy that allows you to do both planning ahead and also being impulsive is to book accommodation somewhere that serves as a base with easy access to several other locations nearby. For example, staying in Nice allows you to easily visit almost everywhere else in the French Riviera. Knowing in advance where you will go, at least partly, allows you to also make sure that you get to see all the places you want.
2. Budget, budget, budget!
Yes, Interrail is an inexpensive way to travel. However, Europe is not always inexpensive. Interrails usually last from a couple of weeks to even over a month, so money is sure to burn no matter what. The key here is to budget your travel carefully. Interrail is popular mostly among young students (even though senior tickets are available — it’s never too late!) who are obviously not the richest of people, so planning ahead on how much money you’ll have to spend each day is strongly recommended.
3. Be careful with the trains
As with all good things, there’s a slight catch to your Interrail ticket — it does not apply to all trains. Most of the high-speed trains require an additional reservation fee and some even require you to buy a new ticket altogether. Sometimes you have to choose whether to travel 15 hours on six different regional trains or to just pay the 10 euro reservation fee and take the direct 3-hour-train. You also have to be careful when filling out your timetable to your travel ticket before entering the train (which is required) because any misinformation, not to mention traveling in a wrong a train, can result in a hefty fine.
All in all interrailing is an easy and affordable way to travel. The best part is seeing multiple cultures all at once and visiting places you otherwise wouldn’t have even heard of. If your bucket list is still missing a bullet point saying “Interrail”, add it there immediately!
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