Interrail, 6 mistakes you'll be happy to avoid

Written by Elisabeth Gournay

Published on June 26, 2023, modified on February 24, 2025

Hello, dear traveller of the future (yes, because we all know by now that the future of travel is the train). Ready to discover all the hidden subtleties of the pass synonymous with freedom? We'll tell you all about it in this article.

As a reminder, the Interrail pass is a unique pass that allows you to use the participating European rail networks* at will, for a defined number of travel days, with different durations of validity on offer - from 4 days to 3 months of travel - and the possibility of opting for a Global Interrail Pass valid in 33 European countries, or for a single-country Pass. That's for the principle (brilliant, we agree). But here are a few pitfalls to avoid.

Mistake n°1: failing to anticipate

While it's not impossible to make last-minute arrangements, all night trains and most high-speed trains require advance booking, and are often fully booked in high season. This applies in particular to France, Spain and Italy: victims of their own success!

Of course, if you appreciate the charm of improvisation and want to get off the beaten track (and if you've got time on your hands, too...), there's a special “à l'arrache” section on the Interrail website (well, it's not really called that, but you get the idea), which you can find via this link.

Mistake n°2: thinking everything is included

The pass can save you a lot of money. For example, if you book a sleeper in a cabin for 6 on Friday November 25 on the Paris-Vienna route, the cost will be €39.90 instead of €79.90, a saving of €40.

That said, there are a few subtleties that can push up the starting price. Additional expenses include

The extra cost of certain reservations not included in the initial rate.

Local public transport: bus, metro or even some private train companies that are not partners*. Flixbus routes, for example, are not included in the Interrail offer.

The cost of the pass itself, depending on your age category. So, on this point, I'd advise you to be young or old (and no, it's not the age in your head that counts... it's the age on your ID card, damn it!).

So how do you know if it's interesting or not? At the risk of being a little caricatured on this point:

If you travel mainly to Eastern European countries, where the cost of living - and therefore of transport - is lower, and you're middle-aged (who said veteran?), you'll pay full price for the pass... In that case, maybe the Interrail solution won't be the best.

On the other hand, if you're young and you're into Italian dolce vita, Andalusian nightlife and Parisian architecture... then the pass is definitely for you.

So, our best advice: make a budget with and without an Interrail pass, so you can compare!

For more tips on how to save money on your Interrail Pass, read Isabelle's testimonial, who spent 6 months on the rails with her husband, all the way to Eastern Europe!

Mistake n°3: seeing the train as a means of getting from point B to point A (or vice versa)

If you're already an aficionado of this type of transport, you'll have understood by now that choosing the train really means giving full meaning to Robert Louis Stevenson's famous phrase: “The important thing is not the destination, it's the journey”. The relationship with time is not at all the same, because here it's all about discovering, meeting, strolling and experiencing travel in a way that's different from just consuming destinations.

And for those who hate idleness, there's even a way to work in peace, as most trains today are clean, comfortable and rather quiet. Ideal for digital nomads, workaholics, or simply people who like to take their time (and not waste it). And if you really need tips on how not to get bored when you're away, we recommend this article!

In fact, to take this famous relationship with time one step further, we recommend that you avoid changing cities every day. Firstly, because it's rare to be able to really discover and immerse yourself in a place in just 24 hours, and also because it involves even more logistics (booking new accommodation and putting your bag in a safe place, for example). Sometimes it's nice to be able to settle down for just 2 or 3 days and not add unnecessary mental burdens.

Mistake n°4: leaving with too much to carry

Of course, it's the train that's going to carry your bag for the whole journey, but have you thought about all that time you're going to be lugging it around afterwards? And if the idea of a wheeled suitcase seems sensible at first glance, you've probably never experienced it on rough roads, cobblestones, mud... So unless you've got an all-terrain, self-cleaning suitcase, we'd recommend a good backpack instead!

Mistake n°5: thinking train travel is unsafe

Travelling alone can be frightening, especially as a woman. But the train is no less safe than any other means of transport!

Ndlr: so yes, personally, I'm a woman and I travel (even solo sometimes) and... whatever the mode of transport! To put it simply, from my point of view, after having traveled quite a bit: most people on this planet are rather benevolent and, if “danger” can exist, it's the exception rather than the rule. Of course, you have to use a little common sense (keep your belongings and luggage close to you). But overall, bus, train, plane, touk-touk... nothing has ever happened to me. And I don't think the train is any riskier than any other mode of transport. On the contrary, if you take into account the extremely rare accidents that have occurred, there's only one watchword: go for it! Fear doesn't avoid danger anyway.

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* The list of partner companies is available on the Interrail website, if you'd like to take a closer look.

Photo Arthur Vaillant