We are looking to travel to France from Yorkshire in march - first question when should I buy my interail pass,
im a bit confused re activating the pass do I do this when I’m booking my journey.
we are travelling from Yorkshire on LNER then Eurostar to Paris then down to Thonon in the Alps all trains look as if I need to book seats
I’m thinking the pass plus would be worth it does anyone have any experience of this
thany upu
Best answer by zagmund
When to buy . . . last week when the sale was on. Other than that, there is no better or worse time to buy.
In practical terms, I would buy the pass now and then wait. Other than the “must start using it within 11 months of buying it” rule, there’s no good or bad impact to buying closer to March. If you buy it in February and then find you can’t travel in March for some reason you have until January 2028 to use it. If you buy now and your plans change you have until September 2027. If you travel in March as planned it’s all moot.
Eurostar - pass reservation required. TGV - pass reservation required. LNER - no reservation required, but if you do make one they are free so you may as well. The LNER (in fact most UK mainline routes) thing is down to incorrect information somewhere in the system. These journeys are flagged up as reservation required when this is 100% incorrect. There is no *requirement* to reserve a seat anywhere in the UK other than on the sleeper services.
When to buy . . . last week when the sale was on. Other than that, there is no better or worse time to buy.
In practical terms, I would buy the pass now and then wait. Other than the “must start using it within 11 months of buying it” rule, there’s no good or bad impact to buying closer to March. If you buy it in February and then find you can’t travel in March for some reason you have until January 2028 to use it. If you buy now and your plans change you have until September 2027. If you travel in March as planned it’s all moot.
Eurostar - pass reservation required. TGV - pass reservation required. LNER - no reservation required, but if you do make one they are free so you may as well. The LNER (in fact most UK mainline routes) thing is down to incorrect information somewhere in the system. These journeys are flagged up as reservation required when this is 100% incorrect. There is no *requirement* to reserve a seat anywhere in the UK other than on the sleeper services.
TGV reservations will be available from 12th November and there’s usually a pass sale around Black Friday (so late November). I’d buy my pass then.
LNER reservations aren’t mandatory but you can make one on their website or at ticket offices. Eurostar reservations are mandatory and should still be available. If you use a TGV as far as Lyon or Bellegarde, a reservation won’t be necessary on the last bit by regional trains (TER).
There are a few direct Paris - Thonon TGVs too for convenience. Reservation mandatory.
See this guide: https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm
March Saturdays are very busy in France so they run extra trains to the Alps on those days, don’t leave booking to the last minute but late November is fine in my opinion. For a weekday you can leave it to later.
I haven’t used the Plus pass.
+10The Plus pass looks good as first, but I have to admit I found it a pain to use.
Purely from a financial point of view, it’s unlikely to save you more than €10 or 20 at best, and could end up costing you. (They also don’t seem to get discounted when there’s a sale on).
So just to be clear I can but train tickets once I’ve got my pass but I must book something within 3. Months even if my travel date is after 3 months
I would subscribe to the Interrail newsletter. There may be another sale this year. On Previous occasions, the November/December sales brough a 25% discount (except on the Plus pass).
So just to be clear I can but train tickets once I’ve got my pass but I must book something within 3. Months even if my travel date is after 3 months
The pass is your ticket. You don't need to buy any other tickets for trains covered by the pass. You may need reservations for some trains, but you can book them before you have your pass. However, if you decide to go for the Plus pass, then you first need to buy a pass to be able to book reservations.
Enter your E-mail address. We'll send you an e-mail with instructions to reset your password.
