How many non-UK passengers use interrail passes in the UK?

[deltic]

On a number of trains on some of the more obscure routes in Europe, the vast majority of passengers are interrail pass holders and all rail staff met to date know exactly what the ticket is. Yet I cant recall seeing anyone using Interrail tickets in the UK except on Eurostar. How often do rail staff see them on Britain's railways?

On a separate note I see that you can buy a 3 month Interrail pass for roughly the same price as Britain's 14 day All Line Rail Rover!

 

[route101]

Only ever seen one person use one to East Kilbride of all places!

 

[L401CJF]

They seem pretty common along the North Wales Coast

 

[Fokx]

I tend to find them on services to/from York. Probably one a month or two.

 

[AMD]

Oddly enough, I see them every time I work out of Manchester Airport.....

 

[Starmill]

They must be more common now that they may be used for one journey each way between home and wherever you join your international service. For example there must be more people who use them to get trains to the various airport stations, Harwich, Holyhead, Fishguard, and to London St Pancras?

 

[DanNCL]

I was sat opposite a couple on the Kyle of Lochalsh line back in July who were travelling on Interrail passes. First time I'd ever actually seen people using them in the UK!

 

[30907]

They must be more common now that they may be used for one journey each way between home and wherever you join your international service. For example there must be more people who use them to get trains to the various airport stations, Harwich, Holyhead, Fishguard, and to London St Pancras?

The question was about non UK passengers though

I suspect the lack of these is due to geography - the UK is out on a limb, as it were (apologies to Ireland!). I wonder if the same applies to Scandinavia? Or Iberia?

@deltic - What's your definition of obscure?

 

[railfan99]

Remember that the vast majority of worldwide residents don't qualify for an Interrail, but we can purchase a Eurailpass. At a guess perhaps 350 million can travel on an Interrail pass, whereas more than seven billion could in theory purchase a Eurailpass. Big difference in numbers!

I have one and will hopefully be using it extensively in the UK. I hope all conductors (or 'guards' as you call them) are aware Global Eurailpasses have been available for use in UK since 2019. I suspect many may be unaware of that, including some station barrier staff.

I have used a Eurailpass previously in Scandanavia: conductors don't blink an eyelid, and nor did they in nations like Bulgaria, where one female conductor wished me a happy trip as I sat alone in a compartment on a very scenic line.

 

[deltic]

The question was about non UK passengers though

I suspect the lack of these is due to geography - the UK is out on a limb, as it were (apologies to Ireland!). I wonder if the same applies to Scandinavia? Or Iberia?

@deltic - What's your definition of obscure?

Villach to Zagreb, a loco hauled 2 coach train, over half a full train were using interrail tickets, Divaca to Pula, a very empty 2 car DMU maybe 25 passengers, vast majority were using interrail passes. Colleagues who were travelling in the far north of Sweden and on rural branchlines said the same, ie a significant proportion of passengers were interrailing.

 

[E27007]

On a separate note I see that you can buy a 3 month Interrail pass for roughly the same price as Britain's 14 day All Line Rail Rover!

I have never really understood why the inter-rail Pass has not been challenged in Court on the grounds of being unfair and discriminatory,
I would like to buy the cut-price inter-rail Pass and set off to enjoy exploring far-flung destinations from my London home such as Scotland, Wales, ireland, Cornwall, etc, but I am denied the Inter-rail Pass as I live in England, and other than start/end journeys the Pass is not valid for such travel;

 

[railfan99]

I would like to buy the cut-price inter-rail Pass and set off to enjoy exploring far-flung destinations from my London home such as Scotland, Wales, ireland, Cornwall, etc, but I am denied the Inter-rail Pass as I live in England, and other than start/end journeys the Pass is not valid for such travel;

But given Brexit, you can purchase one of many available Eurailpasses. From Australia, I always buy a Global Eurailpass (continuous), not the more expensive per diem passes.

 

[30907]

I have never really understood why the inter-rail Pass has not been challenged in Court on the grounds of being unfair and discriminatory,
I would like to buy the cut-price inter-rail Pass and set off to enjoy exploring far-flung destinations from my London home such as Scotland, Wales, ireland, Cornwall, etc, but I am denied the Inter-rail Pass as I live in England, and other than start/end journeys the Pass is not valid for such travel;

The challenge would fail as one would have to show that there is a country whose residents are allowed to use the pass on different terms and conditions. There is none.

 

[E27007]

But given Brexit, you can purchase one of many available Eurailpasses. From Australia, I always buy a Global Eurailpass (continuous), not the more expensive per diem passes.

I checked Eurail Pass website, ,the pass is specifically only available to non-Europeans, website accepts the Euro, Aus/US/Canadian dollar as payment, no mention of the £ Sterling, Europeans are directed to buy the Inter-Rail Pass, the latter not suitable for my travel needs.
post - Brexit, are UK people non-European for the pupose of the Eurail Pass?

post srript,from T&Cs for Eurail: unfortunately , In or Out, we are still stuck with the restriction
"
5.2 The Customer is eligible to purchase a Eurail Rail Pass if they are a citizen or official legal resident of a country that is:

• not part of one the European Union Member states

and is not mentioned in this list:

• Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Isle of Man, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom or Vatican City.

"

 

[Starmill]

The question was about non UK passengers though

How do you know that a ticket is issued to a UK resident or non-UK? Are people actually checking passports with a ticket?

 

[deltic]

How do you know that a ticket is issued to a UK resident or non-UK? Are people actually checking passports with a ticket?

Very rarely in my experience - but it only takes one to find out you are not travelling on a valid ticket.

post - Brexit, are UK people non-European for the pupose of the Eurail Pass?


"

Eurail and Interrail are nothing to do with the EU - they are designed to encourage use of the rail network in countries other than the one a person lives in. Interrail was set up by the Internation Union of Railways (UIC) to celebrate its 50th anniversary and was such a success that it was made permanent.

 

[Mikey C]

I have never really understood why the inter-rail Pass has not been challenged in Court on the grounds of being unfair and discriminatory,
I would like to buy the cut-price inter-rail Pass and set off to enjoy exploring far-flung destinations from my London home such as Scotland, Wales, ireland, Cornwall, etc, but I am denied the Inter-rail Pass as I live in England, and other than start/end journeys the Pass is not valid for such travel;

But that's how Inter-rail passes work, they're to encourage travel outside of your home country. If you were Spanish, you wouldn't be allowed to travel around Spain etc

The UK is of course on the edge of Europe, and less easy to casually visit, whereas the joy of inter-railing is being able to casually hop on a regular train and get out in another country. The map has reminded how much I used to enjoy inter-railing when young!

https://www.interrail.eu/content/dam/pdfs/Interrail%20map%202022.pdf

 

[miklcct]

Any London Overground staff here? I'm interested to know if there are many who use such passes on your services.

 

[biko]

No idea how many people use interrail, but I was one of the non-UK passengers using one in the UK. Guards did casually look at it, except for one, who actually checked the diary and put a mark on it. Barrier staff just waved me through at all stations.

 

[A S Leib]

Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Isle of Man, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom or Vatican City.

A bit strange that Faroe, Gibraltar and Man are mentioned and the Channel Islands aren't.

 

[zero]

I think a typical UK tourist itinerary tends to be something like London for a few days and then a single (or return) trip to maybe one or two of places such as York, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh.

So many people would just need one or a few advance tickets and a pass would not be cost effective

 

[30907]

No idea how many people use interrail, but I was one of the non-UK passengers using one in the UK. Guards did casually look at it, except for one, who actually checked the diary and put a mark on it. Barrier staff just waved me through at all stations.

I was asked for my passport several times in CZ recently, but nowhere else.

Both ID number and country of residence are recorded on the (electronic) pass and the scan certainly picks up related details like area of validity and whether it is being used in the country of residence.

 

[Trainbike46]

Very rarely in my experience - but it only takes one to find out you are not travelling on a valid ticket.

Passport checks wouldn't be enough, because the rules are based on residence not nationality, at least officially. It is very possible for someone with a UK citizenship to live in France, and use an interrail pass to travel in the UK.

And the reverse is also true, you're not allowed to travel in your country of residence (except for the inbound/outbound journey), even if you hold citizenship of another country

That is, unless I've massively misunderstood the rules

 

[Wallsendmag]

I was helping on Newcastle Station on Friday and saw half a dozen in a couple of hours

 

[30907]

Passport checks wouldn't be enough, because the rules are based on residence not nationality, at least officially. It is very possible for someone with a UK citizenship to live in France, and use an interrail pass to travel in the UK.

Indeed so, but a random ID check would raise questions, and it would be wise for someone in that situation to have some proof of current residence.

 

[crablab]

Are people actually checking passports with a ticket?

I've been passport checked on a TGV. Only time, however.

Indeed so, but a random ID check would raise questions, and it would be wise for someone in that situation to have some proof of current residence.

How so? I have two passports. I could be resident in the non-UK (Eurail) country and purchase an Interrail ticket. Showing a UK passport would raise no additional questions than anyone else with an Interrail and a UK passport.

 

[Trainbike46]

Indeed so, but a random ID check would raise questions, and it would be wise for someone in that situation to have some proof of current residence.

Well, even if you don't have prove of address on you it shouldn't turn out to be a problem, as the suspicious guard would presumably take your name and address, and they would then realise that you don't in fact live in the uk. And if they don't, the prosecutions people at the TOC would.

 

[Starmill]

I've been passport checked on a TGV. Only time, however.




How so? I have two passports. I could be resident in the non-UK (Eurail) country and purchase an Interrail ticket. Showing a UK passport would raise no additional questions than anyone else with an Interrail and a UK passport.

It's true that a passport check would only prove beyond a doubt that your identity is what you say it is. And then only if the passport's photo bears a good likeness to you.

 

[Mikey C]

I think a typical UK tourist itinerary tends to be something like London for a few days and then a single (or return) trip to maybe one or two of places such as York, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh.

So many people would just need one or a few advance tickets and a pass would not be cost effective

I imagine that tourists travelling around Scotland would benefit from passes

It's certainly true that the internet has drastically changed things. A visitor to Britain, by organising their itinerary in advance would save more with Advance tickets (and budget hotels) than using a pass, and travelling "where they fancied on the day".

 

[railfan99]

It's certainly true that the internet has drastically changed things. A visitor to Britain, by organising their itinerary in advance would save more with Advance tickets (and budget hotels) than using a pass, and travelling "where they fancied on the day".

Passes give flexibility. I doubt that advance tickets give as much.