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UK TOCs to no longer accept Interrail passes from 2020 (decision now reversed)
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blackfive460
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You are supposed to fill in the travel diary so that on-train staff checking tickets can see where you are going (though they rarely bother) but while they encourage you to send it in, it isn't compulsory so I don't think it is used directly to apportion the revenue.
Mitchell Hurd
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Sorry if I've misunderstood something here but whoever's decided that TOC's will no longer accept interail passes is stupid - that's gonna put far more pressure on the airlines! Yes I've never been up in the air before but I've seen programmes and the news enough times.
Not everyone wants to travel first class...£796 for an All Line Rover instead. What a bargain
Edit:
The RDG have just published a statement
https://twitter.com/RailDeliveryGrp/status/1159052759653634048
Doesn't say why the membership has been ended.
£526 standard class
221129
Established Member
What are you on about?
If this is true, RDG are lying, which I think would be a very serious state of affairs. Surely they are not lying, are they? Can anyone get a definitive answer?
That's still ludicrously expensive. I'm in Norway on an InterRail as I type this and I would not be doing this trip if the cost was that much!
blackfive460
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One thought just occurred; with the removal of mainland UK from Interrail and Eurail Global passes, presumably there will be a price reduction! 
They are a press release production organisation. That's pretty much it.
As it's summer, so they'll be busy copying and pasting this year's RPI fares increase announcement press release from last year's as we speak.
</cynicism>
Another reminder. This thread is not for talking about Brexit. I've deleted some off-topic discussion around Brexit. Please leave it at that.
For visitors, the correct point of comparison would be a Britrail ticket though, which isn't quite as expensive as an ALR for domestic travellers.
It's still stupid of course, because you can no longer use an Interrail Global pass to cover your journey to/from Britain as well. While the price differential between the Global and One Country/Britrail passes is such that you might be able to get a similar total price using cheap advances, you still loose some flexibility.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Certain routes , I suspect Scotland and chunks of Wales will note this restriction. (IE the loss of welcome visitor traffic , the income generated thereof , and all the social none quantified benefits arising)
It really is most unhelpful.
It really is most unhelpful.
43096
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Why does it matter where I’m going on such a pass? As long as it is valid for that country, date and class of travel is all that matters. It is frankly an utter waste of time.
Eurail wasn't valid in GB until very recently, can anyone be more precise?
Whereas Interrail has been since the beginning.
I therefore don't see why accepting Eurail has to be a precondition for being part of Interrail.
It will be annoying for GB residents, especially those of us living away from London, because we have to pay for a couple of journeys on NR, but those really hit will be mainland European residents who will no longer be able to travel flexibly to and in the UK. I daresay the lowcost airlines will benefit!
Whereas Interrail has been since the beginning.
I therefore don't see why accepting Eurail has to be a precondition for being part of Interrail.
It will be annoying for GB residents, especially those of us living away from London, because we have to pay for a couple of journeys on NR, but those really hit will be mainland European residents who will no longer be able to travel flexibly to and in the UK. I daresay the lowcost airlines will benefit!
WatcherZero
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It will still be valid on Eurostar.
Non promotional discount price comparison:
Britrail
3 Days Pass £116
4 Days Pass £144
8 Days Pass £208
15 Days Pass £309
22 Days Pass £386
1 Month Pass £455
Interrail UK Only, Adult 2nd class
Non promotional discount price comparison:
Britrail
3 Days Pass £116
4 Days Pass £144
8 Days Pass £208
15 Days Pass £309
22 Days Pass £386
1 Month Pass £455
Interrail UK Only, Adult 2nd class
3 Days Pass £192
4 Days Pass £201.36
5 Days Pass £222.61
6 Days Pass £242.01
8 Days Pass £274.34
Interrail Europe wide, Adult 2nd class
3 Days Pass £201.36
5 Days Pass £260.48
7 Days Pass £309.44
15 Days Pass £409.19
22 Days Pass £365.78
28 days pass £618.87
56 days pass £675.22
4 Days Pass £201.36
5 Days Pass £222.61
6 Days Pass £242.01
8 Days Pass £274.34
Interrail Europe wide, Adult 2nd class
3 Days Pass £201.36
5 Days Pass £260.48
7 Days Pass £309.44
15 Days Pass £409.19
22 Days Pass £365.78
28 days pass £618.87
56 days pass £675.22
NoMorePacers
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The RDG is a joke.
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221129
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If the statement from.RDG is true then they were pushed out, albeit because of their own choices.
whittlesfordok
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Lots of indignation here but how many of these passes are actual sold?
Ironically I'm about to embark on a Global Interrail in 1st class for a week.
I'll be sure to enjoy the freebies both ways for what is a pretty excellent price for one final time.
At least Eurostar remains valid as that going would be enough to force me onto the plane.
I'll be sure to enjoy the freebies both ways for what is a pretty excellent price for one final time.
At least Eurostar remains valid as that going would be enough to force me onto the plane.
Sorry, I forgot
I was looking at standard but 14 days, not 7. Should've made that clear, granted.
Polarbear
Established Member
The RDG's press release is somewhat disingenuous, as it infers that most UK residents won't be affected by the change. Of course, unless you live near to an airport, seaport or Eurostar terminal, you will now have the added expense of getting to/from London.
It's certainly a retrograde step in an era when rail travel should be being promoted as a green way of travelling, and the RDG have messed up big time here in my opinion.
I have one or two IR's a year at the moment, but from 2020, it looks like I'll be flying to Europe to use these tickets as it'll be more cost effective to do so. Well done UK rail.
It's certainly a retrograde step in an era when rail travel should be being promoted as a green way of travelling, and the RDG have messed up big time here in my opinion.
I have one or two IR's a year at the moment, but from 2020, it looks like I'll be flying to Europe to use these tickets as it'll be more cost effective to do so. Well done UK rail.
paul1609
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My thoughts exactly Ive known relations buy Britrail passes but i don't think I've ever seen an Interail pass in the uk.
Quakkerillo
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Guilty. Last year, I combined two short trips of a week each on interrail. One in the UK, one to Croatia. But I must admit that it's maybe not that frequent. First time I showed it to a guard on a Virgin Trains, the guard flipped it a few times, and then gave it back with a blank questioning stare. Really felt as if he didn't understand what I gave him, but that he suspected it was valid and 'let me off' as he didn't want to embarrass himself for not understanding.
I've had staff in Hungary stare blankly at the thing and attempt to rip the ticket from the cover before so it could be worse! Every country I've been to with one I've had at least someone give a questioning stare or try to do something daft with it.
On the contrary, I had a conductor with a trainee on ÖBB before who sat him down across from me and explained everything for a few minutes. Also had someone on SNCB ask if she could have a proper look through as she hadn't seen one before. Always nice to get that too.
I've seen them on a few occasions. But it's not as if a huge proportion of journeys in Europe use them either! It's just another symbol of post-war European unity and cooperation by the UK being chucked out of the window.
paul1609
Established Member
I suspect that the number used are so small that nobody will notice
If the number used is insignificant, why court the negative publicity of withdrawing from it.
thedbdiboy
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I don't think that this is a particularly good move for the rail industry but a number of comments here belie the structure and decision making process of the industry. RDG does not have the power to make these decisions on behalf of the industry, The power sits with the DfT which specifies the contracts or concessions for train operators. Some of these powers are delegated to train operators which then manage these activities through schemes, managed initially by ATOC but latterly by RDG - it is the TOCs that direct these RDG decisions where the DfT chooses not to specify or mandate functions.
The DfT has not mandated the particiption in inbound Inter-Rail cards, and the TOCs through the governance of the relevant scheme have reacted to changes to the stucture of Inter-Rail passes that they consider will dilute their revenue by choosing to withdraw. It is not an RDG led decision, and the DfT has ultimate power to intervene (indeed as DfT have control over a number of TOCs they will have approved the relevant voting in a number of cases) but in this case have not done so.
There still seem to be people on this forum who assume that simply wresting away the industry from RDG and TOCs means these things would not happen, without realising that these things are under ultimately under control of government and the RDG/TOC structure is essentially used to create patsies to divert attention from the lack of joined up oversight and management of the network and to try and distance government from their own accountability. This is of course beginning to really come unstuck (as in the case of the GTR 2018 timetable) hence the Williams review.
The DfT has not mandated the particiption in inbound Inter-Rail cards, and the TOCs through the governance of the relevant scheme have reacted to changes to the stucture of Inter-Rail passes that they consider will dilute their revenue by choosing to withdraw. It is not an RDG led decision, and the DfT has ultimate power to intervene (indeed as DfT have control over a number of TOCs they will have approved the relevant voting in a number of cases) but in this case have not done so.
There still seem to be people on this forum who assume that simply wresting away the industry from RDG and TOCs means these things would not happen, without realising that these things are under ultimately under control of government and the RDG/TOC structure is essentially used to create patsies to divert attention from the lack of joined up oversight and management of the network and to try and distance government from their own accountability. This is of course beginning to really come unstuck (as in the case of the GTR 2018 timetable) hence the Williams review.
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