UK TOCs to no longer accept Interrail passes from 2020 (decision now reversed)

jfollows · 8 Aug 2019

yorkie said:
Does "British people will feel no difference" mean we can still use InterRail passes for a journey from any station in Britain to the relevant port on the first day of validity, and back from the relevant port to any station in Britain on the last day of validity?

No, of course it doesn't mean this, it simply means that the RDG and everyone who professes to speak on its behalf lives within walking distance of St. Pancras and believes that everyone else also does.

This statement, that I "wouldn't feel any difference" annoyed me about 100 time more than the original announcement. I could accept the former, but I don't like being lied to.

I'm very glad that this decision appears to have been reversed, but the speed with which it was done shows how little foresight existed when the decision was initially announced.

RailUK Forums

LNW-GW Joint · 8 Aug 2019

Looks like another PR disaster for RDG.
They seem to be blaming Eurail for RDG's initial decision not to accept the new ticket.
Which is just like Boris blaming the EU for us leaving without a deal!

syorksdeano · 8 Aug 2019

Changed their minds now
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49281776

UK train companies will stay in the Interrail scheme, reversing Wednesday's decision, the operators' group says.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents UK train operators, had said the arrangement would end in January.

It had blamed a dispute with Eurail Group which manages the scheme.

Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions at the RDG said: "Following the strong reaction to news of our departure we and Eurail, the company which runs Interrail, renewed talks.

"We are pleased to be able to tell passengers that we have reached agreement and will be remaining part of both the Interrail and Eurail passes."

Djgr · 8 Aug 2019

Sounds like some people's asses have been kicked hard.

oliMw · 8 Aug 2019

Fantastic news, at a time when we are foolishly turning ourselves away from the continent i’m glad to see a small change in the opposite direction. Here’s to many more years of fellow Europeans (and global travellers) enjoying our railways.

thedbdiboy · 8 Aug 2019

Djgr said:
Sounds like some people's asses have been kicked hard.

I suspect that the realisation from those managing TOC and industry reputations that the revenue risk around the original dispute wasn't worth the bad publicity that would be caused by withdrawal has meant the issue has been escalated beyond the bean counters. It's a shame the message wasn't heeded earlier - when I became aware of this I didn't think that it would survive first contact with the media, and it hasn't. But it's good the scheme is being maintained.

yorkie · 8 Aug 2019

thedbdiboy said:
I suspect that the realisation from those managing TOC and industry reputations that the revenue risk around the original dispute wasn't worth the bad publicity that would be caused by withdrawal has meant the issue has been escalated beyond the bean counters. It's a shame the message wasn't heeded earlier - when I became aware of this I didn't think that it wouldn't survive first contact with the media, and it hasn't. But it's good the scheme is being maintained.

Excellent post, and I agree

Polarbear · 8 Aug 2019

Good to hear that a dose of common sense has been applied for once! Cheers

wellhouse · 8 Aug 2019

There have been reports that the RDG withdrawal from Interrail was prompted by an impending merger of Interrail and Eurrail.

Subject to T&Cs, this potentially challenges the viability of ALR and Britrail

sparks2000 · 8 Aug 2019

I was told:

“UK students will be excluded from the free interail ticket DiscoverEU programme.”

Was that true and does the reversal correct that too?

30907 · 8 Aug 2019

sparks2000 said:
I was told:

“UK students will be excluded from the free interail ticket DiscoverEU programme.”

Was that true and does the reversal correct that too?

It may well be true as we are leaving the EU which funds it. That would require a different reversal, which is OT for this thread

30907 · 8 Aug 2019

wellhouse said:
There have been reports that the RDG withdrawal from Interrail was prompted by an impending merger of Interrail and Eurrail.

Subject to T&Cs, this potentially challenges the viability of ALR and Britrail

RDG had signed up to Eurail Global Passes this year, and the range has been aligned with Interrail.
Britrail has probably been hit - some Britrail prices are on a par with Eurail Global equivalents, and the money from those is split 30 ways - but I wonder how many people actually use those for trips including the UK because of the Eurostar supplement?
As for ALR, I doubt many non-UK residents would bother, and Britrail is already cheaper for non Europeans.

yorksrob · 8 Aug 2019

wellhouse said:
There have been reports that the RDG withdrawal from Interrail was prompted by an impending merger of Interrail and Eurrail.

Subject to T&Cs, this potentially challenges the viability of ALR and Britrail

I'm not sure about Britrail, but in terms of the ALR, surely the presence of Eurrail would make it worthwhile for UK rail companies to offer a competitive one to people just travelling in the UK (so as not to have have to share the revenue with continental railways).

Hadders · 8 Aug 2019

thedbdiboy said:
I suspect that the realisation from those managing TOC and industry reputations that the revenue risk around the original dispute wasn't worth the bad publicity that would be caused by withdrawal has meant the issue has been escalated beyond the bean counters. It's a shame the message wasn't heeded earlier - when I became aware of this I didn't think that it would survive first contact with the media, and it hasn't. But it's good the scheme is being maintained.

Good post.

We should also remember that the group of people who made the original decision are the same people that want to 'simplify' fares, remove regulation, introduce mandatory reservations, remove flexibility under the guise of removing jargon etc. I wonder if future negative decisions will be reversed so easily....

southernyoshi · 8 Aug 2019

Victory for common sense & people power

Hopefully the reversal will lead to several high-up people behind this decision having their rear ends kicked very hard - the idea that the people behind this idiocy are about to set the future basis for all rail fare policy is frankly terrifying. After the hash they’ve made of this, hopefully Williams will remove their more serious powers.

Busaholic · 8 Aug 2019

Special dish in Pullman cars this evening, available only to senior personnel from TOCs = Humble Pie, with a discreet word or two from the steward as it is served. ''Do make sure you don't choke on this, sir'' (and it will be a 'sir.')

Next stop GWR buffets!

Jan · 8 Aug 2019

yorksrob said:
I'm not sure about Britrail, but in terms of the ALR, surely the presence of Eurrail would make it worthwhile for UK rail companies to offer a competitive one to people just travelling in the UK (so as not to have have to share the revenue with continental railways).

I'm a bit confused here why the ALR is mentioned here, though. Surely anybody who wasn't a UK resident would have already been using either Britrail, Interrail, or Eurail anyway?
While lower prices for Eurail passes would indeed mean that Britrail sales among non-Europeans might suffer, I don't see how that would affect the ALR - the total set of people who are eligible for at least one of Britrail, Interrail or Eurail doesn't change after all, does it?

yorksrob · 8 Aug 2019

Jan said:
I'm a bit confused here why the ALR is mentioned here, though. Surely anybody who wasn't a UK resident would have already been using either Britrail, Interrail, or Eurail anyway?
While lower prices for Eurail passes would indeed mean that Britrail sales among non-Europeans might suffer, I don't see how that would affect the ALR - the total set of people who are eligible for at least one of Britrail, Interrail or Eurail doesn't change after all, does it?

This was the point I was making regarding the post I'd quoted.

UK TOCs to no longer accept Interrail passes from 2020 (decision now reversed)

jfollows

Established Member

RailUK Forums

LNW-GW Joint

Veteran Member

syorksdeano

Member

Djgr

Established Member

oliMw

Member

thedbdiboy

Member

yorkie

Forum Staff

Polarbear

Established Member

wellhouse

Member

sparks2000

Member

30907

Veteran Member

30907

Veteran Member

yorksrob

Veteran Member

Hadders

Veteran Member

southernyoshi

Member

Busaholic

Veteran Member

Jan

Member

yorksrob

Veteran Member