SouthEastBuses
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Is the UK the only country in Europe to allow break of journey (to get off during the journey to for example visit a town in between) on single/return tickets?
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Do other European countries allow break of journey on single/return tickets like the UK?
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D6130
Established Member
Italy's state-owned passenger network (FS - Trenitalia) allows break of journey on regional tickets, provided that the entire journey is completed within four hours of ticket validation. However, unfortunately, most Italian 'private' railway operators don't permit break of journey....so you have to obtain separate tickets.
SouthEastBuses
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That's good to know then, I am half Italian and I always go to Italy at least once in a year, so very useful info!
DanielB
Member
Break of journey is allowed with e-tickets in the Netherlands, but only on the shortest route. (Sometimes the journey planner will advise a detour with shorter journey time or less changes, but for obvious reasons that doesn't allow a break on those alternatives)
Travelling on OV-chipcard or with a bank- or creditcard you can break your journey. But only for 35 minutes, with longer breaks you'll lose the long distance discount.
Travelling on OV-chipcard or with a bank- or creditcard you can break your journey. But only for 35 minutes, with longer breaks you'll lose the long distance discount.
dutchflyer
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Some yes, some no, some partly-depending on type of ticket. You better specify more clearly if you would like to know which DO-and if so, on what type of ticket?
Also in quite a few countries f.e. dayreturns as such have been replaced by daytickets at 2x price of a single-and these thus allow unlimited and even criss-cross trips in the areas paid for. Plus that in most countries local tickets are often as Verbund-style-integrated with other transit, bustrammetro etc. In fact returns old style like in the UK are getting quite rare ´on the continent´ nowadays.
Single tickets may often have a time-limit on them varying by distance, but in hours and not whole day.
Compared to what I as outsider know of UK-style ticketing and fare-setting, esp. the deeply discounted returns are hardly ever seen elsewhere and also the myriad of tickets/farelevels depending on time of day is, if existing at all, mostly limited to off-peak or not. OTOH there may be myriads of other discounts for special groups- like even blood-donors having donated more as x ltrs. or victims of gross sexual abuse by govmt. staff.
Also in quite a few countries f.e. dayreturns as such have been replaced by daytickets at 2x price of a single-and these thus allow unlimited and even criss-cross trips in the areas paid for. Plus that in most countries local tickets are often as Verbund-style-integrated with other transit, bustrammetro etc. In fact returns old style like in the UK are getting quite rare ´on the continent´ nowadays.
Single tickets may often have a time-limit on them varying by distance, but in hours and not whole day.
Compared to what I as outsider know of UK-style ticketing and fare-setting, esp. the deeply discounted returns are hardly ever seen elsewhere and also the myriad of tickets/farelevels depending on time of day is, if existing at all, mostly limited to off-peak or not. OTOH there may be myriads of other discounts for special groups- like even blood-donors having donated more as x ltrs. or victims of gross sexual abuse by govmt. staff.
France, Italy and Spain have widely varying farelevels on High Speed trains.....
D6130
Established Member
Yes, but those are all services on which advance reservations are required for point-to-point journeys and therefore not really relevant to this thread, IMHO. I think we are talking about walk-up fares for regional and local trains.
The Italian regions have been determining regional fares and conditions for a few years now, so I think you'll find that the answer depends on the region.
Some years ago I was in the Loire Valley using regional trains to visit a succession of chateaux ending up at Chinon. I speak good French and explained to the clerk in Blois that I planned to make two stops en route to visit Chaumont and Amboise - what ticket did I need?, and was simply sold a single to Chinon. So at least on TER trains there was no issue with break of journey.
In France the regions now also determine fares and conditions, so there is no general answer anymore.
AlbertBeale
Established Member
It was fine breaking my journey on a through ticket in Belgium recently.
mtmikethom
Member
Germany doesn’t seem a problem, even on the cheapest tickets bought via the website if you specify a stopover it seems OK
Amos
Member
We travelled from Nice to Ventimiglia by TER in December and break of journey was allowed.The lady in the ticket office seemed quite surprised that I thought it may not be.
DanielB
Member
Germany indeed gives most freedom in breaking your journey. You could even specify a 10 hour stopover on a through ticket and then spend the night in an hotel for example.
Gloster
Established Member
I am not fully up to date with Germany, but I am fairly sure that a long-distance ticket on DB is valid for two days: until five or ten years ago it was four days. In Denmark I have a feeling that long-distance tickets are not valid for break of journey.
It's allowed in Ireland, but only on tickets purchased at the station at the full walk up fare. All tickets purchased online or by phone are for the booked itinerary only (which is always the fastest journey possible - there is no support for extra exchange time or break of journey) even if there is no discount over the walk up fare.
With an open return, you are theoretically required to complete your journey the same day unless this isn't possible (i.e. overnight break of journey is only permitted if you travel on the last train of the day) - but obviously this is not really enforceable unless the ticket is marked.
It's not permitted at all in Northern Ireland, but in general a common sense approach will be taken - nobody's going to care if you fall back a train or two when changing in Belfast to get something to eat on a long journey
Though, like with an Advance, impromptu BoJ isn't permitted on a Sparpreis ticket - only ones that you've planned into the itinerary at the time of purchase.
It's permitted on the part(s) that were booked with regional trains. For long distance trains, you indeed need to plan them.
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