Interrail

[STINT47]

I've purchased a global pass and am intending to use the first and last days as my outbound and inbound home country days.

Does anyone know if the routing guide applies to these tickets and if a break of journey is allowed?

On my return I will arrive at St Pancrss and need to travel to Leicester. The MML is shut that day so can I go Euston to Nuneaton then to Leicester?

 

[Peterthegreat]

I've purchased a global pass and am intending to use the first and last days as my outbound and inbound home country days.

Does anyone know if the routing guide applies to these tickets and if a break of journey is allowed?

On my return I will arrive at St Pancrss and need to travel to Leicester. The MML is shut that day so can I go Euston to Nuneaton then to Leicester?

Yes.
You can make any number of journeys on your inbound (or indeed outbound) day.

 

[Mainline421]

They are effectively rover tickets so the routing guide doesn't apply, and you can take any route, stop off anywhere and take multiple journeys per day.

For inbound/outbound days there is technically a requirement that they are used as part of a journey to/from an international journey, but there aren't any restrictions on routes or break of journey.

 

[JB_B]

I've purchased a global pass and am intending to use the first and last days as my outbound and inbound home country days.

Does anyone know if the routing guide applies to these tickets and if a break of journey is allowed?

On my return I will arrive at St Pancrss and need to travel to Leicester. The MML is shut that day so can I go Euston to Nuneaton then to Leicester?

The routeing guide doesn't apply. What you plan to do is fine.


There are some constraints for home country travel, however, as set out in para 5.2 of the conditions of use

https://www.interrail.eu/content/dam/_new-structure/doc/sup/CoU%20V.12.pdf

"5.2 Travel in Country of Residence with an Interrail Pass

The Interrail Pass has a specific convenient price which assumes that you are traveling
abroad to experience Europe. Therefore the product cannot be used extensively in your
country of residence since the pricing for such a usage, in some countries, would be
higher. In case of extensive misuse, the railways would decide to increase globally the
price of the product which would be unfair towards the travellers who really want to
experience Europe. In case a ticket inspector observes misuse of this condition, e.g. in
case of frequent travels from and to the same destination, he/she can issue a fine and
ask for blocking of the Pass to limit further usage.
An Interrail Global Pass may only be used for two specific journeys in the country of
residence of the traveller (provided this country is an Interrail participating country).
These two journeys are referred to as the outbound and inbound journey.
• The outbound journey can be used to travel from any location in the country of
residence to the border or an airport or port.
• The inbound journey can be used to travel from the border or an airport or port
back to any location in the country of residence.

During these outbound or inbound journeys, the traveller may travel with more than one
train, provided these train rides are within the same day. Please note that the special rule
for travel with an overnight train also applies. In order to make use of these outbound or
inbound journeys with a paper Interrail Pass, the traveller must indicate the relevant
date and journey on the Interrail Pass Cover and on the Travel Calendar on the ticket. In
case of a Flexi Pass (see also § 3.2)..."

So, it's not intended to be quite as flexible as implied in posts #2 and #3 ( although enforcement might be another question.)

 

[Watershed]

I've purchased a global pass and am intending to use the first and last days as my outbound and inbound home country days.

Does anyone know if the routing guide applies to these tickets and if a break of journey is allowed?

The Routeing Guide doesn't apply. You can take any number of trains when travelling from your nominated port, airport or border station to your chosen destination.

This includes break of journey.

On my return I will arrive at St Pancrss and need to travel to Leicester. The MML is shut that day so can I go Euston to Nuneaton then to Leicester?

That would be absolutely fine.

 

[158801]

So could I travel Peterborough to York and then double back from York to Kings Cross before catching Eurostar ?

 

[trei2k]

So could I travel Peterborough to York and then double back from York to Kings Cross before catching Eurostar ?

That isn't in the spirit of the rules. Whilst it isn't forbidden explicitly, double backing like this seems a little unnecessary to get to London.

As outlined in the Interrail terms, misuse many end up limiting the scope to use the pass in the future or result in price increases for everyone.

 

[Watershed]

So could I travel Peterborough to York and then double back from York to Kings Cross before catching Eurostar ?

I would add (and activate) both trains in your travel diary to make it clear that you are travelling to or from a port, airport or border station. However yes, in principle there is nothing ruling this out.

That isn't in the spirit of the rules. Whilst it isn't forbidden explicitly, double backing like this seems a little unnecessary to get to London.

Perhaps so, but the rules don't work based on 'spirit'. The restriction on the number of days you can use the pass in your country of residence is evidently sufficient to prevent concerns about revenue loss on domestic journeys.

As outlined in the Interrail terms, misuse many end up limiting the scope to use the pass in the future or result in price increases for everyone.

I think that is just scaremongering. I don't think there is any realistic prospect of that happening. Notably, pass prices didn't increase when the domestic days' validity was added.

 

[plugwash]

As quoted above the rules say "An Interrail Global Pass may only be used for two specific journeys"

So that leaves the quesiton of what exactly is a "journey". I would interpret journey as travelling from A to B using a route that was at least somewhat reasonable. I can't see how travelling from Peterbourough to London via York is in any way reasonable.