Rail travel to 

   Europe: 

   general 

   information 

A beginner's guide to choosing, buying & using an

InterRail pass. . .

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Click the button to buy an InterRail pass from Rail Europe, the UK's biggest European rail agency. You can make reservations after buying your InterRail pass by calling Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848.  A booking & postage fee applies. Advice on reservations with an InterRail pass. What is an InterRail pass? In 1973, the national railways of Europe clubbed together to offer a rail pass for young people which gave unlimited train travel right across the Continent.  Originally InterRail was  only for young people under 26, but there are now InterRail passes for anyone of any age who is a citizen of any European country (or anyone resident in Europe for over 6 months).  It's an ideal way to explore the Continent at ground level, stress free, with someone else doing the driving.  The range of InterRail passes was revised in April 2007, and the new range is explained here.  A Global InterRail pass gives unlimited travel on almost all the scheduled train services run by the various national train operators across most of Europe.  A single-country InterRail pass gives unlimited train travel on the national train operator in just one country. On this page... This page explains how to choose, buy and use an InterRail pass to explore Europe, the stress-free and environmentally-friendly way to go. Who qualifies for an InterRail pass? The Global InterRail pass - pass types & prices Single-country InterRail passes - pass types & prices How does an InterRail pass work? When do you need to make reservations or pay supplements with an InterRail pass? Using sleepers & couchettes on overnight trains How to make reservations & pay supplements How to buy an InterRail pass How to find more information about InterRail Hotels, hostels & accommodation in Europe ...and last but not least, the country by country guide: What trains are covered in each country, what supplements are there, and when are reservations necessary?

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Who qualifies for an InterRail pass?

• InterRail passes are for European citizens, or non-European citizens who can prove residence in Europe for more than 6 months.

• Specifically, anyone can buy an InterRail pass if they are a citizen of any of the following European countries:  UK, Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey;

• You can also buy an InterRail pass if you can prove you have been resident in any of these countries for at least 6 months, or resident for 6 months or more in Iceland, Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States, Malta, Morocco, Turkey, Algeria or Tunisia.

• You cannot buy an InterRail pass if you live outside these countries, for example in the USA, Canada or Australia.  If you're from outside Europe, you qualify for a Eurail pass instead.

• You can buy an InterRail pass a maximum of 3 months before its start date.

• To qualify for the InterRail youth pass you must be aged under 26 on the first day of its validity.

The Global InterRail pass...

The InterRail Global Pass is the international rail pass for European citizens who want to make a Grand Tour of Europe.  An InterRail Global Pass gives you unlimited stress-free train travel throughout Europe for as little as £10 per day if you're under 26, £15 a day if you're over 26, a bargain! (that's the 1 month pass price divided by 31, if you were wondering).

* = New 'Senior' InterRail passes to be introduced from January 2010, prices to be announced later.

** = New 15-day continuous InterRail passes to be introduced from January 2010, prices to be announced later.

• Child = aged 4 but under 12.  Youth = anyone aged under 26.  Children under 4 go free.  Age on first day of pass validity is what counts.

• 'Continuous' means that you pick the date you want your InterRail to start, and it then gives 22 days or 1 calendar month's continuous unlimited travel for the whole of that period.

• 'Flexi' means that the InterRail lasts for an overall period of either 22 or 10 days, starting on any date you specify, but you only get 5 or 10 days of unlimited travel within that period.  You 'spend' each day of unlimited travel by writing the date in one of the 5 or 10 boxes printed on your pass.  Overnight trains leaving after 19:00 count as the next day's train, so you normally only need to use up one day of unlimited travel for an overnight journey.

• What countries are covered?  The global InterRail pass gives you unlimited train travel throughout Europe, covering the national train operators in Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Republic of Ireland and (unless you're a UK citizen, see next paragraph) the UK.  For more info on what train operators are covered in each country, see here.

• InterRail global passes do not cover Russia, Ukraine, Albania, the Baltic States, Moldova or Belarus.  As of April 2007, Morocco is no longer covered.

• InterRail prices are roughly the same whichever agency you buy it from, but 

Single-country InterRail passes...

You can buy one or more InterRail passes covering just one country each.  These also come in 1st class adult, 2nd class adult, 1st class child (aged 4-11), 2nd class child (4-11), and 2nd class youth (aged 12-25 inclusive) versions.  Prices vary by country.

How does an InterRail pass work?

	InterRail user guide & map... InterRail passes come with a user guide and a simple European rail map.

• Train travel in your home country:  First of all, your InterRail pass will not give you free travel in the country where you live.  So if you're a UK resident, a global InterRail will not give you free travel in the UK, only in the other countries the pass covers.  So remember that you'll need to buy a train ticket from wherever you live to London (to connect with Eurostar) or to a ferry port.  You can buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras) once you've bought a Eurostar ticket.

• Eurostar:  Secondly, an InterRail pass does not give free travel on Eurostar.  If you are 100% sure of your outward and return travel dates, the cheapest option is simply to buy a normal Eurostar ticket well in advance at www.eurostar.com, as these start from just £35 one way or £59 return, no refunds and no changes to travel plans allowed.  However, Eurostar also offer a 'reduced' fare for InterRail passholders.  This is £50 one way, £100 return.  True, this is actually more expensive than the regular fare if you book in advance and fix your dates, but with the passholder fare changes of travel date are allowed and if you need to buy a Eurostar ticket at short notice or even on the day of travel then the passholder fare might well be cheaper than the cheapest available regular fare.  This passholder fare is available to anyone who has bought an InterRail pass, you don't need to use up one of your days of free travel on a flexi InterRail flexi pass.

• Ferries to Europe:  If you prefer to travel by ferry rather than Eurostar, buy a combined train+ferry ticket from London to Hoek van Holland, from £35 one way or £70 return with or without a railpass, see the Netherlands page and book online at www.dutchflyer.co.uk.  Alternatively, there are discounts for InterRail passholders on the following ferry routes:  UK to Denmark with DFDS Seaways (call 0870 533 3000), Harwich-Hoek van Holland with Stena Line (call 0870 570 7070 or see www.dutchflyer.co.uk).  There is no longer any discount on the Dover-Calais ferry route.

• What trains are covered by InterRail, once in mainland Europe?  An InterRail pass gives unlimited free travel on all the train services run by the national train operator in each of the countries it covers, although you'll need to make a reservation and/or pay a supplement on some trains, more about that below.  InterRail passes also cover the some private operators, especially in Switzerland, see the country-by-country guide below.  However, an InterRail pass does not give free travel on underground or metros in big cities, or on some small private train operators such as FEVE narrow-gauge trains in Spain or the Circumvesuviana railway (Naples-Pompeii-Sorrento) in Italy.  A leaflet comes with your pass and explains the details, or see the country-by-country information below.

• How do I find train times around Europe on which I can use my InterRail?  Go to the excellent German Railways online timetable at http://bahn.hafas.de (English selector upper right).  It covers the whole of Europe.  As a general rule, any train shown in its database can be used with an InterRail pass, although supplements or special fares must be paid on some.  It will also show which trains have compulsory reservations.

• Flexi & Continuous passes:  When you want to 'spend' one of your 5 or 10 days free travel on a 'Flexi' pass, you write the date in one of the 5 or 10 'day' and 'month' boxes printed on your pass.  An overnight train leaving after 19:00 counts as the following day (as long as the overall pass validity period has already started), so enter the following day's date, and of course you can take more trains that day after the sleeper train arrives, until midnight.  'Continuous' passes are valid for as much train travel as you can cram in for the whole of their period of validity.

• Filling in the 'travel report':  There's no limit to how may trains you can take during the period for which your pass is valid.  But you need to jot down the date, time, starting point and destination each time you board a train on the 'travel report' leaflet that comes with your pass.  This is used for market research purposes when you send it in after your trip.

  	What does an InterRail pass look like?
  	Example pass:  This is a global 5-days in 10 days 'Flexi' InterRail pass.  As you can see, the overall validity period is 10 days, from 17/11/2009 to 26/11/2009, and there are 5 spaces marked 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.  Simply write the date in one of those spaces each time you want to 'spend' a pass day.  Each box gives free travel from midnight to midnight, subject to paying any reservation fees or surcharges of course.  Overnight trains leaving after 19:00 count as the following day, as long as the overall pass validity has started by the day the sleeper train leaves.  A 'Continuous' pass looks very similar, but without the 'flexi days' boxes.  Courtesy of Rail Europe
  	The travel report...
  	The travel report: You simply need to fill this out each time you board a train.  You send it back after your trip (free postage) and it's used for market research purposes.  If you forget to fill it in, most conductors will simply wait while you get your pen out, but in theory there could be a 'fine' so remember to fill it in before you board.  You can ask for more pages at any main station if you run out of space.

• What about ferries within Europe?  An InterRail global pass also gives free travel on Superfast Ferries, Minoan Lines & Blue Star Ferries between Italy (Bari, Brindisi, Ancona or Venice) and Greece (Corfu, Igoumenitsa or Patras for the train to Athens).  A few euros for port taxes needs to be paid, and cabin berths are extra.  Superfast and some other ferry operators charge a small summer supplement (about 10 euros or so), you pay at the port.  An InterRail pass also gives a significant discount (usually in the region of 30%-50%) on normal fares for some other shipping operators - for example, Silja Line (Stockholm-Helsinki), Limadet Ferry (Malaga-Tangier), SNCM (France-Corsica).  As of 2006, there is no longer any InterRail discount on Trasmediterranea (Barcelona to Ibiza, Majorca & Minorca and Algeciras to Tangier).

When do you need to make a reservation or to pay a supplements?

• On most local and regional trains you just hop on, find any empty seat and show your InterRail pass when asked by the conductor.  On most of these trains you can't even make reservations if you want to.  Easy!

• On longer distance trains, seat reservation is usually optional.  It's a good idea to reserve a seat for a long trip, but it's not essential.  A seat reservation costs about 3 euros, depending on the country.

• However, on many European high-speed & long-distance trains, a reservation is compulsory and must be made before boarding (weeks, days, hours or minutes before boarding, as long as you make one).  A fee of about 3 euros is charged, again depending on the country.  These trains are normally shown in the timetable as 'Reservation obligatory', often with an 'R' symbol.

• Many high-speed or high-quality trains in western Europe require InterRail passholders to pay a supplement or special passholder fare, which normally includes the reservation fee.  The timetable normally shows these trains with either an 'S' symbol or a special brand name, such as Thalys or Eurostar Italia or AVE.  Supplements for daytime trains vary from 3 to around 15 euros depending on the type of train and the journey being made, so here's a summary of how much supplements are likely to cost in each country.

• Simple rule of thumb number 1:  If a fancy brand name such as 'Thalys' or 'Lyria' or 'Eurostar Italia' applies to the train, the chances are that you'll have to pay a supplement or special fare and probably make a reservation.  If in doubt, ask at the information desk or ticket office before boarding the train.

• Simple rule of thumb number 2:  In France, Italy, Spain & Portugal, virtually every long-distance train (both domestic & international) requires a supplement & reservation before boarding.  But in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg hardly any domestic trains require a supplement or reservation, even ones branded InterCity (IC) or InterCityExpress (ICE), you just hop on.  International trains heading into France or Italy will normally require reservations and/or a supplement..

• Just so you're aware of it, see this warning about railpass holder quotas, especially on key TGV trains in France and on Thalys/Lyria/Artesia/Alleo trains between France and Italy/Switzerland/Germany/Brussels/Amsterdam.

Sleepers & couchettes on overnight trains...

• Couchettes are basic bunks with rug & pillow, 4 or 6 per compartment, a sort of youth hostel on rails.  Sleepers are hotels on rails, with proper beds and washbasin, 1, 2, 3, or occasionally 4 beds per compartment.  Some overnight trains only have couchettes and sleepers, no ordinary seats, others also have seats, but ALWAYS budget for at least a couchette on overnight trains, for both comfort and security.  Travelling overnight slumped in a seat is not recommended, it's a false economy.  Couchettes and sleepers are explained in more detail on the sleeper page.

• With an InterRail pass, you need to pay the normal couchette or sleeper supplement.  A couchette supplement is around 15-20 euros in western Europe, 10-15 euros in eastern Europe, per person per night in a 6-bunk compartment.  For a bed in a more comfortable sleeper, you'll pay 30-40 euros in western Europe, 20-30 euros in eastern Europe.

How to make reservations or pay supplements...

• You can make reservations and pay supplements at any station ticket office as you travel around on your InterRail pass;

• You can make them by phone, calling German Railways UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Sat & Sun) or Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-21:00 Mon-Fri, 09:00-18:00 Sat).  DB are best for trains in Germany, Austria, central & eastern Europe, Rail Europe for France, and from France to Spain, Italy & Switzerland.

• Unfortunately, most ticket websites only sell complete tickets, and don't allow you to make 'reservation only' bookings online.

• It's a good idea to make some reservations for your outward journey to get you started.  For example, if your plan is to start by heading down to Italy, you should at least buy the Eurostar ticket to Paris and make a couchette or sleeper reservation from Paris to (say) Rome.  You wouldn't want to head off without any outward reservations, only find when you get to Paris that all the trains to Italy are full, would you?

How to buy an InterRail pass...

• The easiest way is to buy it online at raileurope.co.uk.

• After buying the pass, you can make advance reservations by phone with Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848.  Lines are open 09:00-21:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-18:000 Saturday.  £8 booking fee.

• You can buy a Eurostar ticket (without pass reduction, which is actually cheaper) at www.eurostar.com.

How to find more information about InterRail...

• For more information about InterRail passes and what is and isn't covered, see www.interrailnet.com or visit the InterRail pages at www.raileurope.co.uk.

• Travel insurance:  Finally, always take out travel insurance.  Your InterRail pass can be refunded less an admin charge if returned before the first day of validity, but it cannot be refunded or replaced if you lose it!

The country by country guide...

Which train companies in each country are covered by InterRail?  

Which trains require a reservation or supplement?  How much are the supplements?

Here's a list of each country that participates in InterRail, explaining which operators are covered in that country, what other train or ferry operators give discounts, and what supplements you may have to pay for trains to, in and from that country.  These supplements must all be paid before boarding the train, either at the ticket office or in advance from a ticketing agency.  You may be fined (or pay a higher supplement) if you board the train without first paying the supplement.  Unless otherwise shown, a supplement always includes the cost of the seat reservation.  This list of trains which carry supplements is not exhaustive, there may be other trains that carry a supplement, but it will give you a good idea.  It's equally important to know which trains don't have a supplement, so I mention those too.

Where a discount or reduction is offered, you must travel within the overall validity of the pass, but holders of a flexi InterRail pass don't need to use up a 'flexi day'.  So for example, if you bought a 10 days in 22-day InterRail pass, you could buy a DFDS Seaways ferry ticket from the UK to Denmark with the 25% reduction, the ferry must sail after the overall 22 day pass validity has started, but you don't need to use up any of your 10 flexi days, you can save these until you get on your first train after arriving in Denmark. 

Austria	InterRail passes are valid on: OBB (Austrian federal railways) National trains: No supplements for InterRail holders to pay on any normal internal train, even Austrian InterCity services. Overnight trains from Vienna to Bregenz (per person):  couchette in 6-bunk compartment 22 euros, couchette in 4-bunk compartment 30 euros, bed in 3-bed sleeper 50 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper 65 to 79 euros International trains: To Germany by IC, ICE, RailJet or regional train from Vienna, Salzburg or Innsbruck:  No supplement. To Budapest by InterCity, EuroCity or RailJet train from Vienna or Salzburg:  No supplement.  Reservation optional. To Prague by EuroCity train from Vienna:  Supplement 7 euros, reservation compulsory. To Venice by EuroCity train from Vienna:  Supplement 7 euros 2nd class, 9 euros 1st class.  Reservation compulsory. To Florence or Rome by EuroCity from Innsbruck:  5 euros supplement, reservation compulsory. To Hamburg or Berlin by overnight train from Vienna:  Couchette in 6-bunk compartment 22 euros, couchette in 4-bunk compartment 30 euros, bed in 3-bed sleeper 50 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper 65 to 79 euros. To Cologne or Venice or Rome by EuroNight train from Vienna:  Couchette in 6-bunk compartment 22 euros, couchette in 4-bunk compartment 30 euros, bed in 3-bed sleeper 50 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper 79 euros.
Belgium	InterRail passes are valid on: SNCB (Belgian National Railways) National trains: No supplements to pay on any normal internal train, even Belgian InterCity trains. International trains: Brussels to Amsterdam:  No supplement or seat reservation required on the hourly InterCity trains, but a 13 euros passholder fare with compulsory reservation for the high-speed Thalys trains (28 euros in 1st class). Brussels to Cologne:  No supplement for travel on an ICE train, but 13 euros passholder fare for travel on Thalys trains (28 euros in 1st class), seat reservation compulsory.  You can avoid Thalys by using the three daily ICE trains or by using much slower hourly local trains, changing trains at Aachen. Brussels to Paris:  Thalys trains passholder fare 13 euros (28 euros in 1st class), seat reservation compulsory.
Bosnia-Herzegovina	InterRail passes are valid on: ZFBH/ZRS (Railways of Bosnia-Herzegovina)
Bulgaria	InterRail passes are valid on: BDZ (Bulgarian State Railways) National trains: Local trains, 'barz' & 'patnicheski' slow trains do not require reservations. Seat reservation is compulsory on all express trains ('Expresen'), this costs around 0.50 euros, and can only be done when you're in Bulgaria. International trains: Reservation is obligatory on all main international trains.
Croatia	InterRail passes are valid on: HZ (Croatian national railways) National trains: A 5 euros supplement is charged for the premier air-conditioned ICN daytime train from Zagreb to Split.  1 euro supplement for InterCity trains Zagreb to Rijeka.
Czech Republic	InterRail passes are valid on: CD (Czech national railways) National trains: A 7 euros supplement is charged for SuperCity trains.  No supplement on other trains. International trains: Prague to Vienna by EuroCity train:  7 euros supplement, reservation compulsory. Prague to Dresden & Berlin by EuroCity train:  No supplement, reservation optional. Prague to Budapest or Bratislava by EuroCity train:  No supplement, reservation optional. Prague to Amsterdam, Cologne or Basel by City Night Line sleeper train:  Seat 10 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartment 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 50 euros - see www.bahn.de/citynightline.Prague to Krakow or Warsaw by sleeper train: 10 euros per person in 6-bunk couchette, 14 euros in 4-bunk couchette, 15 euros sharing far more comfortable 3-bed sleeper (recommended).  You can check Polish sleeper and couchette supplements online at www.wars.pl.   The sleeper supplement includes complimentary tea/coffee and croissant. Prague to Venice by sleeper train:  Similar to City Night Line supplements above.
Denmark	InterRail passes are valid on: DSB (Danish State Railways)   Other InterRail benefits: 25% discount on DFDS Seaways Copenhagen-Oslo overnight ferry, only bookable online at www.dfdsseaways.com/railpass (not Commodore Class). 30% discount on Stena Line ferries (including Frederikshavn-Gothenburg) 50% discount on Color Line ferries (including Frederikshavn-Oslo). National trains: No supplements to pay on any normal internal train, including Danish InterCity trains.  International trains: Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train:  No supplement. Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 125mph train:  supplement 7 euros, reservation compulsory. Copenhagen to Cologne, Amsterdam, Basel, Munich by City Night Line sleeper train:  Seat 10 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartment 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 50 euros - see www.bahn.de/citynightline.
Finland	InterRail passes are valid on: VR (Finnish state railways) InterRail passes give free travel Stockholm-Turku on Silja Line ferries (cabin berths extra) InterRail passes also give free travel on Veljekset Salmela bus service Kemi/Tornio-Haparanda (across the top from Sweden into Finland) Other InterRail benefits: 50% discount on Viking Line ferries Stockholm-Helsinki and Stockholm-Turku. Up to 30% discount on Superfast Ferries Rostok (Germany) to/from Helsinki. National trains: A supplement is charged on InterCity trains:  between 2 and 6 euros depending on distance.  A supplement is charged on premier Pendolino tilting trains:  between 2 and 12 euros depending on distance.
France	InterRail passes are valid on: SNCF (French national railways) Other InterRail benefits: 50% discount on Nice-Digne private railway 50% discount on Corsican Railways 50% discount on SeaFrance Dover-Calais ferries 30% discount on Irish ferries (including direct Ireland-France ferries). National trains: There is no supplement to pay on local or regional trains, or basic 'Corail InterCités' long distance trains which still operate on a few routes such as Boulogne-Paris. TGV high-speed trains:  These run on most long distance routes, and seat reservation is compulsory.  A supplement is charged which includes the reservation fee, 3 euros 'off-peak', 10 euros 'peak'. Corail Téoz trains: These run on routes such as Paris-Limoges-Toulouse, Bordeaux-Toulouse-Marseille-Nice.  Seat reservation compulsory, 3 euros reservation fee. Overnight trains in France (per person):  Couchette in 6-bunk compartment about 20 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper about 65 euros. International trains: To the UK:  Eurostar Paris to London:  Passholder fare about 70 euros one-way, 140 euros return.  The cheapest regular fares are cheaper than the special passholder fare, if you can commit to a particular date & train in advance. To Belgium, Netherlands:  Thalys TGV high-speed trains from Paris to Brussels & Amsterdam:  Special passholder fare applies, 13 euros in 2nd class, 28 euros in 1st class.  Your pass must cover all the countries travelled through, a higher passholder fare applies for anyone with a pass that covers just one of the countries. To Germany:   TGV/ICE from Paris to Munich or Frankfurt:  5 euro in 2nd class, 20 euros in 1st class, reservation compulsory.  Thalys from Paris to Cologne:  13 euros in 2nd class, 28 euros in 1st class, reservation compulsory. CityNightLine sleeper train from Paris to Munich or Berlin:  Seat 10 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartment 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 50 euros - see www.bahn.de/citynightline. To Switzerland:  Lyria TGV high-speed trains from Paris to Lausanne, Geneva, Basel, Bern & Zurich:  If your pass covers both France and Switzerland, the fare is 10 euros.  If your pass only covers France, the fare is about 35-45 euros.  Reservation compulsory. To Italy:  Artesia TGV trains Paris-Turin-Milan:  Supplement 10 euros including seat reservation.  Artesia overnight sleeper trains from Paris to Rome/Florence/Milan/Venice:  For supplements for each type of couchette or sleeper, see the passholder fares in the fares tables on the London to Italy page.  A lower passholder fare applies if your pass covers both France and Italy, a higher fare is charged if your pass only covers one country. To Spain:  A special passholder fare is charged for the Elipsos overnight trainhotel Paris to Madrid & Paris to Barcelona, for anyone holding a pass covering either France or Spain or both:  The passholder fares are shown for each type of sleeper on the London to Spain page.  They are also quoted on www.elipsos.com.  It's about 70 euros for a bed in a 4-bed sleeper.  Note that there are regular advance-purchase fares without a pass for the same cost!  The two daily Talgo trains from Montpellier, Narbonne & Perpignan to Barcelona also carry a supplement, 17 euro in 2nd class or 38 euro in 1st class.  By all means take local trains and change at the frontier instead! To Portugal:  (1) There's a small supplement to pay for the TGV Paris to Irun on the Spanish border (maybe 4-10 euros), then (2) a supplement for the overnight Sud Express from Irun to Lisbon:  7 euros in a seat, 27 euros in a couchette, 43 euros for a berth in 3-bed sleeper, 60 euros for a berth in a 2-bed sleeper, 110 euros for a single-bed sleeper.
Germany	InterRail passes are valid on: DB Deutsche Bahn (German Federal Railways) Other InterRail benefits: Up to 30% discount on Rostock-Helsinki ferry (www.superfast.com ) National trains: There is now no supplement to pay with an InterRail pass on high-speed ICE (InterCityExpress) trains, InterCity, EuroCity, regional or local trains wholly within Germany.  A seat reservation must still be made on a handful of services marked in the timetable as 'reservation obligatory', for about 4 euros. Overnight trains within Germany:  Couchette in 6-bunk compartment about 15 euros, couchette in 4-bunk compartment about 20 euros, bed in 3-bed sleeper about 45 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper about 60 euros.  If you have an InterRail pass you can make 'reservation only' bookings for overnight trains online at www.bahn.de/citynightline (English button top right) and print out your own reservation in .pdf format. International trains: To Copenhagen by EuroCity train from Hamburg:  No supplement.  Reservation optional. To Amsterdam by IC, EC or ICE daytime train from various cities:  No supplement.  Reservation optional. To Vienna by IC or ICE or RailJet from various cities:  No supplement.  Reservation optional. To Budapest from Munich by RailJet:  No supplement.  Reservation optional. To Prague, Vienna or Budapest from Berlin or Dresden by EuroCity:  No supplement.  Reservation optional. To Warsaw by Berlin-Warszawa Express:  From 4 euros, reservation compulsory. To Krakow by EuroCity train from Berlin:  Small supplement (4 euros?), reservation compulsory. To Florence or Rome by EuroCity from Munich:  5 euros supplement, reservation compulsory. To Paris by Thalys high-speed train from Cologne:  Special passholder fare 13 euros 2nd class, 28 euros in 1st class, reservation compulsory. To Paris by TGV/ICE from Frankfurt or Munich:  Supplement 5 euros in 2nd class, 20 euros in 1st class, reservation compulsory. Berlin or Hamburg to Vienna by sleeper train (per person):  couchette in 6-bunk compartment 21.90 euros, couchette in 4-bunk compartment 30 euros, bed in 3-bed sleeper 50 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper 65 to 79 euros. Cologne to Vienna by sleeper train (per person) - reclining seat 10 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartment 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 50 euros - see www.bahn.de/citynightline. Munich to Rome by City Night Line sleeper train:  Seat 10 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartment 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 50 euros - see www.bahn.de/citynightline.
Greece	InterRail passes are valid on: OSE (Greek national railways) National trains: InterCity trains (for example Athens -Thessaloniki):  supplement varies from 5 euros to 35 euros depending on distance.  Patras-Athens by InterCity train around 7 euros supplement. InterCity Express trains (e.g. Athens -Thessaloniki):  supplement 9.80 euros to 31 euros depending on distance. Greece-Italy ferries: InterRail passes give free travel on Blue Star & Superfast (Attica Group) Bari-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Patras, Ancona-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Patras, and on Minoan Lines Venice- or Ancona-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Patras. InterRail passes provide 'deck class' travel which means a place on the ferry but with no specific seat or berth.  There is space under cover on deck to use a sleeping-bag if you have one, and many backpackers do this.  Or you can pay extra for a reclining seat or cabin berth.  Very helpfully, Minoan Lines give free travel to InterRail flexi pass holders without requiring them to use up a 'flexi day' of travel. Port taxes (a few euros) must be paid (there's no port tax on ferry routes to or from Venice). Supplement for reclining aircraft-style seat:  About 16 euros on Superfast Ferries, 12 euros on Blue Star Ferries. Supplement for cabin berths:  26 to 76 euros, depending on type of cabin. High season supplement:  Superfast and Blue Star charge InterRail holders a summer supplement, about 16-25 euros.
Hungary	InterRail passes are valid on: MAV (Hungarian State Railways) National trains: No supplement to pay for travel on local or regional trains. A supplement is charged for InterCity trains (2.50 euros) & InterPici trains (0.80 euros). International trains: Budapest to Vienna by EuroCity, InterCity or RailJet trains:  No supplement. No reservation necessary. Budapest to Berlin by EuroCity train:  No supplement. No reservation necessary. Budapest to Munich by RailJet train:  No supplement. No reservation necessary. Budapest to Munich, Berlin or Venice by sleeper train:  Couchette in 6-bunk compartment around 18 euros, 4-bunk couchette 25 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 35 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 45 euros (all approximate). Budapest to Krakow or Warsaw by sleeper train:  Couchette in 6-bunk compartment around 16 euros, 4-bunk couchette 23 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 32 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 40 euros (all approximate).
Ireland	InterRail passes are valid on: IE (Ironrod Eirean, Irish republic railways) Other InterRail benefits: 30% discount on Stena Line Ireland-UK ferries (Dublin-Holyhead, Rosslare-Fishguard, Belfast-Stranraer) 30% discount on Irish Ferries Ireland-UK & Ireland-France ferries (Dublin-Holyhead, Rosslare to Cherbourg & Roscoff, Rosslare to Pembroke) National trains: No supplement to pay on any internal trains. International trains: No supplement on the Enterprise Dublin-Belfast trains.
Italy	InterRail passes are valid on: FS/Trenitalia (Italian State Railways) InterRail is not valid on the local Circumvesuviana Railway Naples-Pompeii-Sorrento. National trains: No supplement to pay on local or Regional trains. InterCity trains:  supplement 3 to 5 euros per journey.  Seat reservation now compulsory on all IC trains. Eurostar Italia & Eurostar City trains:  Supplement 15 euros per journey, including compulsory seat reservation. Eurostar Italia 'AV' trains:  Supplement 20 euros per journey, including compulsory seat reservation. International trains: To Switzerland by Cisalpino trains:  supplement 8 euros, reservation compulsory. To Paris by Artesia TGV from Milan: 10 euros if your InterRail covers both countries, 75 euros if it only covers one country.  Reservation compulsory. To Paris by Artesia sleeper train:  A special passholder fare is charged, a lower one if your InterRail covers both France and Italy or a higher one if it only covers one of those two countries.  The passholder fares for the overnight trains are shown for each type of couchette and sleeper on the London to Italy page.  Reservation compulsory. To Nice by EuroCity train from Milan or Genoa:  Supplement 5 euros, reservation compulsory. To Vienna by EuroCity train from Venice or Rome:  Supplement 7 euros 2nd class, 9 euros 1st class.  Reservation compulsory. To Innsbruck or Munich by EuroCity train from Verona, Venice, Florence or Rome:  5 euros supplement, reservation compulsory. Rome to Innsbruck or Munich by City Night Line sleeper train:   Seat 10 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartment 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 50 euros - see www.bahn.de/citynightline.  Reservation compulsory. Rome or Florence to Vienna by EuroNight sleeper train:   Seat 10 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartment 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 50 euros (all approximate). Venice to Prague or Budapest by sleeper train:  Couchette in 6-bunk compartment around 18 euros, 4-bunk couchette 25 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 35 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 45 euros (all approximate). Italy-Greece ferries: InterRail passes give free travel on Blue Star & Superfast (Attica Group) Bari-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Patras, Ancona-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Patras, and on Minoan Lines Venice- or Ancona-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Patras. InterRail passes provide 'deck class' travel which means a place on the ferry but with no specific seat or berth.  There is space under cover on deck to use a sleeping-bag if you have one, and many backpackers do this.  Or you can pay extra for a reclining seat or cabin berth.  Very helpfully, Minoan Lines give free travel to InterRail flexi pass holders without requiring them to use up a 'flexi day' of travel. Port taxes (a few euros) must be paid (no port tax on Venice routes). Supplement for reclining aircraft-style seat:  About 16 euros on Superfast Ferries, 12 euros on Blue Star Ferries. Supplement for cabin berths:  26 to 76 euros, depending on type of cabin. High season supplement:  Superfast and Blue Star charge InterRail holders a summer supplement, about 16-25 euros.
Luxembourg	InterRail passes are valid on: CFL (Luxembourg State Railways) Other InterRail benefits: An InterRail pass gives free travel on buses run by CFL National trains: No supplements to pay on any normal internal train. International trains: To Brussels or Amsterdam:  No supplement. Reservation not necessary or even possible. To Paris by TGV:  3 euro supplement, reservation compulsory. To Germany:  No supplement on local or even IC trains.
Macedonia	InterRail passes are valid on: CFARYM (Macedonian Railways) National trains: A small supplement must be paid on all domestic express trains including those to and from Belgrade, but not on purely local trains.
Montenegro	InterRail passes are valid on: ZCG (Railways of Montenegro) National trains: A small supplement must be paid on all domestic express trains including those to and from Belgrade, but not on purely local trains.
Netherlands	InterRail passes are valid on: NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Dutch national railways) An InterRail pass also gives free travel on these private local train operators who now run trains on lines that were originally part of the main NS network:  Veolia, Syntus, Noordnet, Arriva, DB Regio, Prignitzer Eisenbahn.   Other benefits: 30% reduction on Harwich-Hoek ferries with Stena Line. 25% reduction on Amsterdam-Newcastle overnight ferry, see www.dfdsseaways.com/railpass.  Only bookable online, no discount in Commodore Class. National trains: No supplement to pay on any Dutch internal train.  No seat reservations are necessary or even possible on Dutch internal trains. International trains: Amsterdam to Brussels by hourly ordinary InterCity train:  No supplement to pay.  Seat reservation is unnecessary and not even possible on these trains, you turn up and hop on, show your InterRail when asked. Amsterdam to Brussels & Paris by Thalys high-speed train:  Special passholder fares are charged, about 12 euros with InterRail pass including seat reservation.  Seat reservation compulsory. Amsterdam to Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt & so on) by IC, EC or ICE train:  No supplement, reservation optional. Amsterdam to Zurich, Munich, Prague, Warsaw or Copenhagen by CityNightLine overnight sleeper train (per person):  Reclining seat 9 euros, couchette in 6-bunk couchette 19 euros, couchette in 4-bunk couchette 29 euros, berth in 4-berth sleeper 39 euros, berth in 2-berth sleeper 49 euros, see www.bahn.de/citynightline.  If you have an InterRail pass you can make 'reservation only' bookings to go with your pass online at www.bahn.de/citynightline and print out your own supplement/reservation in .pdf format.
Norway	InterRail passes are valid on: NSB (Norwegian State Railways)   Other InterRail benefits: 25% discount on UK-Norway ferries with DFDS Seaways. 25% reduction on Oslo-Copenhagen ferry, see www.dfdsseaways.com/railpass.  Only bookable online, no discount in Commodore Class. 50% discount on Color Line ferries (including Oslo-Frederikshavn in Denmark) 50% discount on many regional bus services 30% discount on the Flåm Railway. More information on InterRail ferry discounts National & international trains: No supplements to pay on any normal Norwegian internal train.  Seat reservations optional on long-distance trains, 6.30 euros per seat. Note:  The InterRail guide claims reservation is compulsory on Norwegian long-distance trains.  The Thomas Cook European Timetable only says that reservation is 'recommended'. Oslo to Stockholm by IC train:  3 euros supplement, reservation compulsory. Oslo-Stockholm by sleeper train:  Seat 3 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartments 10 euros, bed in 3-bed sleeper 16 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper 30 euros (all approximate).
Poland	InterRail passes are valid on: PKP (Polish State Railways) National trains: No supplement to pay for local or regional trains. InterCity trains:  Supplement 5.30 euros, reservation compulsory. 'Ex' (Express) trains:  Supplement 3 euros, reservation compulsory. International trains: Warsaw to Berlin by 'Berlin-Warszawa Express':  supplement from 4 euros if your pass covers both Germany and Poland.  Special reduced fare charged if your InterRail covers just Germany or just Poland. Krakow to Berlin by EuroCity:  Small supplement to be paid (4 euros?), reservation compulsory. Warsaw or Krakow to Vienna or Prague by EuroCity train:  Small supplement to be paid (4 euros?), reservation compulsory. Krakow-Prague, Krakow-Budapest, Warsaw-Budapest, Warsaw-Berlin by sleeper train:  10 euros for a couchette in a 6-bunk couchette, 15 euros for a couchette in a 4-bunk couchette, 18 euros for a bed in a much more comfortable 3-berth sleeper (recommended), 25 euros for a bed in a 2-bed sleeper (also recommended).  You can check Polish sleeper and couchette supplements online at www.wars.pl.   The sleeper supplement includes complimentary tea/coffee and croissant.
Portugal	InterRail passes are valid on: CP (Portuguese national railways) National trains: No supplement to pay on local or InterRegional trains. InterCity trains (for example Lisbon - Faro):  supplement 4 euros, including compulsory seat reservation. Alfa Pendular fast tilting trains Lisbon - Porto:  supplement 8 euros, including compulsory seat reservation. International trains: Lisbon-Madrid:  Special InterRail fares apply for the 'Lusitania' trainhotel Lisbon-Madrid:  Reclining seat 30 euros, bed in 4-berth sleeper 55 euros, bed in 2-berth sleeper 75 euros, 1-berth sleeper 119 euros. Lisbon-Paris:  Supplement for the Sud Express from Lisbon to Hendaye (for TGV to Paris):  7 euros in a seat, 27 euros in a couchette, 43 euros for a berth in 3-bed sleeper, 60 euros for a berth in a 2-bed sleeper, 110 euros for a single-bed sleeper.  A small supplement is also payable for the TGV from Hendaye to Paris, maybe 4-10 euros.
Romania	InterRail passes are valid on: CFR (Romanian National Railways) National trains: InterCity trains require a supplement, between 3 to 18 euros depending on distance, and seat reservation is compulsory on all long distance trains. International trains: Reservation is compulsory on all international trains from Romania.  Couchette supplement Bucharest-Budapest about 10 euros, Bucharest-Istanbul about 6 euros.  Sleeper supplement for bed in 3-bed sleeper Bucharest-Budapest about 18 euros, Bucharest-Istanbul about 12 euros.
Serbia	InterRail passes are valid on: ZS Serbian Railways National trains: A small supplement must be paid on all domestic express trains, but not on purely local trains.
Slovakia	InterRail passes are valid on: ZSR (Slovak Republic Railways) National & international trains: Seat reservation is compulsory on all InterCity and EuroCity trains, supplement 3 euros.  SuperCity tilting trains 7 euros supplement.
Slovenia	InterRail passes are valid on: SZ (Slovenian railways) National trains: Seat reservation is compulsory on all ICs trains, free in advance or 4.50 euros on board the train. International trains: Ljubljana to Innsbruck or Munich by EuroCity:  Supplement to pay, about 5 euros.
Spain	InterRail passes are valid on: RENFE (Spanish National Railways) InterRail passes are not valid on regional train operators www.euskotren.es and www.feve.es. There is no longer any InterRail discount on Trasmediterranea ferries to Ibiza or Majorca, or to Morocco.  However, normal fare tickets for these ferries can be booked at the Seat61 Ferry Shop. National trains: Rail fares in Spain are very cheap, but if you have an InterRail pass,  every Spanish long-distance train requires you to make a reservation and pay a supplement, and even most shorter distance regional trains require a seat reservation.  It's safest to assume that the only trains in Spain which don't require at least a seat reservation are suburban trains ('cercanias') around the big cities. AVE and Talgo200 high speed trains (Madrid to Seville, Cordoba, Cadiz, Malaga):  Supplement 10 euros in 2nd class or 24 euros in 1st class (includes meal in 1st class). EuroMed (Barcelona-Valencia-Alicante), Alvia (Madrid-Barcelona), Alaris (Madrid-Valencia), Altaria (e.g. Madrid-Algeciras) trains: 6.50 euros supplement in 2nd class or 24 euros in 1st class (includes meal in 1st class). Most other long distance trains (Talgo, Arco) charge a supplement, about 6.50 euros in 2nd class or 10 euros in 1st class.  Unusually, even many shorter-distance regional trains in Spain such as those classified 'TRD' (Regional Diesel Train) require a seat reservation, 3 or 4 euros seat reservation fee payable. Trenhotel overnight trains:  reclining seat 3 euros, 4-berth sleeper 24 euros, 2-berth sleeper 43 euros, 1-berth sleeper 83 euros. International trains: 'Elipsos' overnight hotel trains Madrid to Paris, Barcelona to Paris, Barcelona to Zurich, Barcelona to Milan:  Special passholder fares are charged to anyone holding a pass covering at least one of the countries travelled through:  See the fares shown on the London to Spain page or see www.elipsos.com. A supplement is charged for the two daily Talgo trains from Barcelona to Perpignan, Narbonne & Montpellier international 'Talgo' trains:  17 euros in 2n class, 38 euros in 1st class. 'Lusitania' trainhotel Madrid to Lisbon with an InterRail pass:  Seat 30 euros, 4-berth sleeper 55 euros, 2-berth sleeper 75 euros, 1-berth sleeper 119 euros.
Sweden	InterRail passes are valid on: SJ (Swedish national railways) which runs most Swedish mainline trains. Connex (part of Veolia Group, it operates the sleeper trains from Stockholm & Gothenburg up to the north of Sweden) Free travel on Arlanda Express airport rail link. Free travel on the Inlandsbanen private local railway. Free travel on Silja Line ferries Stockholm-Turku (for train to Helsinki). Cabin berths extra. Free travel on Veljekset Salmela bus service Kemi/Tornio-haparanda (across the top from Sweden into Finland) Other InterRail benefits: 50% discount on Viking Line ferries Stockholm-Helsinki and Stockholm-Turku. 30% discount on Stena Line ferries (including Gothenburg-Frederikshavn in Denmark) National trains: A supplement is charged for travel on 125mph X2000 tilting trains (for example, Stockholm to Gothenburg or Malmö):  about 7 euros in 2nd class or 17 euros in 1st class with 1st class pass (includes light meal in 1st class). Night train supplements within Sweden (per person):  Seat 3 euros, couchette in 6-bunk compartments 10 euros, bed in 3-bed sleeper 16 euros, bed in 2-bed sleeper 30 euros. International trains: Stockholm to Copenhagen by X2000:  Supplement 7 euros in 2nd class, 17 euros in 1st class. Stockholm to Oslo by IC train:  3 euros supplement, reservation compulsory.
Switzerland	InterRail passes are valid on: SBB Swiss Federal Railways (which runs most inter-city main lines) InterRail passes also give free travel on these private railways: BLS Bern-Lotschberg-Simplon (which runs the main Bern-Interlaken-Brig line) FART Ferrovie Autolinee Regionall Ticinesi MOB Montreux Oberland Bernois RhB Rhatische Bahn (Disentis-Chur-Davos/St Moritz) SOB Sudostbahn SOB-bt Bodensee Toggenburg Bahn SSIF Societa Subalpina di Imprese Ferroviarie THURBO Mittelthrugau Bahn ZB Centralbahn InterRail holders get 50% discount on these other private railway & bus services: AB Appenzeller Bahnen ASM Aare Seeland Mobil BB Kehrsiten - Bürgenstock CJ Chemins de fer du Jura FB Forchbahn GGB Gornergratbahn LAF Adliswil - Felsenegg LEB Lausanne - Echallens - Bercher MBC Bière - Apples - Morges MGB Matterhorn - Gotthard Bahn (Zermatt-Brig-Disentis), only with a youth InterRail, not adult or child) MVR Transports Montreux - Vevey - Riviera NStCM Chemin de Fer Nyon - St-Cergue - Morez PB Pilatusbahn (Alpnachstad-Pilatus Kulm/Kriens-Fräkmüntegg-Pil. Kulm) RA RegionAlps Martigny - Orsières / Le Chàble RB Rigi-Bahn RBS Regionalverkehr Bern Solothurn SMF-lsm Stöckalp - Melchsee - Frutt SMtS St-Imier - Mont-Soleil SthB Stanserhornbahn SZU Sihltal - Zürich - Uetliberg TMR Martigny - Châtelard TPC Transports publics du Chablais TPF Transports publics Fribourgeois TRAVYS SA TRN Transports régionaux Neuchâtelois WB Waldenburgerbahn WSB Wynental & Suhrentalbahn There's no discount at all for passholders on the Jungfraubahn.  National trains: Using an InterRail pass in Switzerland is easy, as there are no supplements to pay on any normal internal Swiss train, including Swiss InterCity trains.  There's no supplement to pay when using German ICE trains or French TGV trains for journeys wholly within Switzerland.  However, reservation is required and a supplement (CHF10-20) is payable on one or two narrow-gauge panoramic trains, such as the famous Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz, the Bernina Express from Chur & St Moritz to Tirano or Golden Pass Panoramic trains from Montreux to Zweisimmen. Note that an InterRail only gives free travel on the RhB section of the Glacier Express route (Disentis-Chur-St Moritz), you'll need to buy a ticket for the MGB (Zermatt-Brig-Disentis) section.  Youth passholders get 50% discount on MGB, but adult & child passholders must pay full fare.  Both ticket and Glacier Express supplement can be bought before boarding the train, at any Swiss station. International trains: To Milan by daytime Cisalpino trains from various Swiss cities:  Supplement 8 euros. To Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna by EuroCity train:  No supplement or reservation necessary. To Germany by IC & ICE trains:  No supplement or reservation necessary. To Paris by Lyria TGV high-speed trains from Zurich, Basel, Lausanne, Bern & Geneva:  Special passholder fares charged, about 10 euros. CityNightLine sleeper trains from Zurich or Basel to Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin or Hamburg (per person): Reclining seat 10 euros, 6-bunk couchette 20 euros, 4-bunk couchette 30 euros, 4-berth sleeper 40 euros, 2-berth sleeper 50 euros - see www.bahn.de/citynightline.  If you have an InterRail pass you can make 'reservation only' bookings to go with your pass online at www.bahn.de/citynightline and print out your own supplement/reservation in .pdf format.
Turkey	InterRail passes are valid on: TCDD (Turkish State Railways), see the Train Travel in Turkey page for routes, train times & information. National trains: Supplement and reservation required for all pullman seats (1 or 2 euros), couchettes (maybe 5 euros) or sleepers (maybe 10 euros for a bed in a 2-bed room) on most long distance trains in Asian Turkey. International trains: Reservation obligatory on international trains from Istanbul to Sofia, Belgrade, Bucharest, Thessaloniki.  Couchette supplement about 9 euros, sleeper supplement about 15 euros for bed in 3-bed room, 25 euros for bed in 2-bed room.

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train, bus & ferry times for every country in Europe (eastern and western) plus currency and climate information.  It is definitely worth buying if you're planning an extensive InterRail tour - having your own comprehensive timetable puts you in control of your own trip, and saves you hours in queues for station information desks or struggling with station timetables which show only the most basic information.  It costs around £13.99 from the bureau de change section of any UK branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (with worldwide delivery).  Alternatively, you can buy the twice-yearly  Independent Traveller's edition at Amazon.co.uk.

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is easily the best and most comprehensive map of train routes all over Europe.  High speed and scenic routes are highlighted - well worth buying to go with your InterRail..!  Buy online at Amazon (with worldwide delivery).

Online timetables:  You can check train times for ANY European train journey online at http://bahn.hafas.de.  This is an extremely useful resource for trip planning, provided by the German Railways.

Recommended guidebooks:

If you're planning a grand tour, I strongly recommend investing in a Thomas Cook European Timetable for in-depth train information, and the relevant Lonely Planet Guide for in-depth country information on the sights to see, places to stay, places to eat.  Alternatively, the Europe by Rail guide combines basic train info with country information.

Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk...

Or buy Lonely Planet guides direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.

Hotels & guesthouses...

It's easy to book hotels online to go with your InterRail pass, but there are almost too many hotel booking websites to choose from!  I recommend these three sites to find a hotel in most European countries:

• Hotels Combined.  This isn't a hotel booking site, but a free search tool that checks all the other sites, saving you hours on the internet going round in circles.  Highly recommended as the place to start when looking for a hotel anywhere worldwide!

		◄◄◄ Search all the major hotel booking websites at once...
Powered by Hotelscombined.com

• www.laterooms.com lists a huge number of hotels in any given town or city on a single page showing price and availability for your specific dates.  As its name suggests, Laterooms gets big discounts for hotel rooms booked within 3 months of travel, making it ideal for anyone buying an InterRail pass within the normal 90 days of travel.  These discounted prices are shown in orange.

• www.venere.com has a more personal approach than laterooms.com.  On Venere, the price you see is the price you pay, no hidden extras, and you simply pay the hotel when you get there.  After you've booked, you can change or cancel your reservation in line with the hotel's own change and cancellation policy.

• www.tripadvisor.com is a huge resource, and a good place to browse independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels.

Budget backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about the hostels.  Hostelbookers allows online booking of dorm beds or ultra-cheap private rooms in backpacker hostels in most European cities at budget prices.

Get travel insurance..

Never go abroad without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

  If you live in the UK, get quotes from Direct Line or Columbus Direct.

I've used Direct Line myself and on one occasion, successfully claimed back the cost of non-refundable Eurostar & trainhotel tickets to Spain when we cancelled the trip because my mother fell ill.  Feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome!

      If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, see Columbus Direct Australia.

  If you live in the USA or Canada, see Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, but if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85%.  It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.