Has anyone used an Inter-rail Global Pass? I think I am going to buy three 1 month continuous passes and go everywhere I've wanted to go in Europe in those 90 days.
Pic related is the kind of route I would want to take. Starting in Amsterdam btw.
Do I have to reserve my seat beforehand or can I just go on the train with my pass?
Does it work will on all trains or only trains between big cities, eg between Barcelona and Madrid? What are the rail links like in general? Will I have to backtrack to get a connection a lot?
I am from the UK btw. Any inter-rail tips or experiences appreciated.
yes, a lot of us have.
>Do I have to reserve my seat beforehand or can I just go on the train with my pass?
depends on the train. in france and italy you usually do, but for holland, germany etc. you don't.
>Does it work will on all trains or only trains between big cities, eg between Barcelona and Madrid? What are the rail links like in general? Will I have to backtrack to get a connection a lot?
works with all trains I'm sure, but you can only use it once every 24 hours or some shit, I don't exactly remember the rules.
my advice is to get the insurance. I was a fucking idiot and didn't take it, so I used my 250euro pass from Berlin to Prague then lost the fucking thing and had to buy individual tickets.
>>1054471
also that is a lot of countries and cities for 1 month.
I've interrailed twice both for about a month did these routes:
Paris - Barcelona - Nice - Swiss alps - Munich - Berlin
and
Berlin - Prague - Krakow - Budapest - Vienna - Innsbruck - Venice - Rome
best to keep it to about 3 days per city.
>>1054481
That trip on the map I am planning to do over three months.
Did you enjoy your trips? Did you see much countryside on the train?
>>1054482
I disagree
>>1054489
with what
>>1054497
The three month thing, is less
>>1054501
You think I should do the trip in less than 3 months?
>>1054471
Interrail is only worth it if you plan to really hit small towns in almost every country and use the train daily (In most areas interrail is no valid for the local public transport (metro, Bus, local trains, trams) so you have to buy additional tickets anyway. The only areas Interrail is really worth it is: Austria, Germany and Switzerland
Anywhere else you're cheaper off buying normal tickets from larger city to the other on a "if needed base", even take a plane (flying is cheap as fuck in europe) or take a long distance bus (you can get from Munich to Paris for 10€)
>>1054509
Why is that? £314 for a whole month is pretty cheap? I have only used to train a couple of times in Europe, and it has been Paris-Dijon, and it was 50 euros one way.
>>1054602
Because if you don't use your interrail almost daily and plan to hop on/off anywhere and stay in the countryside you will never get your value out of your ticket in most countries.
If you plan to use the TGV you have to reserve in advance and pay a reservation fee even if you have a inter rail pass (SNCF offers only a very limited amount of inter rail spots so you have to plan & book anyway)
Yet if you book about 2 months in advance you can get almost any destination for 19-39€.
Spain and Portugal you look at about 20-50€ per city to city connection or easyjet/vueling offering 19€ flights.
All the eastern countries, you can buy the tickets at the counter as you go, even if you ride first class you will never come close to 314£.
Be prepared for really shit tier connections and train service in some countries
>>1054471
I've made a three weeks trip back in 2009. Left from Switzerland and made it to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Sofia, Istanbul, Bucarest, Budapest, Vienna and back home.
My friend and I usually travelled with night train in order to have more time to visit cities and what not and we had to pay reservation fees. However, those we're not really high, maybe something in between 3-10 euro. (10 being once, in Switzerland which is expensive anyway). We booked a deluxe cabin from sofia to Istanbul and we paid something like 4.5 euros each and it was worth every pennies.
In romania you have to pay an extra fees that is calculated on how many miles you are travelling but it is hella cheap (smth like 1.35 euros for 600km) if I remember correctly.
If i remember correctly you have countries where the pass is not valid (albania maybe ? or Bosnia? somewhere in the Balkan). Some trains do not accept the pass but there are others trains to make those trips anyway and frankly it is part of the trip as well !
I was 19 back then and that was a very very cool experience that I would definitely recommend
>>1054471
>Amsterdam
Do you have money? Are you into pussy, good food, weed and overall nice sights and people? If you've answered yes to one of these questions, stay there 3 days longer than you are planning. If you've answered yes to both, stay there for at least 10 days. DONT TRY TO FUCK GYPSY HOOKERS!!!!!!!!!
>Belgium
Fine, just don't go to Brugge, the Instagram Town. Brussels is bretty cool though. Nice women.
>Southern France
Beautiful! Expensive!
>Madrid
If you are a faggot you'll love it! City has more faggots than people, and business closes randomly. Going to a Real Madrid match is not worth it either... Bunch of clappers... Feels like a theater, ffs.
>Portugal
Never been there, but Portuguese people are cool in my experience.
>Switzerland
Clean, civilized, gorgeous, interesting, charming and retardedly expensive.
>Austria
HAHAHAHAHA good luck with that unless you're a richfag
>Prague
AWESOME. I'd recommend the "Prague Plus" hostel, staff is awesome, common room is nice, shower is the best one I've ever tried, and they have a pool. And ping-pong. What else do you want? Czechs are pretty cool, the women are amongst the best I've ever seen, transport is great, city is nice, people are friendly. 10/10.
>Berlin
Two words: Dr. Pong. If you don't go to Dr. Pong you might as well skip Berlin. Also, pretty easy to ride the S-Bahn without paying. Drink at St. Cristopher's Inn to meet other travelers.
>Poland/Slovakia/Hungary/Serbia/Croatia
Never been, unfortunately. Russia is cool.
>Greece
One day I'll be there!
>Gipsyland
Good luck with that...
>Southern Italy
Just don't. Hot. Lazy people. Impolite shouting Italians everywhere. Tourists, billions of them. Gypsies everywhere. Terrible drivers. Terrible servers. Terrible hostels. Public transport sucks. Colosseum is shit, feels like being on the world's longest line, with tourists farting and taking selfies everywhere. Italians get mad for no reason, and treat you like an animal. Consider this a friendly warning.
>>1055860
>Fine, just don't go to Brugge, the Instagram Town. Brussels is bretty cool though. Nice women.
Agreed, don't do Bruges, although if you're into medieval shit visit Ghent. It's basically Bruges with half the tourists.
>I'd recommend the "Prague Plus" hostel
Damn now I regret not going there, that free pool and sauna sounded sweet :^)
Was going to stay there but I read a bunch of mixed reviews and considering the fact that it's a stop for tourist buses I booked elsewhere.
I really recommend Sir Toby's in Prague, bit more expensive than Prague Plus but it's really cozy.
>Also, pretty easy to ride the S-Bahn without paying
Yeah there's no gates anywhere, weird stuff... I rode without paying all the time but in the back of my head I was kind of paranoid.
Dr. Pong must have been the ping pong bar I kept hearing stuff about, never got around to it.
>Southern Italy
Did you only do Rome? There's plenty of cities/small towns that are amazing.
>>1055860
>Two words: Dr. Pong. If you don't go to Dr. Pong you might as well skip Berlin. Also, pretty easy to ride the S-Bahn without paying. Drink at St. Cristopher's Inn to meet other travelers.
Living in Berlin, I would not advise taking public transportation without a pass. Most of the time you won't get any inspectors, but there are weeks where you see them every other day or so, so it's like they crack down certain routes certain days. Fine is 40 eur.
Regardless of the fine, don't be a cheapskate. The Berlin public transportation is amazing, working around 19 hours a day on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends. They deserve your 2.60 per single ride.
>>1055874
Rome, Firenze and Venice. All garbage. If you want to have the worst hostel experience Europe has to offer stay at "Villa Camerata".
>giant fucking hill to get there
>staff treat you like an animal
>no wifi
>shit bathroom
>shit bed
>ants everywhere
>terrible breakfast
Etc etc
About "Prague Plus": Yes, the tour buses do stop there... However, more often than not they are filled to the brim with hot eastern yuro qts who are friendly. They also have beach volleyball, if you're into that.
>>1055879
Welp, I'm a poorfag and a dirty southamerican, if it is exploitable, I'll exploit it bro.
Paris: In Crimée station there was/is a malfunctioning entrance, once I understood that, I've never paid again.
Amsterdam: Risky. Impossible on nightbuses, tricky (but definetly doable) on trams.
Berlin: pfffff
Switzerland: pretty easy, never seen a single officer/guard/whatever on the trams
Prague: If you are not going to tourist-y locations, it's too easy.
Moscow: 2m tall mean-looking russian policemen and the fact that the tickets are cheap discouraged me.
Madrid: just go on rush hour and jump over like a nigger, pretty ok
Belgium: Easy too
>>1055874
Dr. Pong is awesome. It can be intimidating if you are an american neckbeard who has never seen shady-looking places and faces, though.
But the lads there are pretty cool, and it's a very chill place overall. 9/10, just because it isn't open 24/7 lol
>>1054471
Watch out when in Balkans.
Dont get off the train in Albania if you value your kidneys.
Fuck some whores in Bulgaria they are dirt cheap, lots of mafia though.
>>1056728
Whats up with Albania? Some anons on here visited and it seemed like they had a good time
>>1055860
Just checked out that Prague Plus hostel, breh looks so good, thanks for the tip
>>1055879
>Fine is 40 eur
The fine is now 60€.
The inspectors mainly check tickets on line U1 between Warschauer Str and Hallesches Tor and then on the full Ringbahn and the Bahn betwen Westkreuz and Ostkreuz, mainly betwen Hauptbahnhof and Alexanderplatz.
If you live on the outskirts of Berlin and just want to ride a few stations to get something to eat or shop then it probably isn't worth it but if you will be traveling to the center of Berlin then you most definitely want to buy a ticket.
>>1056738
If you find a weird american guy in his 50s that talks like a surfer from the 70s, drinks a lot of coffee and is awake late at night(like 4am), ask him about 9/11, boston bombs, sandy hook and jet planes. Prepare for fun times, lol. /pol/ seems sane by comparison.
