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Using Pass within own country without going to the border

  • 1 December 2022
  • 5 replies
  • 164 views

So basically, I am a UK resident, and I managed to get a free 7 day pass with the scheme run by the EU. I have decided that I want to purchase an additional pass to get some more travel days, probably another 7 day pass.

However, since I do a lot of rail travel within the UK, I have noticed that I can purchase a 10 day pass for about £60 more than the 7 day pass - since I will have 2 passes, and I am currently only using one outbound and one inbound journey on my pass, I will have an outbound and an inbound day of travel left over, so I was wondering if I could then use these two days to travel around the UK, most likely starting and ending these trips at the same station (which is most likely Reading or Oxford, which are arguably close to airports) but if necessary I could say use it on a very circuitous route from Reading to Heathrow and then purchase a ticket to get back to Reading

 

Essentially, the question is does the outbound/inbound journey have to be a journey on the fastest route to the airport/eurostar/ferry, could it be a circuitous route to the airport/eurostar/ferry, or can it be a circuitous route starting/finishing anywhere?

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Best answer by Anonymous 2 December 2022, 15:14

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Userlevel 7
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THis is a very unclear point. Both views are right or defendable-and as you are Brit you probably know much better as me what penalties can be levied if some inspector finds you ´do not have valid ticket´. As such it is indeed-that should go without saying- that a more or less direct route to the way out of that funny island in the NorthSea has to be used-small detours are likely OK, but start in Plymouth and go to Dover (for that ferry) via Glasgow-or even Leeds- seems a bit out of the way to me.

Frankly; try a forum where all British railfans-and also lots of staff working on trains come to swap views: railforums.co.uk.

The 1 minor advantage you hold now is that on a mobile pass any trips made same day before are not directly visibly-on the old style paper passes this was abundantly clear. Mobile passes are only as such programmed to allow only 2 days of travel IN homecvuntry.

My own exp as non-Brit was always (till now always paper passes) that hardly anyone would look at it thoroughly-except the odd railfan himself or those wanting a small chat. Much easier/lax as in many other countries.

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It is highly unlikely you will have a problem. As long as you added your trip you will have a valid QR code for your train. This is all the revenue staff are interested in. Very few on train personnel have any knowledge of interrail as they rely solely on a green light on their scanner!

Userlevel 7
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Very few on train personnel have any knowledge of interrail as they rely solely on a green light on their scanner!

IIRC ticket inspectors in GB can't even scan the QR code.

Userlevel 7
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There will be no problem using your I/O days solely in the UK for whatever journeys you want

The management is done by the app, not the inspectors. They neither know nor care about I/O days. As long as your pass shows the correct date and train the pass is your ticket. Although there is a QR code the UK do not use it, they simply look at the details below the QR code and the app only allows 2 days per pass where it is valid in your home country.

Although the intention is to assist your in and out journeys it is up to you how to use those travel days, in the UK, across border or outside the UK. 

Essentially, the question is does the outbound/inbound journey have to be a journey on the fastest route to the airport/eurostar/ferry, could it be a circuitous route to the airport/eurostar/ferry, or can it be a circuitous route starting/finishing anywhere?

Hello! You can take as many trains as you want to complete the outbound/inbound journeys, but you are not allowed to make extra trips within your own country. Travel in your own country | Interrail.eu

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