choose a paper or mobile pass

For a mobile pass, you don't need to decide the start date when you buy it. You can set the start date at any time until 11 months after purchase. Additionally, you only need to enter the number of your passport or ID card when you activate the mobile pass (= set the start date).

For Interrail paper passes you must pre-select the start date as this is printed on the pass before it is sent to you.

Mobile passes are valid to start any date within 11 months from the issue date. You do not need to supply an ID number at purchase, this is entered when activating the pass. Name of user and Nationality must be correct at purchase.

Thanks rvdborgt, thanks Al_G,

I understood than when I buy the paper pass, the date of purchase is today, the date of issue is after the date of purchase (until one year) and i need to choose it, and the activation date of the travel can be choose later, in 11 month max after the date of issue. So the delay maximum is more than one year. Maybe I had bad understanding?

Because in mobile pass, I saw only date of purchase and date of activation of the travel, so 11 month max…

And for the number of ID card, I saw I need to write it during the purchase, for paper or mobile pass, so I will need to change it after...

For a paper pass, there's no such thing as "activation date”. You have to choose the start date of the validity period when you buy the pass, and that date can be up to 11 months in the future (not 1 year). Any travel can only take place within the validity period. For a flexipass, you can indeed choose the exact dates later, within the validity period; you "activate” a travel day by writing the date in the designated place on the paper pass.

I'm not sure what you mean by "date of issue”.

You never have to provide the number of IC card or passport when you buy a mobile pass.

Ok, thanks rvdborgt,

Chat GPT understood the same than me, but it was not coherent…

For the ID Card number, you can find the pic under…

(it is in french, but the meaning is “passeport/ID card number”)

The screenshot is for a paper pass.

For a mobile pass, you don't need to give a passport number.

I see you live in Belgium. A paper pass is cheaper if you get it from Belgian railways at Brussel-zuid / Bruxelles-Midi, since they "only” charge a €12 booking fee. Or no extra fee at all if you order from this reseller and pick it up yourself.

Super, merci pour tout vos conseils :-)

For the paper pass you can choose the date when you want it to start to use it but you can also leave in blank. When you decide it, within the next 11 months you can go to any train station office and ask them to "activate it" so they will fill the date you start using it, they will write your passport number or id. I'm telling you this because I did it 2 years ago and did it again on Friday when I arrived to Zurich airport (there's also a train station office there) and it works the same in any country. 

Thanks for the confirmation, cvalen! I understand everything thanks to you 3 :-D

Good travel for everyone!

Well done, you told this person exactly what they wanted to hear. Except IT IS NOT CORRECT.

Unvalidated paper passes as you have decribed are available from some sellers but only EURAIL passes for non-Europeans. Paper Interrail passes for Europeans can NOT be obtained in this format any more.

Well I bought straight from the website so not sure what you mean by "some sellers". I can't confirm or deny if paper pass are no longer available for europeans. But well when I bought it direct from the website it has the option to activate or not. It's simple When you buy it direct from the website if it forces you to choose the date then you have to. If you don't then this means you are able to validate it later (at a train station). If not, what would be the reason they will sell you a pass without the starting day that won't be able to activate later? Why would they sell you a useless pass? 

Oh right I understand this difference. I was not aware of. I'm talking by the experience but yes it's eurail pass. Of course if the site force ​@Lysiane to put the passport or id number and the starting date then there's nothing else to do. Even with what I said it wouldn't be that option on the website. But I think it's good to know there are such difference between the Interrail and eurail pass. 

That is only true for a Eurail pass, not for an Interrail pass. For an Interrail pass you must decide the start date of the validity when you purchase the pass.