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Activating the Pass vis-a-vis Trips

  • 10 June 2023
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I have purchased a 15 day Eurail Global Pass (4 persons, 2 adults, 2 kids), that I intend to use during my upcoming trip to Europe starting next week (arriving on 14th June in France). I have added the pass in the Rail Planner app and have also added most of my planned journeys in a “Trip” (but have not linked the Trip to the Global Pass, with a fear of activating/wasting the days too early, as I don’t know how it works).

This is my first trip to Europe (visiting France, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands (via night stay at Munich) and Denmark) so have a couple of basic queries regarding the use of my Pass:

  1. Can I link my Trip to Global Pass on the app even now (without activating the pass), when my first journey by train is on 18th June to Switzerland?
  2. How (& when) the app will deduct my first (& subsequent) day off the Pass? I mean when I link the Pass to the trip OR when I scan the QR Code when boarding the train OR is there another way?
  3. If I buy any tickets from individual railway websites, how can I add them to my Rail Planner app? Or is it even required (as I need to activate the Pass for that Day?
  4. I have installed the Rail Planner app on my phone only. Do I need to do it on my wife’s phone as well?
  5. I would be using the pass to board the special trains in Switzerland as well, like the Bernina, Glacier Pass or the included Ferries in Interlaken etc. So will I need to make ‘free’ reservations on these from their respective websites & then add them on my Rail Planner app or I just keep the PDF file in my phone? Or just simply show them the Pass?
  6. Where (& how) to find any regional buses included in the Global Pass, and then add them to the app (if required)?
  7. Do I need to get hard copy of the tickets anywhere during my trip? Or the phone app will suffice?
  8. Do I need to keep any specific documents with me for travel besides/Passport? Like Photos, Passport copies etc?
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Best answer by rvdborgt 10 June 2023, 10:55

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Please check this page for the basics:

https://www.eurail.com/en/eurail-passes/eurail-mobile-pass/getting-started

  1. Yes, only after step 3 of the activation, where you choose the start date, the pass will be activated.
  2. If you have a flexipass (15 days within 2 months), then adding the first journey of the day to the pass will activate a travel day. The app will ask for confirmation.
  3. You don't buy tickets, your pass is your ticket. If you buy reservations, then these are totally separate from the app: you can't book them in the app and they won't be visible in the app.
  4. You can have your passes all on one phone but it's advisable to have them on separate phones, so you can travel separately if needed, even if you don't plan to. You never know what happens.
  5. If reservations are not needed, then you don't need them. You just add the train(s) to your pass and that will generate the QR code, which is your ticket. Please see the URL above.
  6. There aren't many buses included. If you use an included bus, then you'll need to add it like any train. If it's missing in the planner, you can add it manually.
  7. The phone will suffice. The pass is actually only valid if you can show the QR code in the app.
  8. There's no requirement. In general though, it's wise to have a copy or scan of your passport somewhere.

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