HI there, I hope you can help. This will be a really long post so if it’s too much to read all of it, the main questions are:
(1) does my itinerary below actually count as 4 travel days (based on using night trains)?
(2) I think I need 3 journeys on 3 separate days in total, within my own country. This apparently isn’t allowed on the Interrail ticket. Is there any way round this, for example if you’re using nightjet and there’s no other route (Germany’s pretty big)?
Long version:
I’ve booked a holiday house on the South Coast of France (near Cannes), and we decided this year that it’s too far by car, and we won’t take the plane. So we’ll take the train - great! And a sleeper, as it’s a long journey, what fun!
I think i’ve figured out the easiest route now, which was complicated by long journeys needing night trains and then seeing a stop in Italy makes sense to add some extra holiday. I was getting ready to book the 4 day Interrail passes for the family, but i’ve just discovered a rather awkward rule: only 2 journeys are allowed within your own country, full stop. I’m also not 100% sure if I calculated the number of travel days correctly.
So here’s the problem facing me with the home country travel rule: I live in Germany near the Dutch border, and the night train I need to take runs between Amsterdam and Munich. It stops in Germany, but at places further away (and too late at night) compared to starting in Amsterdam. So i’ve used one travel day to get to Amsterdam. The next day, i’ll arrive in Munich on the nightjet in the morning, and need to connect to Milan. So this is from Munich to Milan, meaning 2 travel days in my home country already. Did I work that out right? I also need to get back home at the end of the holiday of course, which will be via Paris this time and onwards to home, using 1 home country travel day. So in total I believe I need 3 travel days which include my home country.
Is there any way at all around this? Buying an extra ticket for Germany travel isn’t a solution, it’ll be way too expensive. It’s already costing 800€ for Interrail and nightjet reservations. I may as well get a plane after all. Or is there a magic solution I haven’t figured out? I hope so!
If anyone is still reading (thanks if you are!) and still has the energy to read my itinerary perhaps this would help:
Wednesday, Day 1:
Travel from Muenster to Amsterdam at 08:32. Travel time 3 hours, 1 change
Spend the day in Amsterdam, then board the night train to Munich:
19:30 Amsterdam, arriving 07:28 Munich
- 1 travel day used - 1 journey in home country used
Thursday, day 2
Board the NIghtjet from Munich to Milan that evening: NJ40295
20:10 Munich, arriving Milano Porta Garibaldi 08:10.
Take local train to Genova (not using Interrail pass as it'll be cheaper than adding another day to the pass) Stay overnight in Genova
- 2 travel days used - 2 journeys in my home country used
Saturday, day 4:
Genoa to St-Raphaël—Valescure where we collect the hire car and start the French part of the holiday
07:45 Genova Piazza Principe, arriving St-Raphaël—Valescure at 12:46 , 2 changes (5:01)
- 3 travel days used -
Saturday Day 11
08:49 St-Raphaël—Valescure to Paris Gare de Lyon arriving 13:38 (direct train)
15:20 Paris Gare de l'Est - Münster 19:54 (6hr 46, 1 change)
- 4 travel days used - 3 journeys in my home country used !!!!