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I am looking on using the Interrail card next year with my children (12 and 14 when we travel) to travel from the UK to Austria.

 

Interrail has changed greatly since my days at Uni.

 

We intend to follow the following route (or similar but the principal is the same)

 

Bedford to Brussels (Eurostar) then to Cologne for a night train to Innsbruck

 

I hope I am right but the Global Pass (4 days within 1 month) allows travel from Bedford and out of the UK, then day one is from Brussels to Cologne and then the night train top Innsbruck. This will all be on one day. Early start to London etc.

 

Am I right?

 

Once the night train arrives I think the second day starts (we may go onto Oetz from Innsbruck)?

 

I understand there will be supplements as we will use a sleeper compartment but that’s part of the fun.

No it has all changed even more-and here is-on alternate days, even a NJ=NightJet FROm BRU to Austria (I think however, Innsbruck only in ski-season, normal dest. is Wien

AND the rule about overniters has changed: it is now ANY train you board on a calender day=up to 23.59 counts as 1 travel day, untill one leaves that train. So it is feasible to do the trip TO there in 1 travelday-unless you need yet more trains on the morning after. If that happens to be just a short sector, buying local tickets may work out cheaper.

TO GB it will always cost you 2 days-as from BRU, after having left the always late NJ, you board €* then some local whatisitthatday local TOC in GB.

Note that real sleepers on the NJ are in short supply and heavy demand and can be booked weeks/monthes ahead in hi-peak seaons. PLus that the /en/ is rather ambiguous-there are LIEGE and SCHLAF wagen: liege is a kind of basic lie-down bunk, couchette in french, with 6 in a cabin. For more info about this: seat61.com


Day one is from Bedford (your outbound is not an extra travel day), but apart of this you're right (as long as you reach Köln in one day and enter the nighttrain before midnight; but the NJ to Innsbruck leaves earlier anyway).

 

From Innsbruck you'd need a new travel day. But Innsbruck to Oetz is not a good use of a travelday. Using your pass saves you less (12 € for an adult)  than a travel day costs (you'd need to pay for the bus anyway).  


No it has all changed even more-and here is-on alternate days, even a NJ=NightJet FROm BRU to Austria (I think however, Innsbruck only in ski-season, normal dest. is Wien

There is no Brussels to Innsbruck night train anymore. Not in summer and neither in the ski season.


Thanks all,

I will probably take an NJ from Cologne. So, it seems I can travel to Innsbruck from Bedford on day 1 of my pass as long at the train that arrives in Innsbruck starts on day 1.

 

I will definitely pay for the shorter leg as I want to go to Salzburg as well then travel back to the UK from there.

I presume that route is subject to the same rules? Leave Salzburg and, as long as the train the UK leaves (Brussels for example) on the same day I am covered?


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