New to the interrail pass
Has anyone else done a similar trip and can direct me/ provide suggestions.
I have the interrail 2month pass and I want to maximize the places to go
my first thought would be to see the Greek islands
So I’m trying to figure out how to travel around the Greek islands:
Start in Switzerland (Zurich)
Travel to a place I can pick up the boat to travel to the Greek islands
Travel around Greek islands
Then I’ll move on to other places (like italy)
Thank you for the help
+4
Hi! I've been curious about the Greek islands too.
As far as I know, the global pass does not cover the ferries to most islands, but there is a separate pass that does cover various of those ferries: https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/one-country-pass/greece-passes/greek-islands The global pass does give 20% (Minoan Lines) or 30% (Blue Star Ferries & Hellenic Seaways and Blue Star Ferries in cooperation with ANEK LINES to Crete) discount on ferries to the islands, of which a few would be free with the Greek Island pass.
The global pass does cover the ferry between Italy and Greece on Superfast ferries/Anek lines, but it is not entirely free: Some port fares and high season supplements (if applicable) do have to be paid, and - if chosing a cabin - that has to be paid too. It can be booked online through superfast.com, and - from the few ferries I've checked I've found them to be surprisingly expensive in the end. Cheapest option with a bed is €75 per person (in a 4-bed cabin with a 1st class global pass).
The Interrail information page on this ferry lists the following routes from Italy:
(I haven't checked if the list is up to date)
Corfu is obviously an island (but just one), and Igoumenitsa does not seem to provide further connections to other islands, leaving only Patras as interesting for onward travel. From Patras a bus (operated by the Greek Railways TrainOSE, Interrail should be valid but not sure) + train combination allows reaching Athens, from where ferries leave to many of the islands.
Unfortunately, there currently are no international trains from Greece either, so reaching it over land would also require a part by bus. I don't really know much about that.
The global pass does cover the ferry between Italy and Greece on Superfast ferries/Anek lines, but it is not entirely free: Some port fares and high season supplements (if applicable) do have to be paid, and - if chosing a cabin - that has to be paid too. It can be booked online through superfast.com,
The Anek website works better if you're under 26 or over 60. The Superfast website has a long-standing bug that won't let you choose a global Interrail/Eurail pass as your discount when you're in those age categories.
and - from the few ferries I've checked I've found them to be surprisingly expensive in the end. Cheapest option with a bed is €75 per person (in a 4-bed cabin with a 1st class global pass)
Superfast/Anek are also stretching the definition of "included in the pass” by inventing quite hefty charges that only apply to global pass holders and to nobody else, meaning you'd have to use a travel day for what is effectively a discount.
Many of these ferries listed are seasonal-quite understandable. Also-with ferries even more as with trains: the longer the trip., the higher the price. As there are various comp.s it may also very well be that a Non-ANEK -even without discount (most do ju/senior anyway) is lower as endprice as with discount. Due to expensive fuel most ferries have surcharges for fuel anyway. There is no general rule for that. Also quite a few ferries now mostly aim cars-their ports/quays can be quite far and unreachable from stazione.
But as such: this relives old-time memories: when IR started-now 51 yrs ago and for junior only-the Swedes were by far the heavy users of it and many could think of no other idea as visit to GR isles-they had so much money-or the pass was so cheap then that they used 1 to go there, and after 1 to come back-at that time there were only 1 month passes. AND it was still communist in East-EUR, so those countries were not so easy to access. But the classic route-even the with direct trains München-Athinai, via Yugoslavija was much alive then.
IF you only plan 1 GR isle then that ferrypass makes no sense. And IF you think of doing more-it all depends on when/where-these ANEK only serves some. GR INland fares are govmt. set as they still are seen as essential means for their many islands.
OH-I see du bist schwyzerisch: in that case a pass may cost more as normal/advance tickets from border/Chiasso to to some IT port and back-if you do not think of other Zugli-fahrten. Swiss used to sky-high SBB fares tend to have no idea on how cheap in some countries trains can still be.
Thanks everyone.
I bought the 2 month pass when it was on sale, so Now I’m preparing myself to see as much as I can. I thought hoping between Greek islands would be a good use of the pass (I realize there is a fee per ferry - but it’s probably as cheap as I will be able to find it.
Does anyone have any route recommendations? I’ll be a solo traveler and just want to see the different islands - I do not have any plans at the moment.
Thanks
+14
Thanks everyone.
I bought the 2 month pass when it was on sale, so Now I’m preparing myself to see as much as I can. I thought hoping between Greek islands would be a good use of the pass (I realize there is a fee per ferry - but it’s probably as cheap as I will be able to find it.
Does anyone have any route recommendations? I’ll be a solo traveler and just want to see the different islands - I do not have any plans at the moment.
Thanks
On the ferries between the Greek Islands you get a discount up to 30% with a Globalpass :)
Hello, I also bought an interrail ticket in may 2022 and want to use it to visit Switzerland Basel and Lugano, Rome and Tuscany in Italy and Greece. I think till Greece in the beginning of april because I am in Tuscany tm 3th april. I heard you can travel from Brindisi italy to Patras. I am beginning to plan already about my trip.
Hello, I also bought an interrail ticket in may 2022 and want to use it to visit Switzerland Basel and Lugano, Rome and Tuscany in Italy and Greece. I think till Greece in the beginning of april because I am in Tuscany tm 3th april. I heard you can travel from Brindisi italy to Patras. I am beginning to plan already about my trip.
Ik lees graag tips over Griekenland en waar je eenvoudig maar prettig kunt overnachten. Ook deels samenreizen lijkt mij fijn.
Margret uit Amsterdam
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