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Hello

 

I wanted to ask several questions before I download the rail planner app and buy my interrail pass.

 

1- I am a US citizen, however I have been in Turkey since July 31st 2021. Which means that I have been in Turkey for more than six months. would that mean that I am elligible for Interrail or Eurail? How can I demonstrate my Turkish residence while buying my pass?

2- Can I have day trips using my interrail pass during my journey. For example can I visit Leipzig for a few hours from Berlin and return to Berlin on the same day during my travels?

3- In my trip I plan on visiting Magdeburg and Wuppertal. However I was not able to see nor list them to my itinerary. When I get my pass and download the app, will I be able to visit said destinations? Or will I have to pay another railway company to be able to react said destinations?

4- Do I need an internet connection in order to use my app to get on the train. I want to know if I have to buy myself celular data during my travels. Or do train stations provide wifi?

 

Thank you for sparing your time to read this

Bora

1 - you have to provide some sort of document that you are living in Turkey. But in the trains they often don’t ask even for a document or only look if you have the citizenship. But with the rules, you are able to get Interrail (but you only are allowed to use it 2 days in Turkey), ask at a Train Ticket office in Turkey they should also be able to sell it. 

Note: till incl. 10 May there is 50% off on the 1, 2 or 3 months Interrail continues global passes. 

2 - it depends which pass you buy. You can buy from a 4 days in a month pass (where you can use trains only on 4 days in a month) or 3 months pass, which is every day valid. 

3 - to plan I recommend to use German railways website bahn.com. But both should be in the network. 

4 - from the FAQ on interrail.eu

Your mobile Pass is periodically checked against our system to ensure its validity and prevent fraud, which means that you need to be online at least once every 3 days.

We’ll send you a notification 24 hours before your 3 days are up so you can find an internet connection. If you are on a train, there may be on-board Wi-Fi that you can use. The app does not update in the background, so you’ll need to open the app when you find a connection so we can check your Pass.

If you haven’t been online in more than 3 days, your mobile Pass will be considered inactive and you will not be able to use your Pass until you connect to the internet and open the app.


@1. there have been reports-in the far past, that In YR they-on stations will not sell passes to those who have no TR-ID. No idea if they will even still do that (that would mean keeping a stock of those papers).

The basic rule is that you will be assumed to be citizen of the country of your ID-UNLESS you have official proof that you live somewhere else. No idea how TR handels that, but its a thoroughly burocratic nightmare for such rhings, so there will be some kind of form. As angelo also tells- EUrail has better value for you. but a pass as such in TR is about worthless.

In WEST EUR most IC-trains and/or stations and about any HTL etc have free wifi-I wholly rly on that. I use it now in a normal interburban bus.


Thank you so much for your answers.  Your answers are very helpful, especially with regards to the internet connection, but I feel like I may have to ask some more questions, (and give more details of the current circumstances) in order to get a better grasp at some things:

1 - you have to provide some sort of document that you are living in Turkey. But in the trains they often don’t ask even for a document or only look if you have the citizenship. But with the rules, you are able to get Interrail (but you only are allowed to use it 2 days in Turkey), ask at a Train Ticket office in Turkey they should also be able to sell it. 

Right now Passes are not being sold in Turkish stations which is why I am looking to buy my pass online. I was wondering how can I prove my residency when buying a pass online. I also do have a Turkish ID number since I do have a blue card, which is given to former Turkish citizens who give up their citizenship. 

 

. As angelo also tells- EUrail has better value for you. but a pass as such in TR is about worthless.

Are you referring to the Interrail pass Angelo mentioned? Because they did not mention EUrail, nor have they told me how valuable it is for me.

 

2 - it depends which pass you buy. You can buy from a 4 days in a month pass (where you can use trains only on 4 days in a month) or 3 months pass, which is every day valid. 

I am planning on getting a global continuous pass. Can I still take two trips in a day using a continuous pass?

 

3 - to plan I recommend to use German railways website bahn.com. But both should be in the network. 

By “”in the network” do you only mean bann.com, or the eurail/interrail planner as well? I am just asking to be extra sure.


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