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Time zone problem (UK)


Hello everyone,

 

I am soon gonna be starting my journey, but I have a question about the different time zones.

As you can see, I will be starting in Brussels.

The second train departures at 12:03 which would be too early for me. But there is the different time zone in the UK so is 11:57 the local time?

I am sorry if my questions sounds a bit dump, but I am still exploring the Interrail app and I did not find anything about it on the Internet.

Thanks in advance!

Anna

 

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Best answer by AnnaB 9 July 2023, 13:52

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Userlevel 7
Badge +9

Times in timetables are always in local time.  

You need to take a later train from London. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

I can see that you have activated your journeys. The advice is to deactivate the journeys until just before boarding the train. Please read more about that below. 

 

 

 

Here is some useful information from the experienced travellers in the Community regarding both planning, reservations and activation of pass and travel days. 

 Planning

The rail planner is normally not up to date, as it only is updated once a month, so to be sure of the time table you better check the timetable and availability on the websites of the national railways. The bigger national railways, like DB (Germany) SBB (Switzerland) and ÖBB (Austria) cover several countries. 

 Reservations 

The advice from the experienced travellers in the community is to use other ways to make reservations than the Interrail/Eurail website.  You can look at the guide in the link:

https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/how-to-get-reservations-105

If you, after having looked at the guide, have questions about how to make specific reservation, please give your travel details (departure date, time and route) preferably in a new topic, and you will get advice.

Please note that Interrail/Eurail charges an extra fee of 2 EUR per person and train in addition to the fee for the seat reservation.

 Activation of pass

During the activation process you choose the start day of the validity of the pass. Once the validity has started it can't be changed even if you haven't travelled. The advice is therefore to wait with activating the pass and starting the validity until the first day of your travel as you only can deactivate the pass no later than 23.59 CET on the day before the validity starts. If your travel plans change in the last moment you can't deactivate the pass and change the validity. 

It can be wise to make a test and activate the pass with a start date well in the future and then deactivate the pass immediately, just to see that everything works.

 Activation of travel day

The advice from the experienced travellers in the community is also never to activate a travel day, that is connect a journey to your pass and create the ticket (QR code), until just before boarding the train, otherwise you might loose a travel day if your travel plans change in a late stage  You can't delete a travel day in the past. A travel day can only be deleted until 23.59 CET the day before the travel day.

Userlevel 7
Badge +5

As you live in Germany, how are you going to Brussels ? Sleeping there the night before ?

Otherwise please note that due to engineering works in Cologne and near Aachen trains take more time than usual. ICEs to and from Belgium are also often very late and overcrowded. Please make a reservation for them (3€ through ÖBB). If you don't, you'll have to stand or even may be denied boarding if the train is too full.

There are more train options by changing in Aachen and Welkenraedt but the journey is obviously longer.

Have you booked the Eurostar (30€ seat reservation) ? I guess so but just prefer asking.

Have at least 1h30 margin in London as you need to transfer stations. Either you use a bus, the Tube (not included, use a contactless or Oyster card) or this fully included route :

- Thameslink London St. Pancras - Farringdon

- Elizabeth Line Farringdon - Paddington

I'd recommend making a free seat reservation for the train to Penzance. Trains out of London are very busy on Friday afternoons, even more heading southwest in summer. Follow the procedure here : https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/how-to-get-reservations-105?postid=11554#post11554

You could get the 14:03 or the 15:03 train.

Yes, I will Strafen with the eurostar from Amsterdam to Brussels and from Brüssel to London. Thanks!

Thank you so much for your help, I will have that in mind!

Userlevel 7
Badge +5

Ah okay then between Amsterdam and Brussels you can choose between :

- Thalys 27€ seat reservation, limited quota for passholders

- IC Direct (50 min longer), seat reservation not needed or even possible. Simply hop on

Do not hesitate for questions and enjoy your trip ! :)

Thanks, I already booked 1 seat reservation just to be one hundred percent sure:) Thank you!!

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