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Hi guys,

 

I have an inter-rail pass (15 days in 2 months)

So I want too take the train from Port-Bou (Spain) too Zurich (Switzerland) in one day, and there is a route with no seat reservations required,

However the layover times are quite short (12 minutes - 20 minutes) and the site only says “no seat reservation required” “your ready to board”

My question is, do I still need to somehow book physical tickets for these trains? I take it I cannot hop off one train, and straight onto the next without actually having a ticket?

And in that sense, is 12/20 minutes enough time too book these tickets once I hop off the train, considering I do not speak French, or German so might be a little hard to navigate the train stations and quickly get the ticket I need?

Because the ticket thing I’m looking at on my interrail app has all the journeys for that day, so the QR code is the ticket for each journey? and in that case where do I sit? just anywhere?

 

Also, should I take my Passport or is an ID card enough for the train stations / and in case of a spot-check by border control(if there is any)? (I have never taken the train before and i’m not certain how this works, only flown)

 

Thanks in advanced for any help :)

The Interrail Pass is your ticket. You add the train to the app, it gives you a QR-Code and you're free to go. Simply board the train and find a free seat.

Portbou - Switzerland is certainly doable in a day reservation-free. Zurich I'm not sure but Geneva 100%. You have 2 routes to choose :

- Portbou - Avignon - Valence - Geneva OR

- Portbou - Avignon - Lyon Part-Dieu - Geneva

ID is enough in the Schengen area. If you're going to the UK for example, you need a passport

Wow, thanks for the super quick reply. OK You answered all my questions  🙂 The problem was I hadn’t activated my pass yet so it didn’t actually load and give me the QR code as a ticket.

 

My friend is coming with me, shes from Australia and has an eurail pass instead of an interrail,

 

We’re not leaving the Schegen area but she doesn’t want too travel with her passport if its not needed, would her drivers license/ID card from Australia be fine? Only thing is it doesn’t have her Visa in it.

We’re not leaving the Schegen area but she doesn’t want too travel with her passport if its not needed, would her drivers license/ID card from Australia be fine? Only thing is it doesn’t have her Visa in it.

A drivers licence is not a valid ID in this case (it might be within Australia). She'll have to carry her passport.

Wow, thanks for the super quick reply. OK You answered all my questions  🙂 The problem was I hadn’t activated my pass yet so it didn’t actually load and give me the QR code as a ticket.

 

My friend is coming with me, shes from Australia and has an eurail pass instead of an interrail,

 

We’re not leaving the Schegen area but she doesn’t want too travel with her passport if its not needed, would her drivers license/ID card from Australia be fine? Only thing is it doesn’t have her Visa in it.

 

On activation the pass will require you to enter an ID number, if you want to use an ID card you need to enter the number on that.

That is the procedure for the Interrail ticket, requirements for immigration control is entirely separate and as such an EU citizen can travel in Schengen with just a recognised government ID, a non-EU citizen such as your friend will have to travel with her passport and any required visas.

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