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The Independent UK

Simon Calder

Interrail sale: All the best European train route itineraries, according to a top expert

Interrail European Union TER Nicky Gardner Europe Eurostar United Kingdom Germany London Switzerland

Next stop adventure? London St Pancras International, the UK's only current rail station serving continental Europe - (Simon Calder)

Rail passengers keen to explore Europe can get a 20 per cent discount on the “all-you-can-travel” range of Interrail passes.

You must buy by Tuesday 9 September but can begin travelling at any time within the following 11 months – meaning journeys in summer 2026 are permitted.

The “flash promo” deal applies to all so-called “Global Passes”. These allow travel from the UK to 32 countries, from Finland to Portugal and Ireland to Turkey.

How much are Interrail passes in the sale?

With the discount, an “entry level” pass covering four days of travel within one month for €226 (£197) in second class. A three-month continuous pass in first class costs €971 (£845) – which works out as less than £10 per day.

Under-28s are entitled to a further discount of 25 per cent, while 60-plus travellers save 10 per cent.

Families with children get an excellent deal: passes for under-12s travelling with adults are free.

What is the best Interrail pass to buy?

Nicky Gardner, co-author of Europe by Rail, advises: “Don't buy a three-month pass as your first debut entry into the scheme.

“I think for many people, a four-day pass, a five-day pass or a seven-day pass is best – each of those is a set number of days within a month. That’s the way to start.”

Be warned, though, that supplements apply on many high-speed trains in France, Spain and Italy.

Is Eurostar included in the Interrail pass?

Eurostar trains from London St Pancras International to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam are included – but require a “seat reservation fee” of €32 (£28) in second class, or €40 (£35) in first.

While Interrail is not designed for extensive travel in your home country, you can use one outbound and one inbound journey in the UK – together with free travel from your local station to London, including from Scotland and Wales.

You could alternatively find a cheap flight to a European airport and pick up the trail from there. Travel from your local station to your UK departure airport is included.

But Gardner says Eurostar is an essential part of the Interrail. “Eurostar is a great experience in itself,” she said.

“Once you get past the queues at St Pancras, there is some real drama, some real theatre in that journey from London to Brussels or London to Paris.”

What are the best Interrail train routes around Europe?

Interrail is a fantastic way to see the best of Europe, and it is easy to chart a route through the best of the continent.

A simple itinerary could start in Barcelona, travel along the French Riviera, and finish in the Italian lakes. Or start in bustling Berlin and end on the beaches of Greece.

UK, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria

For Gardner, the best trips always begin in London, travelling either to Paris or Belgium.

“I always think Brussels makes a great first night stop. If you live in southern England, so closer to London, and you want to go that wee bit further, I think Aachen in Germany – a mid-sized city, easy to get a feel for, is an absolutely great place.

Rail expert: Nicky Gardner (Susanne Kries)

“Continuing from Aachen, why not venture up the Rhine valley into Switzerland to the Swiss lakes? Head perhaps to Lake Lucerne, where the boats run all year round.

“You can have a day or two in western or central Switzerland. From there with a five-day pass or a seven-day pass, Europe is your oyster.

“I would probably head east through the Austrian Tyrol up through Bavaria and then eventually back through the Rhineland and through Brussels back to Britain.”

The rail expert, who lives in Berlin, also has advice on avoiding the €10 (£8.70) reservation fees for French high-speed TGV trains.

“Very regularly I have travelled from the French border right through France, even to the Atlantic coast, relying entirely upon TER trains.

“These are regional trains. They're that wee bit slower, but you get to see a lot more countryside. They make many more stops.

UK, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Finland

Scandinavia is excellent Interrail territory, but requires “a little bit more planning”.

Gardner says: “My partner and I have had ill-fated journeys in which we set off to see the northern lights in northern Norway and just never quite got there because of train delays in winter.

“You have to be careful, book, that book sleeper compartments in advance, think carefully where you want to go. Be alert to the fact that travelling in darkness is not a bundle of fun.

“But there's some great journeys to be made. Head from Britain, using the ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland, then on through northern Germany to Stockholm, and then slowly up the east coast of Sweden. And if you're very adventurous, Finland is waiting for you.”

It's easy to travel from Stockholm to the east of Sweden (Getty/iStock)

The Europe by Rail co-author believes that travelling by train is unbeatable.

“It's not just what appeals to me, I think it's what has appealed to generations of travellers since the late 19th century and particularly to artists, poets and writers.

“The train is time out. It is a moment to sit back, to relax, to just watch the landscape, drifting by beyond the carriage window.

“We always say journeys are about discovering Europe, but a lot of time it's about discovering yourself.

“It's a chance to think, it's a chance to reflect, it's a chance for people to think about what they want to do next in life.”