21 Interrail Tips for First-Timers: Interrailing Europe
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Interrail tips for beginners and first-timers: Want to know some of the juicy, insider tips for interrailing? You’re in the right place! Have a read of this blog post before you set off on your European adventure. Enjoy!
So you’ve decided to interrail Europe this summer? Yay! You’ve made an amazing decision, now you just need to sort the logistics.
Before I interrailed across Europe in 2015, I had no idea what to expect. I’ll be honest, I would have loved a post like this telling me all the insider interrail tips!
During my month-long interrailing trip, I learnt a thing or two about what I should have done (and what I shouldn’t).
Since then, I have travelled Europe on countless occasions, picking up extra interrail tips and advice on every trip.
Below I have listed my top interrailing tips, for anyone just starting out or travelling Europe this summer.
As always, if you have anything to add or any questions, let me know over on Instagram or pop your comment in the box at the end of this post!
Enjoy! X
🗺️ Travelling Europe? Book your interrailing pass here!
Interrailing Europe? Check out my other Europe posts!
- What To Pack Interrailing Europe: Packing List Essentials
- Backpacking Europe: A Beginners Step-by-Step Guide
- How to Interrail on a Budget: Interrail Europe CHEAP! (2022)
- Interrailing Switzerland: Route, Itinerary and Guide
- Interrailing Spain: Travel Spain By Train
- Interrailing France: Travel France By Train
What is an Interrail Pass?
Interrailing is a great way to see Europe on a budget, and an Interrail pass is the perfect way to do it. Interrail passes are available for people of all ages, and they allow you to travel on any day of the week.
You can also travel on multiple trains per day, making it easy to explore different countries and cities.
Interrail passes are valid for a certain number of days, so you can tailor your trip to your own needs.
Plus, if you’re under 26 years old, you can get a special Youth Interrail pass that’s even cheaper!
Global passes for interrailing are the best way to see Europe – and they’re not as complicated or expensive as you might think.
With a global pass, you can hop on a train and explore up to 33 different countries in Europe.
Plus, there are loads of different types of global passes to choose from, so you can tailor your trip to exactly what you want.
Whether you’re looking to travel for a week or a month, Interrailing is a great option.
Just be sure to check the rules and regulations before you go so that you can make the most of your trip.
Now, let’s get down to some more interrail tips.
Interrail Tips: Before You Leave
Ok, ok. I can just hear the spontaneous travellers shouting at me that they don’t want to plan or organise anything before they leave.
Well, unfortunately, interrailing does take a bit of planning and organisation.
But, I’m here to make it as simple and straightforward as humanly possible.
Let’s start off with some basics.
Not sure which backpack to buy for interrailing Europe? Read my post to find the best backpack for you!
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: I use my Insta Mini 11 to take photos on all of my trips. As they print instantly, they’re perfect for making a scrapbook and writing in all your favourite and funniest memories. I’ve even got my boyfriend joining in on it now too!
1) Decide on the duration of your trip well in advance.
Seems simple, but deciding on the duration will help you to plan your European adventure with ease and is one of my best interrail tips.
This will also give you an idea of how much you need to budget, what to pack and how many countries you can squeeze in (but more on that later).
How long do you want to interrail for? If you’re travelling a far distance (for example the USA) you’re going to want to have enough time to enjoy it and relax.
When I interrailed the first time, I spent just over 4 weeks travelling to four different countries.
Decide on your duration, and then everything else will flow from there.
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: If you’re solo travelling, don’t forget to take earphones for busy public transport. Listening to a podcast or tuning out from the noise is a lifesaver on a busy city trip!
2) Check out local events before you begin interrailing Europe
Whether you want to attend local festivals or events or avoid them, it’s a good thing to check them out online beforehand.
For example, if you’re interrailing through Spain and want to catch the Barcelona Beach Festival in July, or Hideout in Croatia, you can plan that into your trip.
Check dates and book tickets for events and festivals like this early.
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: A wheelie backpack! Check out my favourite, the Osprey 65L wheeled backpack. It’s dreamy for long-term trips and when you need more than a carry-on!
3) Decide on a budget and start saving early
I’m going to be honest with you. Interrailing Europe is NOT cheap.
Yes, it can be done on a budget, but you are looking at pretty much double or triple what you would be spending on continents like South America or Southeast Asia.
I would budget at least £80 a day to interrail Europe, and that is staying in hostels and making your own meals at least 4-5 times a week.
You’re going to be looking at at least an extra £1000 if you want to eat out or stay in luxury.
Want to interrail on a budget? I’ve got you covered! Read my recent post: How to Interrail on a Budget: Interrail Europe CHEAP! (2022)
Save hard. I have a blog post all about saving money to travel which you should *definitely* read before interrailing.
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: Solo travelling but still want to take photos? 📸 I’ve found the most perfect adjustable tripod that’s lightweight and easy to set up (you don’t want any awkward moments alone, I know how it feels!)
4) Decide on an interrail pass and purchase it beforehand
Interrailing is an all-in-one pass that will allow you to enter 33 countries, but there are different types of passes to choose from.
When you go to buy your pass, you will see there are different options to choose from, and you need to decide which one is best for you.
(Psst, if you’re under 27, you also get a discount. You lucky thing, you).
NOTE: Each pass is counted in ‘days’. Each day will more than likely be 1 journey.
So if your pass covers 5 days in one month, that essentially means 5 train journeys (5 countries) in one month.
However, you can board multiple trains on the same day if you need to.
There is also a one-country pass, which is obviously only valid in one country. This means you can travel one specific country slower and deeper, really immersing yourself in the culture.
You can buy your pass here!
What is an interrail pass? Find out in my post: Is the Interrail Pass Worth it? An Honest Review (2022)
🌎 Travelling for the first time? You’re in the right place! Check out my essential travel kit for EVERY type of trip, big or small!
5) Book at least your first hostel in advance
Again, the spontaneity in me is screaming.
One of my best interrail tips is to at least book your first hostel in advance.
During the summer months, hostels in Europe will be fully booked. It will be tough finding a good hostel last minute.
If you can book more, I would highly recommend it, BUT I’m also an advocate for going with the flow when you travel. For example, if you’re solo travelling Europe, you might want to change plans to suit your new pal’s itinerary.
For this reason, I use Hostelworld to prebook any of my hostels. They have excellent cancellation policies and you can usually get your money back right up until 24 hours before staying.
If it’s your first time staying in a hostel, I have allllll the tips readily available for you to read. You can check them out here:
- Making Friends in Hostels: A Complete Guide
- Tips for Staying in Hostels: A First Timer’s Guide
- Shared Hostel Rooms: 8 Ugly Truths & Harsh Realities
🗺️ Booking hostels? I always use Hostelworld as their deals are usually the cheapest. They also have reviews from other backpackers, and explain the vibe of the hostel (party, chill, social…) so you know exactly what you’re booking.
6) You MUST book your seats on trains in advance
This interrail tip is another bummer.
But, so important!
If you’re interrailing during peak times (like summer), seat reservations fill up fast.
You MUST pre-book any night trains for you to be able to get a space.
Don’t worry, the Interrailing guys have made this super easy for you and you can create an account to book when you’ve purchased your pass and use their app.
Their app even allows you to see the different seat prices, as well as whether it’s direct or not. It’s super user-friendly too.
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: Well, it’s a little more advanced, but if you want to take high-quality photos, make sure you invest in a good camera. This doesn’t have to be thousands of pounds, and our favourite is the Canon EOS 6D Mark II.
7) Remember your interrailing pass cannot be used in your own country
One of the main interrailing rules is that your pass cannot be used in your own country of residence.
So if you need to begin your journey in London, Paris or Amsterdam, make sure you plan and budget for your journey to your starting location.
However, you do get one inbound and one outbound journey. For example, if I lived in London, I’d be able to travel from London to Amsterdam via interrail if I wanted to.
🗺️ Travelling Europe? Book your interrailing pass here!
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: Don’t forget an additional memory card and hard drive for saving your photos on the road!
8) Download the Interrail “Rail Planner” app
Luckily for us, there’s a way to keep everything in one place and well organised.
Download the Rail Planner app before you go, and you’ll be able to make seat reservations, change plans, find out which trains need a reservation and check out which trains you can use your pass on.
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: If you’re travelling Europe, make sure you pack a Microfibre towel (and this one linked is super pretty too). They make life easier when getting in and out of the water, they’re portable and easy to carry on any kind of day trip. I’ve had mine for years and use it on every beach trip!
9) Get out some emergency cash
The majority of countries on your interrailing trip will use Euros. Whilst I’m a big fan of using Monzo whilst travelling, it’s always good to have a bit of emergency cash on you.
It’s also important to know that some countries do not use Euros. For example, Sweden uses SEK, Norway uses NOK and Turkey uses the Turkish Lira. It’s not hugely important to worry about, but just something to bear in mind.
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: A portable power bank. Don’t get caught short and lose your phone battery whilst travelling! If you’re solo travelling, you’re going to rely on it to get you from A to B.
10) Know what to pack and be prepared
Europe is expensive!
Forgetting something in your luggage is the last thing you need.
Use my Interrailing Packing List for absolutely everything you’ll ever need on an Interrailing trip!
But, travel light (my biggest interrail tip to everyone and anyone). Lugging around big backpacks on long journeys and train stations is not ideal!
🗺️ Travelling Europe? Book your interrailing pass here!
Not sure which backpack to buy for interrailing Europe? Read my post to find the best backpack for you!
🗺️ My world travel must-have: The tap water around the world isn’t always safe to drink, so I use my filter water bottle pretty much every day to keep myself hydrated. I take it everywhere with me, and it works in every country where you can’t drink tap water! You can grab yours here. 🚰
11) Be open to night/sleeper trains
I know for some of you, this may sound horrendous. But sleeper trains in Europe aren’t actually that bad.
Personally, I think overnight trains are better than day trains. It means you waste zero exploring time, and they’re definitely something to consider when planning.
It also means you save precious £££ on a night’s accommodation!
However, only use night trains for longer journeys. If you use them for a 2-3 hour trip, you could end up arriving in a new city at 3/4am, and if you’re a solo traveller this isn’t ideal (although still manageable!).
Don’t forget to prebook your sleeper/night trains in advance.
🗺️ My world travel must-have: Whilst out during the day, I use a tote bag to hold my belongings like my camera, notebook, purse and Microfibre towel. It’s easier to pack away than a big beach bag, and can be neatly tucked away when you don’t need it!
12) Make a rough itinerary and route plan
One of my best interrail tips is to make a rough itinerary or route for your interrail trip.
This means you won’t miss out on anything you really want to see.
Decide on the countries, cities and areas you most definitely want to visit, and start from there. You can then look at each train journey.
Get old school. Look at a map of Europe. Use common sense and think – is it going to work travelling France one day, then Turkey the next?
You may want to plan your route to visit neighbouring countries to make it easier for yourself, or plan LESS so you can really soak in the culture.
Get some paper and a pen, or open a new Google Doc, and get planning.
Ooh, and book your flights to your starting destination early. They’ll be cheaper!
🗺️ Travelling Europe? Book your interrailing pass here!
Interrail Tips: During your trip
13) Be open to things going wrong.
And this isn’t just for interrailing!
If you’re travelling for a few weeks, to a number of countries, either solo or in a small group, things ARE going to go wrong. And that’s ok!
If you do change your plan or schedule, don’t panic. Reassess and re-evaluate what you can do next.
Your interrail train journeys can be cancelled and altered easily. They can be changed at the click of a button, so don’t worry too much if you’ve changed your mind or want to alter your route.
14) Make friends in hostels and free walking tours
If you’re solo travelling, or even travelling in a couple or with a friend, you might want to meet people along the way. Even when Tom and I travel together, one of our favourite things to do is meet like-minded travellers!
Staying in hostels is one of the best ways to make friends, or attend a free walking tour! Get chatting, discuss your plans and voila. You have new interrailing friends.
Need a bit of advice for making friends in hostels? I’ve got you! I’ve written a whole post all about the best ways to make friends in hostels here.
15) Stick to your daily budget as much as possible
Eugh, one of my most *depressing* interrail tips, but probably (eyeroll) one of the most important.
Like I said, Europe is expensive.
Don’t blow all of your cash before the end of your trip, or you’re going to need to pick up work along the way. And picking up good-paying work in Europe isn’t easy.
Hostels in Europe are usually around £15-30 a night, even in a shared dorm. If you want an Airbnb, you’re looking more at £80-100 a night. Make sure you have budgeted for this before you start throwing yourself into every activity under the sun.
For activities, food (fast or home-cooked), drink, socialising and everything in between, I would budget at least £30-50 a day.
Of course, you can have cheaper days, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
16) Don’t be afraid to be spontaneous
One of the best things about the interrail pass is the flexibility.
The passes are designed to be used as ‘hop on, hop off’ tickets, so your trip can change as much as you desire.
And trust me, spontaneity is what makes a bloody good travel story.
17) Use Google’s ‘My Maps’ for offline directions
This is a great tool when you’re solo travelling and don’t want to get lost!
My Maps has a function to download directions and maps that can be used with little or no signal.
It’s also great to bookmark what you want to do, and some of the sights you haven’t seen yet, as well as having a feature that matches you to activities it thinks you would like. It’s a winner all round!
18) Make sure your phone is unlocked
With the EU rules ever-changing, sometimes it can be easier and cheaper to just pick up new SIM cards in different countries.
Most places in Europe do have Wifi, but if you need your data for work or something specific, SIM cards are easily available in shops all over Europe.
Some UK networks are still available to use across Europe (as far as I know, O2 doesn’t charge any extra for travelling Europe), but some networks such as EE have added data roaming charges. Snooze.
19) Use Google Translate for conversations AND written text
One feature of the Google Translate app that I use almost everywhere is the written text translator.
Simply hold it up to any foreign language (street signs, menus, shop windows), and it will instantly translate it for you.
It’s a game changer!
20) Use Workaway if you’re running out of money
If you’re flexible with time, I’d recommend downloading the Workaway app and checking out the opportunities on there.
On the app, you can browse opportunities from all over the world to earn cash or swap work for accommodation.
I’ve not used it in Europe, but I have friends who have stayed in hostels and traded a few hours of housekeeping a day for free board. It’s perfect if you’re running out of money!
21) Take snacks for your train journeys
Yeah, this one is pretty self-explanatory.
Snacks always make a train journey more exciting.
How long should I interrail for?
This is down to you and how many countries you’d like to visit, how long you have off of work, and what you want to do on your interrail trip.
A standard interrail trip is 3-5 weeks, but you can purchase tickets to last up to 3 months.
Work out where you want to go, what you want to do, and your budget, and you’ll be able to decide your duration easily.
How much should I budget for interrailing?
I would recommend budgeting at least 70-90 Euros per day for interrailing. This includes accommodation, transport, food, drink, activities, socialising, and everything in between.
However, this is for if you’re staying in shared dorms and hostels.
If you are staying in Airbnbs or hotels, you will need to budget at least £150 a day.
Interrailing CAN be done on a budget, but you just need to be wise about it (and read my interrailing on a budget post!)
Want to interrail on a budget? I’ve got you covered! Read my recent post: How to Interrail on a Budget: Interrail Europe CHEAP! (2022)
Can you sleep on interrail?
Yes. There are designated sleeper trains or night trains for specific interrail journeys. They can all be viewed and booked on the interrailing app.
You will need to prebook your sleeper train or night train seat reservation in advance. This will also help you to save money.
When should you interrail?
As Europe is in the northern hemisphere, the best time to interrail is during the summer months (June-September). However, this is peak time, so expect busy hostels, trains and activities.
If you don’t mind cooler weather, Autumn or Spring are both great times to interrail Europe. Spring is especially pretty because of all of the beautiful flowers and plants coming into bloom!
Seat reservations will be booked up pretty quickly in the summer months, so book way in advance!
Is interrailing safe?
Yes, interrailing is safe. Like anywhere in the world, you have to be vigilant and sensible, but on a whole, Europe is a safe place to travel.
For more information on staying safe whilst travelling, check out my guide here.
🗺️ My interrailing must-have: Solo travelling on your interrailing trip? Stay safe by carrying your cash or card in a money belt. I know it sounds silly, but Europe can be chaotic and pickpockets are known to work in busy areas. it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Interrail Tips: In a Nutshell
So, there we have it. My best interrail tips, all in one place for you to refer to!
Are you planning an interrailing trip for this summer? I’d LOVE to hear about it! Let me know on Instagram or in the comments below, and let’s chat!
Got a question about interrailing? My DMs are always open.
As always, I hope you have the most *wonderful* trip, and hope this interrail tips post has been helpful!
Happy travelling!
Jennie 🙂 x
Pssssst, have a look around my blog for way more travel tips, destination guides and first-time travel advice.
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Want to interrail on a budget? I’ve got you covered! Read my recent post: How to Interrail on a Budget: Interrail Europe CHEAP! (2022)
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