Is The Interrail Pass Worth It in 2026? Costs, Routes & Tips for Every Traveller

Last Updated on 6th January 2026 by Charlotte Nadeau

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Interrailing across Europe has long been a rite of passage for students fresh out of exams, solo travellers chasing the freedom of spontaneity, and backpackers eager to soak up as many cultures, cuisines, and cities as possible with a smaller budget in mind. However, is Europe’s most convenient travel ticket still worth it in 2026?

What Is Interrailing?

Interrailing is a concept that dates back to 1972, with the idea behind it being to encourage young Europeans to get to know their own continent by travelling via train. The Interrail Pass gives access to most trains in 33 countries, offering a flexible and relatively affordable option to those who are visiting multiple destinations in a single trip.

Which countries are included in the passes?

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey.

Pros of Interrailing in 2026

Flexibility & Freedom

One of the most alluring things about the Interrail Pass is the ability to travel freely and flexibly throughout Europe. You can travel spontaneously with no need to book everything in advance to the exact minute, which allows for last-minute changes to the plan and adds an extra air of excitement to your trip.

Varied itinerary

Europe’s extensive rail network makes it easy to reach all kinds of places, whether it’s major cities, rural villages, or wilder forest-covered destinations. You can enjoy a varied itinerary that can be reached efficiently.

Sustainability

When it comes to travelling mindfully, rail travel is now considered the eco-friendliest way to explore. Indeed, in 2025, there is a growing trend of countries investing in a greener rail infrastructure to make sustainable transportation solutions. So, instead of driving or flying, travelling via trains is certainly the way forward to travel!

Great Value for multi-country trips

If travelling to multiple countries, the Interrail Pass can be very cost-effective. While purchasing a pass at the time can seem like a big expense, you will save a huge amount if planning to cover great distances.

Scenic routes

Trains throughout Europe boast some of the most mesmerising views that can only be experienced from the tracks. You’ll pass sweeping landscapes of rolling hills, towering mountains, and blue seas, making train travel through Europe truly unforgettable.

No baggage fees or airport hassle

When boarding trains in Europe, there’s no baggage allowance, nor is there any security where you need to remove liquids or go through screenings. This saves a lot of time, a lot of hassle, and you can buy presents (in the form of wine) without having to think about the same restrictions that apply at airports.

Mobile Pass convenience

Easily one of the most efficient and convenient ways to travel is with the Rail Planner app. Not only can you log your route and upcoming trains, but it’s also where you’ll find the QR codes for the individual tickets to each train. This avoids you having to try and understand ticket machines in each country, and you’re less likely to lose anything as it’s all on your phone.

In the unfortunate occasion where you may lose or break your phone, it’s possible to move your Pass to another device. You’ll need your last name and Pass number, which can be found in your order confirmation email.

Break up your travels with different transportation

Just because you are travelling by train doesn’t mean you can’t visit destinations that aren’t necessarily accessible via rail. Of course, this does mean you’d have to subsidise and pay for this separately, but if you have the budget to do so, consider venturing further afar with local buses, or boats to an island.

Cons of Interrailing in 2025

Seat reservations

Easily one of the biggest cons to Interrailing is the cost of seat reservations. The countries you are most likely to need seat reservations in are France, Italy, and Spain, though it can vary from place to place. Seat reservations are booked separately, which means this is an added cost on top of your already purchased rail pass.

While some seat reservations can be €2-4, they can reach as high as €20-30 on the high-speed and international trains. So it’s definitely worth checking to see if it’s cost-effective for your trip to buy an Interrail Pass.

Not always the cheapest option

In general, for short distances or train journeys within a single country, purchasing individual tickets may be cheaper, so be sure to do your research. This is especially true when travelling through Italy, Spain, Germany, France and Switzerland (I’ve noticed that these are the most expensive for seat reservations, and it’s almost always mandatory to have one in these countries).

Time-consuming (for some routes)

Ultimately, travelling by train can be very time-consuming when compared with flying. Depending on your route and type of train, travelling via rail can take up whole days of your trip, so if time is of the essence, you might not find the Interrail Pass suits you.

Overwhelming planning

In truth, planning a route, choosing between different trains, booking accommodation, budgeting, and navigating unfamiliar places one after another can quickly become overwhelming.

Before purchasing your pass, it’s worth considering whether this type of travel is something that would suit your trip, and whether you’re open to spontaneity and the possibility of your travels not always going quite to plan (especially if relying on several different trains).

Coverage gaps

The Interrail Pass covers 33 countries within Europe; countries that aren’t included are Albania, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. You’ll also discover that not all countries have equally good train infrastructures, and so, in rural areas or parts of the Balkans, you might find that trains aren’t able to reach all the way to your desired destination.

Busy trains in peak season

If you’re travelling during the summer, be aware that trains are likely to be crowded, and it’s not uncommon for the air conditioning to be broken… which is less than ideal. Travelling throughout June to September also means you can have less spontaneity as you’ll need to book trains well in advance to ensure you have a seat.

Rail Planner App

Below you can see screenshots of my app for reference (please note, the pass shows an expired trip). If you’ve chosen to get an Interrail pass, then the Rail Planner App will be your best friend!

Overall, the app is user-friendly and laid out in an easy way to understand and book tickets. When searching for trains between destinations you’ll be given a range of times, trains, possible transfers, and whether or not you’re required to book a seat reservation.

Once you select your train it will appear on the “My Trip” section, it’s here where you’ll need to tick off the travel day in order to confirm your booking and receive your ticket – which will be a QR code. When booking seat reservations, this is generally done on the train line’s official site.

Interrail Pass Options & Costs (2026)

When it comes to choosing your Interrail pass, there are several options, so it really depends on what kind of trip you plan to do. Listed below are the prices (2025) for each age group and the different options for the type of pass you can get. See more information on this via the official website here.

Duration	Price (Youth 12-27)	Price (Adult 28-59)	Senior(60+)
4 days in 1 month	€ 212	€ 283	€ 255
7 days in 1 month	€ 286	€ 381	€ 343
10 days in 2 months	€ 335	€ 447	€ 402
1 month continuous	€ 522	€ 696	€ 626

Kids under 12 travel free with an adult pass holder.

Tips for Making the Most of Interrailing

Book ahead when travelling during peak seasons

The beauty of Interrailing is the freedom and flexibility of travel. However, when travelling between the peak seasons of June-September (and sometimes on weekends), you should book you train tickets well ahead of time, as it’s these months when the trains are at their busiest and likely to be sold out.

Be there in advance

Although it might seem like obvious advice, you’d be surprised how many people still miss trains by just a few minutes. Leave ample time before your train so that you can gauge your bearings, perhaps buy a coffee or snack, and be at the platform with time to spare. This avoids any potential travel stress, and allows you to make sure your bags have space on the train itself.

Always have a backup plan

Like every kind of public transportation, trains can be cancelled, delayed, or on strike. In any case, you should always have a backup plan at the ready. If trains are cancelled or you miss a connection, you can contact the Rail Planner app to amend your Pass, or get a refund from the train line if you have booked a seat reservation.

When Interrailing, we often found that the train conductor would announce what to do in case of missed connections. It’s normally rectifiable and you’ll be put on the next possible train; however, it’s always smart to think of a backup plan ahead of time.

Check the price of individual tickets

I recommend always checking the price of individual tickets outside of your Rail Planner app. This is particularly helpful for shorter journeys, as you might choose to subsidise and save one of your travel days for a more expensive trip.

Wear a rucksack

While it’s not a necessity, I would almost always recommend Interrailing with a rucksack, or at least a bag you feel that you can run with comfortably. After all, Interrailing can be intense at times, especially when you’re navigating a brand new station, figuring out platforms, and rushing to make connections.

Travel Light

This idea goes hand in hand with having a bag you can comfortably run with… after all, you will be hopping on and off trains often, so it’s best to have light luggage which you can easily do so with.

Outbound & inbound count as days on your ticket

One thing I found confusing on the Rail Planner app is the distinction between ‘Travel Days’ and the ‘Outbound/Inbound’ section (see image below). The layout can make it seem like the outbound and inbound trips are in addition to your 15 travel day, but they’re actually included and count as 1 travel day each. So, when booking your outbound or inbound journeys, be sure to keep this in mind.

Take advantage of overnight trains

One of the most tactical ways you can use your rail pass is to take advantage of overnight trains and save on accommodation. As long as your overnight train departs before midnight, it only counts as one travel day on your pass, even if it arrives the next day. European Sleeper trains are included in your Interrail Pass, though you’ll likely have to reserve a sleeping space separately.

Route suggestions

There are quite literally thousands of route combinations you could take – Europe is your oyster! It’s important to tailor your trip to the kinds of things you want to experience, as well as the overall cultures and landscapes you wish to see. Here are a few examples of suggested routes:

First time in Europe (bucket-list cities) – Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Rome

Art, Culture & History – London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Kraków, Budapest, Vienna

Budget Interrailing (for backpackers with tight funds) – Budapest, Bratislava, Kraków, Lviv, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split

Romantic cities (for the romantics or couples) – Paris, Bruges, Colmar, Lucerne, Verona, Venice, Ljubljana, Lake Bled

When is the best time to Interrail?

This depends entirely on preference; however, it’s said that just outside of peak seasons (April-May) and early autumn (September-October) are considered to be the best times. You’ll still have the best weather, but slightly fewer crowds, and the possibility of being more flexible as trains are less likely to be booked up.

That being said, I highly recommend visiting during the winter season, too. Although the weather isn’t desirable for everyone, this is the ultimate way to be flexible with travel (you don’t need to plan far in advance, and you’ll often have a train to yourself!) It’s also a magical way to experience the European winter landscapes from the cosy nook of your train window.

So, Is Interrailing in Europe Worth It in 2026?

After this guide, I hope you have a better idea of whether Interrailing would suit your trip or not. To summarise: If you prefer tightly planned schedules, or plan to just be hopping between nearby places or staying in one country, getting separate tickets or booking a tour can save you some money.

But, if you’re planning to visit three or more countries or travel often, the Interrail Pass is usually worth it, especially if you like having the freedom to be spontaneous or change plans on the go. Interrailing isn’t for everyone, but if you’re after freedom, variety, breathtaking views, and a greener way to travel, it’s certainly still one of the best ways to see and explore Europe.

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