Comfortable sleepers, first-class upgrades and discounts for the over-60s – Trains are the most civilised way to see a chunk of Europe
Ed Grenby - 15 July 2021
When Judi Dench tells you to do something – and gives you that look – you do it. So it’s no surprise that the characters in new movie Off the Rails fall in with her plans, reprising the interrail jaunt they took in their teens, despite now being firmly the other side of 50. There’s a poignancy to it all – the trip is in memory of a departed friend – but there are plenty of raucous good times along the way, as they navigate France, Spain and Italy alongside rows, romances and rail strikes. With Sally Phillips, Jenny Seagrove and the late Kelly Preston leading the cast, and appearances from Ben Miller, Peter Bowles and Franco Nero, the film ends up a laughter-filled, life-affirming advert for mid-life interrailing. Ready to get on board yourself? Here’s what you need to know…
Isn’t interrailing just for footloose backpackers and students?
Absolutely not. Trains remain one of the best (and certainly most civilised) ways to see a chunk of Europe, mercifully free of airport security queues, rip-off taxes, plastic meals, motorway tailbacks or Off the Rails In cinemas from Friday 23 July leg-crunching coach journeys. These days, there are comfortable sleeper trains, affordable upgrades to first class, passes valid for adults of any age – and even discounts for over-60s. A full one-month Interrail pass, covering pretty much all of Europe, costs £433 for under28s, £519 for over-60s and £576 for other adults (for first class it’s £576, £691 and £768 respectively). Best of all, you no longer have to try to cram as much travel into a given time as possible: as well as “continuous” passes (15 days, one month, three months etc), there are now “flexi” passes that allow you to travel on any, say, four days in one month (£158, £189, £211) or ten days in two months (£258, £309, £344).
Where can we go?
Where do you fancy? The Interrail scheme covers 40,000 destinations across 33 European nations (including the UK, though you’re restricted to two journeys within your home country). The rail network reaches from the frigid North Sea fjords of Norway to the sunwashed Aegean shores of Greece – and, in fact, beyond, as it gives free travel on a number of ferry routes, too (from Venice to Corfu, for instance, or Malaga to Tangier). You also have the (cheaper) option of restricting yourself to just one or two countries: most states have their own pass, and you can buy them through the two official Interrail sites, interrail.eu or myinterrail.co.uk, as you would with the continent-wide passes. Do bear in mind, though, that if you’re not going to be doing that much travelling, you might be better off simply buying normal “point-to-point” tickets, as these can be very cheap when booked far enough in advance, and European train operators allow you to book even complicated multi-country itineraries fairly seamlessly (see seat61.com for details).
Can we just turn up at the station?
There are, of course, some fiddly bits. Some countries’ rail companies insist you reserve seats (sometimes with a fee for doing so), or pay a surcharge for certain trains (high-speed services, for instance, or sleepers) – and in fact most intercity routes in Italy, Spain and France require reservations (though they can often be made online up to just before the train departs). Frustratingly, there’s no central reservations website – each country’s rail network has its own – and some routes can’t be booked online at all, necessitating a phone call or trip to the station. But an Interrail pass still offers flexibility and opportunity for spontaneity: in most cases, you really can just turn up at a station and decide where to go. And if the logistics are killing you, you could always turn to a tour operator: rail travel specialists include railbookers.co.uk, ffestiniogtravel.com, planetrail.co.uk and great rail.com – several run escorted trips, too.
Where should we start?
The best way to test the waters would be a short trip round Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Those three have the fastest, most efficient, most reliable, cleanest and most comfortable trains in Europe – not to mention all that chocolate-box Alpine scenery. (They also hardly ever require reservations, so you can be as organised or spontaneous as you like.) Upgrading your pass to first class makes a lot of sense as, in addition to comfier carriages and the odd in-station lounge, you’ll usually find that in first-class carriages the seats are neatly aligned with the windows, for better views. You could, for a really shallow entry, fly to Berlin (for instance) to start your adventure, but a full European Interrail pass also grants you Eurostar travel for £25 each way, so you can avoid the airport altogether.
Still not sure?
Try one of Europe’s luxury trains instead. If the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (belmond.com) or Russia’s Trans-Siberian Golden Eagle (goldeneagleluxurytrains.com) give you a taste for rail travel, you can always try it without the butler service next time round.
When Judi Dench tells you to do something – and gives you that look – you do it. So it’s no surprise that the characters in new movie Off the Rails fall in with her plans, reprising the interrail jaunt they took in their teens, despite now being firmly the other side of 50. There’s a poignancy to it all – the trip is in memory of a departed friend – but there are plenty of raucous good times along the way, as they navigate France, Spain and Italy alongside rows, romances and rail strikes. With Sally Phillips, Jenny Seagrove and the late Kelly Preston leading the cast, and appearances from Ben Miller, Peter Bowles and Franco Nero, the film ends up a laughter-filled, life-affirming advert for mid-life interrailing. Ready to get on board yourself? Here’s what you need to know…