Maybe some of you guys and gals can help me out here.
I plan on doing several shows of the SIXTY tour this year. As I live in Switzerland and thus several cities on the tour are easily reachable by train and as I want to keep following my passion as eco-friendly as possible, I wanted to ask whether some people here have any experiences with Interrail tickets.
I already started planning a bit on the Interrail website and it said that the two-month ticket would suit me best. You can choose 10 days of travel during a two months span.
Now I know that for certain trains like the TGV, which I‘d use for Lyon and Paris, and some trenitalia trains to get to Milano, you still have to pay for seat reservations. Do any of you guys know how that works.
I‘d love to do the tour by train, as I like the sense of travelling and love the idea of getting on the train in one city center and getting off it in another. But I don‘t want my tour to turn into a organisational nightmare with many unexpected extra costs.
Thanks very much for any help!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022-03-18 19:20 by bv.

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MonkeyMan2000

Now I know that for certain trains like the TGV, which I‘d use for Lyon and Paris, and some trenitalia trains to get to Milano, you still have to pay for seat reservations. Do any of you guys know how that works.

You'll need an additional reservation for most of the European Highspeed-Trains - [www.Interrail.eu] .

Note for the Eurostar that he has its own Terminals and that you have to do a Check-in and a Security-Check like at an Airport.

This is a good site to use for planning and detailed info:
[www.seat61.com]

I planned to do a lot of the 2020 USA tour by train i.e. Amtrak, but when the pandemic changed everything, and the tour got messed up for the 2021 shows, I had to use flights.

I have used Interrail on several tours. It is a great way, and you get to see a lot. I do still remember my favorite travel from my home near Oslo to Montpellier France, then to Basel Switzerland, passing by Lake Geneva, such a beautiful lake area, then further on to Zeltweg/Austria, Munich, Prague and so on, back in 1995.

On this tour I will go by train from Bern to Milano, it's a great ride. Hopefully I will be able to do some more train rides. I am not sure how the Interrail rules work these days, in the past it was 30 days almost no limitations, now there are several different passes, I think, also limitations i.e. extra to be paid vs high speed trains.

Bjornulf



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-03-18 19:21 by bv.

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syrel
This is a good site to use for planning and detailed info:
[www.seat61.com]

Seconded. The guy who runs that site is brilliant and so knowledgeable. Passionate about train travel. He was on BBC Radio 5 a year or 2 ago and his enthusiasm is infectious.

I'm planning only 2 shows outside the UK this time - Lyon and Paris and I'll be doing all my travel on trains.

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grzegorz67

I'm planning only 2 shows outside the UK this time - Lyon and Paris and I'll be doing all my travel on trains.

From UK to Paris it's quite easy with the Eurostar.

I plan on taking Eurostar from London to Brussels for Rock Werchter Festival between the two Hyde Park shows. I am trying to figure out trains between Brussels/Bruges on Jul 7 or 8 for Cactus Festival (Ben Harper and Robert Plant) to Amsterdam Jul 10 for Ben Harper back to Brussels Jul 11 for Stones and back to Amsterdam for my flight Jul 13. Rental cars saves hours and cheap (except for gas) so looking at my options.

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MAF

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grzegorz67

I'm planning only 2 shows outside the UK this time - Lyon and Paris and I'll be doing all my travel on trains.

From UK to Paris it's quite easy with the Eurostar.

It is indeed, but only from London. I used it for the 3 Paris shows in 2017. Time is down to just over 2 hours. It's the only high speed line we have. We're currently building another, from London to Manchester, at vast expense.

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daspyknows

I am trying to figure out trains between Brussels/Bruges on Jul 7 or 8 for Cactus Festival (Ben Harper and Robert Plant) to Amsterdam Jul 10 for Ben Harper back to Brussels Jul 11 for Stones and back to Amsterdam for my flight Jul 13.

Between Brussels (Midi/Zuid) and Amsterdam Centraal you could use the Highspeed-Train Thalys - [en.Wikipedia.org] , [www.Thalys.com] .

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Irix

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daspyknows

I am trying to figure out trains between Brussels/Bruges on Jul 7 or 8 for Cactus Festival (Ben Harper and Robert Plant) to Amsterdam Jul 10 for Ben Harper back to Brussels Jul 11 for Stones and back to Amsterdam for my flight Jul 13.

Between Brussels (Midi/Zuid) and Amsterdam Centraal you could use the Highspeed-Train Thalys - [en.Wikipedia.org] , [www.Thalys.com] .

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours. That's the problem I face. My goal is to be in Amsterdam in time for soundcheck which is around 3. Picking up a car in Brussels, driving to Bruges then to Amsterdam and back to Brussels may be easier but still have time to sort it out.

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daspyknows

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours.

Shortest connection from Bruges (Brugge) to Amsterdam is 3h:15m with 2 changes (Gent & Antwerp). Same connection with only 1 change (Brussels) is 3h:43m. Connections found via the trip-planner by German railways DB - [www.Bahn.com] .

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Irix

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daspyknows

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours.

Shortest connection from Bruges (Brugge) to Amsterdam is 3h:15m with 2 changes (Gent & Antwerp). Same connection with only 1 change (Brussels) is 3h:43m. Connections found via the trip-planner by German railway DB - [www.Bahn.com] .

Thx, will check. When I looked the connections seemed tight but 3 hrs 15 doable.

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daspyknows

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Irix

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daspyknows

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours.

Shortest connection from Bruges (Brugge) to Amsterdam is 3h:15m with 2 changes (Gent & Antwerp). Same connection with only 1 change (Brussels) is 3h:43m. Connections found via the trip-planner by German railway DB - [www.Bahn.com] .

Thx, will check. When I looked the connections seemed tight but 3 hrs 15 doable.

Worth the trip tho, Bruges is a fabulous city - try cafe red rose, the zwarthuis and the halve maan brewery when you get there

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yorkshirestone

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daspyknows

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Irix

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daspyknows

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours.

Shortest connection from Bruges (Brugge) to Amsterdam is 3h:15m with 2 changes (Gent & Antwerp). Same connection with only 1 change (Brussels) is 3h:43m. Connections found via the trip-planner by German railway DB - [www.Bahn.com] .

Thx, will check. When I looked the connections seemed tight but 3 hrs 15 doable.

Worth the trip tho, Bruges is a fabulous city - try cafe red rose, the zwarthuis and the halve maan brewery when you get there

Been to Bruges before. Fond memories. Going to Cactus Festival to see Ben Harper and depending a few things may do Robert Plant and Alison Krauss the day before. I have had great times in Belgium whenever I visit.

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daspyknows

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Irix

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daspyknows

I am trying to figure out trains between Brussels/Bruges on Jul 7 or 8 for Cactus Festival (Ben Harper and Robert Plant) to Amsterdam Jul 10 for Ben Harper back to Brussels Jul 11 for Stones and back to Amsterdam for my flight Jul 13.

Between Brussels (Midi/Zuid) and Amsterdam Centraal you could use the Highspeed-Train Thalys - [en.Wikipedia.org] , [www.Thalys.com] .

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours. That's the problem I face. My goal is to be in Amsterdam in time for soundcheck which is around 3. Picking up a car in Brussels, driving to Bruges then to Amsterdam and back to Brussels may be easier but still have time to sort it out.

Daspy, polite advice, to save some stress, take the train. You might meet other fans including Bjornulf!

In cow we trust
[www.youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-03-20 03:02 by shattered.

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shattered

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daspyknows

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Irix

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daspyknows

I am trying to figure out trains between Brussels/Bruges on Jul 7 or 8 for Cactus Festival (Ben Harper and Robert Plant) to Amsterdam Jul 10 for Ben Harper back to Brussels Jul 11 for Stones and back to Amsterdam for my flight Jul 13.

Between Brussels (Midi/Zuid) and Amsterdam Centraal you could use the Highspeed-Train Thalys - [en.Wikipedia.org] , [www.Thalys.com] .

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours. That's the problem I face. My goal is to be in Amsterdam in time for soundcheck which is around 3. Picking up a car in Brussels, driving to Bruges then to Amsterdam and back to Brussels may be easier but still have time to sort it out.

Daspy, polite advice, to save some stress, take the train. You might meet other fans including Bjornulf!

In cow we trust
[www.youtube.com]

I am taking the train or plane for most of my trip. I am more stressed when I need to be somewhere on time and I don't control my timeline. Only Stones fans I might meet are those going from Amsterdam to Brussels day of the show. This detour is to catch 2 Ben Harper shows between the Stones shows. I need to check train schedules in detail especially connection times. Last time I did the train like this I barely made my connection going from Antwerp to Amsterdam.

I will travel by train (ICE/TGV) to the gigs in Munich, Bern and Paris. I've ordered first class train tickets for all of these travels.

Back in the days of the Urban Jungle or Voodoo Lounge tour I hitchhiked to Hannover and Berlin or took a scrap bus to Prague. I really loved that way to travel then. But: I'm 50 now. The older I got the more comfortable and stressless I want to travel...

As much as I love to fly, will do this this time only from Munich to London, due to time, distance and price. There's a TGV from Munich to Paris in not more than 6 hours and you are in almost center. To Vienna the same an Munich is almost hometown, train ride 50 minutes.
You should only buy the tickets early!
Greetings, sister

I just use INTERRAIL friday evening to book my travel from St Brieuc (north west of France) to Munich and London (25/06).

Good points:
- You can simulate your travel using "find train time" on Interrail and you will have the booking fees & all the hours and path possibility
- I saved money
Train without using Interrail = 520€
Plane = 460€
Train (munich) + plane (london) = 400€
INTERRAIL = 380€
- Got all my train Etickets 1/4 after booking

Bad points:
- You must pay your pass before booking
- Until you didn't pay your pass you are note sure of the availability for each train (for munich i will arrive 3 hours later I was planning)
- You got extra fees for some train (2€/train)
- For Lyon & Paris Interrail was more expensive, so I bookeed directly on SNCF connect
- When you have between 28 & 59 years old the pass is more expensive, you must check

I will go to 4 concerts by Flixbus from my hometown Leipzig. Considered Interrail as well, but it's much more expensive than Flixbus after all. The bad thing about the busses is, that they take much longer, the good thing is, that you can get to nearly any bigger city in central Europe within just a night.

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daspyknows

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yorkshirestone

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daspyknows

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Irix

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daspyknows

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours.

Shortest connection from Bruges (Brugge) to Amsterdam is 3h:15m with 2 changes (Gent & Antwerp). Same connection with only 1 change (Brussels) is 3h:43m. Connections found via the trip-planner by German railway DB - [www.Bahn.com] .

Thx, will check. When I looked the connections seemed tight but 3 hrs 15 doable.

Worth the trip tho, Bruges is a fabulous city - try cafe red rose, the zwarthuis and the halve maan brewery when you get there

Been to Bruges before. Fond memories. Going to Cactus Festival to see Ben Harper and depending a few things may do Robert Plant and Alison Krauss the day before. I have had great times in Belgium whenever I visit.

Thanks just looked at cactus - might do a side trip. I’ve got two nights of PJ at Hyde park then Eurostar to Belgium for stones on the Monday

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yorkshirestone

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daspyknows

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yorkshirestone

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daspyknows

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Irix

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daspyknows

I saw that but every routing from Bruges to Amsterdam is about 5 hours.

Shortest connection from Bruges (Brugge) to Amsterdam is 3h:15m with 2 changes (Gent & Antwerp). Same connection with only 1 change (Brussels) is 3h:43m. Connections found via the trip-planner by German railway DB - [www.Bahn.com] .

Thx, will check. When I looked the connections seemed tight but 3 hrs 15 doable.

Worth the trip tho, Bruges is a fabulous city - try cafe red rose, the zwarthuis and the halve maan brewery when you get there

Been to Bruges before. Fond memories. Going to Cactus Festival to see Ben Harper and depending a few things may do Robert Plant and Alison Krauss the day before. I have had great times in Belgium whenever I visit.

Thanks just looked at cactus - might do a side trip. I’ve got two nights of PJ at Hyde park then Eurostar to Belgium for stones on the Monday

If you do that let me know. Doing that one totally solo. If you have never seen Ben Harper before you need to see him. Had a few friends who were not excited to see him at Love Rocks and after the show they couldn't stop talking about his performance of When The Levee Breaks.

I have been using the Eurail website to find trains.

I am going from Brussels to the end of the tour.
I have found a 2-month pass for 10 days of travel that seems to do the trick.
It is about $370 USD, plus I will have to purchase some "seat reservations" for another $30 USD (approx).

Any plusses or negatives about the Eurail site?

THX

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6s7s9s
I have been using the Eurail website to find trains.

I am going from Brussels to the end of the tour.
I have found a 2-month pass for 10 days of travel that seems to do the trick.
It is about $370 USD, plus I will have to purchase some "seat reservations" for another $30 USD (approx).

Any plusses or negatives about the Eurail site?

THX

Eurail was my default on the 1990, 1998 and 1999 tours, and then flights started getting cheaper and more convenient. You should be OK, but you do have two 18-hour journeys. Maybe consider a sleeper add-on as well, and try to arrive at your destinations at a sensible time of the day.

If that throws the economics out, then a flight might be more logical, though VIE-GVA/LYS options are lousy, probably necessitating a Ryanair flight/train combo via Paris/BVA instead. Fortunately DUS-ARN flight options ($90 odd) are better.

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DeanGoodman

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6s7s9s
I have been using the Eurail website to find trains.

I am going from Brussels to the end of the tour.
I have found a 2-month pass for 10 days of travel that seems to do the trick.
It is about $370 USD, plus I will have to purchase some "seat reservations" for another $30 USD (approx).

Any plusses or negatives about the Eurail site?

THX

Eurail was my default on the 1990, 1998 and 1999 tours, and then flights started getting cheaper and more convenient. You should be OK, but you do have two 18-hour journeys. Maybe consider a sleeper add-on as well, and try to arrive at your destinations at a sensible time of the day.

If that throws the economics out, then a flight might be more logical, though VIE-GVA/LYS options are lousy, probably necessitating a Ryanair flight/train combo via Paris/BVA instead. Fortunately DUS-ARN flight options ($90 odd) are better.

Rome2Rio is an excellent site for evaluating alternatives between train, air, etc., between 2 cities—

[www.rome2rio.com]

One other suggestion…in 2018, had to make a last minute change to my routing to get to Prague show due to a mechanical delay from JFK to Europe (thanks Norwegian Air). Direct/connecting flights to Prague were expensive so I wound up using miles to London and buying a last minute reasonably priced ticket on Austrian Airlines LHR-VIE, and took a train from Vienna to Prague. It was a pain, but it worked.

For BRU-VIE leg, I’d look at Austrian first (they code share with Brussels Airlines, and list several nonstops as low as €58 on July 12-13), and maybe save the long train ride for VIE to Lyon.

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jmd

For BRU-VIE leg, I’d look at Austrian first (they code share with Brussels Airlines, and list several nonstops as low as €58 on July 12-13), and maybe save the long train ride for VIE to Lyon.

I forgot about his BRU-VIE leg, though it's a comparatively modest 10.5 hours at best. The alternative to BRU departures would be Ryanair flights ($39-$52) out of CRL, which requires some planning getting down there.

I don't want to challenge the airport in Amsterdam outgoing, and I don't want to waste two days going home and back, so thanks to the site listed earlier in this thread, I found a smart way to get from Amsterdam to Bern without flying. Most of that travel is found here, see below, the rest is easy.

[www.seat61.com]

Bjornulf

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bv
I don't want to challenge the airport in Amsterdam outgoing, and I don't want to waste two days going home and back, so thanks to the site listed earlier in this thread, I found a smart way to get from Amsterdam to Bern without flying. Most of that travel is found here, see below, the rest is easy.

[www.seat61.com]

If you happen to have Sky Priority (Delta, Virgin Atlantic, KLM Air France) there is a seperate line. A travel blogger I follow went through Schipol that way and took 10 minutes. Not sure it helps you but worth a mention.

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daspyknows

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bv
I don't want to challenge the airport in Amsterdam outgoing, and I don't want to waste two days going home and back, so thanks to the site listed earlier in this thread, I found a smart way to get from Amsterdam to Bern without flying. Most of that travel is found here, see below, the rest is easy.

[www.seat61.com]

If you happen to have Sky Priority (Delta, Virgin Atlantic, KLM Air France) there is a seperate line. A travel blogger I follow went through Schipol that way and took 10 minutes. Not sure it helps you but worth a mention.

I do have priority line on most of my airline travels, but still I do not want to torture myself with airport travel every two days this summer. It took me thirteen - 13 - hours to get home from Liverpool England to Oslo Norway last week. So there will be more train rides for me - scenic rides - and more environmental friendly.

Bjornulf

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syrel
This is a good site to use for planning and detailed info:
[www.seat61.com]

Yes, a very good site.
Although I think it's sad that in Europa there is no official European webpage that helps you to find international trainrides (as far as I know).
But, while this is the case, the seat61 webpage is very good.