Can you use Interrail on Eurostar in 2024?
Wondering whether you can use your Interrail pass on the Eurostar?
You’ve come to the right article as I’m about to provide a complete guide to using Interrail on Eurostar.
Interrailing Europe is one of the best ways to see the countries making up one of the most unique continents on our planet.
And obviously, England and the rest of the UK is an extremely popular destination. And one of the best ways to get there from mainland Europe is by taking the Eurostar.
Naturally, a common question that many people have is, “Can you use Interrail on Eurostar?”
After interrailing Europe myself and taking the Eurostar, I have the answer once and for all.
In this blog post, I answer this question and give the best tips for making the most of an Interrail pass!
So, can you use Interrail on Eurostar?
There are a number of reasons for wanting to use the Eurostar train as part of an Interrail pass.
For British travellers, most are starting in the UK and want to use their outbound journey to reach mainland Europe. If you didn’t know, Interrail passes include a train journey from your starting city which doesn’t count as a travel day.
For anyone else, visiting London and beyond is a popular stop on any interrailing trip. It’s a city famous for so many reasons and it’s definitely worth visiting.
The good news is, yes, you can use Interrail on Eurostar.
Great news, right? Especially if you are backpacking London and want to save money where possible.
One of the many benefits of the Interrail pass is that the Eurostar is included as one of the options.
Since 2017, Eurostar has been part of the Interrail and Eurorail programmes. It’s definitely one of the best ways to make use of your pass, as this is one of the more expensive train options in Europe.
Many people know the “Eurostar” as the train between London and Paris. But there are actually multiple routes. Note that you can’t use your Interrail pass on every Eurostar route.
You can use your Interrail on the Eurostars between London and the following destinations:
- Paris
- Amsterdam
- Brussels
- Lille
- Disneyland Paris
But you cannot use your Interrail pass on the Eurostar between London and Lyon, Avignon and Marseille. And also the ski trains between London and the Alps.
If you’re interrailing though, the chances are you’ll be leaving mainland Europe from a major city like Brussels or Paris, so it’s good to know that the Eurostar is included in the Interrail pass.
Do you have to make a reservation?
Yes, Eurostar requires a reservation.
You will not be able to use your Interrail on Eurostar without a reservation.
Make sure to make your reservations as early as you can, as there are only a certain amount of slots allocated to Interrail passengers on each train! So it’s first come first served.
Don’t leave it too late. Particularly the London-Paris train, which often books up months in advance.
So if you are planning to make a trip to London, I would recommend to include it at the beginning or end of your Interrailing trip so you can plan your Eurostar journey.
This means you can book your reservation months in advance, and you can still enjoy the rest of your trip without a strict itinerary.
How can you use Interrail on Eurostar?
As mentioned above, you need to book a reservation for Eurostar. You can book reservations on Eurostar’s website where they have a section for booking with an Interrail pass.
The good thing about the Eurostar is you can check availability without an Interrail pass number. Also, only trains with pass-holder places show up on the link, so you won’t be left disappointed.
The prices for reservations are as follows:
London to Lille, Brussels or Paris – €30 Second Class, €38 First Class.
London to Rotterdam or Amsterdam – €35 Second Class, €43 First Class.
Alternatively, you can book through the Interrail website directly. The downside of this method is you cannot choose your seat or area.
Therefore I recommend booking through the Eurostar website. It’s the same price and allows you to pick your seat. You may as well take advantage of it.
Interrail on Eurostar: FAQ
The Eurostar is one of the most unique train journeys in the world, as it goes through a tunnel across the English Channel. Naturally, you may have a lot of questions, most of which are answered below.
The Eurostar from London to Paris usually takes about 2 and a half hours to go from the UK underneath the English Channel and reach mainland Europe.
The first Eurostar leaves London at 5:40 a.m in the morning.
There are 19 trains every day from London to Paris.
You can take luggage up to 85cm long on the Eurostar, along with one small piece of hand luggage per passsanger.
It’s recommended to arrive 45 minutes before departure for any Eurostar journey.
Josh’s Interrail and Eurostar Top Tip
One of the biggest and sneakiest tips for the Eurostar which may save you a lot of time (and money!) AND also allows you to get to London from Paris even if the Paris-London Eurostar is sold out!
Assuming you have an Interrail pass with a certain number of travel days, you can use this top tip!
First, activate your pass early in the day and get a national train from Paris to Lille.
Then get the Eurostar from Lille to London. This will count as the same travel day in your Interrail Pass, meaning you have made it from Paris to London, through Lille, whilst only using one day on your pass.
The added bonus to this is you might get to see a bit of Lille, which as you can see from the photo below, is definitely a city worth visiting!
Can you use Interrail on Eurostar: Wrap Up
Well, there it is, a complete guide to using your Interrail on Eurostar trains.
Remember, you can use your Interrail pass on most of the Eurostar trains!
I hope I answered the question well enough and gave you lots of tips and tricks for travelling on the Eurostar with an Interrail pass!
It is definitely worth the small amount of stress it causes!
London is beautiful and if you are travelling Europe, it is a must-do for your trip!
So get out there and enjoy your Interrailing trip! 🙂
