paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
Posted 13 years ago
My son bought an Interrail Global ticket on 2 June, and started his travelling today from Paris to Bruges. Only to find that he made an error when he bought the ticket online and it's valid from 1 June to 1 July. :(
Not sure how he's got on the train to Bruges as I've only had a text from him so far, but I'm assuming he paid that seperately to stay with his mates. Question is, can he get the dates changed even at a cost? Or what options does he have now?
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
First question: Where did he buy his ticket? From the shop at [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] ? Or elsewhere?
As far as I know you can only exchange the ticket before its first day of validity...but in this special case it may be possible to refund it - but there will be a certain charge.
Flo 8)
paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
Thanks for the quick reply as it's important I sort this today - they're only due to stay in Bruges tonight before moving on.
I'm pretty sure (99%) he booked it online at railcc, yes.
A charge I can live with. What I'm really panicking about is that he's travelling with 3 mates and I know they each booked some bits of the trip for everyone, then sorted the money between them afterwards. I'm hoping that was just hostels, but there's a possibility he's booked for all 4 of them. Yikes :'(
paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
I have the booking reference number if that helps check that he bought it from railcc?
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
OK.
Please do contact Peter directly. He is the specialist for all the booking details. :)
paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
ok, exchanged emails with Peter but it doesn't look like there's much chance of a refund. So apart from the problem of having a ticket costing £370 that is now worthless, I need to get him a new ticket somehow.
How does he get a new ticket while he's on the move? He's already bought a ticket to get him from Bruges to Amsterdam tomorrow. Is there somewhere (like the train station in Amsterdam) where he can buy a new Interail ticket for the remainder of his journey? Or is there an electronic version of a ticket that can be emailed to him, that he could print out in an internet cafe?
There's no point me buying one online to get it sent to our home address in Norther Ireland. a) it would take too long to get here, then another couple of days for me to post it to a city on his route, b) he's changing locations so frequently I couldn't have much confidence it would get there before he moved on. He's travelling with friends and they have their hostels all boked so their timing is inflexible now.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Paul.
Really sad to hear all this - if I could help, I would do it!!!
The best is to go to Amsterdam Centraal, the main station and ask for an Interrail pass at the international ticket window.
[u]https://rail.cc/en/amsterdam/amsterdam-central-railway-station/l177[/u]
Shouldn't be a problem there.
Peter :)
paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
Thanks Peter
Can he definitely buy and collect one at the station? At this stage I'll be happy with that as at least it's simple (I just have to blank out the wasted £370! :(( )
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hej,
do you know the potential route of the group? Maybe he could get away a little cheaper if he only takes a pass which is valid a shorter period and can make some shorter trips with regular tickets? But this could only be an option (if ever) if they are heading to the east at some point... :|
Flo 8)
paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
Dates and cities:
7 Bruges
8 Amsterdam
11 Munich
13 Berlin
16 Prague
19 Overnight train
20 Budapest
23 Overnight train
24 Ljubljana
26 Pula
29 free
30 free
31 Venice
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
OK...so, if they are leaving Amsterdam on the 10th, a 5in10 Global pass would be valid until the 19th (included) and would cover the trips to Munich, Berlin, Praha and Budapest. It is 149 GBP.
Budapest - Ljubljana can be had at MAV (Hungarian Railway) for 29 single, but it is possible that this is only valid for the day train (I am not sure).
Ljubljana - Pula is 20,80€ single
Pula - Venezia is complicated by train...better to do it somehow by bus.
So, it could be cheaper to get 5in10 and then single tickets for the rest; however if you would get a 10in22 it woulnt cost that much more and would safely cover everything.
Flo 8)
paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
[quote]if you would get a 10in22 it woulnt cost that much more and would safely cover everything.
Flo 8) [/quote]
I'd be happy with that. The question is, can he definiely buy that at Centraal Station in Amsterdam?
Thanks for your help - it'll ease the pain of wasting the £370 if I can get it sorted out easily :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Honestly, I am not 100% sure. It should be possible at Amsterdam Centraal at a international ticket window but I cant give you a guarantee.
I would try it first in Bruges at the station. He could then use it straightaway for the trip to Amsterdam as well (if he gets the 10in22). Sorry I cant help more. :|
paul_r
Traveller
7 comments
The Belgian Rail website was much more helpful. It says Interrail tickets should be available at most stations with International connections, so Bruges or Amsterdam should be ok.
10 from 22 ticket will do him from Amsterdam and as you say, save some money.
I'm still upset about the original ticket. Rules say it had to be cancelled before the first date of travel on the ticket. That first date was 1 June, but the ticket didn't even get here until 5 or 6 June, so it would have been impossible to have cancelled in that case (assuming he'd noticed the date error at the time of course).