jennae23
Traveller
2 comments
Posted 12 years ago
Got a complicated question.
I'm an American living in Ukraine. Want to get a Eurail saver pass for Italy with a friend who lives in America, because it's about 80 Euros cheaper.
I've been living in Ukraine for 2 years, but with several visits to America during that time, and very little documentation (rent/bank/utilities) of residency in Ukraine. My passport has a Ukraine visa that expired in November 2011 but since March 2012 I have been in the process of getting a new visa, have taken several trips to Poland, and am currently on a tourist status here. This shows in my passport that in the past 6 months I have left Ukraine several times. However, in the past 6 months I have not been in the US at all, and that also shows on my passport. On the other hand, I have kept bank statements that are sent to my home address in the US.
As far as I can tell, I have 2 options:
1. Accept the higher cost of buying an Interrail pass alone. In this case, though, are expired Ukraine visas and a just-begun new visa enough to prove my residency in Ukraine?
2. Buy a Eurail saver pass with my American friend and try to prove US residency using bank statements. In this case, will the US bank statements be enough to prove US residency, compared with the Ukraine visas in my passport?
Another related question: how often do they check residency status on the trains?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
Sometimes it is really hard to say, which pass is the correct one. The important thing is the place where you lived the past six months (=the center of your life). As you travel a lot and can't really proof your residency for the past 6 months, I personally would go for an Eurail pass - but maybe just ask some officials.
Peter
jennae23
Traveller
2 comments
Thanks Peter. Do you know how often train officials will actually check the country of residence? Is it just on board the train or is there some validation process before you get on board the first time?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Sometimes often, sometimes never. Sorry for this answer, but I had Interrail trips over one month and none wanted to see my passport. Then I did 10 days trips and had to show my passport together with my ticket every day.
The staff will just have a look on your ticket and compare it to the passport, if name, passport-number are the same. Let's say: to see if you are the person who belongs to the ticket.
Peter :)
jennae23
Traveller
2 comments
Thanks again Peter. I purchased a Eurail saver pass with my friend and we'll see how it goes :)
If it helps anyone else, though, I heard back from a Eurail salesperson the following:
*sorry - removed*
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
I just had to remove your post above - sorry, but we are not connected to this company and are not their support forum . ;) Even the content is the same like I wrote above.
Have a nice trip, Peter :)