The Traveller: The complete guide to inter-railing If it's Saturday it must be Munich Hauptbahnhof. Or is it Madrid Chamartin? Across Europe, the station platforms are filling up with backpackers as the Inter-rail season gets under way. Simon Calder and Rachel Palmer go along for the ride FOREIGN Edition

• Published in: Independent (London, England : 1986)
• Main Author: Simon Calder and Rachel Palmer
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: London (UK) Independent Digital News & Media 09.06.2001
• Subjects: Palmer, Rachel
• ISSN: 0951-9467

Inter-rail became a victim of its own success. Pretty soon, any train running within the diamond of territory enclosed by Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome and Paris between July and September was guaranteed to be full of less-than-fragrant travellers. Towards the end of the month's pass, when poor financial management and overspending on cheap wine meant funds were running short, desperate and smelly Inter- railers would crowd aboard any overnight train, no matter where it was going, to avoid having to pay out for a night's accommodation. Inevitably, the Inter-rail pass became more expensive; it now costs seven times as much as in 1972. Increasingly, many trains were designated off- limits or subject to a surcharge. Europe was split into zones, with cut- down (and cut-price) Inter-rail passes for smaller areas. But the full monty is still available if you choose, and it has been extended to older people, with the Inter-rail 26+ ticket. You can buy a cheaper zonal Inter-rail pass, the price of which depends on where you want to go and for how long. The Inter-rail countries are divided up into eight zones. If you choose to visit three or fewer of these zones, you can save money. A single zone ticket costs pounds 129 (but lasts for only 22 days). One month spent in two zones costs pounds 169, or pounds 199 in three zones. The main regions are Zone C: Germany, Austria and Switzerland; Zone D: Italy and Slovenia; Zone E: France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg; and Zone F: Spain, Portugal and Morocco. A popular itinerary like Amsterdam- Brussels-Paris-Lyon-Milan-Venice-Vienna-Berlin-Amsterdam covers three zones.