I am a little unsure how to use the Pass, despite the detailed instructions that come with it.
My main question is about leaving and returning to my country of residence (France). There is a special place to fill in these details in the pass itself, independent of the Travel Calendar below offering the 15 slots that I have paid for.
Am I to understand that I get a free ride from my home town to (in this case) the Swiss border, after which I must start entering the travel days in the Travel Calendar? Thanks.
If the Interrail is like the Eurail there are no free rides. When you board in your home town and travel on that day, it counts as one day used. You now have 14 days left. You enter in the log the date and-----From: Your Hometown Station---To: Your ultimate destination.
Thank you Threadware. But that "if" needs to be resolved. Is there someone out there who has this experience with Interrail?
The pass can only be used once to leave your home country, and once to return home, but those trips do use travel days:
https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/what-is-interrail/how-use-your-interrail-pass
It's been about 3 years (I think) since I've travelled on an Interrail pass. Back then you had to pay a reduced fare within your own country for when you started and ended your Interrail trip. The rules have been changed slightly since then.
What Threadwear says also applies to Interrail passes. You need to fill out details for EVERY journey you make. More info under "Outbound and inbound travel" here: https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/what-is-interrail/how-use-your-interrail-pass
The new thing (since I was on Interrail) is the limitations to how you can use the Interrail pass in your own country, and I think that's what confused you. You can now use your Interrail pass for one outbound and one inbound journey from your home country. You can read more about the rules here: https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/what-is-interrail/travel-your-own-country