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AFTER A SWIFT reversal by UK rail companies, European travellers will be able to use Interrail passes in the UK – the news comes less than 24 hours it was announced that the UK had been booted out of the Europe-wide scheme.
The move, which would have meant Europeans travelling with an Interrail pass would not have been able to use it in the UK from 2020, had been greeted with criticism and disappointment.
In a statement posed on Twitter, the Rail Delivery Group – which represents UK rail companies – said: “Britain’s train companies never wanted to leave Interrail. Following the strong reaction to news of our departure we and Eurail, the company which runs Interrail, renewed talks.”
“We are pleased to be able to tell passengers that we have reached agreement and will be remaining part of both the Interrail and Eurail passes,” the group said.
Rail Delivery Group / TwitterBritain’s train companies never wanted to leave Interrail. Following the strong reaction to news of our departure we and Eurail, the company which runs Interrail, renewed talks. pic.twitter.com/HqkM6HZKPA
— Rail Delivery Group (@RailDeliveryGrp) August 8, 2019
Eurail has not yet commented on the agreement, but yesterday the company, representing Europe’s rail companies, had said that it “deeply” regretted the UK’s exit from the scheme and placed the blame on the Rail Delivery Group.
The Rail Delivery Group had announced that it had been the decision of the Eurail Group to boot Britain out of the scheme.
It had also stressed that the decision was not linked to Brexit.
It said on Twitter: “The Eurail group has decided to end our membership from 1 January 2020, despite us wanting to remain part of the group. This is not linked to our membership of the EU.”
The new agreement has already been widely welcomed by a variety of figures, including former Labour transport secretary Andrew Adonis, who called yesterday’s news “shameful”.
The Labour Party’s shadow secretary of state for transport, Andy McDonald, said: “I’m pleased the plan to remove the UK from the Interrail scheme has been reversed, but the decision to leave should have never been taken in the first place.”
Interrail passes cost between €20 and €400 depending on how long they last and how many of the 30 participating countries they cover.
The EU planned two years ago to give all 18-year-olds free Interrail passes but derailed the scheme because it was too expensive.
Clinton for Irish Presidency??
Luke, I’d say miles better than what we have on offer here
I saw a clip of this on tv earlier and I saw bobo (bono) there, what the fuck is he doing there when he’s not even registered as a tax payer in this country.
Cheer up lads, you’re always such a negative bunch
The funny thing is that if he did become Irish president he’d have a higher salary than he did as US president or the current current president gets..
Sign him up!
I agree. He would be great.
Hmmmm, what is he up to now?
Nobody cares about Ireland except the Irish. The point of a gathering
of business people and celebrities to discuss how we can be great again to the rest of the world is laughable. We’re nothing more then a small island (with a big debt) off the coast of mainland Europe and the sooner we realise we need to be more productive for our own gains and not to improve the opinions of suit wearing hasbeens.
Go Home Clinton. It was your country that set the stage for this Depression due to its deregulation of the banks and Wall Street. Being part of the problem, you wont be part of the solution. Capitalism has been succesful in generating wealth (for the few) over the last 200 years but it’s destroyed itself through its greed and we need to move onto something new.
Is that you Brian Cowen?
wow that’s alot of dislikes. Let me state some facts.
Bill clinton: Treasury secretary- Rober Rubin- Spent 26 years at Goldman Sachs
George Bush: Treasury Seretary- Henry Paulson- Ex CEO of Goldman Sachs
Barrack Obama: Chief of Staff- Bill Daly- served on Executive Comitee of JP Morgan Chase
The Game is Rigged
Clinton for Irish Presidency? WAKE UP!
Robert I think the dislikes have nothing to do with the basic facts, more the leftist comment at the end, whether meant that way or not. Even in these times you’ll do well to find anyone outside of those with a previous bias that thinks that capitalism, like constitutional democracy, is indeed a terrible system – but that we’ve tried the others, and time & time again greed got in the way anyway and the failure was even more profound. People are tired of the recent trend to rehash this tired old argument, and I think that’s the source of the reaction. Agree with you though on Clinton.
Whoops! Sorry Daniel, Misread your name :)
Of course we will recover, and of course the question is when. That is the ONLY question that matters. 2 years, 5 years or 10? Clinton stating the bloody obvious for gratuitous effect, as per usual.
Unless the world ends it is the only option.
It’s a pity Hillary didn’t become president, would’ve been better for us.
None of the speakers were paid by the state to attend the forum. They all covered their own expenses, even Clinton. It’s still set to cost €300,000 though.. but I suppose that’s not too bad in the grand old scheme of things.
Isn’t that the guy from catchphrase?
It’s good …but it’s not right
He got paid a sweet 650,000K from the Irish taxpayer for the least possible work and for attending an “economic” forum- fine gael labour have a great sense of flippin irony!
Bono – is King of Ireland. So he thinks. Of course he is there.
How much did he get paid for today?
I would feel more heartened by clintons comments if I felt confident in his own country’s future – the american’s are ones to judge considering what a mess they are in. Still its nice of him to say seeing as the markets seem to be so easily swayed by the winds of opinion.
I don’t like when people talk over their glasses when they speak
He forgot about the "Comely Maidens dancing at the Ghost Estates."
The US have bigger problems than Ireland. Their property bubble has burst and now they have new apartments for sake in good areas of Chicago for E 40,000 and it’s an Irish company selling them. Of course our auctioneers say our property Market is at the bottom.
This is a new challenge and the US are in bigger trouble than the EU.
Question; I noticed Bono sitting on the main stage yesterday and his boss making a few speeches from the floor and to media, also say Dermot Desmond and Denis OBrien ……….are these people now paying their taxes to the Irish state ?? If not wouldn’t that help and how can they sit there and lecture to the ordinary tax payer
Media and government still feeding us this horseshit…WE ARE NOT HAVING IT tell clinton to fuck off and and sort out his own country..the one thats about to implode
How much did Clinton get to tell us that ?
Obviously worth it judging by the Clinton fan base and willingness to swallow guff so evident.
We are the 99 % Clinton is the 1 %, along with his bankers buddies. Go home Clinton the Irish are awake at last all except for our politicians and our media that is.
yeah, great at exporting her young people.
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