Aug 10, 2026, 10:58 AMlol another one 😀
1st class lounge, Strasbourg
I’m allowed in here with Interrail
Entitled dude, French this time, pushes past - thinking I’m a confused backpacker (I have a huge back pack today)
He’s sent away and I’m allowed through
@jon Can you get into SNCF lounges with 1st class interrail? I thought it didn't work!
Aug 10, 2026, 11:03 AM@to_lnr you can. If you also have a TGV reservation. You can’t get into German ones though.
@jon Interesting I thought it didn't work ! Thanks I will try it out next time!
Aug 10, 2026, 11:53 AMAug 10, 2026, 11:53 AMAug 10, 2026, 11:57 AM
Aug 10, 2026, 12:49 PM@janeckhoff I know, but as an *occasional* traveller and not living anywhere near Germany, even the lowest status level is unattainable. I’d be happy to pay extra for lounge access on long trips with dodgy connections, but not five hundred euros extra (and I wish I was exaggerating).
@pb just thinking aloud here — what about buying the cheapest possible Flexpreis-Fernverkehr-Ticket just for Lounge access? I don’t think they check whether the lounge is on the actual route.
You might even be able to cancel that ticket afterwards…
@pb e.g. Flexpreis Kassel-Göttingen is ~50€ (without BahnCard discount).
Aug 10, 2026, 1:20 PM@janeckhoff It has crossed my mind. Frankfurt Flughafen–Hbf is €35. I’m not sure it’s worth quite that much, but if it’s essentially a day pass for all lounges, mayybeee?
Aug 10, 2026, 1:36 PM@janeckhoff @pb There is a way to get a ICE ticket from Harburg to Hbf, I think on some start and end of the day ICEs. And yes, theoretically you could trick your way into the lounge with that. But @Lenny_du_Nord is more your person for that than me!
Fernverkehr Tickets Harburg to Hbf are sold for all trains that have stops both north and south of Hamburg (Köln-Rostock etc.)
Currently very limited because of construction, but in September 6,99 €
@jon I had to try again and find out how I can get into the SNCF lounge. I found this:
D'une carte de fidélité éligible de l’alliance Railteam et d’un billet du jour.
So my DB status and a TGV ticket for the day, whatever type.
However Interrail itself is not listed. And they did not accept my Interrail pass as ticket the last time I tried, just the TGV premium on it's own.
Aug 10, 2026, 11:21 AM@waldi somewhere on Interrail’s website there’s a list which lounges you can and can’t use. Generally in France it works, Germany it never does. Hungary works too. Others I don’t know.
Aug 10, 2026, 11:30 AM@jon I see https://benefitsportal.eurail.com/?categories=8c700c62-f2bd-4ef0-9316-448c24142648
ÖBB is listed, CD, DSB and SJ also. SNCF is not listed.
Aug 10, 2026, 1:31 PM@waldi Seems I got lucky twice. Hmmm 😳
@jon Where they able to read your Interrail ticket? When I tried that, they just looked surprised and did not consider it a ticket they like.
Aug 10, 2026, 1:33 PM@waldi They glanced at Interrail, and scanned the QR on the reservation.
@jon Ah, so you used your reservation, which is your ticket then. At least this is what happened to me as well. They scanned the reservation and only glanced at the Interrail ticket or my status, which they could not read I assume.
@jon Another question: on the train, are you routinely asked for the Interrail ticket or will they accept the reservation on it's own?
In my limited exposure they asked for the ticket once on the train. In most other cases they accepted the reservation without.
Aug 10, 2026, 2:11 PM@waldi they ask for Interrail about half the time in my experience
Aug 10, 2026, 1:33 PM@waldi FWIW SNCF devices generally can read Interrail QR codes though!
Aug 10, 2026, 11:18 AM@jon When I was a child we had free rail travel from my dad's job. I thought it was part of the fun seeing how many people would challenge me/us, including when I was a student travelling alone.
"Are you aware that this is first class?"
Interesting. Is it documented anywhere that you're allowed in? I can't see it here:
www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/help/g...
AFAIK only a TGV Lyria 1st class reservation works, since that's also a "Flex Première ticket" in SNCF speak.
The Grand Voyageur TGV INOUI L...
Aug 10, 2026, 11:43 AM@rvdborgt.bsky.social 🤷♂️ It's not the first time I have got it to work in France. Maybe it's because the QR code on a seat reservation scans like a ticket?