Need Assistance? Rail Monsters Help Center

It depends on the route and the country — different rail systems have different rules.

Here’s the general rule:

• In about 90% of cases, showing the ticket on your phone (QR code or barcode) is accepted without any issue.

• In some countries, however, a printed ticket may still be required — or strongly recommended — depending on the station, train type, or local validation process.

If you're not sure, we recommend:

✔ Printing the ticket just in case — especially if you're traveling internationally or with a connection

✔ Checking our country-specific train guides for detailed boarding instructions per region

✔ Reviewing your ticket PDF — if printing is required, it will be mentioned clearly

We aim to make everything digital, but when in doubt — print.

The easiest way is to check the ticket file itself — if printing is required, it will say so clearly on the PDF or confirmation page.

You can also:

• Look for a “Print Required” notice during checkout

• Check our country-specific guides for detailed info about boarding rules and document formats

If it’s not specified, mobile presentation is usually fine — but printing is always the safest option, especially for early morning or remote station departures.

No — we don’t recommend using screenshots under any circumstances.

The reason is simple:

• Screenshots may compress or distort the QR code or barcode

• Some scanners won’t recognize resized or cropped images

• Even small quality loss can make the code unreadable at the gate or by the conductor

Always open the original PDF or use the official ticket from your Rail Monsters account or app.

If you're unsure about connectivity during your trip, download the ticket as a file — but avoid screenshots.

And when in doubt: bring a printed copy.

If the route requires a printed ticket and you board with just your phone, you may:

• Be denied boarding at the platform gate (especially in stations with barcode turnstiles)

• Be asked to pay again or issued a fine onboard

• Lose your refund eligibility even if the conductor considers the ticket “unused”

That’s why we always recommend printing when in doubt — especially for early trains, unfamiliar countries, or routes with strict access control.