Thalys is the definite choice for those looking to travel between france, belgium, the netherlands and select locations in germany in comfort and style. Paper ticket reservations have to be booked at least 6 days before the trains departure. You can use it across multiple countries in europe and ride free you pay when you buy the rail pass, and dont need to worry about purchasing more tickets on your journey. The eurail one country pass is the best choice if you want to spend your vacation experiencing 1 european country. Unable to reserve over the phone for eurail pass for border crossings although other sources suggested it was possible. Trains that ask for reservations normally save you time and have lots of extra features, like wifi and power sockets or sleeping facilities, plus you can bag a space next to your friends. Based on your trip itinerary, will you be better off buying pointtopoint tickets or a rail pass. Our handy selfservice lets you make eticket reservations for many trains in europe, up to 3 hours before the train s departure. Rail passes give you the flexibility to keep your plans open.
A number of ferries is included in eurail port and fuel taxes might have to be paid separately and many ferries offer discounts for eurail pass holders. Coronavirus covid19 for the latest updates, all details on booking flexibility, and answers to frequently asked. Youll be travelling in either standard or standard premier, depending on the class of your rail pass. You can hop on and off most trains as you please with your eurail pass, but some trains ask you to buy an additional seat reservation before you can jump. You must arrive at least 45 minutes before your train departs so one of our team.
Where can i book seat reservations to go with a eurail pass. Most highspeed and night trains require a reservation at an additional cost. Eurail is a rail pass for inexpensive train travel in 28 countries of europe. For travel with a rail pass, you would purchase reservations by searching a route on our homepage. Eurail pass will be invalid if the travel diary is not filled. Swiss panorama trains golden pass, glacier express able to make reservations online using a swiss pass with no issue see disclaimer at end of post german rail able to book online for segments without a eurail pass. Because a eurail pass is a paper travel document that cant simply be replaced similar to your passport, youll need to purchase separate train tickets or a new pass at an additional cost to complete your trip if you lose it. In belgium, reservations can only be made for trains that arrive or depart in belgium. If youre a noneuropean resident, you can travel with a eurail pass. I bought the eurail global pass and there is no way to book train. Hi alan, yes, tgv trains are covered by rail passes. There are also a limited number of seats allocated to eurail pass holders, so the sooner you book the better. Having a eurail pass is the best way to experience train travel in europe because it can save you time and money. Can we still book the freebies train tour in switzerland.
A eurail pass is unlkely to make much sense as you need to pay resrvation fees in france and italy. How to use a eurail pass everything you need to know. Find and search travel partners in the eurail community. Apr 06, 2017 this is a premium highspeed train that fills up quickly. How to buy eurail reservations for trains in switzerland. Reservations for european trains when traveling with a eurail. With your purchase you support all the free information on.
All you have to do is catch your train and enjoy the trip. Get the full flavour of europe with train travel in 28 countries with the eurail global pass. Click the down arrow on this control and select global pass. As a general rule, the longer you plan to travel, the more likely it is that youll save with some kind of eurail pass especially if youre lastminute planner train tickets in europe can get pretty expensive when you book lastminute. At the bottom of the page click on book supplement only. Eticket reservations can be booked up to 3 hours before the trains departure. Coronavirus covid19 for the latest updates, all details on booking flexibility. Travel across europe and discover 33 countries by train with eurail. With eurail pass, you have easy access to the majority of europes trains. I would not recommend going to croatia with the eurail pass.
High speed trains and international trains require a seat reservation which is not included in the eurail select pass. Explore the balkan sates by train with one great rail pass. He lists three options for making reservations without paying the rail europe fee. First things first choose which pass youre going to travel europe with. Eurail one country pass france pass, italy pass, spain pass.
So for italy, only buy a pass if you have done the maths and remembered the 10 passholder reservation fee for every fast train. Choose from popular countries like italy and spain and use regional and highspeed trains to move from one beautiful city center to the next with our one country pass. Aug 14, 2016 once you got your eurail pass, the next thing to consider is if you need reservations for any of your trains. Read more the interrail global pass is valid for travel in your country of residence during one outbound journey and one inbound journey that occur during travel days at any point in your trip. Only european residents can travel with an interrail pass. Travel by train on the highspeed line that connects paris to brussels in 1 hour 22 minutes and paris to amsterdam in 3 hours 16 minutes. Seat reservations arent included in your eurail pass theyre an additional supplement charged by some railway companies to make sure everyone gets a seat.
Ferries are an important means of transport on many eurail trips. The information here will help you choochoose wisely. The pass makes exploring all those little european villages super easy without having to buy another train ticket. Apart from the eurail global pass, we have lots of other options for your european train travel. The pass will cost you far more than just buying the tickets in advance from renfe. If you know your start date, we can do this for you when you buy your eurail pass. Reserving seats with a eurail pass train travel forum. You need to reserve a seat on the train ahead of time. Youll also find a wealth of practical train travel tips. Some trains in europe require a seat reservation, most commonly in france, italy, and spain.
Covering 33 countries, the global pass allows you to travel freely through most of europe, from portugal to finland to turkey. Reservations for eurail pass holders eurail pass holders can travel on thalys high speed trains with the purchase of a thalys epassholder reservation. How and why to add london to your eurail trip eurail blog. Continuous type eurail passes are then valid for unlimited train travel every day through the whole pass validity period. We have train travel in europe covered and we can give you the freedom to see whatever is on your wish list. Find out how to make seat reservations on european trains before you travel. Information about free train types and trains with compulsory reservation. In other words, with a 15day eurail global pass, you can travel for 15 consecutive days by train. How to make train reservations with eurail pass rick steves. I checked online and most of the scenic train allows us to put in a discount via euro rail or ga card but i dont know if i just need. Please note that you can only buy reservations when you have a valid activated eurail pass. Use our route planner to map out your journey around europe and book the best accommodation. They can be booked from one day to 12 weeks ahead, have limited seat availability, are nonrefundable, and have exchange restrictions.
They complement existing train lines and allow shortcuts across the sea where trains would have to travel much longer. Tickets and passes our eurail passes are perfect for anyone who has permanent residency outside europe, the russian federation and turkey. Eurail global pass is the most complete rail pass to discover all of europe by train. For seeitall train travelers out to experience as much of europe as possible, the eurail global pass is the best option. Some train stations have a limit on the number of reservations you can make at one time. I bought the eurail global pass and there is no way to. Buy eurail global pass online flexible or consecutive.
The complete guide on how to use your eurail pass in 2020 and get the most out of it. Experience the incredible variety of different european cultures, or travel around a single country and soak up the local ambience. Rail europe rail travel planner europe train travel in. The pass is best used to travel to neighboring countries. If you have an interrail or eurail pass, you can book your seat via the telephone reservation centres and at train stations. Please read our daily advice to travellers concerned about the impacts of coronavirus. You can also book many trains through our rail planner app. Travel by train in europe with rail europe, your travel planner. Thankfully, today you can purchase eurail pass protection when you buy your pass. If you have a eurail pass, you can make your seat reservations through us. If you have a continuous eurail pass with for example, travel on every day within a period of 15 days you can take advantage of all our benefits on any date that your eurail pass is valid. I recommend you read the train reservation section where i tell how to avoid those fees. Travel throughout 33 countries across europe at your own pace using the most convenient train pass. Try the eurail global pass offering train travel in 31 different countries including great britain.
To travel with eurostar using your pass you need to book your seat in advance and pay a seat reservation fee. You can do so at the local train station of that country. If not, you can also do this for free at a larger european train station before you. A swiss pass of some sort may make sense if you plan to travel around switzerland a lot, but buy it from swiss railways. Advance discount tickets get snapped up particularly fast in summer. Balkan flexipass rail pass bulgaria rail pass greece. You can then choose the type of seating or sleeping. When you book through our selfservice this is 2 euros per traveler, per train. Eurail pass holders have to pay an additional fee for these reservations. As well as charging ridiculously high booking fees i am also being charged eur33 to travel from london to paris despite their website saying this trip was included in the price. Get a general overview to all types of eurail tickets, night train connections and train types.
Eurail offers you tailormade formulas according to the number of days you intend to travel. Which extra reservations you have to pay and how to avoid them. A train reservation consists of two different fees a train reservation fee and a booking fee. As well as charging ridiculously high booking fees i am also being charged eur33 to travel from london to paris despite their website saying this trip was. A seat reservation is a guaranteed seat onboard a train. You can always get your seat reservations at the train station with your pass. About reservations train reservations, reservations faq. Mar 18, 2020 a eurail pass is the best option if you plan to use the train as your main source of transport and you want the ultimate flexibility to plan your trip asyougo. The ultimate guide to the eurail pass tickets, reservations.
The offer is valid on all international thalys routes. Find out when you need them and how to book them before you travel. In person at the station, at the ticket counter or in some countries at an automated ticket machine. Find out which trains in italy require reservations, and how you can book them. Plan your eurotrip with eurail planner, the free rail planning tool. You can use a eurail pass on eurostar provided you book in advance and pay a seat reservation fee. The complete guide on how to use your eurail pass in 2020. Eurail planner is a planning tool for european rail trips. Our selfservice lets you make reservations for many trains in europe. The eurail global pass now covers virtually all european countries even britain. Flexi type eurail passes give you a certain number of unlimited travel days during the overall pass validity period, which is usually 2 months starting on the date you validate the pass.
I will definitely recommend other people to book train tickets through third party companies. Eurail pass is valid for use with select participating railways, ferries and public transport companies. Beginners guide to eurail passes 2020 buy a eurail pass online. With the eurail pass, you can discover europe by train and travel across the continent with over 40,000 stations across 10,000 destinations to discover. Select this train with the radio button at right, and click continue. The eurail pass is basically the ultimate train ticket. Europe train pass book your eurail pass today trainline. Generally, the earlier you book, the better deal youll get. With this reservation your seat on that particular train is guaranteed. Beginners guide to eurail passes 2020 buy a eurail pass. For some trains, you have to pre book your seat at the. Seat reservations arent included in your eurail pass, but for a small fee they guarantee you a comfy seat on busy routes across europe. Try the eurail global pass offering train travel in 33 different countries including great britain. Eurail global pass is the most complete rail pass to.
Select reservation and enter the thalys route you would like to book. Book a seat reservation with rail europe and enjoy a hasslefree trip. The eurail pass is valid for travel with participating train, ferry and public transport companies. When making use of the rule, please enter only the departure date on the pass. Might as well since the point of a pass is to allow you schedule flexibility. The eurail global pass is certainly the most convenient solution to travel extensively on board trains in europe. They would just require reservations as a supplement to a rail pass. Jul 28, 2011 understand when you need to purchase a reservation when riding the train in europe with a eurail pass and learn how to purchase your seat reservation. It gives you unlimited train travel to 31 countries in europe, and youll be able to use the eurostar, tgv trains, tgv lyria, thalys, ave high speed trains with renfe, frecciarossa with trenitalia, and the ice trains to maximise your country intake. Italy and france have great, fast trains, but you will mostly have to pay a fee to use them. The eurail one country pass is the most costeffective way to extensively explore a single european country or region, giving a pass holder unlimited train travel in his or her chosen european country. Travel around italy by train with eurail pass for flexible 3. Extreme difficulty booking trains on eurail global pass. And unlike france, spain does not limit reservations for passholders.
If you have a train ticket, you dont have to worry about booking a seat reservation. This is a premium highspeed train that fills up quickly. You can book your seat reservation from rail europe. You can hop on and off most trains as you please with your eurail pass, but some. Book now and enjoy the flexibility of traveling 17 months later in europe with our eurail pass. To check that, you can go on the eurail website or their rail planner app to see the. Eurail pass holders can make reservations on the eurostar from three months in advance. Great britain rail passes and train tips from rick steves. I promptly had a relative take pictures of the passes, reference numbers, etc. Your eurail pass lets you hop on and off most trains as you please instead of. Rail passes can be booked for travel in one specific country or you can choose one of a few preselected countryregion combinations.
Hi hector, for travel with a rail pass, you would purchase reservations by searching a route on our homepage. The eurail global pass will offer you unlimited rail travel in 33 european countries, giving you the opportunity to visit main cities such as paris, rome, berlin, munich, barcelona or amsterdam. I stupidly purchased a global eurail pass and have just gone to book the actual train trips. You must also have either a eurail global pass or a eurail pass that is valid in the destination you are traveling to on eurostar i. Seat reservations are compulsory for most high speed, international, and night trains. As ever for european train travel, the man in seat 61 is a good resource, specifically his guide to eurail passes. The eurail pass also allows you to access ferries, making travel to scandinavia possible and easy. Your booking will be processed and you receive your etickets by email. Passholders seat reservation guide rail europe train. Make all of this easier to understand instead of jumping through hoops and making people buy the eurail pass first. How do you book reservations on a tgv in france with a eurail. A swiss pass of some sort may make sense if you plan to travel around switzerland a. Flexible or consecutive travel days within 2 months.
Better to read the posts on this forum and book your train tickets in advance. How to make eurail reservations with a europe train pass. And if you wish to book a pass, you can use the booking form on this website. Paper ticket reservations have to be booked at least 6 days before the train s departure when a train cant be booked through our selfservice, you can find alternative ways to book your. Continuous or consecutive rail passes such as the eurail global pass, are valid for unlimited train travel during the whole duration of the pass validity period. You would purchase reservations for the direct train from munich to venice by searching this segment of the route on our homepage. Eticket reservations can be booked up to 3 hours before the train s departure. The complete guide on how to use your eurail pass in 2020 and. Interrail global pass cheapest train pass in europe. Regional and local trains do not require a seat reservation, meaning that with just your eurail select pass you can hop on board to reach your destination. If youre a european resident you can travel with an interrail pass.
Once youve selected your pass, its price will depend on the class of service selected, passenger type, and the number of rail travel days. A eurail global pass offers free travel for a certain number of days, but doesnt include seat reservations. To arrange using a benefit, you can contact the individual company in advance or show your eurail pass when you book. This is not common knowledge to people outside of europe. Eurail pass holders wont be able to make seat reservations at train stations in great britain and northern ireland. How do you book reservations on a tgv in france with a. Choose between the consecutive and flexible eurail global pass at klook and travel on trains without any ticket hassles. And when youre ready to buy your pass or tickets, you can do that here, too. There is a choice of 26 participating countries for eurail one country pass, plus the greek islands pass, the islandhopping pass by ferry. Reservation fees are charged by the railway carriers, and are not included in your eurail pass.
When a train cant be booked through our selfservice, our team of reservation experts will help you book your train. We explain the different eurail types, compare them to other similar passes and help you decide if a eurail pass is right for you. Eurail global pass discover europe by train with eurail. Rail passes book them directly with eurail partnership 3. The eurail and interrail passes allow you to travel in thalys subject to the purchase of a pass ticket. Here is the full list of countries covered by the eurail global pass.
Eurail global pass rail europe train travel in europe. At the train station before boarding, i used these picturesreferences to successfully purchase tickets for our train ride the ticket seller accepted the images just fine, the eurail pass id verified just fine. On the next page, towards the left is a control reading more fares. Eurail global pass is the most flexible eurail pass, and best for people who want complete freedom on their travels. About reservations train reservations, reservations. Use up only 1 travel day when you travel overnight on trains.