I'm not sure as I didn't make the bookings but I think it was the Interrail website.
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Interrail isn't worth it
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I'm not sure as I didn't make the bookings but I think it was the Interrail website.
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cactustwirly
Established Member
Ahh right, it's best to avoid that one as it charges fees anyway.
You can normally get the reservations easily on DB or the ToCs website
It's really rotten when the InterRail portal is the only place where they are available.
On an Interrail at the moment.
A couple of observations:
1. On two DB trains took a seat that was not lit up as reserved only to be turfed out by someone claiming it. What’s that all about?
2. Got to Copenhagen and with a brisk stroll could have made an X2000 to Stockholm. But already had bought a reservation for a later train, not wishing to risk paying the quite pricey reservation for such a tight connection.
Obviously 5 mins was not enough time to buy a reservation and I’d also had to bin my later one.
This is a serious minus in my book, as it negates the whole Interrail advantage as you have in Germany and the UK of “oh great there’s a train going where we want to go right now, let’s jump on.”
A couple of observations:
1. On two DB trains took a seat that was not lit up as reserved only to be turfed out by someone claiming it. What’s that all about?
2. Got to Copenhagen and with a brisk stroll could have made an X2000 to Stockholm. But already had bought a reservation for a later train, not wishing to risk paying the quite pricey reservation for such a tight connection.
Obviously 5 mins was not enough time to buy a reservation and I’d also had to bin my later one.
This is a serious minus in my book, as it negates the whole Interrail advantage as you have in Germany and the UK of “oh great there’s a train going where we want to go right now, let’s jump on.”
Spoorslag '70
Member
Even undisplayed reservations are enforced in Germany, usually by the display saying "GGF. RESERVIERT" (might be reserved) and announcments to that effect. The reservations are sometimes working (even if it feels like most of the time they don't)
Just a note that I've split discussion on the breaking news that Interrail passes from abroad won't be accepted in the UK after the end of this year into a new thread. Please continue any discussion on UK operators' acceptance of Interrail passes there.
riceuten
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"plus ~20-30 Euros for a seat reservation (compulsory)"
Since lots of countries do reservations for around a quarter of that, I fear you may be bending the truth to fit your agenda.
Since lots of countries do reservations for around a quarter of that, I fear you may be bending the truth to fit your agenda.
33056
Established Member
Recently done a couple of reservations in Germany and Austria; Germany was €11 for two people / seats and Austria €7, also for two.
A reservation on a Eurostar gets you a reserved seat, and pays for the surcharge for each passenger that goes through the Channel tunnel.
Those are optional. Compulsory reservations, for which EUR20-30 were (mis)quoted, are a feature of high speed services in France, Italy and Spain
AnkleBoots
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Is there a journey planner that can exclude the compulsory reservation trains? Thanks
If you use the DB journey planner you can do this by clicking "only local transport" or refine it as you wish by using the "more means of transport" above that:
https://reiseauskunft.bahn.de//bin/query.exe/en?ld=96162&rt=1&newrequest=yes&&country=GBR
While it is true that some journeys can avoid TGVs, it is very tricky on others. The route I use most, Paris to Biarritz, is only served by TGV from Paris to Bordeaux, and to try to avoid that would mean going via Toulouse and taking a huge length of time to get there
ricohallo
Member
The Interrail planner has an option to avoid trains with compulsory reservation: https://www.interrail.eu/en/plan-your-trip/interrail-timetable
Just keep in mind that this planner is not real-time.
Just keep in mind that this planner is not real-time.
Thanks a lot for that.
As an example, this reveals that getting from Paris to Biarritz takes around 20 hours if you avoid reservations as opposed to 4 hours by direct TGV service. Getting from Paris to Bordeaux would take a minimum of 10 hours, when it takes just 2 hours on the high-speed TGV route.
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