NavSh

I have 10 days, May 28th, to take a train trip from Paris, France to Basel, Switzerland. I have a France-Switzerland Eurail pass for a family of 4. When I tried to make seat reservations on TGV trains through Rail Europe website, I did not get any option. So, I am thinking that the limited seats for EuRail pass holders are gone. Is my understanding correct? What are other options to travel from Paris to Basel with family using my EuRail pass?

PalenQ

What are other options to travel from Paris to Basel with family using my EuRail pass?>

Call Byron at www.budgeteuropetravel.com and ask him about this - I have bought passes from him for years and he knows everything about those type of questions - even though you are not buying anything IME he will take time to explain and as his agency is a RailEurope agency could make the needed reservations if available - at least could tell you the real situation.

My advice for folks with a railpsss in France is to make the mandated seat reservations when you buy the pass as it is not always possible to use a pass on trains where passholder allotments have been exhausted. Check www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves sites to see if they have info on this question/problem.

adrienne

If you're taking 10 days to get to Basel what route will you be taking? Regional trains in France do not require seat reservations so if you stick to these train you won't have a problem.

NavSh

Both are great suggestions. Bryan did call me back and suggested alternate routes through Geneva and Strasbourg. Additionally, he also suggested to take the express trains to Lyon and local to Basel.

Thank you all for your responses.

PalenQ

It's really hard to take regional trains to Basel now unless you do want to take 10 days to do it - all reasonable links involve TGV trains which require seat reservations - I would just make any reservation on any train to Switzerland - to any place - so so many options.