Eurail Pass and Booking a night train reservation: how to?
 

We have Eurail passes and we want to reserve a couchette on a night train from Paris to Nice. How/where do we make the reservation (preferably online) without actually paying for a ticket? We just want to pay the fee for the reservation, as we have already paid for our passes.

Is it possible to do this online, or do we have to make the reservation at the train station in Paris when we're there?

Maybe this is obvious but we are confused :)

My understanding is that passes don;t cover the cost of couchettes. Those are additional to the pass - often significantly additional. The pass only covers a seat - not a bed.

I see...I was under the impression that the pass would cover the train ride and then the reservation of the couchette would just cost however much extra.

Does this basically mean that I can't use my Eurail pass for a night train ride if I want to book a couchette instead of a seat?

nytraveler is right as fare as I am aware you can't use a Eurail pass on the Thello night train at all. That's the main issue with passes on local regional trains you can hop on and off but high speed trains and sleepers often attract pretty hefty reservation fees.

This post explains the issue with reservations and Eurail/Interrail:

http://www.jonworth.eu/are-reservati...-of-interrail/

ahiddenbird,

Thello trains do not go to Nice so that is not an issue for you.

You are correct. Your pass covers the ride itself and you pay extra for sleeping accommodations.

Popular night trains can sell out weeks in advance so don't wait until you get to Paris to buy your couchette supplements. You can buy them now at raileurope.com. The price is $32 US for a bunk in a six-person couchette.

According to voyages-sncf.com, the train also has four-person couchettes. The extra room for both people and luggage is well worth paying a little more. However, the Rail Europe site doesn't show them. I suggest that you call RE's toll-free number and see if you can book bunks in a four-person couchette over the phone.

You can buy them now at raileurope.com. The price is $32 US for a bunk in a six-person couchette.>

there are also 4-person couchettes on French night trains for a little extra. For any RailEurope product I'd advise calling Byron at www.budgeteuropetravel.com - same prices as works thur RailEurope but great personal service IME of buying passes from him for years. Will answer any questions. Beware that the $32 may not include mailing fees as I believe RE charges a fee for orders under a certain limit - unless it is an electronic ticket - think it is still a printed ticket.

check out www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves.com for lots of great stuff on overnight trains.

Again you can use your pass on night trains for the basic train fare - sleeping supplements are charged - keep in mind the 7 pm rule that lets you travel all the next day on just one day of use on a flexipass - use it to travel up and down the Riviera by train.

A 4-person couchette in France is just a few euros more than a 6-person one and for that money is infinitely nicer - only 3 other folks to be snorers than 5!

Thanks everyone for the advice! It's a lot simpler than i expected it to be :)

I'm just going through the booking process now; it looks like the 4-bearth couchette isn't available for our date and time, so it looks like we'll be going for the 6-bearth couchette instead. Which is still better than sleeping in a seat!

This site http://tinyurl.com/d2bjc9t indicates that the T-4 is 1st class and the T-6 is 2nd class. It can be noisy in 2nd class wagons, besides the extra snore power in a 6 bunk cabin. I agree with PalenQ's suggestion to contact www.budgeteuropetravel.com and speak with Byron or Linda.
For more on night trains see http://tinyurl.com/y57vft.

I found that often the computers that make bunk reservations are not up to speed. If you are forced to accept the 2nd class T-6 on line then go to the reservation desk at Gare d'Austerlitz and try to upgrade after you get to Paris. If that fails then ask the conductor when you check in on the platform if there are bunks available in the 1st class T-4. If that fails, ask the conductor on board. Do not disturb the bedding until you get a final answer from the on-board conductor.

I've often ridden European night trains with a pass and have always been able to book a 4-person couchette once in France - yet to be sure I guess I would book ahead.

I'm just going through the booking process now; it looks like the 4-bearth couchette isn't available for our date and time, so it looks like we'll be going for the 6-bearth couchette instead. Which is still better than sleeping in a seat>

I do not believe French night trains even have open-seating cars - none of the ones I've been on have but only couchettes (and not even sleeping cars with private singles, doubles and triples as most night trains have - have not been on in a few years so may have changed but doubt regular seating is even an option.

Well the above was referring to proper overnight trains but I now recall that there are night TGV trains with only regular seating - no couchettes just regular seats on a TGV train. Perhaps no extra charge with a pass?

Keep in mind the 7 pm rule for railpasses and night trains- board after 7 pm and the next day is one unlimited travel day (talking about flexipasses) so after arriving in Nice you can ride trains the whole next day - up and down the Riviera to say Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, etc all on one day on your pass.