Reservation Fees - Explained
 

Alright, I'm having a bit of trouble grasping the concept of these things. If I purchase a Eurail pass then I still have to pay a reservation fee for each train ride on top of that? Some are around $14 Canadian, others in the $20 area. Does it just depend on how busy the train is? Do you only pay a reservation fee when you're booking a train a few days in advance? What about when you just hop on at the last minute?

Can someone clear this up for me please!! =)

You have to buy a seat reservation, at least on the high-speed trains. On the French TGVs you can't ride the train without a seat reservation, if I remember correctly. It's a good idea to have a reservation--we once got an Italian train that was packed and spent 6 hours standing next to the toilet.

Adding on to Underhill's comments, you cannot ride ES (Eurostar) trains in Italy without a seat reservation either. I believe you can ride the slower/older IC (intercity) and R (regional) trains without a reservation... but if traveling in peak season you do risk a very uncomfortable ride.

Maybe my memory is failing me, lol, but I thought a purchased ticket for the ES included a seat reservation. Guess I am wrong?

We need MorganB!

LoveItaly: A regular ticket for the ES does include a seat reservation. Iain was asking about travelling with a Eurail pass.

Iain: Some trains require reservations--others do not. To determine which trains require reservations go to http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en. After entering your departure and arrival cities and getting a list of trains click on "Details for all" at the bottom. Those trains with a compulsory reservation are identified.

Reservations are much more expensive if you buy them in Canada from whoever issued the Eurail pass. You can make the reservations after you get to Europe at a lower cost.

Thanks for the feedback guys, cleared things up alot. Couple more things though...

Do I only absolutely have to reserve the ones that are marked as compulsary? I can take my chances on the ones that say "subject to reservation" and "please reserve"???

Once I'm actually on the train I might struggle to find a cart that isn't marked with the reserved sign, right? Could be standing in the hallway the whole way from Paris to Brussels?

You are free to take your chances on trains for which reservations are recommended but not required. Just hop on. Making reservations at stations in Europe is a lot cheaper than doing it from home. However, during high season night trains, all of which require reservations, often sell out. You also need to be aware that train companies are allowed to limit the number of seats they will reserve for passholders. Even if there are unsold seats, you might be denied a reservation.

For lots of information about passes, visit the railpass section at www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Yes, if a train is marked as requiring a "compulsory" reservation you will need one.

Hi La,

>.."subject to reservation"... means that you need a reservation.

With your railpass you will still have to buy sleeper tickets for night trains - some are sleeping cars only.

>Do you only pay a reservation fee when you're booking a train a few days in advance? What about when you just hop on at the last minute?<

If reservations are required, eg, ES* trains in Italy, you are in trouble if you just hop on.

You might end up paying a reservation fee and a fine for the privilege of being allowed to stand.

With all of this hassle of buying reservations, are you sure that you need a railpass?

When you have your itinerary set, check prices at the national railroads. There are often deeply discounted fares available on the internet.

((I))

What do you mean, try to find a "cart" without a reserved sign? Even if that is a typo and you meant car, entire cars aren't reserved, seats are. I don't know about other countries, but seats aren't always marked as reserved on French trains, even though sometimes they are. And sometimes they are marked reserved when they aren't (I have seen that on shorter, nonTGV runs). I guess they have trouble keeping up with it. They weren't marked as reserved on the Czech and Polish trains I took recently, either.

Well, if you do get on a train that doesn't require reservations, and seats aren't marked, sit where you wish, but someone may come up and tell you they are in their seat and show you a reservation. Then, you'd have to move.