Train reservations

Old Mar 22nd, 2011, 02:12 PM
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Train reservations

We are planning a 3 week trip thru Europe by train. We will have a EurRail Pass, but all the main lines seem to require reservations. Some of our connections are tight or chancy. Are reservations really required? What happens if you are on the train without one?
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Old Mar 22nd, 2011, 03:10 PM
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No, they are not required on all trains, but they are required on some. Check if the specific trains you plan to take require them (you may see the capital R symbol inside a square - that's the symbol for compulsory reservations).

I don't know what happens if you board a reservations required train without a reservation - I've never done that.

Most of my train rides are in first class and for longer trips I almost always get a seat reservation. It doesn't cost much and I like the assurance of having a place to sit - I have been on trains that were standing room only even in first class. If there are plenty of seats available, you're not required to sit in your reserved seat, you can move to another seat.

FYI, you may find seats reserved for only part of a journey - on an ICE from Frankfurt to Dresden, for example, a seat may be reserved only for the portion from Leipzig to Dresden. You're free to sit in the seat for the journey leg that's unreserved, but please make sure you vacate it before the person with the reservation comes to claim their seat. It's very annoying to get to your reserved seat to see someone still in it - especially when they start pouting and acting likes it's YOUR fault they didn't get their own reservation.

For travel in Switzerland, use the www.sbb.ch site to check train options; when you click on a specific journey, it will give you an indication of how crowded they expect it to be (little people silhouettes - one person means not crowded, two means sort of crowded, three silhouettes means very crowded and you're best off with a reservation if you can get one). Here's a guide to what the symbols mean: http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/fahrplan_legenden

Many regional trains don't allow reservations (Belgian trains, for example).
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Old Mar 22nd, 2011, 03:45 PM
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You would have to list your train itinerary before anyone can tell which trains have mandatory reservations. Some trains limit the number of passholders allowed to ride. All but the slowest R trains in Italy require you purchase a seat (most are 10€).
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Old Mar 22nd, 2011, 03:49 PM
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In France, all of the TGV trains, the Téoz, and the Lunéa trains require reservations. iDTGV trains are not open to pass riders.

Reservations cost from 3€ to 20€ depending upon the train and available pass rider seats are limited.
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Old Mar 22nd, 2011, 04:10 PM
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I can see on the schedule which ones say mandatory reservations. Just wondered what happens if you miss a train and have to take the next one. do you have to get another reservation? What is an iDTGV train? I am trying to book a Thalys from Paris to Amsterdam and it wants $300 for a reservation. Seems more like a ticket price, is that because they don't honor the pass?
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Old Mar 22nd, 2011, 05:30 PM
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Reservations are train specific. If you miss a train, you will need another reservation.

I am not sure which site you are using that is giving you prices in dollars. If you let us know when you want to travel, I can tell you what is available and for how much. For example, tickets from Paris to Amsterdam for travel in June are currently 35€:

www.voyages-sncf.com (in French only)
www.tgv-europe.com (do not select the USA as your county if you are from there).
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Old Mar 23rd, 2011, 11:40 AM
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I am using RailEurope in the US. Tried the TGV site but it redirected me back to RailEurope. Can you receive tickets in the US or must they be picked up in Europe? There is a tight connection on one where i wouldn't have time to pick up a ticket in Zurich.
Also, we have one transfer from Paris Est to Paris Nord. Found a site that gave directions to walk between them. How much time should we allow for the transfer and to make the next train?
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Old Mar 23rd, 2011, 12:10 PM
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Raileurope is part owned by French rail (SNCF) so that is why you must state that you reside outside of the USA in order to avoid Raileurope and you do want to avoid them.

If you are having difficulty with the French at www.voyages-sncf.com, simply use www.tgv-europe.com and select UK as where you reside. No one will ever check your actually residence, however checking the UK means that the SNCF will not mail tickets to you in the USA. No problem, either print them at home (if the option presents itself) or pick them up at any SNCF boutique or rail station in France. You will need your reservation number and the to present to the agent at the service window, for his inspection, the exact same credit card used in the on line purchase.

You cannot book and pay for a rail ticket on a French website and pick it up outside of France. Exception: you can book and pay for Eurostar tickets on the French site and pick them up at St. Pancras in London.

Gare du Nord from Gare de l´Est is a 5 minute walk. Taking longer means you stopped somewhere en route and shopped.
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Old Mar 23rd, 2011, 12:22 PM
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>>>>>Tried the TGV site but it redirected me back to RailEurope.>> www.tgv-europe.com (do not select the USA as your country if you are from there).>>Are reservations really required?>>What happens if you are on the train without one?
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Old Mar 23rd, 2011, 12:28 PM
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seat reservations are required before boarding many if not most trains a tourist will use in - Spain, Italy and France. In nearly all other countries you can just hop on any train anytime - seat reservations are optional but if your pass is first class then I would not worry about finding emtpy seats - I have had hundreds of first-class passes and can really only remember a handful of times when they were not empty seats in first class. 2nd class can be full at times and is always IME or usually quite full - finding two seats together can be iffy so with a 2nd class pass I would make the option reservations.

Anyway check out these fantastic sites IMO for lots of answers to your European rail/pass questions - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com.
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 07:49 AM
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<Some trains limit the number of passholders allowed to ride.>

To my knowledge some should say French TGV trains and Thalys trains. Period. IME no other trains in Europe limit the number of passholders to ride. Just to clarify a comment that I consider misinformation if miscontrued that this is a problem in any other case than those two trains.

It would be nice if Fodorites who for some reason are just anti-railpass would present a more objective approach rather than this constant misinformation IMO that these posters constantly give and rarely say anything good about passes, only pointing out often IMO exaggerated negatives.
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 07:49 AM
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<Some trains limit the number of passholders allowed to ride.>

To my knowledge some should say French TGV trains and Thalys trains. Period. IME no other trains in Europe limit the number of passholders to ride. Just to clarify a comment that I consider misinformation if miscontrued that this is a problem in any other case than those two trains.

It would be nice if Fodorites who for some reason are just anti-railpass would present a more objective approach rather than this constant misinformation IMO that these posters constantly give and rarely say anything good about passes, only pointing out often IMO exaggerated negatives.
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 08:10 AM
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PQ - You constantly push 1st class passes on everyone and it's a disservice to all travelers. No one said every train limited passholders so there is nothing inaccurate being posted and the OP listed France/Netherlands so the information certainly applies to the OP. Your rants against people buying tickets online are bizarre. It would be nice if you were more objective instead of just pushing passes non-stop.
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 11:39 AM
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You constantly push 1st class passes on everyone and it's a disservice to all travelers>

Well I heartily disagree with that sentiment and that is the crux of the differences I have with the Fodor mantra, which you have expressed over and over again, that railpasses are rarely cost effective - well when you compare 2nd class fares to the first class pass this may be the case but that IMO is comparing apples to oranges - and even in that scenario after some of your 'railpasses are rarely cost-effective in Italy' I did indeed show that that was not the case - even comparing 2nd class fares to 1st class passes.

I consider it a service to combat the Fodor mantra that 1- 2nd class is just as good as first class

and 2- that railpasses are always a waste of money, which in the past has been your mantra and you constantly in threads like this only point out the negatives of a pass and never the positives (which extend beyond simple price) - such as in many countries the ability to just hop on any train anytime - just show up.

And i strongly believe that, if there are enough rail trips envisioned, a first class ticket or pass is the way to go and feel strongly that those who say, like you often say, that 2nd class is boutt as good as first class, are the ones doing a disservice. For locals who travel a lot WITHOUt lots of luggage then yes I would too go 2nd class because of the cost savings - but for the average traveler on the trip of a lifetime splurge a bit and apply the same criteria to rail travel as you do to hotels and eating - you can get a perfectly filling meal at McDonalds but most would rather splurge at a proper restaurant, etc.

so we agree to disagree.
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 11:39 AM
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You constantly push 1st class passes on everyone and it's a disservice to all travelers>

Well I heartily disagree with that sentiment and that is the crux of the differences I have with the Fodor mantra, which you have expressed over and over again, that railpasses are rarely cost effective - well when you compare 2nd class fares to the first class pass this may be the case but that IMO is comparing apples to oranges - and even in that scenario after some of your 'railpasses are rarely cost-effective in Italy' I did indeed show that that was not the case - even comparing 2nd class fares to 1st class passes.

I consider it a service to combat the Fodor mantra that 1- 2nd class is just as good as first class

and 2- that railpasses are always a waste of money, which in the past has been your mantra and you constantly in threads like this only point out the negatives of a pass and never the positives (which extend beyond simple price) - such as in many countries the ability to just hop on any train anytime - just show up.

And i strongly believe that, if there are enough rail trips envisioned, a first class ticket or pass is the way to go and feel strongly that those who say, like you often say, that 2nd class is boutt as good as first class, are the ones doing a disservice. For locals who travel a lot WITHOUt lots of luggage then yes I would too go 2nd class because of the cost savings - but for the average traveler on the trip of a lifetime splurge a bit and apply the same criteria to rail travel as you do to hotels and eating - you can get a perfectly filling meal at McDonalds but most would rather splurge at a proper restaurant, etc.

so we agree to disagree.
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 04:46 PM
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PalenQ is absolutely correct. I will purchase a 6 day Germany Austria pass to use when I go to Europe in May. I spent a leisurely morning last Monday researching special fares for the trips I plan to take. As I have ranted on this and other forums,"DO THE MATH." I discovered that the cost of my trips were about $40.00 less than the pass. I decided to go with the pass for the added flexibility. I also enjoy the elbow room one has in first class. There have also been times when I traveled by train in Germany using only savings fares and Lander tickets. Remember there is no one size that fits all
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 09:27 PM
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Thanks for all the opinions! We are using passes because we like the convenience, but I am finding that almost all of our travel requires advance reservations. This does make it less convenient, but I still am glad to have the pass. last year we traveled mostly in Switzerland by train and it was fabulous to have the pass. This trip is more complicated and more countries, so we will see how it works. Regardless, I am sure we will have a wonderful time! Thanks again for the advice. PS I will always travel first class if I can!
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 10:49 PM
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I agree with the advice to "do the math" and to compare apples to apples.

We are taking train trips in France on 5 days this summer. The advance purchase Prems tickets that I purchased online from SNCF total $200 per person (first class on the 2 longest trips, 2nd class on the one and two-hour trips).

Individual tickets for the same trips (all 2nd class) from RailEurope would total $430.

A 5 day France rail pass would be $316 for 2nd class or $388 for 1st class. Required seat reservations for this itinerary range from $11 to $14 to $27, for a total of an additional $63.

For this itinerary, the rail pass is a better deal than individual tickets from RailEurope (especially the 1st class pass). A pass would be an even better deal than RailEurope's individual tickets if one planned to travel for more days (up to 10).

Since I knew my exact itinerary 3 months in advance, for me the online Prems tickets from SNCF were the best deal, because they were at least $175 cheaper (per person) than a pass.

Under some circumstances, I would consider a pass -- if I were staying in France for a longer time, wanted to take several train trips (especially round trips on one day), had a flexible schedule (or would be okay with regional trains if TGV seats weren't available), and did not want to make plans far in advance. Given the small price difference, I'd certainly choose the 1st class pass over the 2nd class pass.
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Old Mar 24th, 2011, 11:58 PM
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I appreciate all opinions -- "mantras" annoy me and I think they do a disservice to many. Although we chose to buy second class passes for our trip to Switzerland, I appreciated the considered opinions of those who preferred first class because I was able to gauge in which ways the first class passes were superior(for us, we just had to cut corners somewhere and I think most people will agree -- even if you have to scrimp in order to go (or eat at McDonalds) -- just go!).

Thanks to everybody who posts -- I really think those who do provide a service and enhance the travel experiences of all of us.
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Old Mar 25th, 2011, 05:28 AM
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"Gare du Nord from Gare de l´Est is a 5 minute walk. Taking longer means you stopped somewhere en route and shopped."

No, it means we have our dog along and either she's stopped to sniff something or people have stopped us so they can admire her.
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