I'm heading to Europe on July 7-24 and I'm wondering how far in advance I need to make train reservations. (I noticed someone asked about May, but I suspect July will be a lot busier)

I'm going from Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam-Hanover-Munich-Vienna-Bern(overnight train)-Paris. My first segment is 4 days after I arrive in Paris...if I make all the reservations when I get to Paris, will that be too late? (or too early?)

To anyone who can advise me here, thanks a bunch!

(Forgot to mention...I'm planning to get a rail pass.)

Hi hurricane,

You can make at least some of your reservations online now.

The advantage to doing it early is that you might get discount fares.

For trains originating or terminating in France go to
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_

For trains originating or terminating in Germany go to
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

For Holland try
http://www.ns.nl/international/index.cgi

In Switzerland it's
http://www.rail.ch/index_e.htm

Not all sites will let you buy international tickets online.

Since you are getting a railpass and don't have to worry about fares, I would wait until you get to Paris. In fact, you may HAVE to. I would not worry at all about the Brussels and Amsterdam leg, since Thalys runs frequent trains on this route. However, on your other routes, particularly when overnight travel is involved, make your reservations ASAP.

I meant, make your reservations ASAP when you get to Paris and are sure of your departure dates.

>...I'm planning to get a rail pass.<

Thank the good lord you told us.

Before you do that, go to www.railsaver.com and enter your itinerary. Click the "only if it saves me money button".

Remember that for all of the high speed trains that require reservations that you will have to pay a supplement of about 12E for each reservation.

Can one make reservations in, say Amsterdam, for a Barcelona to Madrid trip? or in Paris for a Frankfurt to Zurich trip? Is this done at the rail station or at a ticket office elsewhere? Thanks..

Ira may be slightly incorrect about the price of those reservations on high-speed trains..the reservations may be cheaper than 12E if you buy them over THERE. If you get them in the US from an agency here the going price is about $11 EACH for re for "premier" trains.
I responded to your other post already.
You can generally make reservations no sooner than 60 days out (sometimes as much as 90 but that is rare).
I totally agree with the necessity of making any night train reservations as soon as possible after you arrive in Europe, as in the same day you get there.