With your Eurail pass, you can hop on and off most regional trains within Europe. However, there are some trains that require a reservation at an additional cost. This normally applies to high-speed, international and night trains.
The French TGV trains, Thalys and ICE trains (ICE between Paris and Frankfurt) have a year-round limited seat allocation for Eurail pass holders. When this allocation has been reached, you’ll have to buy a full-fare ticket. By booking these trains far in advance you should have no problem (trains can be reserved up to 3 months in advance of your travel date). This is especially important for the busy summer season (May-September) and during European school holidays (late October, Christmas, mid-February, Easter, late May), when the continent is full of happy travelers and the seat allocation for pass holders may be fully taken.
Find trains that don't need reservations
To avoid the extra cost of reservations, you could take regional trains to reach your destination. This means that you may need to change trains more frequently or take slower connections. But it will save you money and you’ll get to see extra places, as regional trains make more stops along the way.
Find out on this page how to get the most out of your pass by:
- checking alternative routes between popular destinations
- searching the Deutsche Bahn (DB) timetable for trains without reservations
Alternative routes between popular destinations
Please note: Train durations are approximate and include the time it takes to change between trains. At certain times of the day, timetables may state that a reservation may be recommended for the 'Schnellzug'. The online timetable indicates when a reservation is recommended (the train details will state: ‘Please reserve’).
Search the Deutsche Bahn (DB) timetable for trains without reservations
- Go to the Deutsche Bahn timetable.
- Enter your departure city and destination city.
- Choose ‘All without ICE’. View this list of train routes with connections to trains that all (or mostly) require no reservation.
- If there are still trains showing up that require a reservation you can go back and select ‘only local transport’ which should create a list of routes with no reservations. Journey times could be longer in this list.
It’s always best to check the DB online timetable carefully, to see if the train you want requires a reservation.
Example of an alternative route: Paris – Amsterdam
If you don’t want to take the high-speed Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam, because you want to avoid the extra cost of the reservation or if the seat allocation for Eurail travelers is fully booked for this train (possible during high season) you could take this alternative route:
Paris Nord – Amiens – Lille Flandres – Antwerp Centraal – Amsterdam Centraal
Start the day in Paris with a freshly-baked croissant and then you’re ready for the short train journey to Amiens. Stop for a coffee in this small French town and make sure you pay a quick visit to the charming cathedral. Lille Flandres is your next stop, where you can stretch your legs while taking a look at this historical station – construction of which began in 1869. Then board a train to Antwerp – Belgium’s cool and happening city. Spend a few hours exploring the architectural delights of this city. It’s also a great place to enjoy an authentic Belgian lunch, washed down with a mouth-watering local beer. In the early evening hop back onto the train for the short ride to Amsterdam, in time for a canal-side evening meal! Three countries in one day!
