InterRail Forum

[Peter]

How to buy RESERVATIONS and SUPPLEMENTS for European trains



Reservation via Internet
You can try to buy a reservation via www.railpass-shop.com. Use the option "City to City" ticket and select "I have a railpass" or "only reservation". If you get no error and connections are listed, you can buy the reservation there. But the booking system is complicate ("in time" reservations...) so it won't work every time and not on every connection. Some rail companies (especially for night trains) also offer on their website the possibility to buy reservations - but often you won't find the special InterRail fares.


GERMANY
Book nearly all day/night train connections starting or ending in Germany online:
Just do it the way like mentioned here for the CNL - see RESERVATION:
cnl-city-night-line-train-t3736.html


ITALY
Book nearly all day/night train connections starting or ending in Italy online:
italy-train-supplement-online-booking-t2949.html


FINLAND
Book nearly all day/night trains in online:
helsinki-turku-kemi-rovaniemi-night-train-t2948.html


SWEDEN / NORWAY
Book now nearly all day/night train connections in online:
sweden-night-trains-t1359.html


FRANCE
Information about day trains (TGV):
tgv-reservation-peak-period-t2344.html



Reservation at a station
You can buy a reservation at a station. But you don't have to do it by new at every station you change your train. If you start in Rome and want to travel to Berlin, you will change in Munich. So you can already ask in Rome for a reservation for Rome to Munich and for Munich to Berlin (this is just an example to explain).
Or you arrive on Monday in Berlin and will leave to Prague on Thursday. Then the best solution is to buy your reservation (if you need or want one) already on Monday just after arriving at the station in Berlin. Then you can relax ...

Attention (FRANCE):
Since July 1st SNCF charges a 5€ allowance for all reservations being made at train stations outside of France. This 5€ are to be paid regardless how many reservations you make at a time.
You'll get an extra affirmation that you have to carry with you and eventually show the SNCF conductors.



Directly in a train (not recommended)
You can try to "just jump into a train" without a reservation - even if a reservation is needed. Then there are the following options:
- you have to buy a reservation/supplement in the train (it is more expensive than at a station).
- you have to leave the train at the next station as the train is full.





The system for reservations/supplements is the same for day and night trains.
Do not book to much reservation in advance because you are fixed on trains you choose. You will lose a bit the feeling of freedom. For some trains it is useful to buy the supplement/reservation in advance... especially for trains which really need a reservation like night trains or in France the TGV (only a limited number of seats available per train)





You can always find trains for which you won't need a reservation or a supplement!!!
Have a look on: http://www.interrail.net/english/supplements.php for the supplements.
Train schedules: rail-timetable-europe-train-schedule-t1025.html




For the night trains have a look at the country topics of our forum.




update: February 2010

[Luca]

Hello! I have a question specifically regarding reservations for CNL trains.

Can the same reservation be used either with a regular ticket or with an Interrail pass?

I bought a reservation for a berth in CNL 312 (from Vienna) at a travel agency in Belgrade. I specified that the reservation should be valid with an Interrail pass that I am going to buy later. They told me that it was irrelevant to the reservation system they use.

Now I am afraid that this reservation is valid only with the regular ticket and not with an Interrail pass. In other words, that once in the train in Vienna, I would be asked to pay an extra supplement for CNL, or to buy a regular ticket, or even not be let in the train.

I ask this specifically for CNL trains because I was told that they somehow differ in the Interrail system. In general, are there trains within Interrail that I need a special reservation for, or there is only one sort of reservation whether I have a single ticket or an Interrail pass?

I apologise if my question has been already answered on a topic, since I have not enough time to search the posts.

Thanks in advance.

[Peter]

hej ... a good question ...
it depends on the train... some companies or special trains like the night trains have special global fares. and on some trains the supplement is the same... either for a normal rail ticket or for an InterRail pass plus reservation.
how much you had to pay (in EUR) for which category?

[Luca]

I paid 30EUR for 1 berth in 4-berth couchette in CNL 312 (Vienna-Cologne) train.

Do I need an additional supplement with my Interrail pass apart this reservation?

My main concern is that somehow my reservation ticket does not comply with my Interral pass (that I don't have yet).

[Luca]

Just to add that on the reservation the price is filled in local currency, with no reference to its EUR equivalent.

[Peter]

that's no problem that there is no EUR fare printed on the ticket. it was only for me easier to compare.

and no panic ... you have the right reservation!!
see also here to compare: cnl-city-night-line-train-t3736.html

[Luca]

Thank you Peter for prompt (and reassuiring) answer!

I once heard that some train companies have only limited number of seats/berths available for reservation with the Internet pass. Since, the travel agency where I bought CNL reservation could not specify, while booking, that it should apply to Interrail pass, I am still a bit concerned that I got one valid only with a single (regular) ticket. Can you confirm that there is no special code on CNL reservation that differs in case of Interrail pass. Sorry to bother you with this, but this is my first-time with CNL trains.

[Luca]

edit: Interrail pass not "Internet pass"

[dizzychick]

Ok, I just tried to book a reservation for a TGV train only to get all the way to the end and be told that I have to pay £7 (GBP) for the reservation to be delivered! this is on top of the £6.50 I have to pay for the actual reservation. Is this right? Is there another site that I can make a reservation to be printed out, avoiding the £7 postage, which to be honest seems a little steep as I ticked the standard delivery box which will cost all of 30p to send!

[Peter]

hi Luca ... I don't know if there is a difference ... but I am sure it will work as it is the same price!


@dizzychick ... that's what I say... the cheapest way is to buy a reservation at a station... and about the postal fees: it is a secure delivery (not a normal letter) and you have to calculate the time of the people printing the ticket, searching the connection, sending the letter.....
and there is no cheaper way ... only at a station...

[spud402]

ok so at naples station on sunday the guy told us there were no couchettes or sleepers left for our interrail passes, but ive just looked on railpassshop and there are both available! whats the deal there...have we beem lied too and is it possible to still get a couchette even tho we have only got normal seats now, we feel cheated as we wanted a couchette! P.S travellers beware - naples station/staff is very unfriendly!

[Peter]

there is often a limited number for interrailers. as they don't really earn money with them directly !!
so maybe the person was as well in bad mood and just don't wanted to sell the special interrail places (too complicate on the system and too lazy).
so if you can order them via railpass-shop.com to the interrail fare, you can use them !!

[zlaty]

Im not sure i got this right so if I want to travel with a night direct train from Vienna to Zürich do i have to book in advance and if i have to how am I supposed to do that... this question is just to be sure that i don`t have to pay anything additional to the interrail ticket and i can`t tell you the exact date because I intend to start my trip some time next year so thx in advance!!

greets zlaty

[Peter]

you are talking about this train: zurich-vienna-night-train-t1448.html
buy it as mentioned above. if you are travelling next year, book it next year as you need to know the exact day. have fun.

[flagpolecorner]

Hi, I'm wondering if it cheaper to buy tickets and reservations at departing train stations than online?

Also I have already got reservations for the first two legs of my journey (Prague-Krakow-Bratislava) as I thought I would be buying a railpass but I am now thinking city-city individual tickets would be cheaper and easier? If I buy a ticket in Prague will it be a little cheaper than the usual ticket+reservation since I already have a reservation?

Thanks

[Peter]

hi ...
it is in most case cheaper to buy a reservation at the station of the departure of your train. the only problem is, that you often need your reservations in advance - as especially in the summer months, trains are booked out.
if you buy a city-to-city ticket in Prague, it won't be cheaper - it is the same price - the only difference: you have already your reservation so don't need it again, like you said.
and depending on the distances you travel, city-to-city tickets might be cheaper... you have to calculate it !!
have fun, Peter

[flagpolecorner]

Yeah you're right. I've been checking the online websites for city-city tickets brings up a price of £40 for Prague-Krakow, £35 for Krakow-Bratislava and £72 for Vienna-Venice. Since i've already got some reservations, the railpass works out cheaper (just) but someone told me that tickets will be cheaper if bought in person from train stations so I wasn't sure.

Thanks

[hrafnhilduryr]

I have been looking at the interrail site to check in which trains I have to have a reservation but I don't really unterstand it

Can I just step in the trains without "checking me in" or something like that? Don't I first need to let them know I will be traveling with/on this train...?

[Peter]

hej...
first select the train connection you want. have a look at the list. is the train on the list, then you have to pay. if not, it is free

[hrafnhilduryr]

Ok so for exemple I am taking the train from Krakow to Budapest overnight and the train number is D 200.

On the list at www.interrail.net are these listed:
TLK EUR 0.80
IC EUR 4.50-6
EC EUR 4.50
Berlin-Warszawa Express special price


So there are no D-trains listed which means I don't have to pay any supplements? Right??

And what about the trains where I don't have to buy any supplements, do I also not have to register somewhere or tell them at the station that I will be traveling with this train or can I just hop on?

Thank you so much for your answers, I'm leaving in the morning and I feel like there are still so many things I do not know