Do you have to reserve a seat on Eurail?

If you're planning to see a lot in a short amount of time on your Eurail trip, then you'll most likely need to buy some seat reservations for high-speed routes before you go. You can see which trains require a reservation in our timetable, or you can check by country or by train type.



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Because some trains are more expensive than others, or historically have received less income from Eurail/Interrail to cover the large amount of passholders making use of those trains (Spain and France mainly). Reservations are usually a fraction of the cost of regular 1st class tickets, with some exceptions.

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We advise you to start making reservations at least 2 months in advance. Many high-speed and night trains can already be reserved from 3 months in advance, and will get fully booked in that period.

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Reservations are required on: Sleeping accommodations on all overnight trains. High-Speed Trains (e.g. Eurostar, TGV, TAV, Thalys) Long Distance and Express Trains in Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

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Your seat will be automatically assigned when you complete your reservation. You may change your assigned seat and choose a different seat at any time after your booking is complete by viewing your reservation in the Amtrak app or on Amtrak.com.

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If you do not purchase a seat assignment, one will be randomly assigned free of charge. However, your party may be separated.

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Skipping seat selection doesn't mean you won't get a seat on the flight. You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don't pay for one. Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the upgrade hack” below).

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On all trains covered by Interrail/Eurail: No, just as long as you can carry it. Be aware stowing away large suitcases on busy trains can be a bit difficult, but there often are luggage racks. There are some exceptions on “low-cost” trains, that I know: Ouigo (France & Spain) and Avlo (Spain).

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Train tickets can get fully booked in Italy, so booking well in advance is extremely important near the Italian holidays as trains book up quickly with Italian locals and tourists competing to book their train travel during these times.

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Some trains require seat reservations, and on other trains it's optional. If you're riding a train on which reservations are only recommended or completely optional and you don't have a reservation, you can sit in any available seat in the appropriate class you have booked.

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"Seat Reservation" is an additional service offered by Trenitalia and is offered on a voluntary basis and not required to complete the train booking.

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If you book a flight and don't choose specific seats, the airline will assign you a seat at check-in. Depending on the airline, you may be able to select a seat online for free or for a fee. Some airlines may also assign you a seat at the gate.

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Here's how the 7pm rule works If your overnight train is leaving after 7pm then you can put in the following day's date on your rail pass and use one rather than two days of travel for the overnight trip.

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