Do you need to reserve seats with Eurail Pass?

You can hop on and off trains as you please with your Eurail Pass, but some services may ask you to buy an additional seat reservation. Seat reservations are not included in your Eurail Pass, but for a fee they guarantee you a comfy seat on busy routes across Europe.



Seat reservations are mandatory for many high-speed, international, and night trains when traveling with a Eurail Pass in 2026. While your pass covers the cost of travel, these reservations act as a separate supplement that guarantees you a seat on popular routes like London to Paris (Eurostar), Paris to Barcelona, or domestic TGV lines in France. For standard regional and local trains in countries like Germany, Switzerland, or the UK, reservations are typically not required, and you can simply board any train and sit in any available seat. However, during the busy summer season, even "optional" reservations are highly recommended to avoid standing in the aisles. In 2026, the Eurail Rail Planner app is the most efficient way to check if a specific train requires a reservation; if you see a "seat required" icon, you must book it in advance via the Eurail website or at a local station to avoid fines or being denied boarding.

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You can hop on and off most trains as you please with your Eurail Pass, but some trains ask you to buy an additional seat reservation before you can jump aboard.

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In most circumstances, you must purchase a ticket before you board a train. Most trains require reservations and you should not board reserved trains without a reservation. Passengers who do so are not guaranteed a seat and may be instructed to get off the train at the next station stop.

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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 ask for your passport or ID number for safety and verification that the Pass you are travelling with is actually yours. You may be asked to show your passport or ID card when your Pass is being checked by ticket inspectors, so the number on your Pass should match the number on the passport or ID you are carrying.

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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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Seats are allocated automatically when booking your train ticket. You will also be able to change your seat according to your preferences (aisle seats, windows seats…) and subject to availability.

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To find routes without seat reservations, you can use our Rail Planner app on any mobile device. Make sure to tick the 'No reservation needed' box when searching for trains.

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A Eurail Pass is an all-in-one train ticket giving you flexible access to most trains across Europe. Unlike traditional train tickets, with Eurail, you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. Some trains do ask you to make a reservation, but most trains can be boarded as easily as using one of your travel days.

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Eurail is the name of the consortium that works with all the national rail companies to create the Eurail train pass. Rail Europe is an official reseller of the tickets and passes that Eurail creates. Interrail is the same pass but for Europeans only; Eurail/Rail Europe is for non-Europeans.

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A 1st class Eurail Pass is more expensive than a 2nd class Eurail Pass, but it also gives you access to seats with more space and extras that can even include food and beverages.

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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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In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.

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