Most Interrail travelers take at least 1 high-speed train or night train to cover long distances quickly. To find trains that don't require reservations you can use our Rail Planner app on a mobile device. Make sure to tick the 'No reservation needed' box when searching for trains.

To avoid paying extra for seat reservations on an Interrail or Eurail trip in 2026, you should prioritize Regional (R), Local (L), and InterRegional (IR) trains over high-speed or international ones. High-speed networks like the French TGV, Italian Frecciarossa, and Spanish AVE almost always require mandatory reservations that cost between €10 and €20. You can easily filter for reservation-free routes using the Rail Planner App by toggling the "No reservation needed" filter in the search settings. While this may double your travel time—for example, taking several regional trains from Paris to Nice instead of one direct TGV—it saves money and offers a more flexible "hop-on, hop-off" experience. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, even many high-speed trains (like the ICE or RJ) make reservations optional, meaning you can board and sit in any unreserved seat for free. The key is to avoid international "sleeper" trains and French/Spanish high-speed lines, which are the strictest. Instead, use the slower, scenic regional networks that connect smaller towns and provide a more authentic view of the European countryside.