We are a family of 7. We only plan to travel on 2-3 day trips from Paris (Chantilly one day, Amiens another), and then the over night train on July 10th from Paris to Nice. Tickets are 160 Euro per person for that over night train so I planned to buy a Eurail pass for all of us for the overnight train at least. Not sure if we need a 3 day pass or just a one day pass for the night train, as the other trips are quite short. But I read that seat reservations for the night trains are limited for Eurail pass holders - How can I work out if the overnight train has space for us before I buy the Eurail pass? I don’t want to buy a pass then find I can’t book the seats for the trip I have planned! Thanks for your help
Answer
How to check reservations for night train are available before I buy a Eurail pass?
Best answer by ralderton
You can check availability for these reservations on https://www.raileurope.com
Use the desktop, not mobile, website, and add the pass in the search box.
It should be €20 per person for the couchettes.
It should, somehow, be possible to book 2x 4-person couchette compartments using Espace Privatif.
No they're not limited for passholders. As long as there are tickets you can book passholder fares.
However with 7 you'll likely have to share with others: with a 1st class pass, 4 together + 3 and 1 stranger. With a 2nd class pass 6 together and 1 alone. Something like that.
+8You can check availability for these reservations on https://www.raileurope.com
Use the desktop, not mobile, website, and add the pass in the search box.
It should be €20 per person for the couchettes.
It should, somehow, be possible to book 2x 4-person couchette compartments using Espace Privatif.
These are bookable via Raileurope, the interrail/eurail reservation service or NMBS, Raileurope doesn’t have any booking fee, NMBS has a €4 booking fee per order, interrail/eurail has a €2 per person per train fee. The first two only require a pass number when paying for them, not for looking for availability. So this way you can check availability, and if you log into raileurope you can reserve these beds for a week I think? By keeping it in your basket.
It should, somehow, be possible to book 2x 4-person couchette compartments using Espace Privatif.
It isn’t on raileurope, but adding another person and entering one of your own pass numbers also works
These are bookable via Raileurope, the interrail/eurail reservation service or NMBS, Raileurope doesn’t have any booking fee, NMBS has a €4 booking fee per order, interrail/eurail has a €2 per person per train fee. The first two only require a pass number when paying for them, not for looking for availability. So this way you can check availability, and if you log into raileurope you can reserve these beds for a week I think? By keeping it in your basket.
It should, somehow, be possible to book 2x 4-person couchette compartments using Espace Privatif.
It isn’t on raileurope, but adding another person and entering one of your own pass numbers also works
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it. Can you explain again how on raileurope, I can book 2 x 4-person couchette - I wondered if I should book 4 people in one booking, then 3 in a separate booking? But would be nice to have the rooms close together.
These are bookable via Raileurope, the interrail/eurail reservation service or NMBS, Raileurope doesn’t have any booking fee, NMBS has a €4 booking fee per order, interrail/eurail has a €2 per person per train fee. The first two only require a pass number when paying for them, not for looking for availability. So this way you can check availability, and if you log into raileurope you can reserve these beds for a week I think? By keeping it in your basket.
It should, somehow, be possible to book 2x 4-person couchette compartments using Espace Privatif.
It isn’t on raileurope, but adding another person and entering one of your own pass numbers also works
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it. Can you explain again how on raileurope, I can book 2 x 4-person couchette - I wondered if I should book 4 people in one booking, then 3 in a separate booking? But would be nice to have the rooms close together.
You just add 8 passengers and make one booking in one go
Be sure to double check before paying that you are in the same compartment! You can recognise this if the first “seat” number is the same, and the carriage number.
for example; this is a full first class compartment that I have booked:
Thank you for all your help!
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