I wanted to reserve a seat from Paris to Brest, I got a link http://travel.b-europe.com/Eurail-GE/en/booking-tgv which charges 20+4(service fees) Euro, https://www.raileurope.com/ charges 20+2 Euros, and Interrail app shows 12 Euro
I do not know the logic, can I trust the interrail app, will they add any additional cost before final payment?
Also, is there any rush to reserve the seat in this route? If I book the seat now, can I cancel the reservation?
Best answer by ralderton
There is some logic, but it’s not always obvious!
The TGV reservations are either €10 or €20, depending on availability: €10 for the first few reservations on each train, then €20 for the rest of the seats.
Then there’s a booking fee. €2 per ticket if you buy it through Interrail, €2 at Rail Europe (although €0 if you bought your pass through them) and €4 per basket at B-Europe.
The prices shown in the Interrail search are usually ‘from’ prices, without live availability. Rail Europe & B-Europe are showing live prices.
Conclusion: the reservation will cost €20, wherever you buy it from, plus booking fee.
There’s not a massive rush, but it doesn’t hurt to book it now. since these trains can fill up. You can cancel and you get the reservation cost back (but not the booking fee). Rail Europe handles cancellations very well. Interrail less so.
If you find any availability at €10, it’s definitely worth buying now.
+9There is some logic, but it’s not always obvious!
The TGV reservations are either €10 or €20, depending on availability: €10 for the first few reservations on each train, then €20 for the rest of the seats.
Then there’s a booking fee. €2 per ticket if you buy it through Interrail, €2 at Rail Europe (although €0 if you bought your pass through them) and €4 per basket at B-Europe.
The prices shown in the Interrail search are usually ‘from’ prices, without live availability. Rail Europe & B-Europe are showing live prices.
Conclusion: the reservation will cost €20, wherever you buy it from, plus booking fee.
There’s not a massive rush, but it doesn’t hurt to book it now. since these trains can fill up. You can cancel and you get the reservation cost back (but not the booking fee). Rail Europe handles cancellations very well. Interrail less so.
If you find any availability at €10, it’s definitely worth buying now.
+9The Seat61 website is the best place to figure out reservation costs, country by country, without having to search for availability.
https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm
Also note that the Rail Planner app does not say the reservation is €12, but rather from €12.
You can book without a booking fee at a ticket office in France, or by calling SNCF:
https://www.sncf-voyageurs.com/en/contact-us/our-contact-points/by-telephone/
Press #85 for English.
Thanks for your answer, it make sense, I checked there are some options with 10 Euro, problem is that I have not purchased the pass yet and it asks for the pass number, any solution for this?
You can generate a pass cover number here:
https://www.interrail.eu/en/book-reservations#/generatePassCoverNumber
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Just enter 6 random letters/digits.
Alternatively, call SNCF. You don't need a pass number there.
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