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Reservation required

  • 20 August 2023
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   Hello

 Thx for any help to the following, much appreciated.

  1. If a person has a first class Eurail Pass but the route has to be reserved and only 2nd class reservations are available, would that person have any chance of sitting in first class? [My wife heard your bags are more secure in first class?] We are first timers.

       2) If a route is recommended to buy reservations but not required and they are no                       reservations available would that mean the Train is full or do they only sell a limited                 amount of reservations?

          I live in a community with Ferries and they sell way too many reservations in peak                    season (cash grab).

 

      Thx for any help.  Brian

 

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Best answer by thibcabe 20 August 2023, 23:44

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Which train and date ? You'll have to give more info if you want precise advice. The train you're looking may not be full but for example not contain a 1st class carriage instead.

It is not a problem to buy a 2nd class reservation with a 1st class pass but you'll logically sit in 2nd class.

Seat reservations are optional on most European tickets and when you buy a ticket you're not tied to a seat or often not even to a specific train. You board and sit wherever you want. 1st class is never full so don't worry about that. But for peace of mind you can make free 1st class optional reservations through tickets.oebb.at : add Eurail as a discount and select one-way tickets. This works in Germany, Austria, Czechia, Hungary,...

Sometimes seat reservations are simply not possible (all regional trains + in Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands).

Btw theft is really rare and there's no difference on security between 1st and 2nd class at all since one can walk throughout the train. There is luggage space above your head, between the seats and near the doors. If you're worried you can have a look at your luggage at stops but otherwise don't worry.

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Thx for all the info. Much appreciated. 

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Forgot to mention. I have already booked and paid for two reservations on Trains that recommend reservations but they are not required. I booked through the Eurail website. I was only able to book 2nd class on both. Should these have been free because I have a 1st class global Eurail pass? Am I out of luck for a refund or for at least changing to 1st class if available.?​​​​​​

  1.  Sept. 11, Amsterdam (central) to Berlin (hbf), 09:10am, train # IC143
  2.  Sept. 14  Berlin (hbf) to Prague (Hlavani Nadrazi), 11:01, train # EC379

  Thx for any info. Cheers, Brian

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Yes exactly those are available for free on ÖBB.

You could contact Eurail customer support for a refund but you're not entitled to one. At least make new ones for free for sure.

https://eurail.zendesk.com/hc/en-001/requests/new

As reservations are optional on those trains you can of course board and find a free seat in 1st class too (but for peace of mind use ÖBB).

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Thx for all the help!!!!

 

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I may be doing something wrong. I tried to do a reservation, Vienna to Venice. I was on OBB, I put discount in and put in reservation only. It came up with a charge, not large? It might be the country involved? I will try another route.

 

    Cheers, Brian

 

 

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I may be doing something wrong. I tried to do a reservation, Vienna to Venice. I was on OBB, I put discount in and put in reservation only. It came up with a charge, not large? It might be the country involved? I will try another route.

 

    Cheers, Brian

 

 

 

On OBB to get the free 1st class reservations you need to add interrail/eurail discount and search for one way tickets NOT seat only.

On that route and other RJ/EC to/from Italy from Austria and Switzerland there is a passholder supplement so it costs €15 in 1st class with reservation. If you just get the reservation at €3 you will be required to pay the €15 supplement on-board.

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Got it! I was clicking on “reservation only” instead of “one way ticket”, all good now! 
 

Your help greatly appreciated! 

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