Skip to main content
Answer

Seat reservations

  • April 15, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 94 views

I’m forever grateful for all the help I’ve gotten from you users today, and since you know so much, I wanted to ask you a few more questions. These are regarding the seat reservations as well. You told me that it is not possible to buy seat reservations fore some regional trains, are these included?: Chur - zeurich Hb (19.11-20.48 11 July 2025), berlin Hbf - Magdeburg Hbg (0.44-02.37 13 July 2025) (I have been told that this is a regional train), Magdeburg Hbf - Uelzen (04.47-06.41 13 July 2025), Uelzen - Hamburg Hbf (07.04 - 08.03 13 July 2025), Fredericia - Slagelse (12.15 - 14.10 13 July 2025)

 

Also please tell me if you think it’s stupid that we sometimes only have 20 minutes in between arrival and departure. We struggled to find other alternatives that would cost us many more hours.

Best answer by BrendanDB

I’m forever grateful for all the help I’ve gotten from you users today, and since you know so much, I wanted to ask you a few more questions. These are regarding the seat reservations as well. You told me that it is not possible to buy seat reservations fore some regional trains, are these included?: Chur - zeurich Hb (19.11-20.48 11 July 2025), berlin Hbf - Magdeburg Hbg (0.44-02.37 13 July 2025) (I have been told that this is a regional train), Magdeburg Hbf - Uelzen (04.47-06.41 13 July 2025), Uelzen - Hamburg Hbf (07.04 - 08.03 13 July 2025), Fredericia - Slagelse (12.15 - 14.10 13 July 2025)

 

Also please tell me if you think it’s stupid that we sometimes only have 20 minutes in between arrival and departure. We struggled to find other alternatives that would cost us many more hours.

 

All regional, no seat reservations needed.

Although I wonder why you would travel in the middle of the night on regional trains? That’s just not comfortable and genuinly a bad idea. You’ll be utterly exhausted the day after.

Just take an ICE in the evening on 12/07 from Berlin to Hamburg, only optional reservations, so you can just hop on with your pass and find a free seat. Last train goes at 22:38, every hour there’s a direct connection at about the same hour. (Or go directly from Zürich to Hamburg, skipping Berlin and leave it for a next holiday)

Book a hostel or hotel in Hamburg, close to the station and enjoy a the night in a proper bed. Not worth it to spend the night on regional trains with mediocre seats, and a two hour layover in the middle of the night in Magdeburg.

20 min are usually fine, especially when there are other, later trains to get to your destination. Plan more buffer for infrequent, important trains, you don’t want to miss (e.g. night trains, once in a day connections, trains that easily sell out like Eurostar, TGV’s France-Spain...)  

2 replies

  • Full steam ahead
  • April 16, 2025

Hi. In Switzerland seat reservation doesn't worth. I check the one from Berlin to Magdeburg hbg on July 13 but sorry I don't understand what time you are asking but in any case I've seen there's some without reservation and other with "optional reservation". I can't tell how crowded that route could be to advice if you should pay for the reservation or not. I hope someone here can tell. In the eurail app you can always see if there's optional seat reservation, mandatory and if it doesn't says anything it means you can just get in the train. 

I don't think 20 minutes it's stupid. It's actually a good idea because I'm Germany you can get some delays in Switzerland not so much but 20 is good, you can take your time to take the next train 


BrendanDB
Full steam ahead
Forum|alt.badge.img+8
  • Full steam ahead
  • Answer
  • April 16, 2025

I’m forever grateful for all the help I’ve gotten from you users today, and since you know so much, I wanted to ask you a few more questions. These are regarding the seat reservations as well. You told me that it is not possible to buy seat reservations fore some regional trains, are these included?: Chur - zeurich Hb (19.11-20.48 11 July 2025), berlin Hbf - Magdeburg Hbg (0.44-02.37 13 July 2025) (I have been told that this is a regional train), Magdeburg Hbf - Uelzen (04.47-06.41 13 July 2025), Uelzen - Hamburg Hbf (07.04 - 08.03 13 July 2025), Fredericia - Slagelse (12.15 - 14.10 13 July 2025)

 

Also please tell me if you think it’s stupid that we sometimes only have 20 minutes in between arrival and departure. We struggled to find other alternatives that would cost us many more hours.

 

All regional, no seat reservations needed.

Although I wonder why you would travel in the middle of the night on regional trains? That’s just not comfortable and genuinly a bad idea. You’ll be utterly exhausted the day after.

Just take an ICE in the evening on 12/07 from Berlin to Hamburg, only optional reservations, so you can just hop on with your pass and find a free seat. Last train goes at 22:38, every hour there’s a direct connection at about the same hour. (Or go directly from Zürich to Hamburg, skipping Berlin and leave it for a next holiday)

Book a hostel or hotel in Hamburg, close to the station and enjoy a the night in a proper bed. Not worth it to spend the night on regional trains with mediocre seats, and a two hour layover in the middle of the night in Magdeburg.

20 min are usually fine, especially when there are other, later trains to get to your destination. Plan more buffer for infrequent, important trains, you don’t want to miss (e.g. night trains, once in a day connections, trains that easily sell out like Eurostar, TGV’s France-Spain...)