Tickets from Bern to Lille

Question

HiFirst Lesson learntInterrail planner says “Reservation Optional” PLS IGNORE THIS.  I have been planning my journey for past 2/3 months - It was just by chance I looked at the country own web site. It was then I found out NO SEATS Available on a train I planned to take, just as well I checked, yet inter rail planner says I am all good to go , and I dont need to make any seat reservation. HELP FROM THE COMMUNITYWith above issues in mind, I re visited all  my plans and rather then believing what the app is telling me , I went onto the country web site.This is where my disbelief just stated.Trying to reserve 2 seats from Basel to Lille The swiss train web site will not give me the options for inter rail pass.The inter rail planner - if I go via them , then it is saying in order to reserve seats - It will cost me sub 100 Euros Surely this cant be correct ?Especially I have purchased 1st Class interrail pass - Surely I cant then be expected to pay additional 100 Euros - Am i being naive  or am I doing something wrong hereTrain in questionDate: 6th June depart Basel at 07.21 Appreciate if somebody could pls point me the righr direction

rvdborgt · Accepted Answer

Optional reservation doesn’t mean seats will always be available. It's up to you to decide if you want to book a seat or not.

As to your journey Basel-Lille on 6 June:

Basel-Strasbourg can't be reserved. 1st class should have enough seats and is usually at the front of the train.

Strasbourg-Paris Est and Paris Nord-Lille have mandatory reservations. Strasbourg-Paris however is already fully booked

The next possibility is de 8:34 departure from Basel (change in Paris), which would be €39 + €10 = €49 per person (so €98 for 2) because the direct TGVs from Switserland are very expensive for pass holders. You can circumvent that by using a regional train to Mulhouse and boarding the TGV only there, but there's no 2 seats available anymore from Mulhouse.

Next one is Basel dep. 8:51, Strasbourg 10:09

Strasbourg 10:31, Paris Est 12:16 (€20)

Paris Nord dep. 13:15, Lille 14:18. (€10)

Total costs for 2 persons: €60.

6 June is the Friday before the long Whitsun weekend and it will therefore be very busy. Best place to book is raileurope.com.

Al_G · Answer

I have no idea where you saw that suggested reservations were not required for French high speed trains, this is just not correct.

You have already been given this link in a previous topic but I will post it again.

https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

It will tell you where to look for reservations for all countries.

For Basel - Lille; no reservations are possible Basel - Strasbourg, you will then have to reserve Strasbourg - Paris Est and Paris Nord - Lille, these will cost either €10 or €20 per seat per train. The best place to book is www.raileurope.com

Not finding what you're looking for?

Sign up

Social Login

Login to the community

Social Login

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded