Which trains are advisable to reserve seats?

For Germany reservations can be advisable if you want seats next to each other and it is busy) Otherwise I would skip them for Germany as you are more flexible that way.

If you get on at the station the train starts from, finding seats even if traveling together should be fine.

Most passes are refundable/ exchangeable, so you should be able to exchange your existing pass for one in the sale, for a €25 fee.

https://www.eurail.com/en/eurail-passes/ordering-info/refund-exchange-policy

(Note, however, that passes bought in the current sale are only exchangeable/ refundable for 7 days, then become non-changeable.)

Hi everyone

I am trying to book the train from Zurich to Modena via Milano (one stop) for 29 June 2026 (so about 10 weeks away). However, all the IC trains from Zurich in 1st class (EC 15, EC 19 EC 21, EC 23, EC 25, EC 27) all say ‘ticket not available’. Does this mean they are all sold out? 

Thank you,

Alison

Not sold out most likely, but not bookable at the moment as there is some issue.

​@Alison Dell You can either take the reservation free regional train from lugano to milano(only a bit slower if you want to save money) or just reserve only the part with mandatory reservation as that is still possible. (Depending on how important that train is for your connection in Milano.

Thanks Marvin. We are looking today. It looks like that all the Eurail allocated seats on all the EC trains are sold out. When we look on the OEBB site directly (and don’t put our Eurail pass details in), full price tickets become available. We are questioning the value of buying our 1st class Eurail passes.

​@Alison Dell 

Could you indicate us the route, day and time of departure? Otherwise, we cannot give you an advice.

thanks Danhiel,

We are trying to book tickets on Monday 29 June from Zurich to Modena, and trying to do only one change (Milan). However, on the OBB website on all these trains (from Zurich to Milano), it says, 'ticket not available'. These are for EC 15, EC 19, EC 21, EC 23 and EC 25 (i.e. trains departing from early in the morning to the afternoon). 

When we go to the OEBB website and try and buy tickets WITHOUT a Eurail option, then tickets become available. So, does this mean that the allocation for Eurail passes are sold out?

It looks like we will have to make 2 or more stops with the regional trains.

Thank you for your help!

Alison

​@Alison Dell 

It is a known technical problem..Currently you can reserve seats only from Chiasso to Milano but you can take the EC train in Zurich. No reservation is mandatory in Switzerland.

Thank you. I think by that you mean if we reserve seats from Chiasso to Milano, we can get on in Zurich, and because the train is non-stop from Zurich to Milano, then we will have seats?

I have just tried to reserve a seat from Chiasso to Milano on an EC train and this still does not work.  See screenshot below:

Also, then when I try and buy the ticket on the SBB website, there is no option to reserve a seat with Eurail pass, so the only option is to pay for a seat. It’s very frustrating. Help please!

There are no pass holder quota on these trains, you'll only find that on Eurostar (all routes) and TGV from/to Brussels.

Chiasso-Milan indeed doesn't seem to be bookable on the Eurail website. It does work on raileurope.com:

The best overview of where and how to book reservations is this page:
https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

Personally, if I'm just travelling Zurich-Milan that day, I'd use one of the reservation-free options with a change in Lugano, e.g. (see sbb.ch):

Or if you have some more time, use a train over the Gotthard mountain route. It takes longer but the view are worth it, e.g.:

No reservations needed.

Oh thanks, that’s so useful. We’ve just booked a train from Zurich to Bellinzona leaving Zurich at 0905. We arrive at Bellinzona but then we can’t book a train from Bellinzona to Milan, but we’ve managed to book a train from Milano to Modena, leaving Milan at 1348. 

This whole system is very confusing. Thanks for your suggestion of the Gotthard pass though - that should be a very beautiful train trip.

Sorry - disregard above.

On the 29th June, we have put in our cart, but NOT yet purchased:

-IC 865 0905 Zurich-Bellinzona, then TRN 2413 1104 Bellinzona-Cadenazzo

-RE 25519 11:39 Cadenazzo to Milan, and then IC 597 Milan to Modena, departing Milan at 1348.

We have put these in our cart but not purchased them yet. Would you recommend this as a good route (through the Gotthard Pass?)

Thank you very much!

(btw, the OBB railways people are still saying that the trains are available to book through the website, which is clearly not the case).

Reservations in Swiss domestic trains are a waste of money. The RE from Cadenazzo to Milan doesn't have reservations. There will be loads of free seats if you board in Cadenazzo. Most passengers will board later.

IC 865 Zurich-Bellinzona travels through the base tunnel and does not use the mountain route. Add "via Airolo” on sbb.ch to see options via the scenic mountain route. With the departure at 9:05 you have an extra change at Arth-Goldau and arrival in Milan is at 14:18. There's then an IC to Modena at 15:05, or a regional trein at 15:20. The IC can be booked via ÖBB:

Oh thank you! - this is really helpful.

So, can I sense check what you’re saying to me:

-we don’t bother to make a booking from Cadenazzo to Milan, but instead take the following:

-IC2 at 0905 Zurich-Arth-Goldau (do we book these seats?)

-IR26 at 0954 Arth-Goldau-Cadenazzo (do we book these seats?)

-RE80 at 1239 Cadenazzo - Milano

-then the 1505 from Milano to Modena as you’ve described above.

Would that work?

Although - there is no option to book on the SBB site with a Eurail pass, so we’d have to do it on the Eurail site itself.

(also, why is the Eurail website and app not connected????? That is MADNESS.)

Thank you

Alison

Yes that would work and no need to book any seats.

You can book seats on the SBB website, see Seat61's overview. But almost nobody does.