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Hi there,

Thanks to many friends on this site who gave me the tips for seat reservation last year.

I used OBB site to make seat reservation. It was free for 1st class globe pass holder. I used my ‘2x months in a row Globe pass’ on daily basis for 61 days. That was great! It made my journey much more enjoyable. Thank you so much! I am going there again this year.

I am not sure if any of you realized that OBB no longer gives free seat reservation for 1st Class holder any more. They charge 3 Euros now. (It is still cheaper than many other sites though.) I believe that this just happened (a few weeks ago).

Or maybe, I didn’t find the right trick? 😀

Any ideas or tips to share will be much appreciated!

Thank you!

They also never published that they give free reservation to interrail first class holders! I’m sure it was an error in the system and never designed to be. But still sad. But the thing with the compulsory reservations is even worse. I mean. they could just let DB do their thing. In their territory only! For example between St Margrethen and Lindau, only ÖBB tariff applies. They could just say, no to DB: you want to introduce an unnecessary reservation obligation? Do it on your part, we don’t want to scam our customers!

Agree. That could be an error in the system. 

However, in term of compulsory reservations, DB is not the worst one. Look French and Spanish. 

I think this whole compulsory reservations will put the Eurail pass off for many people.

 

That’s true, but the problem is, if it is free, that many people do it and then don’t use it… but as the normal first class tickets are sold together with a free reservation, this leads to the problem that a train might be shown as fully booked but then 10 Interrailers don’t appear and the 1st class carriage is “half empty”. So it is understandable IMO, that they don’t offer it for free anymore.

The solution should be allowed free cancellation.

That’s true, but best is to avoid high season so or so (in case you are able and don’t have kids where you are “stuck” to high season). This offers better value for accommodations, less overcrowding, fewer people on the trains and better availability of reservations where they are compulsory (and in this case no reservations for the mentioned routes into/out from Germany)

I live in Australia, going to Eur to escape winter here. High season or not, doesn’t matter, as long as it is warmer.

Anyway, I have to reconsider whether to buy the pass, if it can’t provide the convenience.

There may well be sound reasons for introducing a fee, as the discussion has suggested. OBB have always appeared to be one of the good guys when it comes to Interrail, but the fact that they seem to have sneaked this change out without publicising it anywhere, as far as I can see, leaves a bad taste. The combination of the new DB rules around compulsory reservations on many cross border trains durign the summer, and the poor timekeeping of many of their long distance trains means faffing about with changing seat reservations has removed some of the flexibility which is such a hallmark of Interrail usage in Germany and Austria.

I was contemplating to buy 2x months in a raw or 15 days in two months. Now with this compulsory seat reservation I may only buy 10 days in two months, or not at all - just buy single tickets on the station. Pass has lost it attraction - be flexible and very convenience to me.😩

I was contemplating to buy 2x months in a raw or 15 days in two months. Now with this compulsory seat reservation I may only buy 10 days in two months, or not at all - just buy single tickets on the station. Pass has lost it attraction - be flexible and very convenience to me.😩

I don't understand your point here. Buying regular tickets at the station won't give you more flexibility or availability : it'll only be more expensive and if the train is sold out it won't be different with a pass or a ticket.

The pass lets you remain flexible and decide much later which train you'd like to take. Honestly unless you're travelling on weekends most of those cross-border trains won't be sold out a day or two in advance.

Even then there are always regional trains available : Salzburg - Munich is barely 30 min longer.

What I'd definitely do for this summer is : get a first class pass for bigger comfier seats and emptier carriages. You won't regret the little price difference I can guarantee. It'll also open more availability as you can sit in both classes.

I don't understand your point here. Buying regular tickets at the station won't give you more flexibility or availability : it'll only be more expensive and if the train is sold out it won't be different with a pass or a ticket.

The pass lets you remain flexible and decide much later which train you'd like to take. Honestly unless you're travelling on weekends most of those cross-border trains won't be sold out a day or two in advance.

Even then there are always regional trains available : Salzburg - Munich is barely 30 min longer.

What I'd definitely do for this summer is : get a first class pass for bigger comfier seats and emptier carriages. You won't regret the little price difference I can guarantee. It'll also open more availability as you can sit in both classes.

I buy 1st class pass anyway. But buying single tickets is not necessary more expensive in my case, as there are only 20 days I need to use trains. I will spend a lot of time in islands where have no trains. Besides, I will buy 49 Euro Deutschland Ticket monthly ticket anyway to cover buses and U-Bahn in Germany.

Without seat reservation, even I only need about 20 days in two months, it is still worth to go with 2x months in a row, as it gives a lot of convenience. But with 10 days, the daily average goes up to 43.44 even on current sale price, and I have a think which days travel, which days not. Buying a ticket on the station not a great option, but at least it doesn’t need to make commitment before hand.

€3.00 certainly not a big deal, if you don’t change your mind/schedule. The big advantage of using Pass is the flexibility. As the seat reservation is not allowed to change/refund/reschedule, it would be a problem even for one who can afford a 1st class pass, in my opinion.😀

Then book via CD (cd.cz or app). They also offer reservations for ~€3 but you can cancel them and get a full refund until 15 minutes before departure time.

Hi rvdborgt,

I have try to book via CD. But I can't find anywhere to reserve a seat only (by using Pass). Could you tell me how to do it please?

Thank you!

Xufang

I have try to book via CD. But I can't find anywhere to reserve a seat only (by using Pass). Could you tell me how to do it please?

You can choose "reservation only” in 2 ways:

 

I have try to book via CD. But I can't find anywhere to reserve a seat only (by using Pass). Could you tell me how to do it please?

You can choose "reservation only” in 2 ways:

 

Got it! Thanks!

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