General query about Eurail Global Pass usage (first time use) ?


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I am coming to Europe in June-July with a family of 4 (including 2 kids (6 & 8 years)) and would mainly be visiting France (Paris only), Switzerland, Italy (Rome & Florence), Germany (Munich), Belgium (Brussels, Antwerp), and Denmark (Copenhagen).

I am planning to get a Eurail Global Pass for 15 days for inter-country & sometimes intra-country travel (especially Switzerland). So far, I am not buying any other Travel Passes and may just purchase Paris Metro 5 days pass and individual transport passes in other countries as per requirement.

I had a few questions, to which I am unable to find specific answers to:

  1. I know that when Eurail Planning App tells ‘Seat Reservations Required’, I will compulsorily have to purchase individual seats. What about when it tells ‘Seat Reservation Recommended’? Can I take a chance by not buying individual seats?
  2. What is the recommended / manageable time for changing trains on my route? The train app sometimes shows even 6 minutes. As there might be train delays and I will have 2 x large luggage bags (23 KG each).
  3. The Eurail Global Pass is free for my kids. What about the train tickets once I have to reserve seats? Do children travel free or is there any discount? I have not yet tried reserving seats.
  4. As I would be coming during peak tourist season. How early is it recommended to book seats on trains with ‘Seat Reservations Required’?
  5. For trains not requiring reservations, do I need to do any action or just get on that train on my day of travel?
  6. Do I need to keep prints of any tickets or the app will suffice?
  7. In case I miss a ‘paid’ train on my route, due to a delay in the previous train, what options do I have?
  8. For trains that are showing “+1 day” (arriving at the destination on the next day), will this deduct 2 days off my Global Pass?
  9. Is there any space at Train Stations in general, in case I want to just wander around in that city (no hotel booking or plan of staying the night) for an hour or so? If not, what other options are available?
  10. Is there any other Public Transport (buses/metros) in the Countries I am visiting, that I can utilize using Eurail Pass on the day of my Pass usage?
  11. Any other hidden / not commonly known ‘benefit’ (with respect to any additional means of transport or any other) of Eurail Pass, which very less people know of?
  12. In case I am not able to fully utilize the pass during my trip to Europe, can I get a refund for the remaining days 🙂 😛 ?
  13. Any other suggestions are also most welcome.

12 replies

Userlevel 7
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1. You can check occupation on the train operators website. Seat reservations are a good idea on busy mainlines such as Munich - Brussels. It is recommend to avoid eurail.com for seat reservations (2€ booking fee per person per train). Use other websites (less or no fee), have a look at :

https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/how-to-get-reservations-105

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

2. If your train is delayed, often the connection is guaranteed for a few minutes. If you're likely to miss a connecting train with mandatory reservations, speak to staff on the train and they'll redirect you to the next train (free of charge). When no reservations are required, simply take the next one. Trains often run hourly, if not more so you can always decide to wait a little bit at the station if the connection is too tight for your liking.

3. Seat reservations cost the same for children.

4. It depends but you shouldn't wait for those trains, esp. Thalys between Paris and Antwerp as it has a limited quota (can sell out weeks in advance). There are always alternatives though. You need to book night trains ASAP if you're planning on taking them.

Userlevel 7
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5. You add any train you'd like to the app before boarding. You then get a QR-code which is your ticket. You can do that at any point prior to boarding.

6. Seat reservations are usually fine on PDF. They'll never appear on the app. Whenever a ticket inspector comes you show both the PDF and the app (for the pass).

7-8. Explained in my last post.

9. There usually is a waiting space (seats) or what do you mean ? In big stations there are lockers for luggage too.

10. Rail replacement buses when there are engineering works + boats on Lake Thun and Brienz (Switzerland). Those are mostly exceptions. You get a 25-50% discount for most mountain railways in Switzerland.

11. With a 1st class pass you get free optional seat reservations in Germany, Austria and a lot of other countries through tickets.oebb.at

12. No

13. If your itinerary isn't fully set, I'd travel in this order : France - Belgium - Switzerland - Italy - daytime or night train to Munich - Munich - Berlin + night train Berlin - Copenhagen. As long as you board the last train before midnight, only one pass day is used.

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4. It depends but you shouldn't wait for those trains, esp. Thalys between Paris and Antwerp as it has a limited quota (can sell out weeks in advance). There are always alternatives though. You need to book night trains ASAP if you're planning on taking them.

 

Can you please explain what you mean by booking the Night Trains ASAP? What is the benefit of these, as I found them quite long, for example, 10-16 hours?

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7-8. Explained in my last post.

 

Sorry, couldn’t get you :( Can you guide where I can find this answer?

 

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9. There usually is a waiting space (seats) or what do you mean ? In big stations there are lockers for luggage too.

 

Yes I mean to keep my 2 x luggage bags (23 KG each) temporarily for 1-3 hours, while I can explore that city a little bit (or maybe take a few photos)

 

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10. Rail replacement buses when there are engineering works + boats on Lake Thun and Brienz (Switzerland). Those are mostly exceptions. You get a 25-50% discount for most mountain railways in Switzerland.

 

  • I read on the Eurail website that Bernina and Glacier Express are totally free with Eurail Global Pass! (?)
  • Boats on Lake Thun and Brienz are included with this pass (for free)?
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13. If your itinerary isn't fully set, I'd travel in this order : France - Belgium - Switzerland - Italy - daytime or night train to Munich - Munich - Berlin + night train Berlin - Copenhagen. As long as you board the last train before midnight, only one pass day is used.

 

Unfortunately, my itinerary is set & I would not be able to make major changes due to hotel bookings (though it is far from perfect 😓 ).

Why are you suggesting night trains within Germany? Are there any advantages? And by ‘night trains’ you mean the trains showing me “+1” with them?

Userlevel 7
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4. It depends but you shouldn't wait for those trains, esp. Thalys between Paris and Antwerp as it has a limited quota (can sell out weeks in advance). There are always alternatives though. You need to book night trains ASAP if you're planning on taking them.

 

Can you please explain what you mean by booking the Night Trains ASAP? What is the benefit of these, as I found them quite long, for example, 10-16 hours?

With a nightrain you can get from one city to the other and have an occupation. And less than 8 hours a night train make no sense, because you will have less sleep time. Night train in Europe are very busy and get full booked soon. 

Userlevel 7
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7-8. Explained in my last post.

 

Sorry, couldn’t get you :( Can you guide where I can find this answer?

 

See answer 2) of Thibcabe

 If your train is delayed, often the connection is guaranteed for a few minutes. If you're likely to miss a connecting train with mandatory reservations, speak to staff on the train and they'll redirect you to the next train (free of charge). When no reservations are required, simply take the next one. Trains often run hourly, if not more so you can always decide to wait a little bit at the station if the connection is too tight for your liking.

 

If you have an delay over 1 hour you can ask for delay compensation via Eurail. For all other issues (like last train of the day missed, to get a hotel instead or taxi) you need to get in touch with the train company and staff at the station. https://www.eurail.com/en/help/delay-compensation

  1. For trains that are showing “+1 day” (arriving at the destination on the next day), will this deduct 2 days off my Global Pass?

It only says that you will arrive the next day. 

You need 1 day if you do not change trains after midnight. You need 2 days if you use a new train after midnight. 

Userlevel 7
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9. There usually is a waiting space (seats) or what do you mean ? In big stations there are lockers for luggage too.

 

Yes I mean to keep my 2 x luggage bags (23 KG each) temporarily for 1-3 hours, while I can explore that city a little bit (or maybe take a few photos)

 

Yes there are, but check for every station before via Google. In Italy often there are no luggage storage due to anti terror rules. 

Userlevel 7
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10. Rail replacement buses when there are engineering works + boats on Lake Thun and Brienz (Switzerland). Those are mostly exceptions. You get a 25-50% discount for most mountain railways in Switzerland.

 

  • I read on the Eurail website that Bernina and Glacier Express are totally free with Eurail Global Pass! (?)
  • Boats on Lake Thun and Brienz are included with this pass (for free)?

Yes the transportation, but not the reservation is free.

On Bernina Express you can also sit on the front of the train in the carriages that have no panoramic windows, but instead you can open it. In the panoramic carriages you need a reservation. 

Yes boats of BLS on Lake Thun and Brienz are included. Add the boat to the pass and you are good to go. 

Userlevel 7
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13. If your itinerary isn't fully set, I'd travel in this order : France - Belgium - Switzerland - Italy - daytime or night train to Munich - Munich - Berlin + night train Berlin - Copenhagen. As long as you board the last train before midnight, only one pass day is used.

 

Unfortunately, my itinerary is set & I would not be able to make major changes due to hotel bookings (though it is far from perfect 😓 ).

Why are you suggesting night trains within Germany? Are there any advantages? And by ‘night trains’ you mean the trains showing me “+1” with them?

The advantage is that you can sleep and get from one city to the other without needing a hotel. A night train has more confort classes. Seats, couchettes and sleeping coaches. Some people love it, other like it for the service. Other don’t like it because noisy and small (it is a train). 

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