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Global Pass/Travelling with a 6 month old/Paper pass or app which is better?

L

Hi im looking at buying the 2 month global pass, ive planned my trip on the mobile app, and 13 trains say they require seat reservations. Are these all mandatory? Ive read that a few people had some issues trying to make reservations? As we are travelling with a baby I want to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, so if you have any advice please let me know! :)

I would also like to purchase the pass soon and reserve all the seats etc as soon as possible to ensure we are ok and have seats also we need some beds on the night trains and im not sure how fast these book up. We aren't leaving until the 21st July, so if I purchase a pass tomorrow for example and add my pass to my app will it start from tomorrow or from my first trip on the 21st? July? How soon can I add the reservations, should I add them right away or should I wait until the day before?

Do you think a paper pass would be better than using the mobile app? If I had a paper pass, and we missed a train/delayed/no show etc, how would we book another train as don't you pre book all the routes before and print the passes? Or is literally a paper pass with like a barcode so we can just show it and book another train?

Apologies for all the questions I just want to make sure I fully understand how it all works! 

Thanks in advance :)

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Best answer by rvdborgt 6 June 2022, 03:10

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seewulf
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Hi im looking at buying the 2 month global pass, ive planned my trip on the mobile app, and 13 trains say they require seat reservations. Are these all mandatory?(As you didn´t let us know which trains we can´t answer that but usually the app is correct . In General Highspeedtrain in France,Spain,Italy and ofcourse Nighttrains need a reservation)  Ive read that a few people had some issues trying to make reservations? As we are travelling with a baby I want to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, so if you have any advice please let me know! :) Book as soon you can especially some Nighttrains or International Highspeedtrains tend to sold out (Int. TGV´s , Thalys, Eurostar have sometimes just a limited quota of seats). Book if possible directly with the railcompany the seats as you may get the option to select your seats from a seat map and save the service fee for Reservations via Eurail.

I would also like to purchase the pass soon and reserve all the seats etc as soon as possible to ensure we are ok and have seats also we need some beds on the night trains and im not sure how fast these book up. We aren't leaving until the 21st July, so if I purchase a pass tomorrow for example and add my pass to my app will it start from tomorrow or from my first trip on the 21st? July? How soon can I add the reservations, should I add them right away or should I wait until the day before? You can reserve seats even without activating your pass i recommend to book them as soon you can. It all depends which routes there are popular Nighttrains that fill up quickly and on others you get even last minute your prefered comfort level.

Do you think a paper pass would be better than using the mobile app? If I had a paper pass, and we missed a train/delayed/no show etc, how would we book another train as don't you pre book all the routes before and print the passes? Or is literally a paper pass with like a barcode so we can just show it and book another train? The paperpass is a “old Style” ticket you have to fill a travel diary to became the pass valid as ticket if you miss a train you just add the next train you catch under the missed train.  Reservation you have/need must be changed for the new train if it´s even a reservation compulsory train.

Apologies for all the questions I just want to make sure I fully understand how it all works! 

Thanks in advance :)

I answered in red directly behind your questions.

I´ am not working for Eurail or Interrail i just share my knowledge here. Please ask in the Community and not via private message as this is the fastest way to get an answer. I prefer English/German/ Czech for my answers. In case of Reservationquestions please share some details like Route, Date, Trainnumber as otherwise we can just provide general advices or answers
L

Ooh thank you!

Our route is:

London - Paris (seat reservation req.)

Paris - Nice (seat reservation req.)

Nice - Milan (seat reservation req.)

Milan - Interlaken (seat reservation req.)

Interlaken - Rome (seat reservation req.)

Rome - Naples (seat reservation req.)

Naples - Florence (seat reservation req.)

Florece - Venice (seat reservation req.)

Venice - Ljubljana (seat reservation req.)

Ljubljana - Vienna 

Austria - Budapest (seat reservation req.)

Budapest - Krakow (seat reservation req.)

Krakow - Prague (seat reservation req.)

Prague - Berlin

Berlin - Munich

Munich - Brussels 

Brussels - London (seat reservation req.)

 

You can reserve seats even without activating your pass i recommend to book them as soon you can. It all depends which routes there are popular Nighttrains that fill up quickly and on others you get even last minute your prefered comfort level. So if I reserve seats without activating my pass are the reservations still not guaranteed? Or can/do I pay for seat reservations before activating? I went on the app and clicked a train and ive clicked where it says seat reservation required but it doesn't let me click or reserve? Do you know how I do it please?

Im assuming if I booked directly with the rail company I would need the pass first and to input the pass number? Should I book direct for all the trains that require reservations?

​​​​​​​Which pass would you recommend paper or the app? I thought the app maybe easier? 

Thanks again :)

 

M
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So more Q:

you are with 2-or also some kids go?

ARE you willing to be a little flexible (a train 1 - 2 hrs later/earlier) or not?

Willing to save by using other local/regional trains?

As you mention a lot of treni in IT: if these are IC or frecce then you can do it via oebb.at- manual, also by dear sebastian seewulf, posted here many, many times. OR spend 10 mins or so when you enter IT and let them all do it for you at counter.

You most likely stay a day or 2 in towns like Ljub, Bp etc-the age-old trick still applies: do not rush out of station on arrival, find ticket counter for INTernational and have them do it. So old-fashioned that it seems it completely gone out of mindsets of todays people.

From Nice to IT: AFAIK there is no direct train, its local till Ventimiglia (via Monaco)-REServe from there. Or use the other non-RES Regionle tioll geova-or the also UNtreserved inland line for more scenic views.

A
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If you choose the paper pass you won't risk getting into trouble with a non working app. There are lots of comments here about that.

If you choose the paper pass you will also automatically get the pass cover number that some railway sites required to make seat reservation. If you have a mobile pass and need the pass cover number you need to request the number from customer support. 

Even if you use the paper pass you have the option to use "My Trip" in the app to record the journeys you make. Otherwise you manually enter the journeys on "My Trip" on the paper included in the paper pass.

 

As far as I know there is no difference in making reservations if you have a mobile pass or a paper pass more than that you from the start have the pass cover number if you have a paper pass.

 

If you choose the paper pass it might be good to purchase the pass protection that will help you if your pass is lost or stolen.

Please note that I don't work for Interrail/Eurail and that I don't reply to personal messages.
L

Yes me and my partner plus our baby will be 6 months at the time of travel :)

We can't really be flexible as ive planned the route/trains around each location and the time we have there. As we are travelling with a baby I need to pre book all our accommodation too to make sure we have somewhere suitable. The train times ive worked out go really well and give us enough time in each place to explore. If we start changing train times we would have less time in the next location. However we no that if a train is cancelled for what ever reason or we were to miss a train we know that we risk loosing some time in the next location.  

When you say willing to save? Is it not cheaper with the pass as its all included all the trains then so surely this works out cheaper than booking individual trains? OR does it work out cheaper to book each train direct?

oooh thats good to know about needing a pass cover number! Im still so undecided on the mobile pass or the paper I feel there's pros and cons for both and I just can't decide which to get for the best! 

Thanks for all the help and advice so far really appreciate it :)

R
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The app works quite well on Android. The iPhone version though still has bugs.

As to reservations:

  • Trains in/from/to France: call SNCF: press #85 for English, no booking fees, reservations are sent by e-mail.
  • Day trains in Italy (3 or 10€) or from Italy to Switzerland (11€): via ÖBB: do NOT use "seat only” but add the "interrail / Eurail” discount to each person and then look for normal tickets. Book each train separately.
  • Domestic trains in Switzerland: don't book a reservation, that's wasted money.
  • Vienna - Budapest: no reservation required but can be booked via ÖBB (3€, now use "Seat only”).
  • Budapest - Krakow, Krakow-Prague: via CD (76 CZK, ~3€), add the Interrail discount to each person, look for the connection and then click on "I want a reservation only”.

  • Prague - Berlin: is optional but can be busy and can also be booked via CD (76 CZK).

  • Berlin - Munich, Munich - Brussels: is optional but can be busy. Can be booked for 4€ per journey (including multiple trains) via DB ("Seat only”).

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.

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