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HOW TO AVOID SEAT RESERVATION

  • February 11, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 19 views
S

Hey everyone I am a student studying in Lille and have taken a 3 month Global Eurorail pass planning to cover Europ, but I facing the following issues:

1) I am planning my Central Europe trip and then when I try to go to Berlin from Amsterdam it says seat reservation recommended. So what does it mean I can travel by not booking as well?

 

2) Also Lille to Berlin shows a non seat reservation of 24 euros but if I travel to to Amsterdam from Lille and then Berlin it shows only on 8 euro for seat reservation for almost the same time. Why is the rail planner not optimising to show me the optimised travel option ?

How do I navigate this issue?

 

It would be great if someone could throw some light on this issue. I am facing

February 12, 2026

For recommended seat reservations: If you’re travelling mostly alone, out of the school holidays or long weekends, than seat reservations are not really needed. Just take any train you want and sit wherever you like and find a free seat.

Lille to Berlin is perfectly possible without seat reservations. Just avoid Eurostar and TGV Inoui, Take regional trains to Brussels (either via Kortrijk/Gent or Tournai) and take the ICE (only recommended seat reservations) Brussels-Cologne and then Cologne-Berlin.

 

I’lld say it’s possible to avoid seat reservations almost entirely in most countries. Only the reservations on the Eurostar to/from London and on most trains in Spain are difficult to avoid.

France is tricky as well, but if you have time, use the right planners and take it slow via regional trains, you can work your way through France almost entirely without seat reservations. 


For other routes, please mention details. Date, time, trains, destinations in order to get proper advice.

2 replies

M
Full steam ahead
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  • Marvin Heer
  • Full steam ahead
  • February 11, 2026

1.) recommended means you dont need a seat reservation. You just take a non reserved seat on the train. 

2.) yeah the railplanner is not helpfull in finding the cheapest route regarding reservations (it can only filter for reservation free trains, which is not always helpfull)

I can give you some tips regarding your route if you tell us a bit more about you plan.

Germany, Austria and Switzerland have except for a couple exceptions no mandatory reservations.

I speak german 🇩🇪, english 🇬🇧, and i understand a bit of french
BrendanDB
Full steam ahead
Forum|alt.badge.img+8
  • BrendanDB
  • Full steam ahead
  • February 12, 2026

For recommended seat reservations: If you’re travelling mostly alone, out of the school holidays or long weekends, than seat reservations are not really needed. Just take any train you want and sit wherever you like and find a free seat.

Lille to Berlin is perfectly possible without seat reservations. Just avoid Eurostar and TGV Inoui, Take regional trains to Brussels (either via Kortrijk/Gent or Tournai) and take the ICE (only recommended seat reservations) Brussels-Cologne and then Cologne-Berlin.

 

I’lld say it’s possible to avoid seat reservations almost entirely in most countries. Only the reservations on the Eurostar to/from London and on most trains in Spain are difficult to avoid.

France is tricky as well, but if you have time, use the right planners and take it slow via regional trains, you can work your way through France almost entirely without seat reservations. 


For other routes, please mention details. Date, time, trains, destinations in order to get proper advice.

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