No you can't. Mandatory means mandatory. What route are you looking at?

No. Mandatory reservation trains are just that, mandatory reservation. If you cannot reserve due to the train being full or interrail quotas sold out then you cannot just travel anyway.

For many routes there are alternative non-reservation trains available.

I try to reserve my seat for Innsbruck hbf to Interlaken Ost on 19Dec22, departure time is 04:31 for NJ 466. However, it cannot reserved a seat but it allow to make new purchase for new ticket. I don’t want to purchase new ticket because I’m holding Eurail global pass, I just only want to reserved seat as it’s required but I can’t.

do you have any suggestion on this ?

For this Nightjet train reservation is not compulsory in Austria and Switzerland, but people with a normal ticket get it for free, so maybe better to reserve. You can reserve it via tickets.oebb.at using one way ticket option and Interrail/Eurail as Discount. The reservation costs 14EUR.

If you take from Innsbruck the first day train Railjet, then reservation is optional and costs 3EUR via tickets.oebb.at with the seat only option.

Seat availability seems good on this train; even for tomorrow you can still book seats.

Reservations are not needed on the other trains in Switzerland.

Thank you for your suggestion, however, I tried to booked via tickets.oebb.at prior as well but it showed that TICKET NOT AVAILABLE, so I cannot make a seat reservation.

Are you sure that there is no reservation needed with Interrail?

From Buchs probably not but before I am not sure that there is none required.

in general this train is now often more like a refugee express. So it can be quite crowded until Buchs, where Swiss police forces the refugees from the train.

Keep in mind that if the train is too full they might deny you boarding (but it is unlikely at 4.30, just happened a few times this year to people without reservations).

in general would recommend taking the 7.47 Railjet from Innsbruck. Almost empty train and beautiful scenery along the way (not in the dark)

@wannaporn Hey I get 14€. Maybe you should read again how it works to get via ÖBB seat reservations for Nightjet trains. Like I wrote prior you need to select ONE WAY TICKET and add Interrail/Eurail as Discount and NOT seat only! 

Yes in Austria Nightjets and EN have only optional reservation in 2nd class. But I would reccomend to reserve a seat, because normal tickets get it for free (except Klimaticket and local trafic tickets, they pay 6 EUR in Austria or 14 EUR for international rides like with Interrail/Eurail).

@wannaporn Hey I get 14€. Maybe you should read again how it works to get via ÖBB seat reservations for Nightjet trains. Like I wrote prior you need to select ONE WAY TICKET and add Interrail/Eurail as Discount and NOT seat only! 

 

I got it now EUR 14. Thank you so much. your suggestion is very useful. Thank you!

@wannaporn Hey I get 14€. Maybe you should read again how it works to get via ÖBB seat reservations for Nightjet trains. Like I wrote prior you need to select ONE WAY TICKET and add Interrail/Eurail as Discount and NOT seat only! 

 

I got it now EUR 14. Thank you so much. your suggestion is very useful. Thank you!

Can I make a seat reservation before purchase Eurail global pass ? @Agelo

Sure you can.

Interestingly I also first saw no pass holder seats available although there were normal fares available. Since ÖBB don't have pass holder quota, I'm not sure what the problem was. After changing the date a few times, I did see pass holder fares.

Thank you