Skip to main content

I am trying to book seat reservations trains in France. I need pass cover numbers for myself and my husband to do this. How do I get a pass cover number for a digital Eurailpass?
 

The trains are TGV 6074 Nice Ville to Marseilles St Charles and IC 4764 Marseilles St Charles to Toulouse Matabiau on May 6th. 
 

Online booking of domestic SNCF trains only works via Eurail (with a long-standing bug that 20€ reservations are not shown when the 10€ ones are sold out; booking fee 2€ per person and train) and via b-europe (for which you need a pass cover number; booking fee 4€ per order). Until the end of 2020, it was possible to book these pass reservations via the SNCF website but SNCF removed that possibility. So that's why we often advise to call SNCF.

Eurail customer service is best reached via this form but thy are very busy and prioritise requests by travel date. And I don't expect them to respond quickly to requests that can be solved otherwise and booking reservations does not work that way.


@rvdborgt Isn’t there an online method to do the booking or email to contact with? Thanks for your reply


A pass cover number can be requested from customer service. They're very busy so it's probably a lot faster to call SNCF (Press #85 for English, no pass cover number needed, no booking fees, reservation is sent via e-mail) or NS.


@Nanja Can you help me as well? I’m trying to book 4 seats for my family in https://travel.b-europe.com/ and it’s asking me for the pass cover number. I’d really appreciate it! Thanks again!



Would be great if this could be communicated better or the pass cover number could be issued when buying the global pass.

I agree 100%. At least I got my number today and it helped me to get a new reservation for a missed train. But yes this number should be provided from the very start to all mobile pass users.


Hi all,

thanks for your answers. Unfortunately, since we didn’t have the pass cover number but tied to the week end to go back home, we had to book a flight.

It’s a bit sad that at the Belgian railway it’s only possible to book a seat if you have the printed pass although they have adds for the digital pass and the Interrail website also doesn’t show any information about this. 
Would be great if this could be communicated better or the pass cover number could be issued when buying the global pass.


I have the same problem: I need to make a seat reservation for the Eurostar.

There are no tickets available via Interrail and since I don’t have my pass Cover number, I cannot book on the Belgian website.

I want to travel with 1 other person on 28th May from London to Paris.

Is there any way to just reserve a seat on the Eurostar website? 
Thanks for you help! 

Hi @AKathrin,

I sent you a private message, I hope I am still able to help you. :) 


I have the same problem: I need to make a seat reservation for the Eurostar.

There are no tickets available via Interrail and since I don’t have my pass Cover number, I cannot book on the Belgian website.

I want to travel with 1 other person on 28th May from London to Paris.

There are no seats anymore on London - Paris 26-29 May. London - Lille is similar. It seems to be very busy from London to the continent in that weekend. You can check for yourself on Belgian railways (no pass cover number needed to check); click on Earlier/Later repeatedly to see the first trains with available seats.


I have the same problem: I need to make a seat reservation for the Eurostar.

There are no tickets available via Interrail and since I don’t have my pass Cover number, I cannot book on the Belgian website.

I want to travel with 1 other person on 28th May from London to Paris.

Is there any way to just reserve a seat on the Eurostar website? 
Thanks for you help! 

Hello, it seems that the interrail reservation system is not connected every day to other systems.

I tried it several days and suddenly I could book seats.

I tried private messages to community manngers like. @Nanja , @Leo , @Felipe.iturrieta the latter answered me and was very nice.

At least my problem was solved without them but the helpdesk hasn‘t answered till now.


I have the same problem: I need to make a seat reservation for the Eurostar.

There are no tickets available via Interrail and since I don’t have my pass Cover number, I cannot book on the Belgian website.

I want to travel with 1 other person on 28th May from London to Paris.

Is there any way to just reserve a seat on the Eurostar website? 
Thanks for you help! 


Just checked the Interrail Reservation Website and the error has disappeared and I cloud do all Reservations!!! From Monday on I tried it every day… but not this morning. 😊

no everything is fine but the cover number would be still nice but it is not urgent anymore!


Interrail has no free reservations or a problem

What kind of problem? Do you have a screenshot of any error message?

Anyway, you can check availability via the Belgian railways website without having a pass cover number.

The Belgian number is unavailable at the moment and I have no cover pass number

You don't need a pass cover number to book by phone via French or Belgian railways (only Eurostar ask it). If the Belgian phone number is unavailable though, then that may be your phone provider blocking it. They could have classified it as a "premium” number.

hopefully @Nanja or @Leo or the Helpdesk will answer soon. Maybe I try the SNCF Hotline in English later.

@Marion could you supply a pass cover number?


You can book Eurostar:

Unfortunately, DB does not sell pass reservations for Eurostar anymore. I don't know if and when that will change.

Thanks for the quick answer! 
Unfortunately I tried most of ways.

Interrail has no free reservations or a problem

The Belgian number is unavailable at the moment and I have no cover pass number

hopefully @Nanja or @Leo or the Helpdesk will answer soon. Maybe I try the SNCF Hotline in English later.

Kind regard 


You can book Eurostar:

Unfortunately, DB does not sell pass reservations for Eurostar anymore. I don't know if and when that will change.


I have the same problem with a reservation on a Eurostar. Now comes the weekend and I have to do the reservation till Monday or I will have problems with my hotel reservation.

I contacted all the people who usually help but got no answer till now.


Thanks for your help


Hi Ann, rvdborgt is right. Please provide me with your order number via a private message so I can get you one. 


@Nanja can do this. Customer support should normally do it but currently they take weeks for non-urgent problems...


Reply