You'll need to add seat reservations on most trains :

- 13€ Rome - Florence

- 13€ Florence - Venice

- 11€ Venice - Brig (on your way to Interlaken) for the direct train (late arrival) OR 13+11€ if you connect in Milan (more options)

For the above journeys use tickets.oebb.at (no booking fee) : add Eurail as a discount and select one-way tickets.

- 10-20€ Mulhouse/Strasbourg - Paris. Avoid the direct TGV from Switzerland at all costs (37€ 2nd class/70€ 1st class)

- Paris - Disneyland is not covered (as are all RER trains in and around Paris). Tickets do not cost much

- 30€ Paris - London. Limited availability so book well in advance

A 1st class pass doesn't cost much more.

In Interlaken : boats on Lake Thun and Brienz are fully included, however you only get a 25% discount for trains to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and above.

I still think that a pass will be good value (as high-speed train tickets are expensive) but make some calculations if you'd like.

Hi 

thank you for the reply it is very helpful, being our first Europe trip. 
A question about 10-20€ Mulhouse/Strasbourg - Paris. Avoid the direct TGV from Switzerland at all costs (37€ 2nd class/70€ 1st class)

Why avoid the direct is it the cost or something else. And the 10-20€ / 37€ 70€ is that the extra charge for reservations on top of the Eurail pass?

Yes it is about the seat reservations cost : 37€ 2nd class or 70€ 1st class if you start from Zurich or Basel. However if you take the same train from Mulhouse you only pay a limited 10€ fare (then it's 20€ until the train is full) as it is considered a domestic journey. More TGVs available from Strasbourg to Paris Gare de l'Est. Depending on where your accomodation is located, it is an option to be considered.

There are also direct TGVs between Strasbourg and Disneyland if you were to stay there (avoiding the transfer in Paris).

Taking the TGV high-speed train from either Mulhouse or Strasbourg requires an extra change but doesn't take more time : sometimes max 30 min but often it only reduces the wait in Basel.

The vast majority of trains do not require seat reservations (simply hop on) but there are exceptions : high-speed trains in France, Spain and Italy + cross-border trains such as Eurostar to the UK and Thalys.

Do not hesitate for questions.

Sorry add a few more questions,

1. so I don’t book through the Eurail app to make reservations after adding the pass to the Eurail app. Is that correct?
2. I don’t see a direct train to Interlaken on the Eurail planner app. We were hoping to leave Venice after breakfast for whatever  train leaves best and not get into Interlaken, too late if possible. 
3. so it’s possible that I purchase the seven day in one month pass now if that is the correct pass I wasn’t sure if I needed the 10 day in two months pass and start purchasing tickets so that I have all my seats booked if that’s the option and the best thing to do, I will do it now so to be sure as we have already booked our accommodation in each stop as we only have one or two nights in each place until we get to Paris   
4. finally I hope when I buy the passes for my and I do I have to add them separately 1 pass on my phone and 1 pass on her phone and purchase/reserve tickets on each phone or can it all be done on the 1 device. 
thank you so very much again. 

1. You can make reservations on eurail.com if you'd like but 2€ booking fee per person per train are added. There are easy alternatives with no or less booking fee. As seat reservations and the pass are completely separate, it doesn't matter where you make them. Whenever a ticket inspector comes you show them both the app (pass) and the PDF (seat reservation when required).

2. Rail Planner has a problem with the route between Milan and Switzerland so it doesn't show all connections. It's best to use sbb.ch, SBB app or bahn.com (connected to the European-wide database). Here would be your route :

- FR Venezia S. Lucia - Milano Centrale 11:48 - 14:15 13€

- time for an ice cream :)

- EC Milano Centrale - Spiez 15:20 - 17:53 11€

- RE Spiez - Interlaken Ost 18:05 - 18:26

3. The 5-day pass might be enough if you don't make day trips from Interlaken but the 7-day pass might be a safer option.

PASS DAY 1 : Rome - Florence

PASS DAY 2 : Florence - Venice

PASS DAY 3 : Venice - Interlaken

PASS DAY 4 : Interlaken - Paris

PASS DAY 5 : Paris - London

Using a discount does not use a pass day btw (but using boats on Lake Thun and Brienz would as they're fully included).

You don't need to have bought a pass first in order to book seats on tickets.oebb.at, they don't ask for a pass number. You only need to have it whilst travelling.

4. They can both be added on the same device but then you can't travel separately. It doesn't matter whether passes are on 1 or 2 phones (precisely because the app is completely separate from everything else).

I feel I have so many questions as you can see from the last post. 
 

Further to you response 

This is our itinerary if it is ok to run it by you. 
we have a wedding in Malta then fly into Rome. 
we are there from 22 July - 24th hoping to get an early train on the 24th to Florence we are staying one night only in a hotel close to the train station.

We then depart, Florence on the morning of the 25th. To arrive in Venice again hoping for a morning train as again we only have this day and the night in Venice.

Hoping to get again morning(after breakfast hopefully)train from Venice to Interlaken on the 26th. we gather will check into our hotel and explore dinner options. As I feel we get in quite late in the afternoon or evening. We are staying close to Interlaken West.
The next day 27th. We were looking to explore Interlaken on the 28th, we were going to do Grindelwald and top of Europe.

We were looking to depart Interlaken on the 29th train to Paris staying in the sixth district if that’s the correct way of putting where we’re staying we were looking at exploring Paris up until the afternoon of the 1st August or whatever train to Disney to be at the resort to check in around 4 pm so we can spend the evening at one of the parks. The following day we were going to spend the full day at the park, then depart Disney for London, via train staying at a hotel at terminal 3. London Heathrow.

We were looking to get to London Heathrow, hopefully by midday. So that we could drop our bags in the hotel room and train back into central London for the day and dinner in London somewhere then train back to Heathrow later that evening for a midday flight out back to Australia on the 4th

any tips?

So you might feel a bit tired with all the travelling but I can definitely understand that you want to see as much as possible. :)

Rome - Florence : trains every 15 min, 1h30 journey so perfectly doable.

Florence - Venice : hourly train, 2h15 journey

Venice - Interlaken : per my itinerary above, you should arrive at 18:26 (half an hour later if the Italian train is delayed) so plenty of time for check-in

Interlaken : no need to spend a full day there, the town mainly serves as a base to explore the area. My advice : 27th July -> boat ride on either Lake Thun or Brienz (more dramatic landscape) and then back to Interlaken by train + relaxing.

28th July : that day is going to be very expensive as Jungfraujoch/Top of Europe is the most expensive Swiss railway : 165 CHF round-trip from Interlaken (incl. 25% discount with Eurail).

If you go there, be prepared for the cold temperatures (0-5°C in summer) and wear suitable shoes. Leave the main crowded building for a while and walk on the glacier towards Mönchsjochhütte, it's a very easy short walk and you can turn around whenever you want. That way you'll truly feel the high-altitude experience.

29th July : travelling to Paris via Basel and Mulhouse (arrival Gare de Lyon) or Strasbourg (arrival Gare de l'Est). Both train stations have a subway to the 6th Arrondissement.

Disneyland : RER train to there not covered but it shouldn't cost more than 10-15€.

3rd August : early departure, I'd avoid going to Paris (2 RERs losing a lot of time). Instead take the Eurostar from Lille. My route :

- TGV Marne-la-Vallée (Disneyland) - Lille-Europe 09:01 - 10:17

- 45 min for passport control, etc.

- Eurostar Lille-Europe - London St Pancras 11:35 - 11:57

- Underground to Paddington (not included)

- Elizabeth Line Paddington - Heathrow (included)

Go back to central London using the Elizabeth Line (included) or the Piccadilly Underground Line (longer and not included)

For travel within London use a contactless card or an Oyster card.

For all this travelling, I'd definitely consider a 7-day 1st class pass. It's not much more expensive, seat reservations cost the same (max 5€ more). Carriages will be less crowded and you can get on the top of the boats too hehe !

Wow so much help. 
 

Yes we have booked all our hotels. 
Paris staying at Paris Victoria palace hotel Paris. 
then Disney Marvel New York. 
 

I created an account on OBB and started looking at the reservations for the Venice to Interlaken west. 
11:48 dep Venezia S Lucia 14:15 arr but then the next train Milano Centrale 15:20 dep has a red NO services available for this section of the journey you will need another ticket for the section of Milano Centrale>Domodossola and same for Domodossola>Spiez and Spiez>Interlaken West. 
 

I gather this means I may have to book/reserve each section separately. 
 

As you said I don’t need the pass number to reserve but I add it to the discount section for each ticket reservation and have to show my pass along with the ticket when boarding I think that is correct. 
 

Top of Europe sounds very expensive but hoping it is worth the look, may never get back again. 
The day I said we are in Interlaken we were going to paraglide maybe as well as look around. I didn’t know where to go in Switzerland so YouTube was my help and thought Interlaken looked like a base to explore out of. Hope I didn’t make a bad choice. Really I am thinking every day will be new and exciting so maybe there are no bad choices. 
What do you think are the best options now you have a few more details with the Switzerland stay and getting in and out of Disney, with Disney as mentioned we are looking to get there from Paris around 3-4 pm so we can get a few hours at 1 park then the full day at the main park the following day. Then depart disney to get to Heathrow hotel drop our bags and head back into London for the day. ( didn’t mention earlier but we would have spent 2 days in London when we flew in on the 14th prior to flying to Malta for the wedding) so London is more of a last chance at looking at anything we thought was worth a look at again. 
 

The Simplon route doesn't show correctly either on ÖBB so the problem must come from the European-wide database... As seat reservations are only required until Domodossola, make one to that station. Then you stay on the same seats to Spiez and you'll be fine. You might have to split the booking in 2 : first Venice - Milan and then Milan - Domodossola.

You've understood how it works yep.

Seat reservations are not a thing in Switzerland btw : you basically hop on any train (you need to add it to the app before boarding in order to get a ticket, like usual).

Interlaken is a very good base : it is touristy but for a good reason, the landscape is gorgeous. Jungfraujoch is indeed very expensive. For half the price you could go to Schilthorn instead (still above 3000m), one or 2 James Bond films were shot there (can't remember the names). I can't help for paragliding options but I've seen loads of paragliders every time I went there so it must be a hotspot.

Paris city center (Châtelet) -> Disneyland is about 40 min by RER A trains : they run every 7-8 min. Tickets available at train/subway stations.

Okay you'll have time to explore London, cool ! I was a bit afraid of that. ;) So the goal is to travel on 3rd August morning to London, isn't it ? Then I'd suggest the itinerary via Lille above

You need to make one choice now : 1st or 2nd class pass ! :)

(going to sleep so see you "tomorrow" if you have other questions ! I'll gladly answer them)

Ok I will talk to you tomorrow (today for me its 9:23am here)

again thank you so very much.

Hi again

i have booked everything up today and fingers crossed it all works out.

some of the connections are tight the Milano P.garibaldi arrival at 10:47 am and the next train departing from Milano Centrale at 11:20 am that will be tight I think with luggage.

Next tight connection is arrival from Disney to Lille Europe at 10:17am and departing Lille Europe for London at 11:35 I hope we can clear passport  control in time.

Your thoughts appreciated.

Milano Garibaldi to Centrale sounds very tight to me. Not impossible (20-25, even 30 min walk if you’re at the back of the train) or a quick 5 minute metro ride (with some walking, also count at least 20 minutes). But still tight, you might want to add more time there. Any delay, even a minor one, and you will miss this connection.

Lille-Europe to Eurostar is very okay timewise. Lille Europe isn’t a big station, you’re very quickly at and through the Passport and secutainment checks there.

I have it booked up with my Eurail pass we only picked that connection to get from Venice into Interlaken was least changes and gets in earlier. The problem with that plan is if we miss that train we have to hope there is a later train we can get on.Also no it sure if we have to pay for another train.

We have 1st class tickets so front of train I guess and we are quick walkers.

First timers in Europe and first timers on trains so we have that working against us oh and we only speak English.

Do we really have to print all tickets? I thought it would all be digital on the phones.

It’s not impossible, but it’s gonna be stressy. If you miss it, don’t worry about it to much about. That part of Europe has good train services. There are plenty of other trains going to Switzerland, the pass gives you that flexibility. No worries to rebook, as a lot of regional train alternatives exist, without reservation.

On Which date you’re doing Venice-Interlaken?

The 26th July depart Venice 8:18am

No worries then, plenty of trains left that day. Lots of availability if you’lld want to rebook to have a bit more time.

In fact, I would recommend taking some regional trains instead of the fast ones without much exchanges, to avoid the long (but quick) tunnels under the alps, in order to soak up the views on the old lines.

Thanks I will look into it, we still have plenty of time till departure.

Hello again Tribcabe

more questions…. I haven’t added my rail pass to the app yet, we travel 22nd July so wasn’t sure if I should add it yet.

Once I o will it show all my bookings?

also I have booked train from Venice to Interlaken and am a bit worried about the connection times and making the trains.

Trenitalia train 26/7 Venezia S. Lucia 08:18 - Milano Porta Garibaldi 10:47

Milano Centrale 11:20 - Spiez 13:53 

Should I change this and if so any suggestions also will they (Eurail just adjust this when I rebook and how is this done)

Don’t know why but it seems I didn’t get a ticket issued from Spiez to Interlaken I am guessing it is a local train and not covered in the Eurail pass so will have to buy a ticket at the station.

All the tickets were emailed to me and I am very confused as I have tickets for different parts of the same journey like when I depart Interlaken to go to Paris I have 1 from Interlaken to Basel then another from Basil to Paris Gare Lyon.

I have to print and show the right ticket for that leg of the journey I guess or it will be on my app I don’t know?

Thanks in advance

There's no need to add it in advance.

Reservations are completely separate and will not be visible in the app. You'll still need to add your journeys but you only have to do that before you board.

That's doable. It's a 25-minute walk between the 2 stations or a 5-minute metro ride.

You already have a ticket: your pass. Reservations is Switzerland are not needed (like in >90% of trains in Europe). They're possible in some trains but reservations in Switzerland are basically a waste of money. Your pass is valid between Spiez and Interlaken.

Those are reservations, not tickets. Interlaken-Basel is not necessary (see above), but now you've booked it, you can't get a refund.

There is no need to print reservations, except for night trains.

Hi there and thank you. 
 

I must clarify the Interlaken to Paris is the 1 reservation it is I have to change trains at Basel Sbb with a 33 minute change 

That is no problem at all.

Btw I had suggested to take the TGV from Mulhouse (or Strasbourg) to save 2 x 60€ ! It doesn't take much longer and only costs 10€ per person.

Try to get the TGV Lyria refunded (it should be possible) : 70€ reservation fee is way too expensive frankly...

- IC81 Interlaken Ost - Bern 09:00 - 09:52

- IC6 Bern - Basel SBB 10:04 - 11:01

- TER Basel SBB - Mulhouse 11:21 - 11:44

- TGV Mulhouse - Paris Gare de Lyon 12:05 - 15:08 10€ seat reservation

Or there are more options via Strasbourg.

Or you could travel according to your original plan, only by taking a TER between Basel and Mulhouse : 10€ in 2nd class seats though.

That’s what I thought I booked up

I have paid for the 5 days in a month rail pass and paid all the reservations so far. 
started adding the pass steps 1 and 2 just haven’t added the pass yet. 
 

is that all I need to do. 
so I just get on the trains and when asked show my pass and reservations?

As I have mentioned above my main concern was with the connection time arriving at 10:47 Milano P Garibaldi to Milano Centrale having to get public transport or run with large luggage between the 2 terminals. 
If I miss my 11:20 train then what. 
having to pay for another train or is that in the pass. 
mid there even another train?

Will it take all hours longer and all those types of questions running through my mind. 
 

We are out of our comfort zone’s having never been to Europe and not ever using rail. 
We are looking forward to adventure just on a tight schedule with all hotels booked and some events booked.