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UK resident using Germany One Country Pass to travel through Belgium

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Hi there! We live in the UK and are travelling in Germany, via Brussels. I already got Eurostar tickets to Brussels and saw that the Germany One Country Pass covers travel between Brussels and Cologne, so I just bought that. But when I try to make a reservation via the timetable, the Brussels to Cologne or Cologne to Brussels part of the journey always says this:

Not available for some travellers

Some of your travellers' Passes are not valid on this train. Change your selected travellers to book this seat reservation.

This doesn’t happen for trips within Germany - only between Brussels and Cologne, but the site explicitly says that that route is included in the Germany pass. Any help appreciated!

Best answer by seewulf

papanoob wrote:

Thanks Angelo - but I still don’t understand what the error message I am getting means. Do I have a problem, or not? If it just means we can travel on that train but not make a reservation, that’s fine - it just isn’t clear to me. The other sections of the journey are also ICE and don’t give me that message.

 

The pass is valid and i recommend to get the reservations directly on the Website of bahn.de “Seat Only” as this is much cheaper :)

DB charge 4.50€ per Journey (doesnt matter how many trains it takes) in 2nd class per person :D
Interrail charge about 6€ per train + 2€booking fee :/

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Angelo
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  • Angelo
  • Railmaster
  • 2067 replies
  • July 29, 2022

Between Brussel and Aachen in Germany (border to Belgium), you are only allowed to use ICE trains on this route with an Interrail German Rail Pass. 

ICE trains have only optional reservation. If you want a reservation, I suggest to use bahn.com wich cost less than via interrail.eu

 

P.S. German Rail Pass is also valid to follow station outside Germany. Basel Bad Bf., Kufstein and Salzburg (all trains, except Flixtrain or Westbahn), Innsbruck, Bolzano, Verona, Venezia and Bologna only on DB-ÖBB Eurocity trains (EC trains in Italy do not need the 10€ for German Rail Pass)

Do you have any questions? Feel free to ask in the community! Known languages: Deutsch, Italiano, English.
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  • papanoob
  • Author
  • Right on track
  • 8 replies
  • July 29, 2022

Thanks Angelo - but I still don’t understand what the error message I am getting means. Do I have a problem, or not? If it just means we can travel on that train but not make a reservation, that’s fine - it just isn’t clear to me. The other sections of the journey are also ICE and don’t give me that message.

 

seewulf
Railmaster
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  • seewulf
  • Railmaster
  • 2402 replies
  • Answer
  • July 29, 2022
papanoob wrote:

Thanks Angelo - but I still don’t understand what the error message I am getting means. Do I have a problem, or not? If it just means we can travel on that train but not make a reservation, that’s fine - it just isn’t clear to me. The other sections of the journey are also ICE and don’t give me that message.

 

The pass is valid and i recommend to get the reservations directly on the Website of bahn.de “Seat Only” as this is much cheaper :)

DB charge 4.50€ per Journey (doesnt matter how many trains it takes) in 2nd class per person :D
Interrail charge about 6€ per train + 2€booking fee :/

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
Angelo
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  • Angelo
    Angelo
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Full steam ahead
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  • mcadv
  • Full steam ahead
  • 3893 replies
  • July 29, 2022

THis message means that some other people as you with yet other types of passes (like f.e. the one for BE/BeNeLux) cannot use this train without also buying extra special ticket. YOU are OK

Note that by now many of these ICE are cancelled at very short notice due to shortage of staff and parts to repair trains

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  • papanoob
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  • 8 replies
  • July 29, 2022
mcadv wrote:

THis message means that some other people as you with yet other types of passes (like f.e. the one for BE/BeNeLux) cannot use this train without also buying extra special ticket. YOU are OK

Note that by now many of these ICE are cancelled at very short notice due to shortage of staff and parts to repair trains

Thanks - we all have the Germany One Country pass, only difference is adult/youth/child.

I think the problem is that I activated the passes on my mobile device but was trying to book reservations on the website using a laptop. Seems the details of the passes and activation don’t synchronise but are just stored on one device.

R
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • 10533 replies
  • September 30, 2022
papanoob wrote:

Thanks - we all have the Germany One Country pass, only difference is adult/youth/child.

I think the problem is that I activated the passes on my mobile device but was trying to book reservations on the website using a laptop. Seems the details of the passes and activation don’t synchronise but are just stored on one device.

Nope, the mobile passes and the website are separate. If you all had a German Rail Pass, then this is a bug on the website. But it did prevent you from spending 16€ per person where DB charges only €4.50.

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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