confused if we should get global 10 day pass if we also want first class travel
Best answer by thibcabe
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What is your entire trip looking like ?
There are 1st class and 2nd class Eurail Global Passes available. The price difference is tiny so it’s very often good value to get a 1st class one. :)
You choose 1st class for bigger seats (2+1 configuration) and quieter carriages. Food is rarely included but you get at seat service.
Seat reservations are sometimes more expensive in 1st but optional ones are free in Austrai, Germany, Czechia,… when booked through the Austrian Railways OBB:
Thank you. I went to order the Global Pass and it said no seat reservations. I could not find or see anywhere to get first class. Is the premium label, first class?
Paris with a one or two day trips. Paris to Antwerp and 2-3 day trips from Antwerp. Somewhere in Netherlands to Germany.
What are your travel dates ? Direct trains between Paris and Antwerp (towards Amsterdam) are very popular, there is a passholder quota too (pretty much unique) so trains definitely sell out in advance.
Fortunately there are plenty of alternatives, albeit a bit slower. The first one coming to mind is TGV to Lille-Flandres (10€ in 1st class, rarely 20€) followed by a reservation-free IC train.
Have a look at this guide for reservations, Eurail is rarely the best place to book : https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm
https://www.raileurope.com/ (desktop version, click on add railpass) works well.
EDIT : Eurail isn’t useful in or near Paris as RER suburban trains are not included. For a day trip to Versailles or Disneyland you’d need separate tickets. For a day trip further away, it could be useful though!
Maybe a 7 day pass could be a better deal.
May 30 we would leave Paris to Antwerp. June 2 leave Antwerp to Berlin. Day trips from those three hubs.
Thank you for your replies. I am learning exactly what I need to make an informed choice.
I am starting to dig into the links you sent.
You’re welcome. Then no worries, trains haven’t sold out this far in advance.
If you wish to take a direct Paris - Antwerp Eurostar I’d still book well in advance : 32€ 1st class fee. If you go via Lille it’d be 10€ only but 1h30 longer, you can also decide later which train you wish to take. Up to you!
Between Antwerp and Berlin you can either go through Brussels or Amsterdam. I prefer the latter as the Brussels - Cologne services are often unreliable (technical problems). Feel free to stop in Amsterdam for a bit too (lockers at the station).
- hourly reservation-free IC Antwerpen-Centraal - Amsterdam Centraal
- IC Amsterdam Centraal - Berlin Hbf every 2h : 1st class reservations free of charge through OBB
Wow! This information is fantastic. Thank you.
I went into Rail Europe and have the 7 day passes with first class ready to go. I understand we have to still buy the ticket for the train, so when they ask if we want to add another journey, do we buy the tickets? It says $273 per ticket? What is best way (option) to get the tickets with the global pass so we are not overlapping payments?
Thank you.
The pass is your ticket. You need seat reservations.
Go to Rail Europe (desktop version only), click on add rail pass and select Eurail Global Pass 1st class. Then look for connections, the direct train should cost 32€ per person.
Let me know if it doesn’t work.
EDIT : looks like trains between 09:22 and 14:22 do not have passholder seats remaining. Once tickets reach a certain price, passholder reservations aren’t sold anymore even if the train is pretty empty (thanks Eurostar...). Either travel earlier or later or go via Lille.
Tickets/reservations for French domestic trains (Paris - Lille) haven’t been released yet for the end of May.
There is only choices of another journey or continue. Journey leads to selecting a train or rail pass…no connection language. Continue takes me to payment for global pass.
Could you post a screenshot ?
On the homepage you click on add rail pass, add departure and arrival stations, date, etc. and then search for trains (what I meant by look for connections). You’ll get a list of trains with the price listed (32€ when applicable).
I got it!!!
You have really been helpful to a newcomer.
thank you, so much for taking the time to help me navigate this issue.
Have a wonderful day!
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