That was probably the reason many years ago. But now that we see that smaller operators like Westbahn can be used without any supplement, it must also be possible for DB/ÖBB to get their fair share of the income for the route in Italy. I think they just keep the supplement in place because most pass holder users will travel anyway, so it's easy income.

A couple of thoughts - 

I would assume that the 10 euro supplement, like reservations, would simply be incorporated into a normal retail ticket. I travelled this run and the 10 euro included a reserved seat.

For anybody needing or contemplating hotels in Venice - simply stay in Venice Mestre - 10 mins from the island, much better quality hotels at very reasonable prices. Several good 3 and 4 star hotels very close to Mestre station - all trains from the island (V, St Lucia) stop at Mestre. Certainly cheaper (and more comfortable) than a sleeper and even a buffet breakfast.

Thanks so much for your tips @Yorkie :) 

If I stay in Venice Metre, but want to spend most of the time on the island (Venice St. Lucia), would there be public transport go to Venice Mestre late at night? Does that bridge have bike path on the side? We are taking our rollerblades so that's basically our public transport 

Yes and yes

There is a pedestrian bridge also, see here:

Source: Google Maps/Street View

Also there are trains until midnight (last one leaving Venezia SL for Mestre at 0.13 today e.g.)

yay! Thank you so much for the information. @MartinM 

Venice has a relatively expensive travel ticket that covers all the trams, buses and ACTV water buses in the greater Venice area. There is a relatively new tram service from Venice Mestre to the Island (needs a change from Mestre station).

https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/which-venice-pass-do-i-need.htm

Hi @Angelo, I tried to book on DB for Venice Mestre to Munich, somehow the earliest train doesn't show reservation available but the second one does.

When I proceed to the next step of the second train (9:23) , it shows this screen, so I selected the preferences

 And then moving to the next step, , the first leg shows reservation not possible, and the second leg somehow was filled with compartment, and area with any instead of what I chose in the previous stage, there's also no seat selections options.

I also tested with earlier dates and its the same results. 

I then tried Cd.cz, these are the screenshots, so it doesn't seem that I can proceed the booking on the website, does that mean I need to email them to make the reservation? (I don't really want to make international calls)

I then tried Eurail.com, the first leg is available for booking at the moment, however the second leg won't be open for reservation until 1 March (90 days before the travel dates)

All in all, I would really want to be able to select seats for this trip as it’s very scenic from what I’ve heard. It seems like Eurail.com is the only possible way I can make the reservations but won't be able to select seats, or would there be any other ways to book this trip?

Thanks so much in advance. :)

@rvdborgt @Angelo @MartinM @BrendanDB @mcadv @Yorkie 

I emailed Cd.cz and got replies as below, and then I checked on Oebb.com, it shows 6EUR for reservation for 2 adults. It doesn't seem right… 🤔

What you see on DB and ÖBB are normal reservations without the supplement. DB does not sell the supplement online; to book this train on the ÖBB website, you have to indicate "Interrail/Eurail” as a discount and then look for normal tickets (and not use "seat reservation only”).

As to the CD website: you see the same thing if you try to book a reservation for next week, even for the direct train. Since CD redesigned their website, it doesn't seem to be possible anymore to book a reservation/supplement for this train. Maybe you could ask CD when that will be possible again?

You can’t book both trains in the same way. Italian high speed trains you should book via ÖBB using the one way ticket option and Interrail/Eurail as discount. Same for the Eurocity to munich. Do not select only a seat (I know, it sounds wrong but it works so) Cost 10€ (or you use RV (local express trains on the same route) there you don’t need a reservation at all till Verona). Then from Verona you can book via CD.cz (not more than 90 days before, choose as Discount Interrail/Eurail to get the right price about 10 EUR in 2nd class, 15 EUR in 1st), there you can choose a specific seat (you need to know before the number of carriage and seat, look for the seat maps of DB-ÖBB Eurocity on seat61.com) and there you get with the surcharge the seat reservation for free on top online. 

If you have further questions, feel free to ask!

Have you tried that recently? The Interrail and Eurail discounts have disappeared from the CD website since they redesigned their booking page and the "Reservation only” option does not work for this train :(

I did indicate “Internal/Eurail” as a discount card, and I must've accidentally clicked the “seat reservation only (no tickets)” instead of “one-way tickets and day tickets”. That’s probably how the 6EUR turned out. 😬

 I chose the correct option (one-way tickets and day tickets) when I checked the Italian trains, they all cost 10EUR per person per ride with pass.

I reckon CD has changed their booking system, I tested with a very recent date, it still popped up with the same notifications as below:

I was given two options of making the reservation later on by the custom service of CD as below:

Maybe I will email them to ask if booking on cd.cz is still possible in the future. 

Thanks so much @Angelo 

I just tried again with Oebb, it seems right this time, but would 50EUR for two adults the correct price?

I also noticed on Oebb, only one of the passengers details were required, it doesn’t seem to allow me to edit the second adult’s details. This is before the payment stage. Is this a normal thing? How would Oebb generate tickets without passengers’ names? 🤔

@bleusquirrel, seems right. 10 EUR for the High Speed Frecciarossa, and the Brenner surcharge + seat reservations.

One name is usually enough, it’s just something to reference the booking through, should you want to refund or change it usually. One person can book seat reservations or tickets for multiple persons. Names never (or very rarely) gets checked in the train. A lot of other, ordinaroy tickets are anonymous btw.

Don’t forget that trains are not planes ;)

Thanks so much for the answer @BrendanDB :)

50Euro to get to Munich from Venice for two people doesn't seem too bad :) 

I don't know if I should go ahead book it through Oebb now or if I should wait until 90 days before the travel days to book through DB or CD (if the online booking is back available again), because I really want to be able to select seats…

Btw, I booked reservation for Paris to Barcelona on Eurail.com today, our allocated seats seem to be two seats next to each other instead of a duo face-to-face with a table  (bad luck)

There are not a lot of face to face, solo seats on the TGV. Only one or two per carriage. When I travel with my partner or a friend, we always sit next to each other. It’s more discreet and at least as nice. Tables provide usually ample of space on TGV Duplexes, whether you set next to each other, or in front.

For the Eurocity Venice-Munich, there’s not much to choose from I think. I think that’s the typical ÖBB 1st class carriage (with secluded compartments of 6 people - the so called abteilwagen). Very nice carriages btw, I love them. Guaranteed to be quiet and a bit of a Harry Potter vibe .

Thank you again @BrendanDB :) 

I think I will go ahead and book the Venezia Mestre to Munich on ÖBB now. I prefer open-plan seats than the 6 people compartments (it feels a bit odd to me if it’t not a family or a group of friends )

Hopefully my seats request can be met :)

It’s that slight awkwardness that can sometimes lead to very memorable conversations with strangers. And if you don’t really want to talk, you’ll be totally fine too. You’re not really travelling in peak periods, so I wouldn’t expect full trains.

O didn’t try it lately. Sorry

Here you can see the carriages of EC88: https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=OeBB&kategorie=EC&cislo=88&nazev=DB-ÖBB%20EuroCity&rok=2023

There seems to be a first class carriage (no. 263) with compartments and an open carriage (no. 262).

Should be possible to tell your preference the booking system. 

Thanks so much @MartinM :)

I found the seat plan on seat 61 too I have put the preferences in so hopefully we won't be allocated to the 6  people compartments. 

Actually you can check that before booking (but if you booked already then probably it’s so or so too late :-D):

If you click on Offer and price details on the last page before you are proceeding to the payment:

And then it shows you the places:

If you booked already, you should also be able to see the seats that were allocated to you. 

Here you can see the carriages of EC88: https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=OeBB&kategorie=EC&cislo=88&nazev=DB-ÖBB%20EuroCity&rok=2023

There seems to be a first class carriage (no. 263) with compartments and an open carriage (no. 262).

Should be possible to tell your preference the booking system. 

Thanks so much @MartinM :)

I found the seat plan on seat 61 too I have put the preferences in so hopefully we won't be allocated to the 6  people compartments. 

Actually you can check that before booking (but if you booked already then probably it’s so or so too late :-D):

If you click on Offer and price details on the last page before you are proceeding to the payment:

 

And then it shows you the places:

If you booked already, you should also be able to see the seats that were allocated to you. 

I haven’t booked yet (luckily), I just followed your instruction and this is the page it came up, I couldn’t see the location of the seats like yours :(

Yeah, only for Venezia-Verona you’ll have a seat reservation in that case.
For Verona-München you’d have to pay extra (6 euro) for seat reservations. As ÖBB is selling only a supplement for EURAIL without seats… Deutsche Bahn would sell it including seats (but only at the ticket office and not online). And Czech Railways too, but seems they stopped selling it online .

If you want to buy two reservations extra, then choose “Seat reservation only (no ticket)” in the beginning of the process (and search only Verona->München):