Yes, Paris to Cologne can be expensive on the Eurostar, but slightly quicker than the alternatives.

I know French residents get a free reservation on their departing train from France, saving €10 or €20. I don’t know if this would also apply to the TGV/ ICE via Mannheim. Perhaps somebody else can advise, but if that is included, it’s a definite saving over the Eurostar.

On your Norway question, I think there is a ferry from Eemshaven near Groningen, to Kristiansand.

Thanks for your quick answer. I now understand why the reservation fee for Rennes-Paris is 10€ online and I had it for free last year at the SNCF station. Good to know ! I can go to the station and ask for the Paris-Mannheim TGV fee, I’ll write the answer in this topic.

Thanks for the Eemshaven-Kristiansand tip. I’ll study this route for another trip.

That ferry doesn't exist anymore, unfortunately. The company went bankrupt. There is some hope of a new start, maybe @Kees Eurotravel can say more?

Ah, that’s a shame. I was hoping to take it this summer!

Similarly, there used to be a ferry from my hometown of Newcastle to Bergen, but that’s long-since gone. There is hope for a return, though.

According to the experience from travellers in the Swedish FB group for train travellers, Snälltåget is more reliable than the SJ night train. Snälltåget also has a dining car with the train from Malmö to Stockholm. 

Snälltåget is open for reservations for the whole summer, whereas SJ Euronight can only be booked until 2nd June.

As far as I know the free reservations do not apply to international TGV/ICE journeys so you’d have to pay 18€. However you could go as far as Strasbourg or Lille for free and then cross the border on a regional train.

The direct Rennes - Strasbourg isn’t well timed but you could go via Le Mans (although times aren’t really good either). I guess your best bet is to go through Paris like usual.

Snälltåget is a good choice indeed. Time for dinner and enoiugh margin if there’s something bad en route.

Thank you very much for all your answers, they will help me make the best choices !

I’ll go for the Snälltåget, and check the time tables with your suggestions to choose my route to Hamburg.

Have a nice evening, and wonderful train trips to come.

To make a Interrail reservation for Snälltåget, you must at the moment contact their customer support, as Interrail reservations for Snälltåget can't be made online right now. 

Thanks again.

I found part of this information on the Interrail page of the Snälltåget website.

Here are some piece of information if that can be helpful to anyone. And some more questions , don’t know if I should have created a new topic..

From Britanny, I found Karlsruhe to be the best choice (time and price). Starting from Paris, Mannheim or Frankfurt are a better option I think.

I paid exactly as you wrote @thibcabe : “trajet d’approche” Rennes-Paris free, Paris-Karlsruhe 18 €. I did not choose to hop off at Strasbourg and cross the border on a regional train because of the next two trains to catch.

But that’s what I’ll do on my way back : direct train Strasbourg-Rennes, no fee. The SNCF agent adviced to book the TGV because I will be travelling back in the middlle of the Olympics. Beware of the Olympic cities if travelling July/August. TER is the alternative but there are not many on some TGV routes. I could not easily check that neither on sncf, db or raileurope websites, but I tested last year from Paris to Rennes, only one TER solution in the afternoon, 3 trains and 5 hours instead of 1.5 hour with TGV.

Snälltåget writes “it is now possible to book reservations online at Snälltåget.se“. Indeed there is a check box “I have an Interrail or Eurail Pass”. A pass number is required, and it says “In order to make a reservation, you must first validate your Pass”.

1. Is it new with the online procedure or was it already the same when booking via phone or mail (meaning Snälltåget has a different procedure than the other train companies) ? However, I tested and stopped just before paying, no check so far by the website.
2. no way to choose ladies-only compartment or position of bunch (upper, lower). Have you any feedback about that ?

Thanks for reading me.

Snälltåget now does a check of the pass number, probably just like B-Europe and Rail Europe. Fake pass numbers (e.g. I11111111) don't work anymore and nor do expired mobile pass numbers. A mobile pass number that has not been activated yet does work.

IIRC Snälltåget never had the possibility to specify a berth and don't have a ladies-only compartment.