Plus pass - questions over inclusive reservations

​@Eurail Community Moderator 

Hey ​@ralderton, Your list has been added to the list of improvements for the Plus Pass by the Reservations SME. We will keep you updated as things progress.

Having done a few tests, I can now answer some of my own questions! Here are the sample prices I’ve found:

London - Brussels Eurostar: 1 credit

France domestic TGV or IC: 0 or 1 credit (I think this aligns with the €10/ €20 fare levels)

Paris - Switzerland TGV Lyria: 1 credit
Paris - Italy TGV: 1 credit in Second class, 2 credits in First class
Paris - Spain TGV: 1 credit
Paris - Germany TGV: 1 credit
Paris - Germany ICE: 1 credit
Marseille/Lyon - Spain AVE: 0 credits

Barcelona - Madrid: 0 credits in First or Second class, 1 credit in Premium

Zurich - Milan Eurocity: 0 credits
Austria-Italy Railjet: 0 credits

Westbahn: (couldn’t find any prices)

Italy domestic Frecciarossa: 0 credits

Oslo-Stockholm: 0 credits

I think the scheme is pretty much the following:

Everything less than 20€ - 0 credits

Everything between 20€ and 39€ - 1 credit

40€ and higher - 2 credits.

I think the only exception are night trains and the first class fare on certain eurostar trains.

Germany-Paris ICE/TGV is €19 but still 1 credit.

The limits could also be something like €19 and €45.

Thanks so much for your research and for sharing your credit lists here, ​@ralderton, ​@eurocity101 & ​@rvdborgt ! Our team will be working on a more comprehensive list of credits needed per route.

Forgive my confusion here, how much does one credit cost? Or are they included in the Plus Pass?

3 credits are included in the Plus pass at the moment (there’s only one variety - 7 days in 1 month). It’s still in its trial period, so this might change.

I would certainly appreciate the option of more credits, because as it stands it’s a slightly mind-bending case of having to ration those three credits over a month’s trip that I haven’t fully planned yet. I’ll save one credit for my Eurostar home, but if there’s no availability when I come to book, that credit is wasted.

I’ve discovered some more quirks of the Plus pass

I’ve made several ‘free’ reservations, including on DB, various EC, French IC, Spanish AVI. These are all marked in my reservations overview as ‘non changeable’, even though the IC at least should be refundable.

If I change my plans, I would have to make new reservations (also free), with no way to cancel the old one. Does this mean I risk falling foul of the fair use policy? (At least it’s explicit that I can book additional reservations in the case of delays, which is good to know.)

Normally I would book reservations through whichever agent has the most generous refund policy - French TGVs or Intercités on Rail Europe, for example.

Some potential confusion with the Austria-Italy Railjet / EC.

The Interrail reservations portal says that reservations are optional, and there's a supplement to pay. It also urges Plus Pass holders to only make a reservation if they want.(Blue box).

This might give passengers the impression that they should just board the train. I.e.: ‘Ready to board'. But if they do that, they'll have to pay the supplement on the train (and at a higher on-board price).

If they make a free seat reservation, I would assume this has the supplement included, just like it would for regular pass holders?

So Plus Pass holders shouldn't be encouraged to board this train without a reservation. It'll cost them €15.

where or how are you testing these? Is there a website where you can enter a journey and see if it requires a credit??