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Hello All,

I’m planning my first Europe trip and new to EU rail system.

I have taken a 5 day Global pass and trying to book reservations for traveling from Hamburg to Barcelona on June 21st. It includes two changes via Karlsruhe HBF and Paris EST. EU Rail planner says I need seat reservation to board train ICE 9574 from Karlsruhe HBF to Pars EST. However, when I try to book reservation through EU Rail planner app or their website, it says ‘price unavailable’. My cousin tried to book on my behalf at Hamburg train station and they said it can be done only by the passenger coming in-person. I tried book via DB website too but it says ‘reservation impossible’.

  1. Now how do I book my ticket? What are my options other than buying ticket in-person?
  2. If in-person is the only option, can it be done anywhere in Europe? (I’ll reach Barcelona in 5 days)

I do not want the pass holder seats to run out by the time I reach Barcelona or Germany to buy this ticket. Can somebody please help me figure this out! It’d be really helpful!!

Thank you for your time!

 

A tip is to start by reading this guide on how to make reservations. 

https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/how-to-get-reservations-105

 

Thank you, AnnaB. I had come across these options and had tried them, but in vain.

 

If you or anybody can tell me how to book seat on this specific ICE using global pass if eurail isn’t showing price while attempting seat reservation booking, it’d really help to solve my problem! Thanks again. 

Awaiting a positive respons!

French trains are possible to book by phone at SNCF. I am not sure about this train as it is a German ICE but you can try calling SNCF and see if they can help.

https://www.sncf.com/en/customer-service/contact-us/telephone

 Press #85 for English, no booking fees, reservations are sent via e-mail.

If you try, please let me know if it worked to book through SNCF 

Thanks, Anna. Yesterday I did this for the next change in the same journey from Paris EST to Barcelona Sants. I was struggling to book the TGV from Barcelona to Paris and back. I came across a similar suggestion for TGV in this community and tried calling from India. Couldn’t connect them as waiting time was much longer. However, my friend in Paris tried to call SNCF and book it on my behalf with no reservation fee. They sent email of ticket to his phone and he forwarded same to me. So it definitely works for TGVs! I didn’t try for ICE though. Let me ask him and see if he can do the same again on my behalf. 

Thank you for your suggestion!

This train-to the utter surprise of Brits (who have been educated in ´companies;´ and those from faraway: it suddenly turns from DB/ICE into FRench TGV=ICE when it passes the border (in this case the river Rhine bridge). Its is about IMpossible to book any seat on a cross-border such train online.

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