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Hi! I am traveling using a global Eurail pass this summer for France, Italy, and Spain. I have a mobile pass and have paid for seat reservations on trains from Bordeaux to Paris and Florence to Rome. In the emails for our bookings they say we need to print out copies of our tickets, even though we have the mobile pass. Why is this the case and what will actually be needed when we board the train? 

The email says this: “Remember, you’ll need physical copies of your reservations to show the conductor on board the train, along with your eurail Pass. Showing this email won’t be enough, so make sure you keep your print-outs somewhere safe.” 

I just don’t understand why we’d need paper copies if we already have a mobile pass??? We’re also trying to find trains from Paris to Barcelona but now realize you must have a paper pass that is mailed. How realistic is it that we could book a train a few days in advance from Paris to Barcelona at a station in Spain in person when we get there? 

To even be able to ENTER stations for these TGV in FRance (where I am now also) one needs a ticket with barcode or QR code on-to franchise these gates. Untill very recently this was also the place where (manual) checks of covid passes etc happened. I nver saw a mobile ticket as you describe, so I cannot say if this fulfills this goal.

Oh-in other countries too, but this may only apply to any ticket booked on their own site: there is always a method to have the machines print a booked ticket for you by entering the code you got.

so lets say i am trying to board and dont have my printed ticket, I can print a booked ticket at the train station using the information from my mobile pass? and when you say “in other countries” what do you mean specifically? 

 

The reservation is one thing and the mobile pass is another. The mobile pass is your ticket which is separate from your reservation. You always need to create a ticket, a QR code, in your mobile pass for every journey you make. In addition to your ticket you for some trips need or want a reservation.

If you try to make a reservation that asks for a Pass Cover Number, you need to request that number from Customer Support. You can use this form to contact Customer Support if needed.

https://eurail.zendesk.com/hc/en-001/requests/new

 

The reservation for Paris - Barcelona gets to you via Postal Mail on security paper. It is not possible in a other form for this train. Or buy it at train stations in France, Spain or Germany. But seats for Eurail users are quota limited and can be sold out. 

You show your Eurail Mobile Pass (= Ticket) and your Reservation on Paper. 

The reservation for Paris - Barcelona gets to you via Postal Mail on security paper. It is not possible in a other form for this train.

Yes, it is: you can get it in electronic form by phone from SNCF (press #85 for English).

Hi! I am traveling using a global Eurail pass this summer for France, Italy, and Spain. I have a mobile pass and have paid for seat reservations on trains from Bordeaux to Paris and Florence to Rome. In the emails for our bookings they say we need to print out copies of our tickets, even though we have the mobile pass. Why is this the case and what will actually be needed when we board the train? 

The email says this: “Remember, you’ll need physical copies of your reservations to show the conductor on board the train, along with your eurail Pass. Showing this email won’t be enough, so make sure you keep your print-outs somewhere safe.” 

I just don’t understand why we’d need paper copies if we already have a mobile pass??? We’re also trying to find trains from Paris to Barcelona but now realize you must have a paper pass that is mailed. How realistic is it that we could book a train a few days in advance from Paris to Barcelona at a station in Spain in person when we get there? 

I am having this same exact problem. I have the 3 month unlimited Eurail pass and I plan on going all over Europe with it. I am mostly staying in Airbnbs, in which I have zero access to a printer. I went to a train station in Seville and waited 50 minutes at the counter to get seat reservations in person. I plan on taking so many trains, there has to be a better way. I don’t understand why you can’t buy a seat online in some countries (ie Spain) and just link it to your mobile pass. I don’t understand what the point is of having a mobile pass if you have to print everything. 
For countries where you can buy a seat reservation online, you still have to print it. Is there a way to print it at the self service machines once I have bought seat online? Thanks. 

I plan on taking so many trains, there has to be a better way. I don’t understand why you can’t buy a seat online in some countries (ie Spain) and just link it to your mobile pass.

Spanish railways have a "We decide what passengers have to want” mentality. Online reservation once was possible via Eurail and a number of other railways in other countries but 2 years ago RENFE made some changes and since then, it has become quite difficult. RENFE don't really deserve passengers but they keep on coming...

I don’t understand what the point is of having a mobile pass if you have to print everything. 
For countries where you can buy a seat reservation online, you still have to print it. Is there a way to print it at the self service machines once I have bought seat online? Thanks. 

There is generally no need anymore to print reservations. Only for night trains it can be a good idea.

I don't know for Italy and Spain, but in France you can totally use the mobile tickets. Of course the email is not enough, but it contains the ticket as a PDF in which the QR-code is. Showing this in the train or at the gates (for TGVs) should be enough. And maybe you can even import the ticket in the SNCF app if you have it (but not necessary and I didn't try that).

Follow up: right now I sit, using its free wifi, in yet another FRench big station, having had breakfast and this is what I noted when boarding the overnight train in Paris with also controlled access-manual.

At least 50-60% of normal travellers simply had it on their fone-this code and showed it and beep and that was it. I had made a REServ for a couchette some time ago and got a paper ticket New style, not the cardboard things one used to get) with also small QR code and that was scanned and OK-no need to even show pass etc.-though there must have been a warning to checkers a travelticket would also be needed.

IF you make such a REServ for In FRance on a machine, you can choose if you want a ticket printed directly or get a code via your mail to retrieve it later-just push right button on screen for this.

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