The app is wrong, Bologna - München does not require a seat reservation. We've told Interrail many times now. There is a 10€ supplement for pass holders but you can also buy that on the train for the same price, if the ticket inspector asks for it (some don't).

The direct trains Copenhagen - Hamburg require a reservation in summer (best booked via DSB). For the rest, please specify exactly which trains if you would like advice (origin, destination, date, departure time per train).

To check timetables, forget the rail planner app and the Interrail website. The app doesn't get enough updates to be reliable and the Deutsche Bahn website is more convenient anyway.

Thanks a million. That is really useful advice.

Ojn that site of bahn.de you can easily do it yourself make REServ. for seat by clicking on ´seat only´ it cost 4€ and even 1 change is included. Those long-distance sleek white ICE can indeed get quite full in main season on busy days. You do not have to do that many monthes advance- a few days is enough.

You can escape-or maybe even have to- the DSB siddeplass by using other trains to padborg/Flensburg and change to local DB trains. Indeed-as they are so short and few, the direct trains KObenh-Hamb get very full-with passholders.

You can book as many trains for 4€ as you can cram in a priceable journey on bahn.de.

I have checked now on DB website and can see as you mention that it is not possible to buy the seat reservation. But does the 6 hour train ride not get very crowded in the summer without a seat reservation in advance? Is it guaranteed that there is space on the train?

Do you mean Bologna - Munich? These trains can get quite full in summer indeed. You can book a seat on the DB website, together with any connecting trains, for 4€. But you need to click on "Seat only”. If you only want to book 1 train, then ÖBB is cheaper (3€).

If you mean other trains, please specify: origin, destination, date, departure time.

It’s the route from Bologna to Munich that’s giving me problems with seat reservations. I’ve tried DB’s website *Seats only”) many times and on different dates in July, but either it says there are no free seats at all, and I’ve tried many different dates in end July and when I try other dates (in April), it allows me to buy a ticket (I tried to book an actual ticket) and then it will let me pay for a ticket (75 EUR) but says there are no seat reservations possible on that route. But I already have an Interrail pass, so there is no need to buy a ticket. I have not tried ÖBB but I might give it a try. I also had troubles booking a seat reservation on DB from Copenhagen-Basel, but I keep getting messages that there was a problem with the website. This was not a problem with Bologna-Munich. I did succeed in booking seats between Salzburg and Copenhagen (29 July). 

Maybe there are some engineering works on the line between Innsbruck and Munich, and maybe the timetable is not completely ready, and in this case the reservation tool is not open till the timetable is not ready. 

Hi Pernille, OeBB communicated to us that reservation was mandatory on the Bologna to Munich train. You can try to travel without it but at your own risk. For the Copenhagen-Basel and Salzburg-Copenhagen routes, you can booked as suggested above. Cheers,

That's very strange because there's no indication in their timetables about that, nor does their booking website force a seat reservation, not even when you indicate you have Eurail or Interrail. Could you please re-check that with them? I think it's just incorrect to show mandatory reservation for this train.

ÖBB was successful for making seat reservations for almost all our trips. Thank you for that suggestion. I also managed to book Bologna- Munich through ÖBB website. The fee was even 1 EUR cheaper than with DB, which all adds up. Thanks again for all your useful suggestions! 

Yeah ÖBB charge 3€per seat/train :)
DB charge 4€per seat/journey (can means if you have 2 trains or more on the route DB is cheaper :D)

@Marion 
That is not true and still an issue of the Railplanner.
ÖBB/DB charge Eurail/Interrail/GermanRailpass traveler a Railpassholder charge if traveling on the Italian Part with their Eurocity/Railjet of 10€ in 2nd class/15€ in 1st class the system marks this surcharge as a reservation. But these 10€/15€ are no reservation.

The surcharge can be bought online, at a ticketoffice and without any extra fee on the train itself.

There are quite often discussions onboard of these trains as many Railpassholders thought the Reservation (3€ via ÖBB or 4€ via DB) is the “mandatory” reservation and are then surprised when the Italian Colleagues of “Trennord” (That are the ticket inspectors on the Italianpart) wanna charge the 10€ or the 15€ :)

Iam working for German rail and even few times per year on this Route.
and we discussed this “Reservation mandatory issue” already here several times with Nanja @rvdborgt  and few more :D
ÖBB informs about this surcharge only ontheir Website aimed for the Italian marked in German and Italian. Sadly not english

Kind Regards
Sebastian :)

This is interesting because, in the Conditions of Carriage of DB (“Internationale Beförderungsbedingungen”, version June 5, 2022), it does NOT become clear that the supplement is only required on Italian segments of the DB/ÖBB EuroCity trains.

There it says that EC trains between Munich and Italy require a supplement.

Hence, I would expect that taking the DB/ÖBB EC from Munich to Brennero would also require the supplement.

In contrast, the DB regulations are very clear for the ECE Frankfurt-Milano trains, where it is stated that a reservation(!, not supplement) is required ONLY on the Italian segment. Within Germany and Switzerland, reservation is optional.

This is interesting because, in the Conditions of Carriage of DB (“Internationale Beförderungsbedingungen”, version June 5, 2022), it does NOT become clear that the supplement is only required on Italian segments of the DB/ÖBB EuroCity trains.

There it says that EC trains between Munich and Italy require a supplement.

Hence, I would expect that taking the DB/ÖBB EC from Munich to Brennero would also require the supplement.

 

In contrast, the DB regulations are very clear for the ECE Frankfurt-Milano trains, where it is stated that a reservation(!, not supplement) is required ONLY on the Italian segment. Within Germany and Switzerland, reservation is optional.

 

 

I asked few years back when they introduced the supplement German & Austrian Rail and they said it´s because of the Italian Part :)

And was never charged when i used this train between Munich & Innsbruck :)

As the operating company of this train in Italy is not in the Eurail/Interrail system and still want´s to get some money ofthem As either DB or ÖBB hadn´t a valid Italian Certificate they used according my knowledge the service of “Trenord” to operate the train in Italy.

If they don't get any money from pass users in Italy who use these trains, then they need to talk with Eurail. If companies like Westbahn, RegioJet or Snälltåget can get their share of the pass income, then surely Trenord (or whoever runs these EC trains this year) can get that too. Certainly with the mobile pass, it has become quite easy to get a fairly accurate idea of the number of pass users using any train.

My impression is rather that ÖBB/DB/Trenord are quite happy to get an extra 10/15€ out of pass holders and will continue to do so regardless. Anything else is just an excuse.

Yes I think like you, that they want this nice extra. 

Trenord runs the DB-ÖBB Eurocity and the RJX Vienna-Bolzano/Bozen.

Trenord Regional trains are part of Interrail. But what I understand, Trenord get nothing from the Tickets, but DB and ÖBB pay for their service. Because Tickets to Italy have as Carrier CIV Code 1280 for DB Italia.

RCCI (Rail Cargo Carrier Italy aPart of ÖBB]) runs the RJ Vienna-Venice and EC Vienna-Ljubljana-Trieste in Italy. ÖBB Italia (Beförderercode 3827)