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reservations

  • January 27, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 76 views
2
Keeps calm and carries on
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I am travelling in mid May.  As it in January , some of the reservations in Europe aren't yet available 

- In order to get a Eurostar reservation, is it better to book now as everything I have read say they sell fast?

- If my plans change, how easy/costly is it yo change the reservation?

 

About reservations in France and Italy 

- how soon are they generally possible to book?

- if i miss a connection due to delay of a previous train, do I contact interrail or someone else?

- if it is a train with no reservations, i assume I just turn up and get on?

- are the times on the rail europe website accurate, or is it necessary to double check the train operator website?

If i book with Rail Europe for the , eg, 1000 train, but the train operator timetable states it is actually 1115, which train have i actually reserved, and is it a problem?

Thank you for your patience

 

 

Best answer by rvdborgt

May has some public holidays, so travel around them will be busy. The weekend of Ascension day is one of the busiest so if you plan to travel on Eurostar then, you'd better book ASAP.

Changing a Eurostar reservation from/to London is €15 in 2nd and €20 in 1st class.

French domestic reservations from 12/5 until 4/7 will open on 12/2. Timetables won't be complete until then.

Italian high speed trains can already be booked but they usually have enough availability so no rush there.

If you miss a connection, check what your next train is and if it also has mandatory reservations, then speak with staff. You should then be rebooked free of charge. If it doesn't have mandatory reservations, then just board and request reimbursement of the reservation of the train you missed, from the place where you booked it.

If a train has no reservations, you always need to add the train to your pass before boarding. You need to do that for all trains you use with the pass.

If the timetable is different between Rail Europe and the operator, I'd trust the operator more. A reservation would however normally fail if they try to book with the incorrect departure or arrival time. It may however be the case that the timetable has changed for some reason since you booked. If the train number stays the same, then your reservation should remain valid.

To see what is really happening, you need to provide route, date, departure time and train number of the train you booked.

2 replies

R
Railmaster
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  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • Answer
  • January 27, 2025

May has some public holidays, so travel around them will be busy. The weekend of Ascension day is one of the busiest so if you plan to travel on Eurostar then, you'd better book ASAP.

Changing a Eurostar reservation from/to London is €15 in 2nd and €20 in 1st class.

French domestic reservations from 12/5 until 4/7 will open on 12/2. Timetables won't be complete until then.

Italian high speed trains can already be booked but they usually have enough availability so no rush there.

If you miss a connection, check what your next train is and if it also has mandatory reservations, then speak with staff. You should then be rebooked free of charge. If it doesn't have mandatory reservations, then just board and request reimbursement of the reservation of the train you missed, from the place where you booked it.

If a train has no reservations, you always need to add the train to your pass before boarding. You need to do that for all trains you use with the pass.

If the timetable is different between Rail Europe and the operator, I'd trust the operator more. A reservation would however normally fail if they try to book with the incorrect departure or arrival time. It may however be the case that the timetable has changed for some reason since you booked. If the train number stays the same, then your reservation should remain valid.

To see what is really happening, you need to provide route, date, departure time and train number of the train you booked.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
T
T
Full steam ahead
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  • thibcabe
  • Full steam ahead
  • January 27, 2025

There are a few holiday weekends in May so yes, I'd book the Eurostar soon. Reservations are sometimes refundable/exchangeable. Eurostar has a 15€ exchange fee (no refund). SNCF has free refunds.

French trains should be available from 12th February. What's the route? https://www.sncf-connect.com/aide/l-ouverture-des-ventes

Italy should be available now or if not, very soon.

Also see https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

Discrepancy between Rail Europe and operators shouldn't happen. Perhaps a 3-5 min difference if there's a work timetable not yet shared to Rail Europe.

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