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Seat Reservations from Lucerne (Switzerland) to Venice (Italy)

  • April 5, 2026
  • 7 replies
  • 37 views

 Hello,

We will be traveling to Switzerland and Italy in June 2026 and have a Eurail Global Pass. I am currently trying to reserve train seats for our journey from Lucerne (Switzerland) to Venezia S. Lucia (Italy) on June 3, 2026.

Please find our trip details below for your reference. I understand that seat reservations are available from Lucerne to Lugano, and I am happy to pay for these seats. However, for the segment from Lugano to Venezia S. Lucia, the system indicates “open seating.”

As we are a family of four traveling with significant luggage, I am concerned about seat availability for the Lugano to Venice portion of the journey.

Could you please advise whether it is likely that we will be able to find seats together on this segment? Alternatively, should we consider booking seat reservations through another channel?

Also, Is it possible to transfer between trains within 4 minutes? If we miss the connecting train, would we be allowed to take the next available train without any penalty?

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,
VK

7 replies

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  • Railly clever
  • April 5, 2026

This seems like a bad connection. 

You should take the highspeed train from Milano to Venice. (less changes and your faster, reservation is 13€ per person)

This reserv

You can buy the necessary reservation online from ÖBB without additional fees (Austrian Railway  https://www.oebb.at/ )by selecting Interrail/eurail under the discount selection.


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  • Full steam ahead
  • April 5, 2026

@Venkata Kasturi 

If you miss a connecting train with mandatory reservations, you can exchange them free of charge for another train. Contact a ticket office for assistance.

If you can leave earlier, I suggest this connection, seat reservations are necessary only from Arth-Goldau to Venice:

 


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  • Railly clever
  • April 5, 2026

The 4 minute change is short. But it should be possible, as the Swiss trains are usually on time.

 


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  • Railly clever
  • April 5, 2026

Also reservations in Switzerland are mostly not necessary. (Almost noone reserves seats there)


Hello ​@Danhiel and ​@Marvin Heer - Thank you for your prompt responses. This will be our first time traveling to Europe as a family. From the below connection, do you think if it is feasible to change trains at Lugano within 4 minutes, considering that each of us will be carrying two suitcases?

 Thanks,

-VK


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  • Railly clever
  • April 5, 2026

@Venkata Kasturi If you want a bit more time for changing trains, why not take the connection that Danhiel posted it? Seems like the better option if you consider leaving arround that time.

But 4 min, while possible can be a bit of a hurry with a lot of luggage, as it the transfer is not on the same platform but on the one right next to it. (you have to cross the tracks via the underpass to the next platform)


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  • Railly clever
  • April 5, 2026

2 suitcases per person is a lot of luggage. Try to minimise and book accommodation where you can wash your clothes.