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Hello everybody

If I spontaneously decide to take a train that mandatorily requires a reservation, is it possible to hop on the train and to book a reservation on board?

Thanks for your answers!

Sometimes it´s possible but it´s not recommened as this can cause quite high penalty fares or even can be seen as fraud and you will get to know the Police at the next station :/  Atleast you have to pay a quite high purchase onboard fare. Bestway is to reserve lastminute via App (not the Interrailapp), at a ticket office or when possible at a ticket machine. It will be much less stress.

The trains are reservation compulsory to asure that everybody on the train have a seat 🙂 (Different secruity restrictions as in other countries)


Most often these trains-€*, TGV in FR AVE in ES and some frecce in IT-have gates to enter the platform where they stop/start-so its simply impossible to do what you suggest. Railways are not that mad-and yes, other countries-other customs as in DB/DE-land, also much less delays.


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