I am from Australia and I am travelling through Europe for 6 weeks starting early June. I will travel by train. PAR - ZUR - APPENZEL - LUCERNE - INNSBRUK . FUSSEN - MUNICH. And later MUN - BUDAPEST. I have done a lot of searching on this community page but I don’t understand how I book my rail tickets and pay with the pass at all. Sorry, in my defense I’m 62 !
hesitant to buy a pass
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The pass is your ticket so you don't buy any tickets. Showing a QR code for the travel day is you ticket to the train.
Some trains require a mandatory seat reservation, some trains have optional reservation and other trains can't be reserved.
The seat reservations are separate from the pass in the app. Please read more about that below.
Here is some useful information from the experienced travellers in the Community regarding both planning, reservations and activation of pass and travel days.
Planning
The rail planner is normally not up to date, as it only is updated once a month, so to be sure of the time table you better check the timetable and availability on the websites of the national railways. The bigger national railways, like DB (Germany) SBB (Switzerland) and ÖBB (Austria) cover several countries.
Reservations
The advice from the experienced travellers in the community is to use other ways to make reservations than the Interrail/Eurail website. You can look at the guide in the link:
https://community.eurail.com/train-connections-reservations-47/how-to-get-reservations-105
If you, after having looked at the guide, have questions about how to make specific reservation, please give your travel details (departure date, time and route) preferably in a new topic, and you will get advice.
Please note that Interrail/Eurail charges an extra fee of 2 EUR per person and train in addition to the fee for the seat reservation.
Activation of pass
During the activation process you choose the start day of the validity of the pass. Once the validity has started it can't be changed even if you haven't travelled. The advice is therefore to wait with activating the pass and starting the validity until the first day of your travel as you only can deactivate the pass no later than 23.59 CET on the day before the validity starts. If your travel plans change in the last moment you can't deactivate the pass and change the validity.
It can be wise to make a test and activate the pass with a start date well in the future and then deactivate the pass immediately, just to see that everything works.
Activation of travel day
The advice from the experienced travellers in the community is also never to activate a travel day, that is connect a journey to your pass and create the ticket (QR code), until just before boarding the train, otherwise you might loose a travel day if your travel plans change in a late stage You can't delete a travel day in the past. A travel day can only be deleted until 23.59 CET the day before the travel day.
1.pass is ticket as such-for most trains that is enough. Of course you pay via a secure link direct when ordering the 1 you want over there antipode down yundah.
2.Good you! In fact most of the trips you mention do NOT need any extra, though some IC-trains and that TGV from FR do, also overnite. That can be done via app-with extra fee OR all by yourself, depending on what train/country, And these you pay when ordering too.
3.now IS a pas worthwhile for this? Maybe, perhaps, also depends on your age for possible discount and how willing you are to dive deep into an enormous variety of local offers or specials. Plus that these most tie you in a fixed date/time long advance, so forfeiting any spontaneous rearranging. But as most are too anxious too even think about that and also way too anxious with enormous fears that trains are full and hotels too monthes advance (all complete nonsense), it may fit you.
Yes, also other as many seem to think, it is quite possible to simply buy at the mo and even still at such an old-fashioned counter the ticket for next trip-or from a machine. This will however cost you lods oh $$ more, as then the normal full fares will be charged.
PS-HINT: the direct TGV P->Z cost an awful high surcharge-lower that by using it only IN FR and continue-oh dear-change trains! (no its not Sinney sentral there)on regional trains to Z.
In general we see here lods of OZzies who get a nervous breakdown about assumed full trains-in fact they are waaaaaaaaaay too early and simply need patience.
Also Füssen is the end of a single line, so that means you go by train in/out same way, TO ther with a large circumnavigation in this route. Can cut off a lot by using-and pay the odd€ for a bus.
Come back after you have swallowed this and have more concrete Qs.
Also dear anna b fra Sverige will come along and send her long list of hints+ link to howto RES by yourself.
Userlevel 7
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For the majority of your journey ZUR - APPENZEL - LUCERNE - INNSBRUCK . FUSSEN - MUNICH. And later MUN - BUDAPEST, you don’t need a seat reservation. These reservations are optional. If you travel alone, there’s always a spare seat somewhere.
Recommended to reserve during busy times though (weekends in the summer holidays can be ridiculously busy), other times are almost always okay.
Paris-Zürich has a hefty (mandatory) reservation fee. Recommended too avoid this by taking a TGV to Mulhouse, switching to regional trains to Switzerland. Cutting reservation cost to a bare minimum.
Note that some trains won’t be open for reservation yet, if you book reservations. It’s too early.
Is your itinerary really fixed, or you have a relative loose schedule with lots of options for day trips?
If you stick to your plan, it might be cheaper to buy cheaper advance tickets. If you like to be very flexible, or plan to take a lot of trains; a Eurail pass (probably 2 months) is your thing for your travel wishes.
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Thank you so much.
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It is just not looking any cheaper to me.
Userlevel 7
+7
It is just not looking any cheaper to me.
The pass or seperate tickets for each of your routes?
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If somewhere like FUSSEN doesn’t come up in the trip planner map, does that mean you can’t use the pass on the FUSSEN - MUNICH leg ?
Userlevel 7
+7
At which dates/times/trains you're looking exactly to do that leg?
It's included in your pass. Most rail companies in Germany are, except Flixtrain e.g.
To find Füssen you need to enter Fuessen.
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Of course I entered Fussen ! In the plan your trip tab it doesn’t come up.
Of course I entered Fussen ! In the plan your trip tab it doesn’t come up.
Not Fussen, Fuessen with 2 "e" , the spelling in German is Füssen with a German "ü" which in English is written as Fuessen.
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Still not recognized
What website are you using? I have no problem finding Fuessen at Eurail.com.
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I’m using eurail.com as per my pic but I’m using the planner as opposed to booking a trip so I appreciate your response.
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And now I know how to book a seat 😊 thank you AnnaB
Please don't use the rail planner app or the Eurail website to plan. They don't get enough updates to be reliable. Use national or the operators’ own websites or apps. For international travel, the Deutsche Bahn website ot DB Navigator app is a good choice.
The find trains from/to Füssen, also use the DB website ot DB Navigator app.
You don't need a reservation for travelling between Füssen and München.
But if you want a reservation it is cheaper to get this reservation from bahn.com. Eurail charges an extra 2 EUR per person and train in addition to the fee for the seat reservation.
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Thank you so much everyone. The 10 day two month pass seems perfect for me as I have a guided tour in the middle of my train travels. As I am 62 and new to this, I am considering buying the first class pass. AUD $770 v standard $606. I’m very worried about luggage theft. What do you recommend ?
Userlevel 7
+7
Thank you so much everyone. The 10 day two month pass seems perfect for me as I have a guided tour in the middle of my train travels. As I am 62 and new to this, I am considering buying the first class pass. AUD $770 v standard $606. I’m very worried about luggage theft. What do you recommend ?
First class has more comfort, wider seats, bit more legspace, a bit less people in it so a bit more quiet. If you have the money for it, it's quite nice, especially on longer distance trains.
Concerning theft: Note that 1st class is usually not closed off for other passengers, people can walk around the trains.
In bigger cities (Paris e.g.) you should be a bit weary for pickpockets of course, like in every big city. But if you pay attention, and keep your valuables close there's nothing to worry. There's always place in racks above your seat, or under.
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I see you are from Ghent BrandanDB. I visited there on a tour last June. What a beautiful city. Took my best photo there.
I see you are from Ghent BrandanDB. I visited there on a tour last June. What a beautiful city. Took my best photo there.
Gent is a lovely city indeed. I work there :)
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