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Reservations

  • August 21, 2025
  • 5 replies
  • 79 views

What is the best way to book when you need seat reservations? First book your seat reservation and afterwords the train trip in your app?

I had first planned my trip , but when I wanted to make a seat reservation their was no place on that specific train. Then I take seat reservations on an other train. But I need to cancel my trip and started again. Is it better to do first the seat reservation and add the train to the app afterwards?

Best answer by rvdborgt

Indeed, first make a reservation. There's no need to add a train/journey to your trip a long time in advance. The only requirement is that you add a train to your trip and pass before you board it.

For reservations, the best is to use this page as a guide:

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

5 replies

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  • Railly clever
  • August 21, 2025

You don't need to add your train to the app until just before boarding the train. You better use the apps or websites of national railway, like DB, to do the planning and then make a list in excel or something like that. The Railplanner app is not good for planning. 


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  • Railmaster
  • Answer
  • August 21, 2025

Indeed, first make a reservation. There's no need to add a train/journey to your trip a long time in advance. The only requirement is that you add a train to your trip and pass before you board it.

For reservations, the best is to use this page as a guide:

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


  • Author
  • Rail rookie
  • August 21, 2025

Thank you both, it’s clear to me now.

Do you think also that you need to book the seat reservations al long time before? 

We travel on september 7th to Germany. For my first trip we have already seat reservations ( to Berlin). After Berlin we want to travel to Dresden, Munchen and Neurenberg.


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  • Railmaster
  • August 21, 2025

Do you think also that you need to book the seat reservations al long time before?

We travel on september 7th to Germany. For my first trip we have already seat reservations ( to Berlin). After Berlin we want to travel to Dresden, Munchen and Neurenberg.

A few days in advance should be sufficient (if at all); on Friday and Sunday afternoon/evenings a bit earlier. You can check the free seats on bahn.de, where you can see seat maps.


BrendanDB
Full steam ahead
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  • Full steam ahead
  • August 21, 2025

Btw, the DB website gives an indication of how busy it’s going to be. If it’s average or lower, and you’re travelling alone or with two on a weekday, I wouldn’t bother to get a seat reservation and just find free seats when boarding.

They’re only optional in Germany, a bit of money saved to grab a beer on the train or on your destination.