I was wondering if anyone has any input or advice, pros/ cons on the eurail second class tickets that are not required to do seat reservations ( but are available).
Wife and I will be doing 6 countries in 3 weeks and have a set itinerary. Want to make sure we have some flexibility for travel hiccups but unsure if I should purchase seat reservations when available even if not required.
Any input would be helpful. Ty
What does the itinerary look like? There are big differences between countries.
Frankfurt-rothenburg
Rothenburg to Munich
Zurich to Interlaken
Interlaken to Zermatt
Zermatt to Geneva
Bruge to Frankfurt
How are you getting to Bruges and how are you getting from Munich to Zurich?
We yav some flights and night trains already booked. These are the legs that have the optional seat reservations
Given that tourist traffic in Europe is crazy high for this summer, I would go ahead and get reservations for the trains, even if you don't do it until a day or two beforehand. When my family went around Switzerland, we used the Swiss Pass, which did not require reservations for any trains (it may now, so can't speak to current conditions, this was in 2013). I was a little surprised that we had to stand for about 45 minutes into Interlaken on the leg from wherever we were coming from (can't remember at this point). If it is a small amount of money, it will likely be worth it in places where travel is stretched by so many travelers. Switzerland seems popular with everyone, so maybe do those seats? Good luck figuring it all out. Sounds like a great trip!
Looking at your itinerary, the morning Brussels to Frankfurt ICE train for 2 days from now is showing high demand, so I would definitely get a reservation for that.
For the Frankfurt to Rothenburg, the ICE trains to Wuerzburg are showing medium to low demand.
For Rothenburg to Munich, depending on how you go, most IC and ICE trains are showing low to medium demand.
All the train from Zurich to Interlaken are showing medium demand.
Spiez to Visp trains are showing low demand (the only leg to Zermatt where reservations are sold)
Zermatt to Geneva is showing low demand. None of the trains to Geneva from Visp sell reservations.
So I really don't think you need reservations except for the Brussels to Frankfurt ICE. Other trains, you can check the expected loading a few days ahead and buy reservations if you like. In Germany, you can buy them at train stations for 4.50 EUR per seat. Swiss trains are so frequent that you almost never need reservations.
Great stuff thank you!
In Switzerland a full train is one where you cannot guarantee that you have a whole compartment to yourself. It is in Switzerland very rare that people have to stand. SBB runs some very long trains. Reserving seats is very uncommon in Switzerland.
Lots of local trains cannot be reserved at all. Domestic trains in Belgium fro example. Anything with an "R" in it in Germany.
Anyway, you can always reserve at the station if you want. You do not need to do that in advance.
I assume you are also taking the train from Munich to Zurich? No point in flying that if you have an Eurail Pass, and no point in flying that otherwise as well :-)
Using a 2nd class Eurail Pass I wait until I get to a train station in Germany or Austria to buy the seat reservation. That's only with the Pass. If I'm getting 90 day prior discount ticket on-line , eg., going from Paris to Frankfurt on the ICE, then I order the reservation at the same time.
Ususally, I don't get a seat reservation on-line, when that is not required.
