I have a Eurail Global pass for 15 consecutive days. I am struggling wether to reserve in the US going from Paris Nord to Berlin Hbf. Our passes are for 1st class (mandatory due to our age). RailEurope website wants $164 for a reservation for 2 of us. I arrive in Paris on 9/8 and would like to take the THA/ICE to Berlin departing on 9/12. Would it be cheaper to purchase the reservation on the 8th at the P-Nord? What are the chances of not accomplishing this due to No-Reservation available?
Thanks in advance for any advice anyone could give us...
Jerry
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19238 posts
Welcome to the "cold, hard facts of life" department, Railpass desk.
Railpasses are no longer the deal they once were. It is difficult, if not impossible, to find "passholder reservations". In the case of Thalys, they are not just seat reservations, but a surcharge because Thalys considers themselves as a "premium train" not covered for free with a railpass. Additionally, the number of passholder reservations is limited in number, not always available even when there are available seats on the train at full fare.
German Rail will sell you just a seat reservation online for the Köln-Berlin ICE for €5,50 per person (with 2 people I think you can get a family reservation for a little less).
You might also be able to get reservations at Europe prices (plus $50 shipping) from Euraide (www.euraide.com).
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Lee, I think your "please read this before buying a rail pass" thread needs to get bumped up again.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19238 posts
Do you know where to find it? I don't.
Trouble is, no one reads this site before buying a railpass. Then, of course, they come here because they can't find reservations, but it's already too late.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
If you travel Paris Est-Mannheim-Berlin on TGV and/or ICE trains rather than Paris Nord-Koeln-Berlin, you'll save money by not having to take a Thalys train at all. All you'll need is a simple seat reservation for Paris Est-Mannheim (4-5 euro) which you can buy when you arrive in Paris. Seat reservations are available (but not required) for Mannheim-Berlin.
Leave Paris Est at 07:04, connect in Mannheim, and arrive in Berlin at 15:26. Or leave Paris Est at 09:09, connect in Mannheim, and arrive in Berlin at 17:25. Or leave Paris Est at 13:09, connect in Mannheim, and arrive in Berlin at 21:26.
You also could leave Paris Est at 11:24, connect in Karlsruhe and Hannover, and arrive in Berlin at 20:11. Only the Paris Est-Karlsruhe leg requires a seat reservation.
See the timetables on the German Rail site. After you get summary timetables for Paris-Berlin, click on the arrow to the left of the departure time(s) of your choice to see the connecting points.
Posted by
San Francisco
14791 posts
Jerry,
I must heartily endorse what Tim has advised you!! Just walk over to Gare de l'Est and take the Paris Est-Mannheim route; on both legs, Paris Est-Mannheim and Mannheim-Berlin Hbf., you can take the ICE without having to reserve Mannheim-Berlin. But you do have to reserve Paris Est-Mannheim even with your Pass. This is exactly what I would do. You avoid going through Belgium, avoid paying extra for going through Belgium, avoid taking a Thalys train...an absolute must...and avoid paying a mandatory reservation for the Mannheim-Berlin route. No seats?? So what, but I really doubt it.
If you did stand, it would not be for long. The locals don't reserve when hoping on an ICE.