My husband and I bought Eurail passes for our trip to Europe in May. We are planning on taking a couple night trains, plus some high speed trains that require reservations. But we are not sure if we should try to make our reservations now or when we are in Europe?
When we tried to make reservations through raileurope.com the prices were very steep ($75+ for a couchette on a night train instead of $32 like Rick said they were). Will they be cheaper if we reserve them in a train station in Europe?
I don't want to reserve too late since I know there are limited spaces for passholders... but would a week be sufficient time?
Thanks!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
A few years ago, I corresponded with a young woman who was trying to make reservations on the Munich Venice night train a month in advance. It might have been with a railpass, but I think it was a full fare ticket. Absolutely nothing was available at that time. She ended up going by regular train to Zurich, by night train to Bologna, and from there, very early in the morning, by day train to Venice. The moral: book night trains way ahead, 92 days ahead it possible.
The dirty little secret about rail passes is that it is often very difficult (or expensive) to make reservations for night trains online. The only exception I know of is for CNL night trains, usually with one end in Germany. You can find passholder reservations for these trains on the German Rail website.
It's too late for Nicole, but for anyone considering a rail pass with reservations for a night train, look first for how you are going to get the reservation. Full fare tickets with reservations are relatively easy to get online, and in some cases you can get a discounted fare cheaper than a day of your rail pass plus the reservation from someplace like RailEurope.
Euraide does sell reservations at the European counter price. For the service, they charge $50, but that $50 is for your entire order, so if you are getting reservations for a couple of night trains plus some day trains, the total will undoubtedly be less than going through RailEurope.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
I'm with Lee. Buy your reservations NOW--and get them from Euraide.