How to avoid paying the most expensive reservation fees when using Eurail or InterRail passes
If you will be exploring Europe by train with an InterRail or Eurail pass you can just hop on the majority of the daytime train services, but on some of them rail pass users must reserve prior to boarding.
Most of these rail pass reservation fees, which can also be referred to as supplements as they're additional costs to using a pass, are priced from €4 - 10, but on a small number of train services, these fees are more than €10.
If you will be using a First Class Eurail or InterRail pass, you will need to pay the more expensive reservation fees and travel in First Class on these trains.
So if you will be looking to save money while following your rail pass adventures, it's best to avoid the train services and routes with the comparatively expensive reservation fees.
Particularly when there are alternative routes available on which rail pass users can avoid paying any fees at all; and which ShowMeTheJourney has looked up for you.
All timings verified, as of July 6th until December 11th
Keep these factors in mind when considering following one of the alternative route suggestions.
(1) It may not look like it, but ShowMeTheJourney has singled out the simplest viable routings for avoiding the fees charged on DAYTIME trains.
(2) If a routing hasn't been included for some days of the week, then the alternative viable routing to taking the trains with fees, isn't available on those days.
For example, there are only local trains between Modane and Torino/Turin at weekends currently suspended, and these local trains are the only viable alternative to travelling on the direct TGV France-Italy trains, hence the lack of alternative journey options on Mondays to Fridays for journeys between Milano and both Lyon and Paris.
So if there isn't a journey option suggested on the day you want to travel, on the route you want to take, it's because the alternatives to taking the direct train are either particularly convoluted on that day of the week OR not available at all.
If that is the case, the likely better options can include; paying the fee on the direct trains, avoiding the route, or booking discounted advance tickets for the journey instead; and using your pass for other days of travel.
(3) The departure and arrival times are based on the USUAL train schedules, but timings may be altered on your specific date(s), particularly if you will be travelling at weekends.
So confirm the timings on the Eurail or InterRail apps. or look up these journeys on a ticket booking service - or check at a station info desk when you first arrive in a location.
These are GUIDES to the alternative schedules, the intention is to give a good idea of the steps that will need to be taken to avoid paying the fees, to illustrate the choice between paying the fee to take a direct train, OR taking the alternative trains, which won't incur any additional charges.
(4) Many of the connections on the suggested journey options won't be guaranteed, trains will depart on time regardless if a preceding train is running late, so what has been highlighted in bold type is when such connections are particularly tightly timed.
In these scenarios alternative options will be available for completing a journey by the end of a day, but it can be worth having this in mind.
(5) Departure times highlighted in red are indicating that making these non-guaranteed connections, will actually be essential to reaching a final destination before the end of the day.
So proceed with caution and have a back-up plan.
Save €19 in 2nd class and €26 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by RENFE-SNCF trains.
Monday to Saturday
Dep: |
09:16 |
||
Dep: |
OR Barcelona P.de Gracia |
09:21 |
|
Arr: |
Port Bou |
11:51 |
|
Dep: |
Port Bou |
12:04 |
|
Arr: |
Narbonne |
13:51 |
|
Dep: |
Narbonne |
15:04 |
|
Arr: |
17:17 |
|
|
Dep: |
Avignon-Centre |
18:11 |
|
Arr: |
20:40 |
|
An option is to de-risk the tightly timed connection in Port Bou by departing Barcelona an hour earlier.
Saturday and Sunday
Dep: |
07:46 |
||
Dep: |
OR Barcelona P.de Gracia |
07:51 |
|
Arr: |
Port Bou |
09:59 |
|
Dep: |
Port Bou |
11:04 |
|
Arr: |
15:18 |
|
|
Dep: |
Avignon-Centre |
16:10 |
|
Arr: |
18:40 |
|
Save €19 in 2nd class and €26 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by RENFE-SNCF trains.
An option is to de-risk the tightly timed connection in Port Bou by departing Barcelona an hour earlier.
Monday to Friday
Dep: |
09:16 |
||
Dep: |
OR Barcelona P.de Gracia |
09:21 |
|
Arr: |
Port Bou |
11:51 |
|
Dep: |
Port Bou |
12:04 |
|
Arr: |
Narbonne |
13:51 |
|
Dep: |
Narbonne |
14:28 |
|
Arr: |
17:37 |
|
Note that a viable alternative schedule to taking the RENFE-SNCF direct train is not available at weekends.
Save €11 in 2nd class and €13 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Switzerland > Italy trains and if you will be travelling on to Verona and Venice, you will also avoid the €10 reservation fees charged for rail pass users on the Frecce trains.
You will also be taking a more scenic route between Arth-Goldau and Bellinzona than that taken by the EC trains.
Daily
Dep: |
10:03 |
||
Arr: |
Cadenazzo |
14:12 |
|
Dep: |
Cadenazzo |
14:39 |
IR |
Arr: |
16:17 |
||
Dep: |
Milano Centrale |
16:25 |
|
Arr: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
18:17 |
|
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
18:22 |
|
Arr: |
19:50 |
|
To arrive in Venezia S. Lucia at 19:50, the preceding trains will need to be in both Milano and Verona on time for tightly timed connections, but if you don't make them, you will still be in Venice by the end of the day thanks to alternative later departures.
Save €13 in 2nd class and €30 in 1st class by avoiding the direct high speed trains from Germany to France.
Monday to Friday and Sunday
Dep: |
08:30 |
||
Dep: |
12:50 |
|
|
Arr: |
Offenburg |
14:29 |
|
Dep: |
Offenburg |
15:05 |
|
Arr: |
Strasbourg |
15:36 |
|
Dep: |
Strasbourg |
16:19 |
|
Arr: |
21:23 |
|
Despite this being a guide to how to avoid having to make reservations when using Eurail or InterRail passes, ShowMeTheJourney recommends doing so for the long journey from Berlin to Offenburg.
There are no direct daytime trains from Berlin to Paris, so this suggested routing can be compared with these journey options.
Save €14.50 in 2nd class and €20.90 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Italy > Germany trains
Daily
Dep: |
12:05/12:10 |
||
Arr: |
Brennero |
16:56 |
|
Dep: |
Brennero |
17:33 |
|
Arr: |
18:13 |
||
Dep: |
Innsbruck Hbf |
18:40 |
|
Arr: |
20:25 |
|
on Saturday and Sunday
Dep: |
10:10 |
||
Arr: |
Brennero |
14:56 |
|
Dep: |
Brennero |
15:33 |
|
Arr: |
16:13 |
||
Dep: |
Innsbruck Hbf |
16:40 |
|
Arr: |
18:27 |
|
In Innsbruck you will be boarding the EC train which usually departs Bologna at 11:52.
Save the equivalent iof €7 in 2nd class and €17 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by Snabbtag trains.
Daily
Dep: |
09:27 |
||
Arr: |
Göteborg C |
13:20 |
|
Dep: |
Göteborg C |
13:59 |
|
Arr: |
18:44 |
Save €11 in 2nd class and €13 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Switzerland > Italy trains and if you will be travelling on to Verona and Venice, you will also avoid the €10 reservation fees charged for rail pass users on the Frecce trains.
Daily: option 1
Dep: |
08:29 |
||
Dep: |
OR Lausanne |
09:21 |
|
Arr: |
Brig |
11:02 |
|
Dep: |
Brig |
11:22 |
IR |
Arr: |
Domodossola |
11:54 |
|
Dep: |
Domodossola |
12:56 |
|
Arr: |
14:35 |
||
Dep: |
Milano Centrale |
15:25 |
|
Arr: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
17:17 |
|
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
17:22 |
|
Arr: |
18:25 |
|
To arrive in Venezia S. Lucia at 18:25 the preceding train will need to make a tightly timed connection in Verona, but if you don't make it there are later departures available.
Daily - option 2
Dep: |
10:29 |
||
Dep: |
Lausanne |
11:21 |
|
Arr: |
Brig |
13:02 |
|
Dep: |
Brig |
13:22 |
IR |
Arr: |
Domodossola |
13:54 |
|
Dep: |
Domodossola |
14:56 |
IR |
Arr: |
16:35 |
||
Dep: |
Milano Centrale |
17:25 |
|
Arr: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
19:15 |
|
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
19:22 |
|
Arr: |
20:50 |
|
Miss that connection in Verona due to a late running train from Milan and the choices will then be:
Save €13 in 2nd class and €30 in 1st class by avoiding the direct high speed trains from Germany to France
Monday to Friday and Sunday
Dep: |
08:02 |
||
Arr: |
Kalrsruhe Hbf |
13:09 |
|
Dep: |
Kalrsruhe Hbf |
14:00 |
|
Arr: |
Offenburg |
14:29 |
|
Dep: |
Offenburg |
15:05 |
|
Arr: |
Strasbourg |
15:36 |
|
Dep: |
Strasbourg |
16:19 |
|
Arr: |
21:32 |
Despite this being a guide to how to avoid having to make reservations when using Eurail or InterRail passes, ShowMeTheJourney recommends doing so for the long journey from Hamburg to Karlsruhe.
Not only will these alternative schedules for travelling from Italy to Switzerland be money savers for Eurail and Interrail users, they can also be more scenic too!
On all of these Italy to Switzerland journeys you will save €11 in 2nd class and €13 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Italy > Switzerland trains.
Daily (option 1)
Dep: |
09:25 |
||
Arr: |
Domodossola |
11:04 |
|
Dep: |
Domodossola |
11:58 |
IR |
Arr: |
Brig |
12:33 |
|
Dep: |
Brig |
13:18 |
|
Arr: |
14:24 |
||
Arr: |
15:32 |
||
Arr: |
Freiburg |
16:20 |
|
Arr: |
Mannheim |
18:10 |
|
Arr: |
18:59 |
|
The EC train from Brig will have commenced its journey in Milano - it is direct from Brig to Frankfurt (Main) making the station calls listed above (and more).
Daily - Option 2; after Aug 28th
Dep: |
09:43 |
R |
|
Arr: |
Cadenazzo |
11:20 |
|
Dep: |
Cadenazzo |
11:46 |
|
Arr: |
Basel SBB |
15:56 |
|
|
|
|
This option involves taking a more scenic route than that taken by the EC trains which travel via Brig and Bern.
Daily
Dep: |
09:25 |
||
Arr: |
Domodossola |
11:04 |
|
Dep: |
Domodossola |
11:58 |
IR |
Arr: |
Brig |
12:33 |
|
Dep: |
Brig |
12:57 |
|
Arr: |
14:39 |
|
|
Arr: |
and Geneve |
15:31 |
|
Daily Option 1 -slower but more scenic
Dep: |
09:43 |
||
Arr: |
Cadenazzo |
11:20 |
|
Dep: |
Cadenazzo |
11:46 |
|
Arr: |
14:41 |
||
Dep: |
Luzern |
15:06 |
|
Arr: |
16:55 |
Daily (Option 2)
Dep: |
09:20 |
||
Arr: |
Domodossola |
10:59 |
|
Dep: |
Domodossola |
11:58 |
|
Arr: |
Spiez |
13:44 |
|
Dep: |
Spiez |
14:05 |
IR |
Arr: |
Interlaken West |
14:23 |
|
There are no direct daytime trains from Milan to Munich/Munchen but these options will save €24.90 in 2nd class and €30.50 in 1st class, by avoiding the combination of Frecce trains from Milano to Verona and the EC Italy to Germany trains from Verona on to Munich.
Daily - option 1
Available from Aug 28th
Dep: |
10:43 |
REG |
|
Arr: |
Cadenazzo |
12:20 |
|
Dep: |
Cadenazzo |
12:46 |
|
Arr: |
Zurich Hb |
15:55 |
|
Dep: |
Zurich HB |
17:33 |
|
Arr: |
21:04 |
|
Daily (Option 2)
Dep: |
08:25 |
||
Arr: |
10:17 |
||
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
11:50 |
|
Arr: |
Brennero |
14:56 |
|
Dep: |
Brennero |
15:33 |
|
Arr: |
16:13 |
||
Dep: |
Innsbruck Hbf |
16:40 |
|
Arr: |
18:27 |
|
Daily (option 1)
From Aug 28th
Dep: |
10:43 |
REG |
|
Arr: |
Cadenazzo |
12:20 |
|
Dep: |
Cadenazzo |
12:46 |
|
Arr: |
15:55 |
|
Similarly timed journey options are available if you opt to depart from Milano at 08:43; 12:43 and 14:43.
Option 2 - more connections but more spectacular too!
That route above which travels from Bellinzona to Lugano via Goschenen is stunningly beautiful but take this routing via Tirano and you'll get to experience the absolute best of the Swiss railways.
Dep: |
10:20 |
||
Arr: |
Tirano |
12:52 |
|
Dep: |
Tirano |
13:00 |
|
Arr: |
Pontresina |
14:53 |
|
Dep: |
Pontresina |
15:02 |
|
Arr: |
Samedan |
15:08 |
|
Dep: |
Samedan |
15:15 |
|
Arr: |
17:04 |
|
|
Dep: |
Chur |
17:09 |
|
Arr: |
18:25 |
|
|
Arr: |
and Basel SBB |
19:28 |
|
Save €14.50 in 2nd class and €20.90 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Germany > Italy trains.
Daily
Dep: |
09:34 |
||
Arr: |
11:18 |
||
Dep: |
Innsbruck Hbf |
11:40 |
|
Arr: |
Brennero |
12:28 |
|
Dep: |
Brennero |
13:00 |
|
Arr: |
16:14 |
||
Arr: |
and Bologna Centrale |
17:58 |
|
In Innsbruck you will be leaving a direct train to Italy that is schedule to arrive in Verona at 14:58 and Bologna at 16:19.
Save €14.50 in 2nd class and €20.90 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Germany > Italy trains
Daily
Dep: |
09:34 |
||
Arr: |
11:18 |
||
Dep: |
Innsbruck Hbf |
11:40 |
|
Arr: |
Brennero |
12:28 |
|
Dep: |
Brennero |
13:00 |
|
Arr: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
16:15 |
|
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
16:22 |
|
Arr: |
17:50 |
|
If you miss that tightly timed connection in Verona you should have to wait only around an hour in Verona for the next REG (RV) train on to Venice.
There are no direct daytime trains from Munich/Munchen to Milan, but these options will save €24.90 in 2nd class and €30.50 in 1st class, by avoiding the combination of the the EC Germany to Italy trains from Munich to Verona - and the Frecce trains from Verona on to Milano.
Daily (Option 1)
Dep: |
09:34 |
||
Arr: |
11:18 |
||
Dep: |
Innsbruck Hbf |
11:40 |
|
Arr: |
Brennero |
12:28 |
|
Dep: |
Brennero |
13:00 |
|
Arr: |
16:15 |
||
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
16:43 |
|
Arr: |
18:35 |
|
Daily (Option 2)
From August 28th
Dep: |
08:55 |
||
Arr: |
Zurich HB |
12:57 |
|
Dep: |
Zurich HB |
14:05 |
|
Arr: |
Cadenazzo |
17:12 |
|
Dep: |
Cadenazzo |
17:39 |
IR |
Arr: |
19:17 |
Not only does this routing have fewer connections, the part of the journey between Zug and Lugano is even more spectacular than the route through Brennero
Save the equivalent iof €7 in 2nd class and €17 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by Snabbtag trains.
Daily
Dep: |
09:14 |
||
Arr: |
Göteborg C |
14:00 |
|
Dep: |
Göteborg C |
14:40 |
|
Arr: |
18:29 |
Save the equivalent iof €7 in 2nd class and €17 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by Snabbtag trains.
Daily (Option 1)
Dep: |
09:14 |
||
Arr: |
Göteborg C |
14:00 |
|
Dep: |
Göteborg C |
14:15 |
|
Arr: |
18:29 |
De-risk that tightly connection at Goteborg C station by departing Stockholm at 07:14.
Daily (Option 2)
Dep: |
13:14 |
||
Arr: |
Herrljunga |
17:12 |
|
Dep: |
Herrljunga |
17:31 |
IR |
Arr: |
Öxnered |
18:26 |
|
Dep: |
Öxnered |
18:50 |
|
Arr: |
Olso S |
21:51 |
On Sat/Sun arrive Oxnered at 18:33.
Making the connections in both Herrljunga and Oxnered is essential to being able to arrive in Oslo by the end of the day.
Save €11 in 2nd class and €13 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Italy > Switzerland train.
Daily
Dep: |
08:10 |
||
Arr: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
09:38 |
|
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
09:45 |
|
Arr: |
11:35 |
|
|
Dep: |
Milano Centrale |
13:25 |
|
Arr: |
Domodossola |
15:04 |
|
Dep: |
Domodossola |
15:58 |
IR |
Arr: |
16:33 |
|
|
Dep: |
Brig |
16:57 |
|
Arr: |
18:39 |
|
|
Arr: |
and Geneve |
19:29 |
|
De-risk making the connection in Verona by departing Venice at 07:10.
Save €14.50 in 2nd class and €20.90 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Italy > Germany trains.
Daily
Dep: |
09:10 |
||
Arr: |
10:38 |
||
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
11:50 |
|
Arr: |
Brennero |
14:52 |
|
Dep: |
Brennero |
15:33 |
|
Arr: |
16:13 |
||
Dep: |
Innsbruck Hbf |
16:40 |
|
Arr: |
18:27 |
|
Save €10 in 2nd class and €15 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by Railjet trains.
Monday to Friday (Option 1)
Dep: |
05:01 |
||
Arr: |
Udine |
06:51 |
|
Dep: |
Udine |
07:14 |
REX |
Arr: |
Villach Hbf |
08:54 |
|
Dep: |
Villach Hbf |
09:14 |
|
Arr: |
13:35 |
|
Monday to Friday (Option 2)
Dep: |
14:13 |
||
Arr: |
Udine |
16:28 |
|
Dep: |
Udine |
17:22 |
REX |
Arr: |
Villach Hbf |
19:07 |
|
Dep: |
Villach Hbf |
19:14 |
|
Arr: |
23:35 |
|
This option 2 is more risky, as the tightly timed connection in Villach is into the final train of the day from Villach to Wien Hbf.
Saturday and Sunday
Dep: |
13:13 |
||
Arr: |
Udine |
15:28 |
|
Dep: |
Udine |
17:22 |
REX |
Arr: |
Villach Hbf |
19:07 |
|
Dep: |
Villach Hbf |
19:14 |
|
Arr: |
23:35 |
|
Taking this routing at a weekend is is a risk, as the tightly timed connection in Villach is into the final train of the day from Villach to Wien Hbf.
Save €11 in 2nd class and €13 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Italy > Switzerland train.
Daily
from Aug 28th
Dep: |
08:10 |
||
Arr: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
09:38 |
|
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
09:45 |
|
Arr: |
11:35 |
|
|
Dep: |
Milano Centrale |
13:43 |
|
Arr: |
Lugano |
14:58 |
|
Dep: |
Lugano |
15:02 |
|
Arr: |
Arth-Goldau |
18:07 |
|
Dep: |
Arth-Goldau |
18:15 |
|
Arr: |
18:55 |
|
De-risk making the connection in Verona by departing Venice at 07:10.
Save €11 in 2nd class and €13 in 1st class by avoiding the direct journey by EC Switzerland > Italy trains and if you will be travelling on to Verona and Venice, you will also avoid the €10 reservation fees charged for rail pass users on the Frecce trains.
Daily (Option 1)
from Aug 28th
Dep: |
10:05 |
||
Arr: |
Cadenazzo |
13:12 |
|
Dep: |
Cadenazzo |
13:39 |
IR |
Arr: |
15:17 |
||
Dep: |
Milano Centrale |
15:25 |
|
Arr: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
17:15 |
|
Dep: |
Verona Porta Nuova |
17:22 |
|
Arr: |
18:50 |
|
The connections in Milan and Verona are both tightly timed and can't be guaranteed, but if trains delays cause them to be missed, there will be later REG/RV trains heading on to Venezia/Venice.
Daily (Option 2)
That route above via Cadenazzo is stunningly beautiful but take this routing via Tirano and you'll get to experience the absolute best of the Swiss railways.
Dep: |
10:07 |
||
Arr: |
11:22 |
|
|
Dep: |
Chur |
11:58 |
|
Arr: |
Samedan |
13:45 |
|
Dep: |
Samedan |
13:48 |
RhB |
Arr: |
Pontresina |
13:57 |
|
Dep: |
Pontresina |
14:08 |
RhB |
Arr: |
Tirano |
16:23 |
|
Dep: |
Tirano |
17:08 |
|
Arr: |
19:40 |
|
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
I wanted to share my passion for train travel and explain how anyone can take the fantastic journeys I have taken.
This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.