Rail Pass Itinerary: No Reservation Fees

Paris → Gent/Ghent → Amsterdam → Berlin → Prague/Praha → Vienna/Wien → Venice/Venezia → Florence/Firenze → Milan/Milano → Basel via Interlaken → Paris
OR
Paris → Gent/Ghent → Amsterdam → Berlin → Prague/Praha → Vienna/Wien → Venice/Venezia → Florence/Firenze → The Cinque Terre → Genoa/Genova → Marseille → Paris

This suggested rail pass itinerary lives up to its title, as it excludes any train on which Eurail and InterRail Pass users have to pay reservation fees.
It shows that you don't have to pay additional charges to visit the most popular cities in Europe by train

Though avoiding the trains which do have reservation fees, means you have to take more trains than you would otherwise.
So we also show when the alternative trains with compulsory reservations are an option worth considering; and what the additional costs of taking them are.

The departure and arrival times have been verified on the published timetable, but they can be altered by local circumstances such as construction works and weather.

The need to take more trains is offset by how comparatively stress-free following this itinerary should be; you can just hop on these trains with your rail pass, once you have filled in the details of the trains you will be taking.
We’ve also squeezed in as many scenic train journeys as possible!
The itinerary is also a continuous loop, so you can follow this itinerary if you want your start and finish point of your entire trip to be in any of the cities, where each day concludes.

If you use a 10 days of travel within two months InterRail Global Pass OR a 10 days within 2 months Eurail Global Pass you can take breaks between your days of train travel.
You can then spend some time in fabulous destinations including Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Venice or Florence.

OR our Concierge rail travel planning service, could help you plan a similar itinerary.

Most of the journeys are clickable, so you can access more useful info about each individual train ride including:

(1) All you need to know about the stations where you will be joining and leaving the train.
(2) What to expect when on board each train, such as catering facilities and tips for how to manage your luggage.
(3) Insights for scenic journeys - what to look out for, which side of the train to sit on for the best of the views etc.
Plus if you click the station buttons on the journey guides, you will also usually* find:

(1) Lists of overnight accommodation with easy access to the station and with high user ratings;
(2) Links to destination guides to help you make the most of each location.

aMONDAY – FRIDAY:

Train 1:
Depart: Paris Gare Du Nord at 10:27 – the train should be heading to Calais-Villle
Arrive: Amiens at 11:35

Train 2:
Depart: Amiens at 11:50
Arrive: Lille Flandres at 13:07

Train 3:
Depart: Lille Flandres at 14:09 – the train should be heading to Anvers
Arrive: Gent Sint-Pieters at 15:24; Gent-Dammport at 15:35
A change of train may be required at Kortrijk

SATURDAYS:

Train 1:
Depart: Paris Gare Du Nord at 10:27– the train should be heading to Calais-Villle
Arrive: Amiens at 11:35

Train 2:
Depart: Amiens at 12:37
Arrive: Lille Flandres at 13:55

Train 3:
Depart: Lille Flandres at 14:03* – the train should be heading to Anvers
Arrive: Gent Sint-Pieters at 15:24; Gent-Dammport at 15:35
A change of train may be required at Kortrijk
*= Yes that 8 min connection is far from guaranteed, but on Saturdays, the next train on to Gent should be departing only an hour later.

SUNDAYS:

Train 1:
Depart: Paris Gare Du Nord at 09:30 – the train should be heading to Calais-Villle
Arrive: Amiens at 10:35

Train 2:
Depart: Amiens at 12:37
Arrive: Lille Flandres at 13:55

Train 3:

Depart: Lille Flandres at 14:03 – the train should be heading to Anvers
Arrive: Gent Sint-Pieters at 15:24; Gent-Dammport at 15:35

A choice of stations in Gent:

Regardless on which day you will be making this journey, the train from Lille will make two station calls in Gent - At St Pieters station and at Gent-Dampoort station.
So check which station in the city, is closest to where you’ll be spending a night or two.
Don’t be surprised if you have to also make an unscheduled change of train at Kortrijk, when making the journey between Lille and Gent.

Adding Brugge to this itinerary:

Want to also visit Brugge?
Spend two nights in Gent and take an easy day trip from there to Brugge by train.
The return train ticket to Brugge from Gent will cost less than €15.

Train 1:
Depart: Gent Sint-Pieters at 09:27 or Gent-Dammport at 09:36
Arrive: Antwerpen-Berchem at 10:17

Train 2:

Depart: Antwerpen-Berchem at 10:38
Arrive: Amsterdam-Centraal at 12:32

You don’t have to take these suggested trains, you could leave Gent two hours later and make the same transfer at Antwerp-Berchem station.
It’s easier to make the transfer between these trains at Antwerp-Berchem station, rather than at Antwerpen-Centraal.

Though an option is to remain on the train from Gent until it arrives at the Centraal station, use the left luggage there and then explore Antwerpen between trains.
There are daily Intercity Brussels trains from Antwerpen-Centraal to Amsterdam at 17:43; 18:43 and 19:43.

Depart: Amsterdam Centraal at 09:59 or 11:59
Arrive: Berlin Hbf at 15:51 or 17:51

Reservations for this journey are optional, so if you don't want to reserve, be at the station at least 20 mins before this train departs.
Do that and you can be amongst the first to board – if you don’t make reservations, sitting in the same seat for the entire journey isn't guaranteed.
For that reason, try to avoid making this journey on a Friday or Saturday.

If you do want to reserve then book the reservations online on DB, the German national railways website - more info is available here.
You'll be charged a booking fee if you book the reservations at Amsterdam Centraal station.

Depart: Berlin Hbf at 09:16 or 11:16
Arrive: Praha Holseovice at 13:14 or 15:14
OR
Arrive: Praha Hl (Nadrazi) at 13:24 or 15:24.
(The final destination of the train that departs at 09:16 is Budapest).

If you don’t reserve, seats aren’t guaranteed on these trains, particularly if you have a 2nd class pass, so try to avoid making this journey on a Friday or Saturday.

If possible sit on the left of the train when boarding, in order to make the most of the river valley views after Dresden.
Check the location of your where you’ll be staying in Praha/Prag, as either Holseovice OR hl. Nadrazi stations may be the most convenient for your onward travel in the city.

Depart: Praha Hln at 08:44 or 10:44
Arrive: Wien Hbf at 12:49 or 14:49
These trains will be heading to Graz.

Train 1:
Depart: Wien Hbf at 14:25
Arrive: Villach Hbf at 18:46

The best of the views will be available if you sit on the left of the train.

Train 2:

Depart: Villach Hbf at 19:29
Arrive: Udine at 21:13

Train 3:

Depart: Udine at 22:09
Arrive: Venezia S. Lucia at 23:59

Rail pass users have to pay reservation fees on the direct Railjet trains from Wien/Vienna to Venezia/Wien of €10 in 2nd class and €15 in 1st class.
However, if you pay those fees prior to boarding you can travel direct and depart Wien at 06:25 and arrive in Wien/Venice at 14:05, or depart Wien at 12:25 and arrive in Venice at 20:05.

Mondays to Saturdays:
Train 1:
Depart: Venezia S.Lucia at 08:57
Arrive: Venezia Mestre at 09:07 (the train will be heading to Bassano del Grapa)

Train 2:
Depart: Venezia Mestre at 09:34 by IC train
Arrive: Firenze Rifredi at 12:27

Train 3:
Depart: Firenze Rifredi at 12:45
Arrive: Firenze S.M. Novella at 12:52
On Sundays you will be waiting more more than an hour at Rifredi station for a train for the short journey on to the city centre station at Firenze S.M.Novella.

Daily
Train 1:
Depart: Venezia S.Lucia at 14:01
Arrive: Venezia Mestre at 14:11 (the train will be heading to Trieste)

Train 2:
Depart: Venezia Mestre at 14:34 by IC train
Arrive: Firenze Rifredi at 17:27

Train 3:
Depart: Firenze Rifredi at 17:45
Arrive: Firenze S.M. Novella at 17:50

This combination of trains maintains the no reservation rules for this itinerary, by avoiding the Frecce trains between Venezia/Venice and Firenze/Florence.
However, the Frecce train which departs Venezia S.Lucia station daily at 10:25 will get you to Firenze/Florence at 12:30.
The reservation fee for the Frecce train is €10 if you have a 1st or 2nd class pass - more info on how to book them is available here.

If you want make day trips by train from Firenze to the likes of Assisi, Sienna, Pisa or the ‘Cinque Terre’ don’t use a day of your rail pass – as none of these journeys will be particularly expensive.

From this point on two separate routing options have been mapped out.
Option 'a' involves making some beautiful journeys across Switzerland, while Option 'b' involves travelling along the Mediterranean coastline.
And we also show how you switch between these two options at the end of Day Eight.

Journey option 1 - daily

[Depart: Firenze S.M. Novella at 08:21 by IC train
Arrive: MIlano Centrale at 12:15](/train-travel-info/journeys/from-firenze-florence-to-milano-milan-mailand-by-train/)

Journey option 2- daily

Train 1:
Depart: Firenze S.M.N at 15:09
Arrive: Firenze Rifredi at 15:14 (the train will be heading to Viareggio)

Train 2:
Depart: Firenze Rifredi at 15:33 by IC train
Arrive: Milano Centrale at 19:17

Train 1:
Depart: Milano Centrale at 09:43
Arrive: Lugano at 10:58

Train 2:
Depart: Lugano at 11:02 / 11:32 – the train will be heading to Basel SBB
Arrive: Luzern at 13:41

Sit on the right of this train to see the best of the views over Lake Zug!

Train 3:
Depart: Luzern at 14:06
Arrive: Interlaken Ost at 15:55 by the Luzern-Interlaken Express

Sit on the right of this train to see the best of the views as it passes four lakes.

Train 4:
Depart: Interlaken Ost at 16:30
Arrive: Basel SBB at 18:32

Sit on the right of this train to see the fabulous over Lake Thun!

Making these connections on this day nine schedule may seem ambitious, but you'll be in Switzerland so these changes of train shouldn't be a problem.
The trains on from both Luzern and Interlaken operate hourly, so an option is to explore Lake Luzern between trains - InterRail and Eurail pass users can obtain a 50% discount on the cruise boats!

Basel can be an expensive city in which to spend the night, so an option which can be worth considering, is to spend the night in Olten instead.
The trains to Basel on Day 9 will all be calling there and then in the morning there are frequent trains from Olten to Basel - and the journey won’t take more than 40 mins.

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

Train 1:
Depart: Basel SBB at 14:21 – the train will be heading to Strasbourg
Arrive: Mulhouse-Ville at 14:44

Train 2:
Depart: Mulhouse-Ville at 15:35
Arrive: Paris Est at or 20:19

SATURDAY and SUNDAY

Train 1:
Depart: Basel SBB at 14:39
Arrive: Mulhouse-Ville at 15:10

Train 2:
Depart: Mulhouse-Ville at 15:32
Arrive: Paris Est at 20:16 or 20:53

MONDAY - SATURDAY:

Train 1:
Depart: Firenze S.M. Novella at 09:53
Arrive: La Spezia Centrale at 12:20

SUNDAY:

Train 1:
Depart: Firenze S.M. Novella at 09:28 - the train should be heading to Livorno
Arrive: Pisa Centrale at 10:28

Train 2:
Depart: Pisa Centrale at 11:06
Arrive: La Spezia Centrale at 12:20

Drop your bags in the left luggage office at La Spezia Centrale - to avoid being in a long queue, try to make this trip on Monday - Thursday.

Then hop on a train heading towards Montrerosso and spend the afternoon exploring the Cinque Terre villages.

You can use your rail pass on any of the Regionale trains which link the five villages!

Time your exploration so that you're back in La Spezia in good time to collect your luggage, before boarding...

Train 2 or 3:

Depart: La Spezia Centrale at 17:50
Arrive: Genova Brignole at 19:15*

*= If you want to now follow the Day 9 and 10 of the Option 1 itinerary, take this train and connect in Genova for the 19:36 train to Milano Centrale.

OR

Depart: La Spezia Centrale at 19:45
Arrive: Genova Brignole at 21:39

(1) Depart: Genova Piazza Principe at 11:43 by Regionale Veloce train
Reservation fee = €3 for 1st and 2nd class pass users
To make the most of the sea views you need to be sat on the left on departure from Genova; where the train will have reversed direction.
(2) Depart: Ventimiglia/Ventimille at 14:47 by TER train - the train will be heading to Grasse
(3) Depart: Nice at 17:09 by TER train; Arrive Marseille at 20:00.
Sit on the left for the best of the sea views - you'll be looking over the beaches and marinas of the Cote D'Azur between Nice and Frejus and then the sea can also be seen after departure from Toulon.

Train 1:
Depart: Marseille St Charles at 12:55
Arrive: Lyon Part-Dieu at 16:40

Train 2:
Depart: Lyon Part-Dieu at 17:18
Arrive: Paris Bercy at 20:25

If by this stage of your trip you want to get back to Paris as quickly as possible, then book more than a few weeks ahead and reserve a seat on a TGV train for €10.
The daily TGV that departs Marseille at 12:01 arrives in Paris at around 15:23!

Because this itinerary is based on no paying additional fees, the travel cost for following this itinerary, will solely be the cost of purchasing the rail pass.

These prices are the standard prices, but both InterRail and Eurail passes are subject to fairly regular price promotions

1st Class Adult = €534
2nd Class Adult = €421

1st Class Youth = €401
2nd Class Youth = €316

Comparison against APPROXIMATE cost of train tickets*

*Note that when calculating these tickets costs, we have factored in booking tickets for certain journeys by express trains, on which rail pass users would have to pay reservation fees.

That is because when booking ahead, those express trains can be a cheaper option, than taking the slower regional trains which we have included on the itinerary.
Therefore not taking such trains when booking tickets, would be an illogical false economy.

VIA MILAN and BASEL (option 1):

When only booking a few days ahead:
1st class = €922
2nd class = €591

At the cheapest possible price - ShowMeTheJourney could find online:
1st class = €637
2nd class = €397

Note that because this routing includes multiple journeys in Switzerland, using a rail pass to see these destinations can be good value for money, even when compared against the cost of obtaining the cheapest possible tickets.

VIA GENOVA and MARSEILLE (option 2):

Not including the cost of exploring the Cinque Terre by train

When only booking a few days ahead:
1st class = €793
2nd class = €661

At the cheapest possible price - ShowMeTheJourney could find online:
1st class = €453
2nd class = €292

So on this option 2 itinerary - if you're happy to book discounted tickets, around 2 - 3 months ahead (on specific trains, most of which you won't be able to refund if you subsequently want or need to change your travel plans) - you should save compared to the cost of using most passes.

Even if:

on day 1 you travel from Paris to Lille on TGV trains;

on day 7 you travel from Venezia to Firenze on Frecce trains

on day 8 (option 1) you travel from Firenze to Milano on Frecce trains

on day 10 (option 1) you travel from Mulhouse to Paris on TGV trains.

on day 10 (option 2) you travel from Marseille to Paris on TGV trains.

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.