Reservations, passes and the apps that hold them
Long distance rail in Europe is two systems wearing one coat. Regional and many intercity trains run on turn-up-and-go tickets where a pass or a ticket is all you need. High speed, cross-border and night trains almost always need a specific seat reserved in advance, in limited numbers, sold through the operator rather than the pass. Understanding which of the two you are standing in front of is most of the skill.
What kind of train you are looking at
| Train type | Reservation | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Local and regional | Not needed | Operator app, or a pass covers it |
| Domestic intercity | Usually optional | Operator app, cheapest in advance |
| High speed domestic | Compulsory | Operator app; pass holders pay a supplement |
| Cross-border high speed | Compulsory and limited | Operator app, weeks ahead in summer |
| Night trains | Compulsory, sells out first | Operator app, as early as you can |
| Long distance coach | Seat sold with the ticket | Coach operator's own app |
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The apps that earn their space
The best single search across multiple countries, with a clear view of what needs reserving. Convenient, and it sometimes adds a booking fee the operator does not charge.
Omio: compares train, coach and flight for the same route, which is how you find out that the overnight coach is four hours faster than the connection you were planning.
Answers the question the others cannot: how do I get from this small place to that one at all. About 9 MB and the first app to open when planning.
The official Interrail and Eurail planner, with offline timetables and the pass itself held in the app. The reviews are lukewarm, and it is still the one holding your pass.
DB Navigator: the best timetable in Europe, well beyond Germany, including platform and connection details for neighbouring countries.
Necessary for the cross-Channel services, where reservations are compulsory and pass holder quotas are small.
The French operator's app, and the only reliable way to get pass reservations for French high speed trains at a sensible price.
Trenitalia. It reviews poorly and it is still where Italian regional and intercity tickets come from, including the ones you must validate.
SBB Mobile for Switzerland, where almost nothing needs reserving and the timetable is accurate to the minute.
The Dutch operator app, useful for the domestic legs and for checking whether engineering work has rerouted you.
Spanish local and commuter services, which is the half of Spanish rail the long distance sites do not cover well.
Holds a British railcard on the phone, which is the discount rather than the ticket. Only relevant if the trip starts or ends in Britain.
Trainline's business client, worth knowing about if the trip is partly work and the tickets need to land on an expense report.
The coach network that fills the gaps between rail lines, in about 26 MB. Often the answer late at night or across a border with no direct train.
Offline maps of the places you arrive in, at roughly 120 MB for a region. Stations are not always where a phone with no data thinks they are.
Translates the announcement board and the strike notice taped to the window, which is when you will actually need it.
Before you leave, and at each station
- Screenshot every reservation and the pass Tickets held only in an app are hostage to the app. A screenshot has worked at every barrier and inspection this author has met.
- Download offline timetables and maps Regional connections change and the platform number arrives by app. Both need to work in a tunnel or a border town with no roaming.
- Check the last connection of the day first A missed link matters only when it is the final one. Knowing that time changes how relaxed the middle of the day can be.
- Validate paper regional tickets where required Some countries still fine you for an unvalidated ticket. If the app issued a paper reference, find out which rule applies before boarding.
- Keep a charger in the day bag, not the hold bag Every ticket, map and timetable is on one battery, and long distance trains do not all have sockets.
- Timetables, platforms and live delays
- Buying reservations on the morning of travel
- Holding a pass and scanning it at the barrier
- Finding the coach that replaces a cancelled train
- Complicated multi-country tickets, which a station desk sorts faster
- Sleeper berths in peak season, which need booking early wherever you are
- Anything requiring a refund, which is an email and a receipt
- Relying on one app for both the ticket and the only copy of it
Reserve the high speed and night legs early, leave the regional trains to the day, and keep a screenshot of everything.
Frequently asked questions
Is a rail pass cheaper than tickets?
It depends heavily on the route and how far ahead you book. Passes win on flexibility and on many short hops; advance-purchase point-to-point tickets often win on a small number of long legs. Price both before committing.
Do pass holders still pay for reservations?
On the trains that require them, yes, and the pass-holder quota per train is limited. That is the single most common unpleasant surprise on a first Interrail trip.
What happens if a connection is missed?
On a through ticket the operator is generally obliged to get you onward. On separate tickets from different operators you may have bought the risk yourself, which is an argument for a single booking on tight connections.
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