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Seat Reservations for Daytime Trains

Most European daytime trains do not require a reservation or supplement. The following table lists those special trains that do require a seat reservation or supplement fee from a Eurail Pass or EurailTicket (point-to-point ticket) holders. A listed price, or a "Yes", indicates that a supplement or reservation is required for that train. These prices are per-person and approximate what you will pay for the supplement/reservation at a train station in Europe. Additional service fees apply if purchased outside Europe.Your Eurail Pass or EurailTicket must cover the country that you are traveling within.

Country Traveling In Train Supplement Required? Reservation Required? Notes
Austria
  ICE (to/from Germany) NO NO 1 ICE train per day between Hamburg and Vienna via Passau. 1 ICE train per day between Innsbruck and Vienna via Salzburg.
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
Belgium
  THALYS (between France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany) NO 22 Euros - 1st Class; 10 Euros 2nd Class Railpass must cover entire route. Belgian, Holland, France, Germany Country Passes not valid. 1st Class includes meal Mon - Fri.
  TGV (to/from France) NO 10 Euros  
  ICE (to/from Germany) NO NO  
  Eurostar (Chunnel train to/from UK)     Holders of any railpass valid in UK or Belgium get discounted ($USD155 1st class, $USD75 2nd class) ticket price.
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
Czech Republic
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Denmark
  X2000 NO 4 - 11 Euros Direct hi-speed connections from Copenhagen to Stockholm via Malmo.
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
England
  Eurostar (Chunnel train to/from France/Belgium)     Holders of any railpass valid in UK, France, or Belgium get discounted ($USD155 1st class, $USD75 2nd class) ticket price.
Finland
  Pendolino NO YES  
  Express NO YES  
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO YES  
France
  TGV (Domestic) NO 4 Euros All TGV service within France (or to Ventimiglia, Italy)
  TGV (International) NO 10 Euros TGV service to Belgium or Switzerland
  THALYS (between France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany) NO 22 Euros - 1st Class; 10 Euros 2nd Class Railpass must cover entire route. Belgian, Holland, France, Germany Country Passes not valid. 1st Class includes meal Mon - Fri.
  Eurostar (Chunnel train to/from UK)     Holders of any railpass valid in UK or France get discounted ($USD155 1st class, $USD75 2nd class) ticket price.
  Artesia (Paris or Lyon to Milan via Turin) NO 4 Euros  
  Talgo NO 4 Euros To Barcelona, Spain
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
Germany
  ICE (InterCity Express) NO NO  
  ICE-Sprinter NO YES Select departures between Frankfurt and Munich via Mannheim, between Frankfurt and Berlin, and between Karlsruhe and Berlin via Mannheim and Darmstadt. Online schedules display "Reservation Required" for these trains.
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
  THALYS (between France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany) NO 22 Euros - 1st Class; 10 Euros 2nd Class Railpass must cover entire route. Belgian, Holland, France, Germany Country Passes not valid. 1st Class includes meal Mon - Fri.
  CisAlpino (To Switzerland and Italy) NO 18 Euros Stuttgart, Germany to Zurich, Milan, or Florence
  MET (Metropolitan) N/A N/A Railpasses are not allowed on these 1st class super-express trains between Hamburg and Cologne. Railpass holders use frequent & free ICE / EC / IC service instead.
Greece
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Hungary
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Ireland
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Italy
  Eurostar Italia NO 18 Euros  
  CisAlpino (from Germany/Switzerland to Italy) NO International trips: 18 Euros; Domestic trips: 3 Euros The cheaper domestic reservation can only be purchased in Italy.
  Pendolino NO 18 Euros  
  Artesia (Milan to Paris or Lyon via Turin) NO 4 Euros  
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
Luxembourg
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Netherlands
  THALYS (between France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany) NO 22 Euros - 1st Class; 10 Euros 2nd Class Railpass must cover entire route. Belgian, Holland, France, Germany Country Passes not valid. 1st Class includes meal Mon - Fri.
  ICE (to/from Germany) NO NO  
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
Norway
  Signatur 1st class - half normal supplement; 2nd class - no supplement. 4 Euros  
  Express Trains NO 4 Euros Includes most long distance trains.
Poland
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Portugal
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Scotland
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Slovakia
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees
Spain
  AVE YES YES Special fare for passholders includes supplement and reservation: Approx 23 Euros - 1st class (includes meal); 10 Euros - 2nd class. EurailTickets (point-to-point tickets) not valid.
  Talgo 200 YES YES Special fare for passholders includes supplement and reservation: Approx 23 Euros - 1st class (includes meal); 10 Euros - 2nd class. EurailTickets (point-to-point tickets) not valid.
  Talgo (Madrid-Cordoba-Sevilla-Cadiz route) YES YES Special fare for passholders includes supplement and reservation: Approx 17 Euros - 1st class (includes meal); 14 Euros - 2nd class.
  Talgo (All other routes) NO 4 Euros  
  Euromed YES YES Special fare for passholders includes supplement and reservation: 15 to 23 Euros - 1st class (includes meal); 10 Euros - 2nd class.
Sweden
  X2000 NO 4 - 11 Euros  
Switzerland
  CisAlpino (between Germany/Switzerland and Italy) NO International trips: 18 Euros No reservation needed for domestic travel within Switzerland
  ICE (to/from Germany) NO NO  
  TGV (to/from France) NO 10 Euros Paris - Zurich; Paris - Bern; Paris - Lausanne; Paris - Geneva
  THALYS (Geneva to/from Brussels) NO 22 Euros - 1st Class; 10 Euros 2nd Class Railpass must cover entire route. Belgian, France, Swiss Country Passes not valid. 1st Class includes meal Mon - Fri.
  Bernina Express NO 4 - 11 Euros Reservation only required for daily express train. Hourly local trains are free. Optional bus Tirano - Lugano in summer.
  Glacier Express NO 4 - 11 Euros Eurail / Europass holders must buy separate ticket from Zermatt to Disentis. This segment is free with Swiss Country passes. Reservation only required for express trains. No reservations on hourly local trains.
  Golden Pass NO 4 - 11 Euros Reservation always necessary for 1st Class seats above engineer (facing forward). For regular seats, reservations necessary on 3 trains per day (from Zweisimmen @ 10:44, 12:44, and 16:44; from Montreux @ 10:28, 14:28, 16:28; confirm exact schedules online or locally). Trains at other times run approx every 2 hours, use the same observation cars, run the same speed, and are free.
  Willian Tell Express NO 27 Euros Includes lunch aboard Lake Lucerne paddle steamer. Operates May - October.
  EC (EuroCity) or IC (InterCity) NO NO  
Wales
  No mandatory reservation or supplements fees