In addition to saving you the disappointment of not being able to travel on a sold out train, you’ll need to have a reservation to travel on most high speed and overnight trains. Some overnight trains also require supplements for sleeping accommodation not included in the cost of your InterRail pass.
Option A: At the station ticket office before you board
Option B: For peace of mind, seats and sleeping accommodation on many trains can be booked by Rail Europe call centre or Rail Europe Travel Centre in London before you set off.
Make sure you have your InterRail pass and passport handy.
When you pay for a seat reservation, supplements (e.g. for overnight accommodation) are sometimes also payable. Reservation fees for pass holders on French TGV trains generally start from just a few Euros but fees and supplements on other European trains and peak time commuter services can vary.
Check prices and book well in advance to avoid disappointment if you have specific travel plans in mind. Pass holder fares on some services are limited and sell out quickly at peak travel times.
Find out which major European trains require reservations and get a rough idea of costs in our handy Guide to Reservations, Supplements and Pass holder fares.
The reservation, supplement and pass holder fares below are for an adult passenger making a one-way journey:
| Eurostar(London to Paris/Brussels) |
| Standard class |
£57 |
| 1st class (Standard Premier) |
£102 |
| TGV (France) |
| Standard and first class |
£3* |
| Thalys (Paris-Brussels) |
| Standard class |
£25 |
| 1st class |
£39 |
| Elipsos Trenhotel (Paris-Barcelona/Madrid) |
| Reclining seat |
£44 |
| Sleeper in 4-berth compartment |
£67 |
| Sleeper in double compartment |
£103 |
| Artesia Night (Paris-Rome/Florence/Venice) |
| Couchette in 6-berth compartment |
£24 |
| Couchette in 4-berth compartment |
£43 |
| Sleeper in 3-berth compartment |
£61 |
| Sleeper in double compartment |
£71 |
| Overnight train (France) |
| Seat (not available on all trains) |
£1.50 |
| Couchette in 6- and 4-berth compartment |
£16.50 |
| Overnight international train (e.g. Paris-Berlin) |
| Seat (not available on all trains) |
£4 |
| Couchette in 6-berth compartment |
£19 |
| Sleeper in 3-berth compartment |
£38 |
| Sleeper in double compartment |
£57 |
| Sleeper in single compartment |
£94 |
| Eurostar Italia (Rome-Milan) |
| Standard and 1st class |
£9.50 |
| TGV Lyria (Switzerland and Austria) |
| Standard class |
£8 |
| 1st class |
£10 |
Prices intended as a guide, subject to availability and change. Please double-check at the time of booking.
* Prices on TGV services vary according to availability. Book well in advance to take advantage of the cheapest fares.
Travel on most European trains can be booked up to 3 months in advance. To avoid disappointment, it’s always best to check prices and book well in advance to be guaranteed a seat if you have a travel date or time in mind.
Accommodation on overnight trains always needs to be reserved in advance. We recommend you book early, especially in peak travel times such as the summer holidays when these trains can be very busy.
