How can I make seat reservations for my Eurail journey?

• How to book seat reservations online via Happyrail
• When do seat reservations go on sale?
• Eurail Global Pass

Eurail Seat Reservations:

1. Regional trains - Reservations not required.

• You don't need to reserve seats on regional trains in any country. 
  • These include R, IRE, RE, RB, RV, S, L, TER categories, amongst others. Check the specific country page for more information on train categories.
  • After purchasing your Eurail pass via Happyrail and loading it onto your smartphone in the Eurail app, when planning your trip the app will indicate on which trains reservations are required.

2. Seat reservation required, large availability

• Austria: Book online in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations").
• Spain: Book online in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations").
  • Includes AVE international high-speed trains France-Spain. 
• Italy: Book online in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations").
• Finland: on all daytime trains, reservations are optional. They are mandatory on sleeper trains.
• Poland: At the station ticket counter or via the Eurail app (available after buying a Eurail pass via Happyrail)
• Hungary: Via the Eurail app (available after buying a Eurail pass via Happyrail)
• Lithuania/Latvia: Seat reservations for international routes Poland-Vilnius and Vilnius-Riga-Valga mandatory, only available via the LTG Link website.
• Romania: At the station ticket counter or by calling CRF.
• Bulgaria: At the station ticket counter.
• Turkey/Istanbul: At the station ticket counter or by calling CRF.
• Portugal: At the station ticket counter.

3. Seat reservations optional.

• Germany: Book online via the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations"). 
• UK: Not mandatory, sometimes recommended for long routes, at the station ticket counter or via the train operator's website. Widely available.
  • Reservations can be made for free vi athe GWR website by registering an account and making reservations via 'my bookings'. You will get an email confirming your reservation. This process works for most long-distance trains in the UK. LNER reservations can be made for free via the LNER website using the same method.
• Switzerland: Not mandatory except for panoramic trains like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, Book online via the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations").
• Czech Republic: Not mandatory except for a few selected long-distance trains. Widely available. International routes available in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations")
  • National routes (generally not necessary) available via Ceske Drahy website (Select discount card, Eurail Globall pass) or via the Eurail app after purchasing a pass at Happyrail.
• Finland: on all daytime trains, reservations are optional. They are mandatory on sleeper trains.
• Slovakia: ecommended for national and international long-distance trains. Available via the Eurail app after purchasing a pass at Happyrail.
• Denmark: Only for Eurocity trains Germany-Denmark, in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations")
• Croatia: Only for some international trains, in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations") 
• Slovenia: Only for some international trains, in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations") 
• Ireland: available for all intercity services, not mandatory and generally not needed. Available via Irish Rail. 1st class reservations only available at train stations in Ireland.

4. Reservation required, limited availability.

• Eurostar (France-Belgium-Netherlands, France-UK): Coming soon online through us, currently via Eurail app (very limited availability)
• France (High-speed trains): Coming soon online through us, currently via Eurail app (very limited availability)
• Norway: Via the Eurail app or reservation service Entur
• Sweden: Through SJ (select "Interrail Pass" for discount). Stockholm-Narvik night train is very limited; other trains have wider availability. Inlandsbanan, a private railway, book via Inlandsbanan.

Should I buy an Interrail pass or individual tickets for my trip to France/by Eurostar? 

5. Sleeper Trains: Reservation required.

• Nightjet sleeper trains: Available in the Happyrail train planner (select "Reservations").
  • Netherlands - Austria/Switzerland
  • Germany - Italy
  • Austria - Italy
  • Germany - Austria/Switzerland
  • Paris-Berlin/Vienna
  • Brussels-Berlin/Vienna
• Euronight sleeper trains: Available via the ÖBB website (select discount 'Eurail'), otherwise in the Eurail app.
  • Munich/Zurich - Ljubljana - Zagreb
  • Prague-Zurich, Vienna-Bucharest
  • Vienna/Prague/Budapest - Krakow - Warsaw
  • Prague - Budapest
  • Vienna-Budapest-Romania
• French night trains: By phone through SNCF or in the Eurail app.
• Romanian night trains: By phone through CRF (national railways) or at the ticket counter.
• Italian night trains: In the Eurail app.
• Swedish night trains: Through SJ (select "Interrail Pass" for discount). Snalltaget, a private night train, book via Snalltaget website.

6. Countries with no seat reservations

• The Netherlands, Belgium: reservations only possible on international trains (Eurostar, Nightjet sleeper train to Austria/Switzerland, ICE trains to Germany), national trains do not have seat reservations
• Luxemburg: reservations only possible on TGV trains to France, all other national and international trains do not have seat reservations
• Estonia: reservations not possible. When travelling on a 1st class Eurail pass it is necessary to inform Estonian railways Elron via email (1st class only) with the date of travel, train number, and route.