wburglett
Traveller
3 comments
Posted 7 years ago
Hi all. I just booked a DB Rail Pass but I am having trouble reserving tickets on the OBB Nightjet from Zurich to Berlin. It looks like the only option available is to pay the full price. Is there a way to just make a reservation on this train without buying a full ticket?
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
What kind of pass did you book exactly? There is no DB Rail Pass - do you mean the German Rail Pass, Interrail, Eurail...?
You can make a reservation online as follows:
1) Go to [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux]
2) Enter "Zurich HB" and "Berlin Hbf" as departure/arrival station on your date of travel. Set the departure time to 19:00. Click on "Search".
3) The first result should be the direct night train, "EN", departing at 20:00. Click "Check availability".
4) Enter your age, "Refresh" and "Check availability" again.
5) Now a list of different prices should appear. Click on "Book supplement only".
6) Check "Pass offer". "Continue".
7) Now you should be able to choose your comfort category. Seat, couchette or sleeper ("deluxe" or "economy" are both available for 2nd class ticket holders although "deluxe" is shown to be 1st class). Check your comfort category and "Book selected offer"
Now continue with booking an payment.
The reservation you will get is only valid if you have a rail pass covering both Germany and Switzerland (eg a Eurail or Interrail Global Pass); if you have a pass valid for Germany only you need a special reservation ("Partial Pass") which is not available online.
Flo 8)
wburglett
Traveller
3 comments
Thank you for responding, Flo. I really appreciate it. Just two things.
1) When I go through the procedure you just gave me, I get to a page that has a series of ticket options but it doesn\'t give me the option to "book supplement only". When I request an itinerary from Venice to Munich on the DB site, I do see the "book supplement only" link, but not from Zurich to Berlin.
2) According to the DB Germany Pass website, Zurich is a covered city. Is this not the case when it comes to night trains?
No matter what the answers are I think everything will be fine. I can simply leave a bit earlier and go via Hamburg using DB trains. The system seems fine with that itinerary. That said, I would really like to experience Nightjet if it is an option
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hm...that is a bit odd as I just recently checked the online availability of passholder reservations on this train. Your German Railpass should be valid from Basel Bad Bf (Badischer Bahnhof, the "German" railway station of Basel) only, can you give me a link where you found out about the validity from Zurich?
Reservations for the nightjet services are available from Basel Bad Bf to Berlin and Hamburg; so if you want to travel with the nightjet (which is definitely more comfortable than on a regular train b/c you will have couchette and sleeper accomodation with the possibility of lying down instead of just regular seats) you could book the reservation online from Basel Bad Bf to Berlin (or continue to Hamburg if you want to sleep longer..).
wburglett
Traveller
3 comments
Sure Flo. It appears you are right--even though Zurich is clearly in the picture of DB Pass areas on this site (http://www.germanrailpasses.com/passes-prices/pass-extension) it doesn\'t appear that you can travel there with the pass. It also looks like I can book a supplement on the Nightjet from Basel Bad using the DB website.
So here\'s the question: should I take a train from Zurich to Basel SBB (12 CHF), then walk to Basel Bad to catch the Nightjet (14 Euro with the pass)? Or is there a more efficient way? I was thinking that with a pass this would be less expensive, but I\'m worried that won\'t be the case.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
The reservation fares for passholders are here: [ux]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/zurich-hamburg-en-470-nightjet/500[/ux]
Note that these only apply if your pass covers the whole route travelled (as described before).
A 14€ reservation would be for a regular seat; on the nightjet these seats are in six-seat compartments. Seats are quite comfortable, however you can travel cheaper (no reservation needed) if you travel with a regular DB Intercity overnight from Basel to Berlin (no direct train, most comfortable option is to travel to Hamburg, change there in the morning and continue to Berlin). On the DB Intercity most seats are in open-plan arrangement but you will also find some compartments.
As mentioned before you could get a "Partial Pass" reservation from Zurich to Berlin/Hamburg for the night train which would include the reservation plus the ticket for Zurich - Basel Bad Bf but it isnt available online; you would have to buy it locally at a station or phone DB to get a quote.
Cheapest option would to get a regular ticket Zurich - Basel and then travel from Basel Bad Bf with a DB Intercity without a seat reservation.
Regarding the picture showing Zurich on the German Rail Pass map. This refers to the DB Intercity Bus network; DB IC Buses run from Munich to Zurich and the German Rail Pass should be accepted on this line as well, even though it isnt mentioned on the linked website.
wburglett
Traveller
3 comments
You\'ve been incredibly helpful. If you\'re in a position to do so, I would suggest looking into why the Zurich supplement didn\'t work. But either way, thank you so much--you have brought joy to my trip.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
You\'re welcome. :)
Unfortunately I can only "work" with what DB and the other railways provide so I hope that booking of the nightjet will be available from Zurich again some time soon... ;)
Have a nice trip,
Flo