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Peerdulyver
Traveller
7 comments

Posted 7 years ago

Hi folks. Have any of you any experience in trains that doesn\'t require reservations being full?

I want to go from Amsterdam to Beaune, in the start of July. The interrail planner gives me the option between going 1) Fast, between 6h39m-7h50m, with reservations in and out of Paris, and 2) slow, between 12h54m-20h19m, without reservations and longer route around Paris (ICE and Regional TER trains).

How big is the chance that I find myself without room on one of the trains, if I don\'t reserve the "optional" trains in advance?

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bumbum
Traveller
4 comments

replied 7 years ago

Absolutely no need to make reservations!

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Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

replied 7 years ago

Hi!

In general, I never make reservations on train without compulsory reservation. Especially as a single traveller you will almost always find a free seat without any troubles; with the execption of some particular busy travel days (friday/sunday afternoon, before/after long holidays, christmas etc) where trains can be really full.

The ICE out of Amsterdam are quite busy though, but again, as a single traveller getting on the train at its originating station I wouldnt bother making a seat reservation.

Anyway, looking at the suggested route - 20+ hours to get from Amsterdam to Beaune? WTF?
What are your planned stops after Beaune`? Maybe you could rearrange the route to avoid travelling so long?

Without paying any reservation I neither find a route shorter than 13 hours.

You could get it down to 11 hours by travelling to Lille using regular IC services, then TGV to Paris, then TER (regional train) to Beaune.

Flo 8)

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Peerdulyver
Traveller
7 comments

replied 7 years ago

Thanks, both of you.

I wrote 12h54m-20h19m. With that I meant that of the options which the search gave me for the day (without reservations), there were different trains routes avaliable (depending on when I wanted to go. The fastest of them took 12 hours 54 minutes and the slowest 20 hours 19 minutes.

My plan was to stay a night or two in Beaune (or close by) and rent a bike to find some wine fields etc. by myself. (Maybe with one ore two more.)

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Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

replied 7 years ago

Yeah, I know, the fastest option without paying for a reservation takes around 13 hours - I didnt find a faster route. But the 20 hours route really would be a waste of time ;)

It\'s a good idea to make a bike tour around Beaune; I did that many years back with my parents. :)

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Peerdulyver
Traveller
7 comments

replied 7 years ago

Yeah, 20 hours would be a way to long trip. The shortest one starts at 08 in the morning, so it is the optional one in any case :)

How cool. Do you remember anything worth sharing?

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Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

replied 7 years ago

...it really is a pity that the Amsterdam - Zurich night train has been withdrawn by DB, it would have been perfect for you... :(

I dont remember much...we\'ve been to the wedding of the mayor\'s daughter so there was a big feast, haha :D
Anyway, the old town is really pretty, with the Hotel Dieu being the most important monument. We rented bikes and drove around to the vineyards, but I dont remember where exactly we went and which "chateau" we visited.
Definitely an interesting destination :)

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Peerdulyver
Traveller
7 comments

replied 7 years ago

Ok, thanks. I\'ll deff. make sure to get invited to the mayors doughters wedding :P

To bad about the train. All the good night trains seems to be cancelled

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Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

replied 7 years ago

Yeah...was quite the spectacle.. ;)

I put my hope in ÖBB reviving night trains to Amsterdam in a few years time with their nightjet trains: [ux]https://rail.cc/en/train-type/nightjet/320[/ux] :)

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Peerdulyver
Traveller
7 comments

replied 7 years ago

Could hope. Then I would need to go on another interrail