crukng
Traveller
2 comments
Posted 12 years ago
I am not too sure whether I should post this here on the interrail section, but basically I've just realised that travelling with interrail might not be as simple as i thought and I would need to make reservations on some parts of my routes. I will be leaving next week and hopefully I can get this sorted out quickly.
Prague - Cesky Krumlov - Vienna - Salzburg - Hallstatt - Salzburgh - Venice - Milan - Como S. Giovanni (ferry) - Bellagio (ferry) - Como S. Giovanni - Milan - Interlaken - Zermatt - Interlaken - Zurich - Luzern - Zurich - Amsterdam
The travel will be spread out over 3 weeks.
I am quite confused as to how reservations work. So far, I believe none of my routes I've checked require reservations except for Zurich - Amsterdam. However, I am unable to reserve through railcc and need to call an international number. I was wondering if they have a UK call center?
Also I cant seem to find connections from prague-cesky and milan-interlaken. I might have misplanned this travel. Is it recommended that i make reservations for all the routes because I have basically reserved hotels in the cities for specific dates already?
I would appreciate any help and guidance I can get to make this trip as smooth as possible.
Thank you.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
Nice trip. :)
1) Please read bellow the railcc schedules: Beside these mentioned train schedules, there are other connections available. Please use therefore an online schedule planer.
Also important: [u]https://rail.cc/en/search-train-route[/u]
2) You can NOT (if required) reserve all train connections online!!! If it is possible, it is mentioned bellow the train type.
3) Reservations for train types are all listed here: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation[/u]
4) No there is no phone support. Why: railcc is a project made by real travellers. If we open a call centre with multilingual employees to advise travellers for free, it is incomprehensible that some people think this would be economically doable.
[b]To your route[/b]:
Prague - Cesky Krumlov: free - regional train
Cesky Krumlov - Vienna: free - regional train
Vienna - Salzburg: free - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/vienna-to-salzburg[/u]
Salzburg - Hallstatt: free - regional train + ÖIC: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/oebb-intercity/20[/u]
Hallstatt - Salzburg: see above
Salzburg - Venice: not free - see details: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/salzburg-to-venice[/u]
Reservations available in Prague or Austria at a railway station.
Venice - Milan: free by regional trains - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/venice-to-milan[/u]
Milan - Como S. Giovanni: void the EUROSTAR trains (ES), use free regional trains:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/italy/it[/u]
Como S. Giovanni - Bellagio: ...
Bellagio - Como S. Giovanni: ...
Como S. Giovanni - Milan: see above
Milan - Interlaken: Milano to Spiez by EC train with reservation fee. Available in Prague, Austria or Italy at the train station - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/eurocity-sbb-italia/65[/u]
Interlaken - Zermatt: up to Zermatt (from Visp) you have to pay extra (Glacier Express). I recommend to read this topic of Flow - [u]https://rail.cc/en/best-place-in-switzerland-for-scenic-train-views/f7981[/u]
Zermatt - Interlaken: see above
Interlaken - Zurich: free
Zurich - Luzern: free
Luzern - Zurich: free
Zurich - Amsterdam: depends of the connection. Day trains (ICE for example are free) - [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/zurich-to-amsterdam[/u]
So just relax, the reservations you need are available at train stations and easy to get. :)
If you feel unsafe, write the date and departure/arrival times of the train on a paper and show your Interrail pass.
The staff in train stations is used to it.
And if you want to support this answer and all the information, buy your official Interrail pass here on railcc. Thank you.
[ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]
Peter :)
crukng
Traveller
2 comments
Thank you very much Peter, I will go through all the information that you've provided me tonight. I just need to clarify one thing beforehand.
For Zurich-Amsterdam, I am planning to take the night train as it's a long journey and I wouldnt want to waste a day/night in a hotel. I believe that'll require a reservation. As I am unable to make the reservation online, I suppose the only way I can do so is at Zurich when I am there. Will it be too late by then, or will there still be seats left as I wouldnt want to be left stranded.
When they say reservation, is it just a better way of saying 'fees' or is it to make sure that you have a seat on the train as it gets full?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
If a reservation is required, it is (1) an additional fee to earn extra money and (2) at the same time a guarantee for a seat.
But as you travel alone, you will find in all trains you use as well a seat - no worries. :)
For Zurich - Amsterdam: the reservation is also available in Prague and Austria.
If you want to purchase it online, do it like mentioned here - see optional way:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train/zurich-amsterdam-cnl40478/17[/u]
IMPORTANT(!): reservations via this way are only possible if either departure or arrival station is in Germany.
Which means for you:
1) Travel by free day train from Zurich (Switzerland) to Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany).
Book the night train Freiburg im Breisgau to Amsterdam
OR
2) Book the night train Zurich to Duisburg (last stop in Germany before the Netherlands border).
Then leave the night train and use a free train to Amsterdam
Or ask the train staff when entering the train, if you can stay in the night train until amsterdam. They should know about the problem of booking this night train with Interrail.
The reservation fee is always the same for your - it does not depend on the distance.
Peter :)
crukng
Traveller
2 comments
Great, thanks for the suggestion. I will take a look at the alternative method that you've suggested.
I am now trying to look at Interlarken-Zermatt and I cant seem to find the route on railcc special connections? The train routes through the other sites are complicated, and I am not sure which are the station names that I should get off/on as well. How can I find the route for Glacier Express? I've also read the topic that you linked me to, does this mean that this route is not covered by interrail and i will have to buy a standard ticket (at half price)? How much is it?
Should I then be changing by schedule so that I will just go from interlarken-zermatt, zermatt-zurich or will it be the same as well?