Interrail passes enable you to travel by train throughout most of Europe. However, for most train journeys, you have to buy seat reservations in addition to your pass. Booking these reservations online is notoriously difficult, so we’ve made this guide to booking Interrail reservations online in advance of your trip.
Before trying to make any seat reservations, it’s sensible to plan out a route, so you can search for the specific trains you need. If you haven’t already done so, get planning here.
A rule of thumb is to try to buy seat reservations up to 2 months in advance to ensure you can book the trains you want. Train reservations often aren’t available to book until 3 months in advance, so your best window of opportunity lasts about 1 month.
Now, onto the different ways to make Interrail reservations online!
Booking seat reservations online for European trains in general
Rail Europe
New for 2024, Rail Europe has launched seat reservations! Just head to Rail Europe’s website, type in your departure and destination points, date and time of travel, number and type of travellers, and then click on ‘Add rail pass’ before selecting the right pass on the pop-up that appears. You can then hit the search button and you’ll be presented with a variety of options where it will tell you if a reservation is required on your particular route or note. More info available on that here.
ACP Rail
ACP Rail has a straightforward search form and allows you to book seat reservations for domestic and international trains in the majority of European countries – just make sure you choose ‘Reservations Only’, rather than ‘Tickets and reservations’. The website can be a bit slow, but it is worth persevering.
Interrail Reservations Service
Interrail.eu offer a self-service tool for booking train reservations. To use this tool, you need to have already bought your pass.
The downside of the Interrail.eu service is that there are booking fees per train, on top of the cost of the seat reservation itself. The additional booking fee is €2 per train per person and there is a €9 shipping fee for physical (paper) tickets, but a lot of reservations are now available digitally. However, it may well be worth paying for the convenience – especially if you don’t have any luck with the other options in this list!
Booking seat reservations online for trains in a specific country
Austria – ÖBB and Westbahn
The ÖBB website lets you book reservations for domestic trains in Austria or international trains that arrive/depart in Austria. After searching your journey on the homepage, select the ‘Seat only (no ticket)‘ option from the drop down menu. You can also add your Interrail pass within the discount section.
If you are booking a Nightjet or EuroNight sleeper train, or a EuroCity or Railjet train between Munich/Vienna and Italy, you first need to add your discount by clicking on the 1 x adult and then Add Discount then search for Interrail and add it. Then click Confirm and OK, returning to the previous screen. You should now select the ‘One-way tickets and day tickets‘ option, and you will be presented with the correct options for the night train or day train you selected. Remember to only book a reservation in the class your Interrail pass is within.
If your journey is with Westbahn, you can book on their website here, where you’ll also be given to option of choosing your seats.
If your Interrail pass is valid for Austria, you can also use it to travel around Liechtenstein – a very small country situated between Austria and Switzerland. An ÖBB train runs through the country, from Feldkirch in Austria to Buchs in Switzerland.
Belgium – SNCB
An Interrail pass entitles you to unlimited train travel on Belgian’s national railway network. This is run by SNCB. This includes domestic trains, and international trains providing you have a Global Pass. Reservations aren’t required for domestic journeys so you can just hop on. For trains to The Netherlands, you can hop on the hourly InterCity trains without making a reservation.
International trains can be reserved with the relevant train companies:
- Rail Europe for Eurostar trains to the United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands and Germany.
- Deutsche Bahn for ICE trains to Germany.
- ÖBB for Nightjet night trains from Brussels to Vienna.
- European Sleeper for night trains from Antwerp/Brussels to Berlin, Dresden or Prague.
Bosnia & Herzegovina – ZFBH/ZRS
Seat reservations are not required in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Note that mobile passes cannot be used on ZRS trains, only paper passes. Therefore, if you are travelling in this region with an Interrail Global Pass we recommend purchasing point to point tickets.
Bulgaria – BDZ
An Interrail pass valid in Bulgaria gets you access to the full national (operated by BDZ) and international network. Seat reservations aren’t required on most domestic trains; just the night trains and Expresen trains. Reservations cannot be made online, so you will need to wait until you arrive in Bulgaria to make a reservation at the local train stations.
The Sofia – Bucharest and Sofia – Istanbul trains can’t be reserved online either. Again, you will need to make this locally, but there is usually plenty of availability.
Croatia – HZ
Your Interrail pass gets you access to Croatia’s entire train network, including international trains. The only exception is the summer Regiojet service between Prague and Split/Rijeka where Interrail passes are not accepted.
Seat reservations for domestic trains aren’t possible online and can only be made at local train stations. Zagreb to Split is one of the most popular Interrail routes and it does require a seat reservation to be made. There is usually always availability.
International trains to Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Slovenia can be made via ÖBB. Trains to Budapest and Belgrade don’t require reservations.
Czech Republic – Czech Railways
The Czech railways website allows you to book seat reservations online for domestic and international Czech trains. Search for your train journey as normal, but then look for the ‘Reservations only’ checkbox. Reservation for SuperCity trains, running between Prague and Ostrava, is compulsory. For most domestic and international trains – apart from the trains below – reservation is optional. However, if you are wanting to travel on a sleeper train, we always recommend booking. This can be done via the Czech Railways website.
- Leo Express for trains to Poland (Krakow) and Slovakia (Kosice). Search for your route, making sure you add your Interrail pass as a discount where it says 1 x Adult.
- RegioJet for trains from Prague to Brno, Ostrava, Vienna, Budapest, Zilina, and Kosice. Search for a ticket as normal and then toggle the Only seat reservations option in the search results. Seat reservations are printable or available via RegioJet’s app.
- Czech Railways for SuperCity high speed trains between Czech Republic and Slovakia.
- Czech Railways for EuroCity trains to Budapest, Krakow and Warsaw.
- European Sleeper for trains from Prague to Berlin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Brussels.
Denmark – DSB
No need to make any reservations for domestic trains in Demark. Simply hop on and show your Interrail pass. Öresund trains also run between Denmark and Sweden (Copenhagen to Malmö and Gothenburg), which can also be used without making a seat reservation. There are two international routes that do require reservations:
- Deutsche Bahn for the InterCity train between Copenhagen and Hamburg.
- SJ for the X2000 high speed train between Copenhagen and Stockholm. Instructions for making reservations on SJ’s website below.
Estonia – Elron
Your Interrail pass gets you unlimited travel on the Estonian rail network. However, no reservations are possible online. If you are travelling 1st class then you can make a reservation at a local train station. With your Interrail pass, you get discounted ferry passage to Finland and Sweden.
It might not be worth using travel days with your Interrail pass in Estonia as point to point tickets will be very cheap. Check on Elron’s website before deciding.
Finland – VR
With your Interrail pass, you get full access to Finland’s railways. Seat reservation is not possible online but is optional for Intercity and Pendolino trains. The Santa Claus Express sleep train does require a reservation but can’t be reserved online. Reserve by calling the Finnish Railways (VR) customer care on +358 9 2319 2902. Your Interrail pass also gets you a discount on ferry passage to Estonia, Germany, and Sweden.
France – SNCF
Most trains in France will require a seat reservation. However, most trains are included on the Interrail pass with just a few exceptions. You cannot travel on the Ouigo, Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa between France and Turin/Milan, or the Nice-Digne private railway. To make a reservation for trains in France, follow the below guide:
- Rail Europe for TGV trains to over 200 destinations in France, international trains to Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain.
- Rail Europe for Intercités and Intercités de nuit for domestic trains and night trains.
- ÖBB for Nightjet trains to Austria and Germany.
- Rail Europe for Eurostar trains to Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.
- Deutsche Bahn for ICE trains to Germany.
Germany – Deutsche Bahn
Germany is a super-friendly Interrail country as seat reservations aren’t required on almost all domestic daytime trains. Just hop on and find a seat!
Deutsche Bahn allows you to search almost the entire European train timetable, but it is only possible to make seat reservations for trains within Germany and to and from Germany. On the initial search form, toggle the Book seat only option and click Search. While seat reservations aren’t required on domestic daytime trains, you can still book them. Nightjet sleeper trains do require reservations and can also be made via Deutsche Bahn.
To book seat reservations for international trains to and from Germany, follow this guide:
- European Sleeper for night trains to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Brussels – and trains to Prague.
- Rail Europe for Eurostar trains to Paris and Brussels.
- Deutsche Bahn for EuroCity, EuroNight, IC, and ICE trains to Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, and The Netherlands.
- Westbahn for trains from Munich to Salzburg, Linz, and Vienna.
- SJ for EuroNight sleeper train from Berlin/Hamburg to Stockholm.
Great Britain – National Rail
If your Interrail pass is valid in the UK, you get full access to the National Rail network in England, Wales, and Scotland. If you are a UK resident then you can still use your pass for an inbound and outbound journey i.e. to/from London St. Pancras or an airport/ferry port. Seat reservation isn’t required on UK trains but can be made for free via GWR for any train. Just create an account -> head to bookings -> make a seat/bike reservation. If you are travelling via LNER then you can also make a free seat reservation here.
Use Rail Europe to book the Eurostar from London to Lille, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam.
To book the Caledonian Sleeper, head to their website and select the Room Supplement only option.
Greece – Hellenic Train
With your Interrail pass, you will get access to the entire Greek train network, including international trains to Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Serbia. However, train reservations cannot be made online. They are compulsory so make sure to book seats at the train station when you arrive in Greece.
Your Interrail pass gets you discounted ferry fares, but also ‘free’ access to selected Superfast and Blue Star ferries. These ferries are to various Greek Islands, but also to Bari in Italy. This depends on the type of Interrail pass you have.
Hungary – MAV
With your Interrail pass, you will get access to Hungary’s national railway company, MAV-START. You’ll also get access to GySev/Raaberbahn trains that operate in the country. You can travel on local and regional trains without making a reservation.
To travel on domestic InterCity, EuroCity, and Railjet trains you will need to make a seat reservation. You can do so here. Just toggle the I only need a seat reservation option when searching. For reserving seats on international trains, follow the below guide:
- Deutsche Bahn for EuroCity, InterCity, RailJet, and EuroNight trains to Germany.
- Regiojet for trains between Budapest, Vienna, Prague and selected cities in Slovakia. Search for a ticket as normal and then toggle the Only seat reservations option in the search results. Seat reservations are printable or available via RegioJet’s app.
- ÖBB for EuroCity, EuroNight, and Railjet services to Austria and Switzerland.
- Czech Railways for EuroCity and sleeper trains to Prague and Bratislava.
- Interrail Reservations Service for trains to Romania
Ireland – Irish Rail
No train reservations are required for any trains in Ireland. Just hop on and show your Interrail pass. Seat reservation is optional on the Dublin-Belfast Enterprise trains. This can be done via Irish Rail for free – on their website click the 1 Passenger option and click on the Reservation Only button.
Italy – Trenitalia
Your Interrail pass will get you access to all local, regional, and national trains operated by Trenitalia plus most international trains. There are a couple of notable exceptions, which are the Frecciarossa between Milan and France, and NTV’s Italo high-speed trains.
Most trains in Italy require seat reservations, so stick to the regional trains if you’d prefer to avoid the reservation fees. Here’s where to book seat reservations for domestic trains in Italy and international trains:
- Rail Europe for TGV trains to France, Frecciarossa, InterCity, and InterCity Notte Notte trains within Italy, and EuroCity trains to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
- ÖBB for Railjet trains and Nightjet sleeper trains to Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.
Latvia – Latvian Railways
Your Interrail pass covers you for all Latvian trains and no train reservations are required apart from these two routes:
- Riga – Daugavpils – Indra
- Riga – Rezekne II
Reservations cannot be made online, but can be done by phoning Latvian Railways on +371 90000 1222. Alternatively, you can book a seat reservation at a Latvian train station up to an hour before travel.
Lithuania – LTG
Your Interrail pass covers you for all Lithuanian trains and no reservations are required about from the international routes Vilnius – Riga and Vilnius – Warsaw. These reservations can be made via email on the linked pages.
Luxembourg – CFL
With your Interrail pass, you can use any train or bus operated by CFL, and any train from any neighbouring country that is passing through. No reservations are required for domestic trains or buses. City buses, regional buses, trams, and funiculars are also free of charge.
Reservation is only required on the TGV train that runs to Paris. Book via Rail Europe.
Montenegro – ŽPCG
In Montenegro, the train network is operated by ŽPCG AD Podgorica. Your Interrail pass gets you access to all domestic trains and trains to Serbia either operated by ŽPCG or Serbian Railways. The routes between Bar and Belgrade, and Podgorica and Belgrade require reservations but they can only be made locally at the train station.
The Netherlands – NS
The Netherlands is very Interrail-friendly. No seat reservations a required for domestic trains, just hop on and show your Interrail pass. The pass covers all trains operated by NS and neighbouring countries, as well as many private local trains. Seat reservations are typically required for international journeys; here is where to make them:
- Rail Europe for the Eurostar to Antwerp, Brussels, and London.
- Deutsche Bahn for ICE and IC to Germany and Switzerland.
- ÖBB for Nightjet services to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
- European Sleeper for trains to Berlin and Prague.
North Macedonia – Republic of Northern Macedonian Railways Transport
Your Interrail pass entitles you to travel on all trains operated by the North Macedonian rail network. However, no international trains to either Serbia or Greece are operating. Seat reservations for domestic trains in North Macedonia are not required, but can be made at the station.
Norway – Vy, GAN, and SJ
Your Interrail pass entitles you to unlimited travel on trains operated by the three national rail companies in Norway: Vy, Go Ahead Nordic, and SJ.
Most trains in Norway require reservations. For domestic journeys on any of the three rail operators, you can use Entur. Choose your route then click on the 1 Adult button. You will then be presented with a modal window, as pictured below. On this click + on Interrail/Eurail and then enter your pass number. You can only book one reservation at a time through the website.
You can reserve a seat on the InterCity train from Oslo to Stockholm via SJ. The route from Oslo to Gothenburg doesn’t require a reservation.
Poland – PKP Intercity
Travel on all domestic trains operated by Polish Railways (PKP Intercity), as well as partner railways in neighbouring countries. No reservations are required on local and regional trains. Here’s how to make reservations for Poland trains:
- PKP Intercity for domestic Poland trains. Follow the instructions here.
- Czech Railways for domestic Polish sleeper trains, and EuroCity and EuroNight trains to Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest.
- Deutsche Bahn for connections to Germany.
- ÖBB for EuroCity and EuroNight trains to Austria.
- Leo Express for the Krakow to Prague train.
Portugal – CP
Get unlimited travel on the CP network with your Interrail pass. Local, regional and InterRegional trains don’t require any reservations to be made. Just sit in an available seat. InterCity trains and Alfa Pendular trains do require reservations but these can only be made at the station in Portugal.
If you want to travel from Lisbon to Madrid, you can’t book this reservation online. You can book everything at Lisbon Santa Apalonia station. First, you would need to book a seat reservation for the InterCity train from Lisbon to Entroncamento, then you can hop on a regional train to Badajoz. Another seat reservation would then be required to take you from Badajoz to Madrid-Atocha Cercanías; this can be made in Lisbon.
Romania – CFR
Get unlimited travel on the CFR network with your Interrail pass. Local trains don’t require reservations but InterCity and InterRegio trains do. These can be made at the train station locally. Reservations for trains to Istanbul cannot be made online. You can make the following reservations:
- Interrail Reservations Service for Bucharest/Brasov to Budapest.
- ÖBB for the Dacia Express to Budapest and Vienna.
Serbia – ZS
Use your Interrail pass across the whole Serbian Railways network. Train reservations are not required for most domestic routes but can be made at the station. The SOKO train from Belgrade to Novi Sad does require a reservation. The international train to Bar in Montenegro also requires a reservation, but needs to be done locally.
Slovakia – ZSSK
Get unlimited travel on the Slovak rail network with your Interrail pass. Seat reservation is required on all InterCity trains. Most other domestic trains don’t require reservations in 2nd class. If you’re travelling 1st class, you will likely need a seat reservation.
Domestic seat reservations for Slovakia can be made via ZSSK’s website. Search for your route, then select ‘I have the ticket already I want to purchase only reservation‘ then click Reservation and then in the drop down menu select ‘International ticket/rail pass‘. You can then select your seats and you’ll be provided with a barcode to print or present on your mobile on inspection.
International trains from Slovakia also generally require seat reservations, particularly in summer. Here’s where to book:
- Czech Railways for EuroCity and InterCity trains to Budapest and Prague, EuroNight trains to Warsaw and Krakow, and SuperCity trains to Czech Republic.
- Regiojet for trains to Prague. Search for a ticket as normal and then toggle the Only seat reservations option in the search results. Seat reservations are printable or available via RegioJet’s app.
- ÖBB for the EuroNight train between Bratislava and Berlin.
Slovenia – SZ
Get unlimited travel on the Slovenian rail network with your Interrail pass. No seat reservations are required on local, regional or InterRegio trains. Reservations are optional on InterCity, EuroCity and Pendolino trains but highly recommended in the summer. Here’s where to make them:
- Deutsche Bahn for the EuroCity train between Ljubljana/Lake Bled and Salzburg or Munich
- ÖBB for EuroCity trains from Ljubljana to Vienna and Zagreb, and EuroNight sleeper train from Ljubljana/Lake Bled to Zurich.
Spain – Renfe
Get unlimited travel on all domestic and international trains operated by Spain’s national train operator Renfe. Spain has a good high-speed train network but seat reservations are compulsory on these routes. The Interrail pass does not include trains operated by Ouigo, Euskotren, Iryo or Avlo.
Regional trains can easily booked at Spanish train stations, and also German train stations, but the long distance trains often get booked up in the summer so it’s worth booking ahead. Here’s where to do that:
- Interrail Reservations Service for AVE (domestic), Euromed, and Alvia trains.
- Rail Europe for TGV train from Barcelona to Paris.
Sweden – SJ
With your Interrail pass, you get full access to Sweden’s railways and into neighbouring countries presuming you have a Global Pass.
If you are travelling on an Interrail Pass by SJ’s high-speed, night and InterCity trains, you will need to make a seat reservation. Use the SJ website to book Swedish trains. To book reservations, search for you desired journey and then within the travellers section look for the option to ‘Add SJ Prio/travel card’ and add your Interrail pass. You will need to have your Interrail pass number ready!
To book international trains, here’s where to go:
- SJ for X2000 trains connecting Stockholm, Malmo and Gothenburg with Copenhagen, for IC trains connecting Stockholm and Oslo, and for the SJ EuroNight train between Stockholm and Hamburg/Berlin
- Deutsche Bahn for trains to Germany via Denmark.
- Interrail Reservations Service for Snälltaget trains from Stockholm or Malmo to Hamburg or Berlin.
Switzerland – SBB
With your Interrail pass, you get full access to the SBB rail network.
To reserve trains within, to, and from Switzerland, go to the SBB website and look for the ‘Reserve’ button. This will be available from April 2024.
Switzerland is home to many private railways. Many of them are included on the Interrail pass, most notably to Bernina Express and Glacier Express. But some only offer a 25-50% discount. Here is a full list of participating railways in Switzerland.
Most trains within Switzerland, even international-bound trains, don’t require seat reservations so you can simply board the train and show your pass on inspection. The scenic trains are an exception to this. Here’s where to reserve those, and international trains:
- RHB for the Bernina Express. Select the Interrail Pass option from the drop-down menu at checkout after selecting your seats so you only pay the reservation fee.
- SBB for the Glacier Express.
- Rail Europe for the TGV to France, EuroCity to Italy and Germany.
- Deutsche Bahn for the IC and ICE to Germany and the Netherlands, and the Nightjet sleeper train to Germany.
- ÖBB for the Nightjet sleeper from Zurich to Vienna, Prague or Budapest, and Railjet services to the same locations.
- Czech Railways for the EuroNight sleeper from Zurich to Prague.
Turkey – TCDD
With your Interrail pass, you get full access to the Turkey’s rail network, operated by TCDD.
Seat reservations for domestic and international trains in Turkey are only possible at a Turkish train station. Seat reservations aren’t generally required for domestic trains, but they are required for international trains and sleeper trains.
Booking seat reservations online for Eurostar
With an Interrail pass, you are eligible to travel on the Eurostar. However, a reservation is mandatory and they do book up quickly in the summer months so make sure you book well in advance. You can book online via the SNCB website or via Rail Europe. We’ve written a separate, dedicated article on how to use your Interrail pass on the Eurostar.
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