A reservation is a guaranteed seat on a specific train, assigned to you personally.

Whether you need a reservation or not depends on the train you're on and what type of ticket or rail pass you have. There are essentially three types of trains that run in Europe, each with different requirements.

The first type of train is 'Reservations Required.' This generally applies to high speed and overnight trains. Tickets sold for these trains always include a reservation. If you are traveling with a rail pass, you must purchase a seat reservation separately, at an additional cost. If you try to board these trains with your rail pass only, you will most likely get fined.

The second type of train is 'Reservations Recommended.' These trains offer you the possibility of a reserved seat, but a reservation isn't mandatory. Even on 'reservation recommended' trains, our tickets always include a reservation whenever possible. We feel it's a small price to pay for the convenience and peace of mind of knowing a reserved seat is waiting.

Finally, 'Non-Reservable' trains are trains where a reservation is NOT needed or possible. When purchasing a ticket for these trains, you will receive an 'open ticket', typically valid for any non-reservable train operating on a given route. If you're traveling with a rail pass, reservations are still not available. Simply get on board and sit in any open seat in the class of service of your pass.

In general, point-to-point tickets include a reservation whenever possible. It's when you're traveling with a rail pass that the question of reservations is most important. Please read our dedicated section on Rail Passes for more information.