DIY: How to book train tickets in Europe

To book train tickets and seat reservations in Europe, start by gathering passenger passport details, birthdates, and Interrail pass numbers. Tickets generally go on sale 60 to 180 days in advance; you should book high-demand routes (like the Eurostar, sleeper trains, and Swiss scenic lines) directly on official operator sites, or All Aboard for seat reservations.

If you book with Byway, we manage all of the complexity of ticket booking to get the best price. But if you're planning your own DIY adventure, our guide will help you book your seat reservations and tickets.

Min(Felix) Xu

Before you book your tickets and seat reservations

Before you book your individual tickets and seat reservations, you’ll need to have worked out your route, worked out whether you need a seat reservation or a ticket, and booked your Interrail pass. 

If your route is liable to change, it’s still advisable to book the most popular components of your journey (for example, sleeper trains and Eurostars) as early as possible. It’s usually possible to change these for free or a small fee. For further flexibility, prioritising exchangeable tickets over non-refundable fares protects your travel budget from sudden schedule changes. Spending a small amount on flexible tickets or backup seat reservations offers a cheap insurance policy for tight connections.

To start booking tickets, you’ll need all passenger dates of birth, passport details, and active Interrail pass numbers to hand. 

When do European train tickets go on sale?

Some operators, including Eurostar and SNCF, release a full block of tickets for sale on a set date, usually published in advance. Signing up to their newsletters will mean you’ll often get alerted before a big release. Others work on a rolling basis instead; ÖBB, DB and Nightjet typically open sales 180 days before travel, with no single release date to watch for.

Some regular services retain availability right up until the same day (meaning you can even purchase your ticket or seat reservation right before you board), but popular routes like Eurostar, sleeper trains, ferries, Swiss scenic trains (and anything touching school holidays) can sell out within hours of release.

Interrail’s RailPlanner app will tell you which rail operator runs along each of your planned journey legs.

Booking with Byway, you can leave all the individual ticket purchasing to us, and instead make a single booking including all travel and accommodation, all packaged up with free disruption replanning and in-trip WhatsApp support whenever you need us.

Where to book European train tickets

When booking standard point-to-point tickets, buying directly from the operating rail network is the best way to secure low fares and avoid additional booking fees. Connecting buses and ferries should also be secured from the official website. 

Where to book European train seat reservations

For Interrail pass holders, most seat reservations can be purchased through All Aboard. However, if you’re struggling to find the train you’re looking for, we suggest ÖBB for eastern Europe, and for Spain and Italy, Rail Europe. You can check the seat reservation requirements of specific services on the RailPlanner app.

A few routes carry a supplement on top of the standard reservation cost. Selecting your Interrail pass under "discounts" when booking, rather than "seat only", makes sure any supplement gets picked up automatically, rather than missed. Similarly, a handful of ferry routes do offer a discount code for pass holders without using up a travel day, so it's worth checking the Interrail site before paying.

Helpful resources for slow travel tickets and reservations

• Seat61: routes, booking horizons and where to buy tickets and reservations for most trains

• ChuuChuu: train and connection reliability, plus operator information

• VagonWeb: seat maps and train configuration, including travel direction and onboard facilities

• Interrail Journey Search: a good first check for whether a train needs a reservation, though not always fully accurate

• ÖBB: tickets and reservations

• Rail Europe: Interrail passes and reservations

• Direct Ferries: ferry timetables, operators and tickets

• Travelling.com: bus times, operators and tickets

Read the DIY slow travel blog series

This guide covers one part of planning a flight-free trip. Here's the rest of the series:

• Six steps to DIY slow travel

• Plot your route

• Plan your tickets

• Book your Interrail pass

• Book your accommodation

• Set up your Interrail pass

Or, if you'd rather leave the logistics to the experts, book with Byway and we’ll handle everything for you. Each booking includes all transport, hotels and personal trip guide, all wrapped up with ABTA-protection, free disruption-replanning and in-trip support from our experts while you’re away. 

You can watch the video tutorial 'How to book train tickets in Europe' here, or sign up below for our full DIY video course delivered straight into your inbox.