This is what I’m trying

14 min change in Strasbourg (onto a compulsory reservation TGV)

And a 24 min change in Dijon

Just had to tell off an Italian guy for playing a video full volume on his mobile in the Ruhebereich (Quiet Carriage)

With 5 hours on this train it’s important to get the norms right at the start 😀

Why am I confident I’ll get to Nuits sous Ravières even if I miss my connection in Strasbourg?

Because I can go via Paris instead - which is staying on the train I am on

Yes, I don’t have a reservation for it. But it’s always easier to persuade a train manager to let you stay on than get on a train you’re not strictly allowed to take

And TERs I can take on Interrail anyway

This an interesting case

I can re-route via Paris personally as I’m on Interrail

Were I NOT on Interrail I‘d have to rely on AJC that requires *the same route* as original tickets

But that’d mean compulsory reservation trains that might be full, hence cannot be taken…

Siemens builds good trains

(Sure they’re not always perfect, but they’re never dreadful. Siemens would never build a Régiolis.)

Thinking further about this re-routing issue: my favoured re-routing if I need it (via Paris) is actually what would make most sense for SNCF as well (no trying to find space for me on another TGV)

But the rule that applies here - AJC - states precisely the opposite

I wonder how you could better allow “any suitable route” rather than same route?

Also on the Siemens builds good trains point

Desiro ML for SNCB is horrid - because SNCB ordered a terrible interior. Desiro ML for ÖBB is fine

Similarly a DB ICE 407 has a nicer interior but same engineering as a Eurostar e320

AAAGGGHHHH

So I intervened

The bullshit from the train managers to the Aussies was too much, so I went and talked to them

I told the train managers their line this was Eurail's fault was bullshit (it's SNCF's fault insisting on this stupid supplement), and sorted the Passzuschlag for the Aussies on my laptop on DB's website

This train has a joint DB and SNCF crew

The line from the SNCF train manager was great when I told him SNCF will not even sell this Passzuschlag on its website

"But it's European!"

"And SNCF is not European?" I responded 😄

(SNCF doesn't want to sell it because it hates Interrail / Eurail, not because it can't sell it)

And now I have burned my bridges with the train crew

And I might need their cooperation to try to get my connection in Strasbourg

I shouldn't have been so determined to help these other passengers 😅

Also the situation for the train managers is a pain: they obviously get these Interrail/Eurail passengers with the wrong reservations on this train ALL THE TIME.

But has anyone managed to feed this back to make a better process? Obviously not... 🤷‍♂️

And now we’re delayed meaning my connection to Dijon is likely gone in Strasbourg

Today isn’t going very well just now 😡

But these moments are always interesting. You learn things.

To know WHAT to advocate and why in my rail campaigns it’s these times you realise what’s broken.

Here are two well meaning tourists wanting to see Europe by train, and the system has let them down.

And as ever: if you want a smooth Interrail / Eurail experience

DO NOT GO TO FRANCE

Germany *except to France* is fine on Interrail / Eurail

@ajinkyapdahale @jon Simplified overall advice:

That depends on how much you are prepared to learn in advance the ”tricks” (if one even can call them that) specific for each country. If you flatly refuse any manadatory reservations and just want to take any train on a moment’s notice, stick to day trains within Germany, Austria, Switzerland. If you avoid the summer, you can go to Denmark, too. If you are prepared to be a bit careful and avoid trains with mandatory reservations, you can go to Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, too. And if you are prepared to stick to regional trains where necessary, you can go mostly anywhere, except further into Spain than Barcelona, and thus also Portugal. Obviously going between the Continent and the UK requires reservations.

That said, for instance for Italy, reservations for the non-high-speed long-distance ”IC” trains are cheap at 3€ and usually available on a short notice. But there is a trick, you buy such through the Austrian railways ÖBB.