Railways broaden the duty period for global travel bookings.
Effective immediately, travelers utilizing the German railway company, Deutsche Bahn, for international journeys require a designated seat reservation for most connections. This policy update is being implemented in preparation for the anticipated spike in demand during the European Football Championship in Germany. The compromised measure is not intended to be permanent.
As of this coming Saturday, Deutsche Bahn's passengers on the vast majority of international rail journeys will be required to secure a seat reservation. This recent expansion of an erstwhile regulation is part of a concerted effort to accommodate an expected surge in demand over the summer months, precipitated by Germany's hosting of the European Football Championship.
Seat reservations are offered at no additional cost. These reservations will not be enforced for domestic journeys. Deutsche Bahn's passengers traveling to Switzerland only need a reservation for the cross-border segment at Lindau-Reutin. Train trips from Basel Badischer Bahnhof and Schaffhausen will not require advanced bookings. Additionally, reservations are not necessary for passengers traveling to or from Luxembourg.
Prior to this policy change, compulsory seat reservations were mandatory on significant routes to foreign countries, including France, Poland, and Italy. Furthermore, this seasonal practice was also upheld for Denmark and the Netherlands. With the conclusion of the European Football Championship in early September, previously imposed seat reservation regulations will automatically revert, excluding an extension of the requirement for the connection linking Munich and Zurich, which will remain active until October 5th.
Read also:
Deutsche Bahn's seat reservation requirement is also applicable for international journeys to and from Luxembourg, as mentioned earlier. The European Football Championship 2024 in Germany is anticipated to boost German Railways' traffic, making seat reservations essential for many connections.
