When a reservation is optional, you can choose whether or not to reserve a seat in advance. You are allowed to board the train without a reservation, although you may need to stand if the train is very busy or fully booked.
Travelling without a reservation offers greater flexibility, as you can simply board another train if your intended service is full or if you miss it. However, during peak travel periods, particularly between May and September, reserving a seat in advance may provide a more comfortable travel experience.
Optional reservations can be booked through our Self-Service tool in the same way as mandatory reservations. In the timetable, these services will be labelled as "Seat reservation optional". You can select the train and add the reservation to your cart if you wish to reserve a seat.
Please also note that some trains do not offer reservations at all. These are typically regional services with open seating and operate similarly to public transport. In these cases, you can simply board the train with your activated Pass and take any available seat. These trains are clearly marked in both the Rail Planner app and on our website, and you will not see an option to book a reservation.
Important: Regardless of whether a reservation is mandatory, optional, or not available, every train journey must be added to your Pass and activated before boarding the train.