Booking help
Know what to book next.
Direct answer
Booking in the right order saves time and stress. Start with the bookings that everything else depends on. On a family trip to France, Switzerland, and Germany, that means locking your main Paris hotel first, then the high-speed trains that connect those dates, then your Swiss and German hotels, followed by popular timed-entry sights, and finally relaxed activities.
Recommended action: follow a clear booking sequence based on your flights.
- Flights are usually booked before you begin planning the detailed route.
- Hotels that define your travel dates should be chosen before non-refundable train tickets are bought.
- Museum and attraction tickets can wait until your city nights are confirmed.
- We provide direct booking links. You always pay the hotel or train company directly.
Recommended booking sequence
For our sample 14-day route.
| Order | Booking | Why it belongs here |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Flights (into Paris, out of Frankfurt) | Your trip dates. Already locked in this sample. |
| 1 | Paris hotel, 5 nights, two rooms | Eastbound train to Switzerland depends on checkout date. |
| 2 | Paris → Lucerne train (TGV Lyria) | Seats together are selected when buying tickets. |
| 3 | Lucerne hotel, 4 nights | Arrival time sets check-in and dinner timing. |
| 4 | Lucerne → Munich, then Munich hotel | Book Germany after Switzerland dates are confirmed. |
| 5 | Frankfurt airport hotel | Protects your departure airport buffer before flying home. |
| 6 | Timed entries (Louvre, etc.) | Book only after city dates are completely locked. |
Direct booking links
Where supported, our direct links carry your dates, family size, and children's ages directly to the official booking page. When direct transfer isn't supported, we show the exact dates and room details on your screen so you can book without double-checking everything.
Five clear booking states
Planned: A night or train needed to make your schedule work. Observed: A live price or schedule we checked, noting when we checked it. Selected: The option you plan to book. Held: A temporary room hold while you finalize details. Confirmed: Booked and paid with an official confirmation number.
Importing confirmations
Paste your booking email or confirmation code into Trip, Figured. We match it directly to your planned itinerary. If the dates differ from your plan, we show you a change preview before updating anything.
How we keep details fresh
Prices and train schedules change over time. We check critical travel details regularly and refresh them before you book. See how we keep information up to date.
Who owns your bookings
You and the travel provider. Changes, exchanges, refunds, and customer support are handled directly by hotels and rail lines. We tell you which counter to visit and what details to bring with you. Read our travel and booking boundaries.
Ready when the flights are locked
Tell us where you land. We'll figure out the rest.
Who's coming, where you land, and what the household cannot live with. Then we show our work.
Request early accessGood to know & updates
- This booking sequence is a proven recommendation for France–Switzerland–Germany family trips.
- Connecting rooms and seats together are assigned directly by hotels and rail lines at booking.
- Affiliate partnerships, when present, never alter our recommended booking order. See our affiliate disclosure.
Written by the Trip, Figured team · Regularly updated for current travel conditions