Train from Berlin to Paris?
Dec 18th, 2006, 06:28 PM
#1
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Train from Berlin to Paris?
It would be helpful to hear from anyone who has done this. My cursory online exploration was frustrating and I could not find fares or length of time it takes. Perhaps I am being too impatient. We don't want an overnight train.
Dec 18th, 2006, 06:38 PM
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It's about 10 hours. Change in Köln. Go to www.bahn.de but they normally don't allow booking from North America.
Why don't you want a night train?
Dec 18th, 2006, 06:58 PM
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I did the night train with my hubby and our 8 year old son in 2004. We hated it. We slept terribly as the train stops often and it's not the best for sleeping and it's loud.
We love travelling by trains, generally. It was too long and not comfortable enough for us.
We love travelling by trains, generally. It was too long and not comfortable enough for us.
Dec 18th, 2006, 07:05 PM
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Dec 18th, 2006, 09:41 PM
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Not sure why your "online exploration was frustrating" - it's really simple:
The French site www.voyages-sncf.fr shows a fare of 175.50 Euros for a number of trains on the randomly picked date of Thu. Jan.18 (since you didn't tell us when you're planning on going).
For the same day, the German site www.bahn.de shows Euros 160.80 for some other trains.
Plenty of trains all day long, just look them up.
The French site www.voyages-sncf.fr shows a fare of 175.50 Euros for a number of trains on the randomly picked date of Thu. Jan.18 (since you didn't tell us when you're planning on going).
For the same day, the German site www.bahn.de shows Euros 160.80 for some other trains.
Plenty of trains all day long, just look them up.
Dec 19th, 2006, 01:19 AM
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>Yes, you can book fares using the Bahn.de site whether you are in North America or not
German railways don't care where in the world you sit while booking - usually you can just print your tickets.
On the other hand, unless you get one of these promotional fares for 39 Euro (Europa Spezial), there is no need to book so long in advance. Buy your ticket in Berlin in a rail station or in any travel agency with a DB sticker at the door.
German railways don't care where in the world you sit while booking - usually you can just print your tickets.
On the other hand, unless you get one of these promotional fares for 39 Euro (Europa Spezial), there is no need to book so long in advance. Buy your ticket in Berlin in a rail station or in any travel agency with a DB sticker at the door.
Dec 19th, 2006, 05:42 AM
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For Auleen: In January the Thomas Cook European Timetable showed a fare of 170 euros for a night with a 3-berth sleeper. But if you phone you can ask Euraide of Florida, E-mail [email protected], phone
at the Florida office 941/480-1555, site http://www.euraide.com or German Rail UK in Surbiton. E-mail: [email protected], phone 00 44 870 243 5363, site http://www.deutsche-bahn.co.uk,
For Bashawdi: Please would you say whether you had seats, couchettes, or sleepers in 2004 ? Many people have a bad night sitting up, and dislike couchettes, where you go with three others in a compartment for six. But many more enjoy a three-berth sleeper, with room service and your own washbasin, enjoy the whole day in Berlin, roll down to the main station, breakfast about 0800, and reach Paris at 0914, fresh for the day. The train stops for passengers hourly until 0033, then hourly from 0454, and three times between 0033 and 0454, but those three times have nobody boarding or leaving. The stops at Liege and Brussels South about five and six are short and quiet, then there are no stops until Paris. I found that the door fitted well enough to keep sound out. The breakfast car had low chat.
So I am wondering how you were placed, if you will be so kind as to tell us.
Ben Haines, London
[email protected]
at the Florida office 941/480-1555, site http://www.euraide.com or German Rail UK in Surbiton. E-mail: [email protected], phone 00 44 870 243 5363, site http://www.deutsche-bahn.co.uk,
For Bashawdi: Please would you say whether you had seats, couchettes, or sleepers in 2004 ? Many people have a bad night sitting up, and dislike couchettes, where you go with three others in a compartment for six. But many more enjoy a three-berth sleeper, with room service and your own washbasin, enjoy the whole day in Berlin, roll down to the main station, breakfast about 0800, and reach Paris at 0914, fresh for the day. The train stops for passengers hourly until 0033, then hourly from 0454, and three times between 0033 and 0454, but those three times have nobody boarding or leaving. The stops at Liege and Brussels South about five and six are short and quiet, then there are no stops until Paris. I found that the door fitted well enough to keep sound out. The breakfast car had low chat.
So I am wondering how you were placed, if you will be so kind as to tell us.
Ben Haines, London
[email protected]
Dec 19th, 2006, 06:34 AM
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<The French site www.voyages-sncf.fr shows a fare of 175.50 Euros for a number of trains>
At this price you may want to consider the France-Germany Railpass, which starts, on a SaverPass for two or more person, p.p., at 4 days of unlimited travel in a 2-month period for $245 in second class and $288 in first class.
The normal fare of 160-175 euros, the latter for most trains it seems would be about $230 - in 2nd class - as 1st class fares are typically 40% higher then the $288 p.p. pass rate seems a bargain if doing this long journey in 1st class. On night trains the pass pays for the rail fare but not sleeping accommodations but you still only use one day on the pass (so-called 7pm rule) - your unlimited travel day would be the day you arrive in Paris, so you could go to Versailles, Chartres and be covered by that same day on a pass - or just use RER C in Paris along the Seine without charge. Of course if you go the SPAR fare route and can get these very limited tickets then that would be they way to go. These passes are not sold in Europe and are marketed in US by RailEurope - www.raileurope.com - i always recommend calling BETS (800-441-2387; www.budgeteuropetravel.com) for any RailEurope product as they are experts and they'll answer any questions; their free European Planning & Rail Guide details the nitty-gritty of European trains and night trains. www.ricksteves.com also has good info on European trains and passes.
I've taken this night train several times and i like night trains because i have no problem sleeping and i save a night's hotel and wake up early in a far-removed city. But whether night trains are conducive to you depends on your sleeping habits. No fun waking up exhausted in the next city as you'll need the whole day to recuperate. so back to the pass - if you will be doing any other train trips it will be a good deal and also unlike non-changeable SPAR fares gives you flexibility as it can be used on any train any time in those two countries. You can use it to go to either airport in Paris for example via train and in Berlin out to Potsdam, etc.
At this price you may want to consider the France-Germany Railpass, which starts, on a SaverPass for two or more person, p.p., at 4 days of unlimited travel in a 2-month period for $245 in second class and $288 in first class.
The normal fare of 160-175 euros, the latter for most trains it seems would be about $230 - in 2nd class - as 1st class fares are typically 40% higher then the $288 p.p. pass rate seems a bargain if doing this long journey in 1st class. On night trains the pass pays for the rail fare but not sleeping accommodations but you still only use one day on the pass (so-called 7pm rule) - your unlimited travel day would be the day you arrive in Paris, so you could go to Versailles, Chartres and be covered by that same day on a pass - or just use RER C in Paris along the Seine without charge. Of course if you go the SPAR fare route and can get these very limited tickets then that would be they way to go. These passes are not sold in Europe and are marketed in US by RailEurope - www.raileurope.com - i always recommend calling BETS (800-441-2387; www.budgeteuropetravel.com) for any RailEurope product as they are experts and they'll answer any questions; their free European Planning & Rail Guide details the nitty-gritty of European trains and night trains. www.ricksteves.com also has good info on European trains and passes.
I've taken this night train several times and i like night trains because i have no problem sleeping and i save a night's hotel and wake up early in a far-removed city. But whether night trains are conducive to you depends on your sleeping habits. No fun waking up exhausted in the next city as you'll need the whole day to recuperate. so back to the pass - if you will be doing any other train trips it will be a good deal and also unlike non-changeable SPAR fares gives you flexibility as it can be used on any train any time in those two countries. You can use it to go to either airport in Paris for example via train and in Berlin out to Potsdam, etc.
Dec 19th, 2006, 07:09 AM
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Germanwings does NOT fly between Berlin and Paris. Your budget airline choices are Air Berlin, Condor, and easyJet.
Since you don't want an overnight train, the E160.80 fare via Mannheim is your best standard fare.
However, if you can get a SMILYS fare on the Thalys train from Koeln to Paris, you would save some money. Berlin-Koeln would be E93.00. The regular Thalys Koeln-Paris fare is E85.50. The SMILYS fare is shown as E29.50 each way. However, this must be booked as a roundtrip so you would actually pay E59.00. Book an arbitrary return date and throw away the unused portion. To have the best chance of getting a SMILYS fare, book 90 days in advance when the tickets become available online.
Since you don't want an overnight train, the E160.80 fare via Mannheim is your best standard fare.
However, if you can get a SMILYS fare on the Thalys train from Koeln to Paris, you would save some money. Berlin-Koeln would be E93.00. The regular Thalys Koeln-Paris fare is E85.50. The SMILYS fare is shown as E29.50 each way. However, this must be booked as a roundtrip so you would actually pay E59.00. Book an arbitrary return date and throw away the unused portion. To have the best chance of getting a SMILYS fare, book 90 days in advance when the tickets become available online.
Dec 19th, 2006, 09:53 AM
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And SMILYS fares i believe are often sold out when they come on 90 days in advance so if thinking that option, which is the best rail link in times of time and level or service, act early or the Thalys could cost a whole lot more, forcing you onto the Mannheim route, which i believe would be much longer but haven't checked www.bahn.de for times.
Dec 19th, 2006, 11:06 AM
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Unless you are set on taking the train for some reason, look at airlines other than the discount ones. When we compared all the options for this route a couple months back it wound up being cheapest on Air France TXL to CDG. It was actually cheaper to buy a round trip and throw away the second half. I just did a quick check and Lufthansa has a nonstop for USD 117 RT, Air France the same for USD 140 using dates in March 07. Try a search on http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/login
Dec 19th, 2006, 05:10 PM
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Wow! Thanks folks, you have given me a lot to digest. At first glance, I am thinking that maybe we should just rent a car for 3 or 4 days and enjoy a leisurely drive to the outskirts of Paris (once we are out of the heavily built up areas of northern Germany). The trains were more expensive than I anticipated and so are the planes. I was thinking we would be sitting up all night on a night train because the berths would be expensive--from my point of view. Ben, you stated 170E for a 3 person berth, and I assume that is for one person,so for my husband and I it would be 340E or $442 ($1.30 for 1E) That seems costly to me and we don't even see the countryside! Well, as I said, I have a lot to chew on. And would welcome additional tips on driving from Berlin to Paris. Yes, I know, driving isn't inexpensive either, but then there is all that nice coutryside to wander through.
Just to muddy the water; we may decide to go to Switzerland from Berlin and then drive north through France to Paris. We really enjoy France and have been quite a few places there, as well as Bavaria a couple of times.
(I have not given up on the trains...we are in the planning stages for a trip in May/June for a month so we are "playing" with several alternatives).
Just to muddy the water; we may decide to go to Switzerland from Berlin and then drive north through France to Paris. We really enjoy France and have been quite a few places there, as well as Bavaria a couple of times.
(I have not given up on the trains...we are in the planning stages for a trip in May/June for a month so we are "playing" with several alternatives).
Dec 19th, 2006, 07:30 PM
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You don't necessarily have to sit up all night to get a good fare on the night train. Discount fares, when available, are E25 for a reclining seat, E50 for a bunk in a six-perosn couchette, and E75 for a bunk in a four-person couchette. You can book online up to 90 days in advance. For the best chance of getting a discount fare, book as soon as the 90-day window opens.
Dec 20th, 2006, 05:40 PM
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Just to finish this topic off, I have been researching regional airlines in Europe and have found EasyJet to be very reasonable--we will most likely fly to Geneva ( we are on Plan B or perhaps C now!), then a few days later fly to Paris. Both times in May 2007.
Berlin to Geneva is $45 for 2 people-hard to believe, but true!
Geneva to Paris is $91 for 2 people
Sounds like a good plan for us, even though we will have to find our way to a couple of airports which isn't always fun. The story isn't over yet! Thanks everyone!
Berlin to Geneva is $45 for 2 people-hard to believe, but true!
Geneva to Paris is $91 for 2 people
Sounds like a good plan for us, even though we will have to find our way to a couple of airports which isn't always fun. The story isn't over yet! Thanks everyone!
Dec 20th, 2006, 10:33 PM
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Unless there is a "sale" there is no doubt whatsoever that the EasyJet prices WILL rise (they tell you this on their website).
Just remain aware of the checked luggage restrictions in terms of weight allowed per person.
We have had excellent service from EasyJet and would not hesitate to use them again because those prices are totally believable!
Just remain aware of the checked luggage restrictions in terms of weight allowed per person.
We have had excellent service from EasyJet and would not hesitate to use them again because those prices are totally believable!
