FHurdle

I've managed to mess around to the point that I can't get a cheap flights for the times I want from Paris to Venice. I've looked at the price of the Thello train, and two people in a four-person couchette compartment costs 55 euros each, or 110 euros.

I was thinking about buying four tickets even though there are only two of us traveling, so that we could have a compartment to ourselves. The cost of a 2-person sleeper is WAY more expensive. Does anyone have experience doing this, and are there any problems?

Christina

I have not, but I have read that it is possible, you just have to put both your names in two places each (I think you must put a name in).

However, I don't understand how that can be cheaper than flying. I just checked Easyjet who flies direct between Paris and Venice and their flights are only about 100 euro even just a couple weeks out, say end of May. And that was the Flexi fare which includes checked bags and seat reservation. In June, such fares go up due to season, I suppose, but still are only about 125-140 euro. Some times of day are a lot cheaper. I like Easyjet and usually use them for flights within Europe, if they have the route I want. The flight is only 1:40 hrs.

PalenQ

IME on night trains if there is a no show in a couchette compartment and there are people waiting for couchettes (they may have regular seats) then after 20-minutes or so after the train leaves the station where the folks should have boarded those berths can be reassigned to others -I've seen this happen many times but that is out of a zillion night trains.

I do not think anyone can tell you the answer to this unless they have personally done it - if the train allowed that no one would buy a 2-person private compartment if the price differential was high.

Scour these sites for any possible info on that - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

If Christina is right and she usually is the plane may be as cheap almost as buying up the whole compartment (though on a night train you also save on the cost of a night in a hotel - $200-300 typically plus the cost of getting to the airport and back - you also save daytime travel time even over flying.

Let us know how it turns out - I'd try to book the entire compartment and think you will probably be fine even if technically not Hoyle to the train company.

FHurdle

Well, I broke down and booked a round-trip flight on Easyjet for 226 euros total. I was a little leery about flying with them, especially since my baggage weight is going to have to be 43 pounds, which is less than the usual 50. I could have paid an additional 40 euros for the full 50 pounds, but hopefully I won't have to. I'll weigh my bag before we leave, and if I need to add more weight I'll go to the website and do it.

We won't arrive until 19:15 at night and will be boarding a cruise ship the next day. Part of the reason for thinking about the train was that we would just walk off and go straight to the ship. But it's a long trip, and while we would save on a hotel room, I doubt I would sleep very well.

My daughter is going to be taking the ACT test on June 11 in Paris, and it's too late to change her testing location. So it gave me a fairly limited window on getting to Venice.

Somebody else will have to be the guinea pig on this! Thanks.

justineparis

I think you have made a good choice,Easyjet is fine, as long as you read the rules and follow them!!

Man_in_seat_61

It's not just the cost of easyJet, it's the cost or airport transfers, baggage fees and an extra night in a hotel.

Plus the train would be an adventure, the flight isn't.

PalenQ

Plus the train would be an adventure, the flight isn't.>

an adventure from Hell for some folks who cannot sleep with some noise, etc. But for others a neat adventure - like me and many but not for all.

kybourbon

>>>IME on night trains if there is a no show in a couchette compartment and there are people waiting for couchettes (they may have regular seats) then after 20-minutes or so after the train leaves the station where the folks should have boarded those berths can be reassigned to others<<<

Thello has regular seats? No, their overnight trains just have sleepers (couchettes or cabins). You are talking about possible other night trains that offer regular seats plus sleeping cars?

PalenQ

Thello has regular seats? No, their overnight trains just have sleepers (couchettes or cabins). You are talking about possible other night trains that offer regular seats plus sleeping cars?>

Well I was not sure but I have been on Hotel Trains where some folks are let on apparently on a stand-by basis - based on the usual number of no-shows - I'm not sure how this works but I have seen it on Hotel Trains with no regular seats and often on trains with regular seats.

Or there are persons in other couchettes who for some reason ask to be moved to another one.

kybourbon - with your vast knowledge of Italian trains, sincerely said, what do you think Thello conductor would do - let them slide or is it perfectly legal to book up all 4 berths for just two people - if that were the case who would ever buy a much more expensive private 2-person compartment?

I just meant that it would not be a slam-dunk and those two berths could be given out - sometimes folks may be on a waiting list at stations perhaps?

Anyway what would you say would happen and what is technically allowed?

Christina

I wonder also as if you paid for them, technically they are not "empty" exactly, but if the conductor sees no person in in them, might not matter.

There would still be a reason to book a sleeper because the beds are nicer and the room isn't taken up by so many berths.

Flying instead of taking the train is not wasting money on a hotel, you are actually in a place enjoying it while in that hotel instead of on a train for hours and hours on a thin bunk bed. The difference in time between train and flying is huge in this case.

Easyjet is very transparent as if you buy the Flexifare it clearly explains what it covers and the baggage allowance is perfectly generous with that fare.

PalenQ

There would still be a reason to book a sleeper because the beds are nicer and the room isn't taken up by so many berths.>

Well on many trains I've been on a 4-person compartment can eaisly be converted to a 2-person compartment by simply folding two of the beds into the walls as is often done in the morning.

And the night train beds IME are not nearly so terrible as Christina makes out - I've had only positive experiences on night trains mainly and you do save time over flying - daytime travel time that is and with the cost of a hotel offset they can be cheaper than flying. And not nearly so subject to delays.