tsteel2

My husband and I are traveling internationally for the first time, and are going to Italy and Rome over the Holidays. We'd like to take a train from Bologna to Munich on Christmas day, but it doesn't appear that the train schedule is available online for that date yet. Can anyone tell me when the schedule is made available, and the best site at which to purchase tickets? Thank you!

PalenQ

No train schedules change to winter schedules 13 Dec 15 and are not yet loaded after 12.12.15 according to www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways site that has train schedules for all of Europe and sell online tickets for trains continuing from other countries into Germany.

You can book Verona to Munich on www.bahn.de/en - 76 euros full fare but discounted tickets as low as about 30-35 euros if you book, in stone, months in advance to get those limited in number discounted tickets that are non-changeable from that specific train.

You can take a regional train - dirt cheap from Bologna to Verona - just buy that ticket in Bologna as there are no seat reservations even possible - if a faster train book online at www.trenitalia.com for minor discounts on that short a trip.

For lots of great info on trains and booking check www.seat61.com - especially sweet info on discounted tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

sometimes first-class disconted tickets can cost not much more than 2nd class so check on that too and if not much more for a 4-5 hour trip it will be more relaxed IME.

sandralist

Don't risk a regional train with unreserved seats during the Christmas period, including Christmas day, because you could end up standing for hours.

swandav2000

Hi tsteel2,

Until the winter schedules are loaded, you can check the train schedules now to see what the journey will be like. In Germany, Christmas day will be like Sunday travel, so you can input any Sunday date to see what the journey will entail. You can use the German rail site to get an idea:

www.bahn.com

Have fun as you plan!

s

PalenQ

Don't risk a regional train with unreserved seats during the Christmas period, including Christmas day, because you could end up standing for hours.>

Many regional trains have first class for a few extra euros and less likely to be mobbed IME - I would think Xmas day would be slack for travel as most locals will be around the fireplace at home. But there may be far fewer trains.

traveller1959

The winter schedules of the German Railway will be loaded on 13 October. Make sure to book quickly on 13 October or the following days in order to get reduced fares!

PalenQ

Yes indeedy like the 39 euro Wengen to Fussen fare I found yesterday for two days out vs 144 euros or so for full fare and yes those deep discounted ducats do sell out early often. No Swiss Pass use of Jungfrau or B O Pass use required at all.

sandralist

PalenQ,

Many Italian families wait until Christmas morning to travel to visit others for the holiday, and they will mostly take the regional trains. They can be absolutely mobbed. Also, many Europeans who are not big on celebrating Christmas will come to Italy to be tourists, and they are cheapskates when it comes to buying train tickets, and tend to wing it, and that can mob the trains. Also, some Italians these days go for a skiing Christmas holiday, rather than spend it at home, and the route between Bologna and Munich takes in some important ski areas.

Finally, let us hope this prediction doesn't come true, but since I have no faith that the EU is going to solve any of its cross border problems, between now through next year, it won't surprise me in the slightest to see Germany-bound that begin in Italy trains packed to the gills, especially the cheap regionale trains. They are now, and I haven't heard a single real-world answer being proposed by anyone in a position to change anything, so I expect it to continue.

To the OP:

Buy a reserved seat as soon as your are able for Christmas Day.

PalenQ

Can you reserve a seat on regional trains? No but yes on the Verona to Munich train or faster trains if available Bologna to Verona.

But I believe regional trains have no reservations or required reservations - thus the SRO mobs scenes. Consider going the day before perhaps.

bvlenci

There are Frecciargento trains between Bologna and Verona, so there's no need to worry about crowded regional trains. I would recommend reserving as soon as they become available, which may be in early October. Trenitalia usually makes the schedules for its Freccia trains available long before the IC and regional schedules are posted.

If the German schedules will be up on October 13th, maybe you can reserve the whole trip around that time. Allow plenty of time for the connection in Verona, because I don't think the Deutsche Bahn will honor your ticket if you miss the train because of a late arrival of the Italian train. If you buy a full-price ticket, it will be more flexible, but I don't know the exact conditions.

sandralist

Going the day before -- on Christmas Eve -- will only be worse.

The OP started this thread because they wanted to buy a ticket now. It is nonsensical to try to tell them to wait until Christmas Eve in Italy to buy a ticket on a train with unreserved seating.

Regarding late arrivals from Bologna to Verona: At that time of year it can snow along the Italian train lines at points prior to Bologna, so allowing for train delays, due to possible bad weather or just generally slow service due to the volume of people getting on and off the trains at every stop with luggage during the holidays (some of these trains begin their journeys in Napoli) is a good advice.

PalenQ

It is nonsensical to try to tell them to wait until Christmas Eve in Italy to buy a ticket on a train with unreserved seating.>

Are you suggesting they buy that ticket ASAP - why if there are no reservations possible? Flummoxed by your answer!

bvlenci

I don't think there are any Frecciargento trains between Bologna and Verona that originate in Naples. Most of those trains are on the Rome-Bolzano line.

I'm kind of surprised to hear that the trains are so crowded on Christmas Day, but I can't contradict it, as I've never traveled by train on Christmas. All the people I know who visit family for the holidays drive rather than take the train, and they usually start their ski holidays after Santo Stefano.

Anyway, if you travel Frecciargento and have a reserved seat on the EC to Munich, there will be no problem with overcrowding.

bvlenci

Actually, I never heard of anyone taking the train to go skiing. They either drive or get together to hire a bus for a group.

swandav2000

bvlenci -- ??? I take the train often to go skiing, as do hordes of other people. You can see them crowding the tracks toting their skies in Germany and Switzerland. Of course, many also send their skies using the SBB or the DB luggage-forwarding services, so there are probably even more than I imagine.

s

PalenQ

Actually, I never heard of anyone taking the train to go skiing. They either drive or get together to hire a bus for a group.>

IME I also see many folks with skis on trains to Interlaken and beyond - they even have special places to hang skis on some trains. Why would someone go by car to a car-less area found in most ski resorts?

PalenQ

Actually, I never heard of anyone taking the train to go skiing. They either drive or get together to hire a bus for a group.>

bvienci may be talking about Italy where few trains go into the Alpine ski areas but in Switzerland the train or gondolas are often the only way to reach ski areas and the train and cable system is so so dense.

PalenQ

In France they have special 'ski trains' to Alpine resorts - some of these are Eurostar trains coming from London direct to the Alps. You don't need a car for a skiing trip once there.