Hi all,
My wife and I are visiting Europe this April (we stay in the US).

We purchased a Eurorail ticket online (raileurope.com) from Amsterdam to Paris - 'Smiley 2nd class category'. According to the site, each way tickets are $41 per person. However, they also had a message there saying one must book a return ticket.

However, we just booked a 1 way ticket for the two of us via this train. We will be flying out of Paris to the US, so we do not need a return ticket.

Question: Since the site allowed me to book only one way at the same rate of US $41 per person, will I face any problem that there is no return ticket via that train ?

thanks
arjun

I would call them 1-800-4-EURAIL (I am not totally certain that this is current, their website should say) and ask for clarification.

As I look at the chart on raileurope.com - - they are NOT going to sell you a one way ticket at this $41.00 fare - - nor at the $65 or $89 fare for "Mezzo Plus" or "Mezzo".

The Adult "Lybris" is $118, which is $27 more than it will cost you in Amsterdam (railsaver.com says $91 per person, and I assume they are quoting the price, purchased IN Europe) - - and that is even before "shipping and handling".

Best wishes,

Rex

Oh... and while I was there checking the fares, I should have looked at the new correct phone number. I guess 4-EURAIL has been retired... now 1-888-382-RAIL.

Hi ar,

Did you just make a reservation or did you buy a ticket?

Some time ago, the system was allowing me to do something similar for a ticket from London to Paris. However, I just decided not to take the chance of not getting the ticket because I didn't pay for the return.

let me know what happens though. I'm curious if there really is a flaw.

Hi Folks,

1) I book it online through raileurope.com/us

2) my credit card has been charged $104 - and the email I got stated they will mail my tickets out in 2 business days - so I assume its a ticket, not just a reservation ?

1) I am really queasy now about this one way issue - I really dont want the ticket collector to charge me an exorbitant fee in case of 'penalties'

I have a friend in ams - have asked him to find out - at the same time, I will call the toll free and find out too.

Will post the results

Thanks for posting the 1-800 # for eurorail. I don't know why I did not think of calling them before.

so anyway, here is the conversation I had:

Me: Hi, my ref#XXXX, we have booked a one way $41 per person trip via eurorail from AMS-Paris - your website allowed me to book one way fares though it also says I must book a return, though it did not force me to - will the ticket collector ask me for a penalty in the train if I cannot produce a return ?

They: No, what will happen is that in a few days, you will receive an email from us stating that we cannot honor your $41 rate since you did not book a return

Me: Well, what about the $109 you have already charged my card ?

They: It is not yet charged - its a manual process - once we get to work on your resv/ticket we will realize it can't be done.

Me: So whats the one way fare ?

They: $118 per person, 2nd class

Me: Well, if I buy a return ticket via smiley, it will cost me $82 per person. Then I may as well buy a 2 way and not use the return.

So there.

thanks !
arjun

I suspected that is what would happen -- that they would not let you buy one-way only when it came time for them to process the ticket. I think that special fare name is really Smilys or something, not Smiley.