Help with Train reservations
Jul 5th, 2006, 05:50 PM
#1
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Help with Train reservations
I bought tickets from www.raileuope.com and recieved them a couple of weeks ago. When I bought the tickets I filled out a form for a specific (point to point) itenary. In reviewing the tickets today I realized that one of the tickets has an incorrect date. Apon calling RailEuope I was told that they are open tickets good for three months (which means that the incorrect date on the ticket still works for my itenary).
My question is, I bought the tickets with the idea that I had made a reservation with a specific itenary, do I still need to confirm my reservation (and how) or can I do it when I get there (and if so how and how far in advance)?
My itenary via train is from Budapest to Vienna to Prague to Munich.
My question is, I bought the tickets with the idea that I had made a reservation with a specific itenary, do I still need to confirm my reservation (and how) or can I do it when I get there (and if so how and how far in advance)?
My itenary via train is from Budapest to Vienna to Prague to Munich.
Jul 6th, 2006, 12:46 AM
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>My question is, I bought the tickets with the idea that I had made a reservation with a specific itenary, do I still need to confirm my reservation (and how) or can I do it when I get there (and if so how and how far in advance)?
NO.
There are a few trains in Europe (mostly night trains, as well as high-speed trains in France and Italy) that require reservation. The tickets for other trains are open. No confirmation, seat reservation is optional (for an extra fee).
Btw, when you bought your tickets from RipoffEurope, you probably paid double the official price. And since the tickets ARE open, there is no need to buy in advance.
Plus, RailEurope's schedules seem horribly incomplete...
NO.
There are a few trains in Europe (mostly night trains, as well as high-speed trains in France and Italy) that require reservation. The tickets for other trains are open. No confirmation, seat reservation is optional (for an extra fee).
Btw, when you bought your tickets from RipoffEurope, you probably paid double the official price. And since the tickets ARE open, there is no need to buy in advance.
Plus, RailEurope's schedules seem horribly incomplete...
Jul 6th, 2006, 02:24 AM
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Unfortunately, Altamiro is only partially correct. Tickets bought through RailEurope (which is, by the way, a subsidiary of the SNCF) are not necessarily a "ripoff" and sometimes their prices can actually be lower.
You do not say if you also made seat reservations through RailEurope and which specific routes you are talking about.
IF you made a seat reservation for a specific date and it is NOT the date you are actually traveling then that seat reservation is not going to be valid for another date.
Unless you are traveling on trains which require a mandatory seat reservation you should be OK.
You do not say if you also made seat reservations through RailEurope and which specific routes you are talking about.
IF you made a seat reservation for a specific date and it is NOT the date you are actually traveling then that seat reservation is not going to be valid for another date.
Unless you are traveling on trains which require a mandatory seat reservation you should be OK.
Jul 6th, 2006, 03:08 AM
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>tickets bought through RailEurope (which is, by the way, a subsidiary of the SNCF) are not necessarily a "ripoff" and sometimes their prices can actually be lower.
You are only partially right too
It is true only where the ticketing system is adminstered by SNCF: France itself, Thalys trains, Eurostar, TGV's into Switzerland and Italy. For Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Eastern Europe, the ticket prices on RailEurope are often 50-80% over the official prices. Additionally, many train routes (even important ones like the Brenner corridor from Muich via Innsbruck to Italy) and many local trains are simply ignored by RailEurope.
And then there is the small matter of seat reservations (12 $ on Raileurope, 3 -4 Euro on bahn.de or oebb.at or locally at the station).
Sorry, but Raileurope IS a rip-off in 90% of all cases.
You are only partially right too
It is true only where the ticketing system is adminstered by SNCF: France itself, Thalys trains, Eurostar, TGV's into Switzerland and Italy. For Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Eastern Europe, the ticket prices on RailEurope are often 50-80% over the official prices. Additionally, many train routes (even important ones like the Brenner corridor from Muich via Innsbruck to Italy) and many local trains are simply ignored by RailEurope.
And then there is the small matter of seat reservations (12 $ on Raileurope, 3 -4 Euro on bahn.de or oebb.at or locally at the station).
Sorry, but Raileurope IS a rip-off in 90% of all cases.
Jul 6th, 2006, 03:25 AM
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Got to agree that Raileurope exists mainly to separate the ignorant from their cash - even under their new 4 class system.
Put in a trip for the UK & their price was double the walk-up fare for the same trip & 4 times the price you could pay on that day.
In short, use raileurope BUT don't buy from them until you've checked out the local rail companies first so you know what the real prices are.
Put in a trip for the UK & their price was double the walk-up fare for the same trip & 4 times the price you could pay on that day.
In short, use raileurope BUT don't buy from them until you've checked out the local rail companies first so you know what the real prices are.
Jul 6th, 2006, 09:48 AM
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Thanks I really appreciate each of your relpies.
I bought the tickets though raileurope primarily because I understood their website. I'm not much of a bargin shopper and I just wanted to get everything done.
Is there anything else I should consider about the tickets that I bought other than possibly/probably being overcharged?
I bought two 1st class point to points open tickets between Budapest to Vienna to Prague to Munich at about $680 USD.
Bart
I bought the tickets though raileurope primarily because I understood their website. I'm not much of a bargin shopper and I just wanted to get everything done.
Is there anything else I should consider about the tickets that I bought other than possibly/probably being overcharged?
I bought two 1st class point to points open tickets between Budapest to Vienna to Prague to Munich at about $680 USD.
Bart
Jul 6th, 2006, 09:52 AM
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680 $ one way?????
For real?
Your money must burn holes in your pocket. You DID pay more than double.
The simple way would be to buy one-way tickets for the entire route (Budapest to Munich via Vienna and Prague) for about 150 Euro per person. They are valid for 2 month.
For real?
Your money must burn holes in your pocket. You DID pay more than double.
The simple way would be to buy one-way tickets for the entire route (Budapest to Munich via Vienna and Prague) for about 150 Euro per person. They are valid for 2 month.
Jul 6th, 2006, 09:59 AM
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In any case: what you should know is that on day trains, buying tickets and seat reservation are two entirely separate processes. Your ticket does not guarantee you a seat, only the transportation. The chance that you won't get a seat in the 1st class is so minuscule though that reserving seats doesn't pay off.
Jul 6th, 2006, 10:06 AM
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<the ticket prices on RailEurope are often 50-80% over the official prices>
Let's have some examples that are not from the UK -compare Italian prices with RailEurope and see if they are anywhere at 50-80% higher than the official prices - in fact they may even be a few bucks lower!
So the facts to back up you
your statement - you certainly must have some reason to say 50-80% higher so now please show us!
Let's have some examples that are not from the UK -compare Italian prices with RailEurope and see if they are anywhere at 50-80% higher than the official prices - in fact they may even be a few bucks lower!
So the facts to back up you
your statement - you certainly must have some reason to say 50-80% higher so now please show us!
Jul 6th, 2006, 10:19 AM
#10
Last month we bought 2 tickets from Prague to Budapest on an IC train.
I bought them in Prague at the Cedok travel agency on Na Prikope.
The sales clerk convinced me not to buy 1st class (and to save about $30. per ticket) as she felt IC trains are pretty nice.
We paid about $65. per ticket and the seat reservation was a couple of Euros max.
We actually didn't sit in our reserved seats (lucky there was lots of room on the train) as our seats were the first seats between the smoking and non-smoking sections.
Obviously the person who designed the train cars is a smoker. There was a plastic divider between the sections with the walk-way totally open.
There were 6 (rather rowdy) wommen in the last seats of the smoking section who were chimneys.
We moved to the back of the car.
I bought them in Prague at the Cedok travel agency on Na Prikope.
The sales clerk convinced me not to buy 1st class (and to save about $30. per ticket) as she felt IC trains are pretty nice.
We paid about $65. per ticket and the seat reservation was a couple of Euros max.
We actually didn't sit in our reserved seats (lucky there was lots of room on the train) as our seats were the first seats between the smoking and non-smoking sections.
Obviously the person who designed the train cars is a smoker. There was a plastic divider between the sections with the walk-way totally open.
There were 6 (rather rowdy) wommen in the last seats of the smoking section who were chimneys.
We moved to the back of the car.
Jul 6th, 2006, 10:29 AM
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Hi bar,
As noted, you have valid tickets.
You don't have guaranteed seats. For that you need to buy a reservation.
You can buy your seat reservations at the train stations as soon as you get to town.
Also ask your hotel if you can buy them from a travel agent, as this would usually be more convenient.
As noted, you have valid tickets.
You don't have guaranteed seats. For that you need to buy a reservation.
You can buy your seat reservations at the train stations as soon as you get to town.
Also ask your hotel if you can buy them from a travel agent, as this would usually be more convenient.
Jul 6th, 2006, 11:01 AM
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Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Eastern Europe, the ticket prices on RailEurope are often 50-80% over the official prices
Let's look at Germany -
Frankfurt-Berlin Reurope $174
bahn.de = 98 euro ($128)
RE about 35% higher
Berlin-Munich
RE $170
bahn.de 96-115 euro or $126-$150 depending on train - RE 35% higher in some cases but only 15% higher in others
Munich-Frankfurt
RE $108
www.bahn.de 75 euro or $98
RE about 10% higher
The statement that RE increases German prices of 50-80% just doesn't pan out in a brief comparison - maybe i'm missing something?
I like the way AlanRowe says it - do a comparison with RE and Europe train sites and take the best - at time folks will gladly pay a few more bucks for the convenience of having their tickets in hand. And yes RE's $15 order fee adds on if ordering only one or two tickets.
In any case the German fares show how quickly a German Railpass could come into play - $150 p.p. for a Twin Pass giving four days unlimited railing in Germany in a one-month period. www.bahn.de is charging $130 for Frankfurt-Berlin alone - just $20 cheaper than the pass for this one journey.
Anyway the 50-80% statement i don't think is correct except perhaps in UK or Eastern Europe as in the above Buda-Vienna-Praha-Munich fare.
don't throw the baby out with the bathwater and do comparison shopping which takes just a few minutes as with RE there can be significant fare differences - but not the blanket 50-80% surcharges as some say.
Let's look at Germany -
Frankfurt-Berlin Reurope $174
bahn.de = 98 euro ($128)
RE about 35% higher
Berlin-Munich
RE $170
bahn.de 96-115 euro or $126-$150 depending on train - RE 35% higher in some cases but only 15% higher in others
Munich-Frankfurt
RE $108
www.bahn.de 75 euro or $98
RE about 10% higher
The statement that RE increases German prices of 50-80% just doesn't pan out in a brief comparison - maybe i'm missing something?
I like the way AlanRowe says it - do a comparison with RE and Europe train sites and take the best - at time folks will gladly pay a few more bucks for the convenience of having their tickets in hand. And yes RE's $15 order fee adds on if ordering only one or two tickets.
In any case the German fares show how quickly a German Railpass could come into play - $150 p.p. for a Twin Pass giving four days unlimited railing in Germany in a one-month period. www.bahn.de is charging $130 for Frankfurt-Berlin alone - just $20 cheaper than the pass for this one journey.
Anyway the 50-80% statement i don't think is correct except perhaps in UK or Eastern Europe as in the above Buda-Vienna-Praha-Munich fare.
don't throw the baby out with the bathwater and do comparison shopping which takes just a few minutes as with RE there can be significant fare differences - but not the blanket 50-80% surcharges as some say.
Jul 6th, 2006, 11:35 AM
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Switzerland
RE vs sbb.ch
Geneva-Zurich www.sbb.ch = 77 SF or $65
RE=$72 but on some trains $83
$72 is about 10% higher
$83 is about 30%
still looking for those "50-80" higher fares???
And RE sells Swiss Passes at cheaper prices than in Switzerland itself - figure out who is gouging who there?
RE vs sbb.ch
Geneva-Zurich www.sbb.ch = 77 SF or $65
RE=$72 but on some trains $83
$72 is about 10% higher
$83 is about 30%
still looking for those "50-80" higher fares???
And RE sells Swiss Passes at cheaper prices than in Switzerland itself - figure out who is gouging who there?
Jul 6th, 2006, 12:02 PM
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Hey everyone! I have been reading all of your comments and advice on here and my fiance and are getting ready to buy our train tickets for our trip to Switzerland and Italy in Sept.
Our itineray is as follows:
--Sept. 11, fly into Zurich, take the train to Interlaken
--2 nights in Interlaken, 9/11 and 9/12
--9/13-14--Train to Venice, 2 nights in Venice
--9/15-16--take train to Cinque Terre, 2 nights there
--9/17-18--Train to Florence, 2 nights here
--9/19--Train to Siena, 1 night there
--9/20-21--Train to Rome, 2 nights there
--9/22--Fly out of Rome back to US
SO, in total we have 6 days of tran travel. We have priced it point-to-point vs. a "3 country pass" (both on RE) and the PASS comes out a little cheaper. Should we be looking at other websites (the local sites you speak of here) or just go with that. I think the total PASS price is around $350/person--does that seem about right or could we save more somewhere else?
Thanks for any help/suggestions you can give us!
M. Davis
Our itineray is as follows:
--Sept. 11, fly into Zurich, take the train to Interlaken
--2 nights in Interlaken, 9/11 and 9/12
--9/13-14--Train to Venice, 2 nights in Venice
--9/15-16--take train to Cinque Terre, 2 nights there
--9/17-18--Train to Florence, 2 nights here
--9/19--Train to Siena, 1 night there
--9/20-21--Train to Rome, 2 nights there
--9/22--Fly out of Rome back to US
SO, in total we have 6 days of tran travel. We have priced it point-to-point vs. a "3 country pass" (both on RE) and the PASS comes out a little cheaper. Should we be looking at other websites (the local sites you speak of here) or just go with that. I think the total PASS price is around $350/person--does that seem about right or could we save more somewhere else?
Thanks for any help/suggestions you can give us!
M. Davis
Jul 6th, 2006, 12:21 PM
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A five-day pass would be good enough as the bus is a better bet Florence-Siena than train (train lets you off below the hill town; bus takes you up into it and bus costs about $10 i think - so a three country five day pass would be $325 each).
Your itinerary in Italy probably involves a few trains with mandatory reservations and if they're on Eurostar or ICp trains you'll have to pay up to $15 or so with a pass for the reservation. But on your itinerary i don't see many Eurostar possibilities or ICp so on IC trains you don't need reservations but can make them at a few euros. Sans eurostar trains the pass may be the best - it seems you checked but again local prices could be lower, especially in Switzerland than RailEurope prices. Real prices at www.sbb.ch or Italy www.trenitalia.com
For Italy check out if trains are Eurostar or ICp and thus require $15 surcharges with pass. The best and easiest schedules i've found are the www.bahn.de German Rail website, which has schedules for all of Europe. An easy way to reach their English schedule page is to go to: www.budgeteuropetravel.com and on their home page click on the link "All european Railway Schedules or some such nomenclature and then up pops the English schedule page where you just put in Venice and Monterosso (or any Ciqnue Terre town) and the date and you'll get all the trains for that date and time. Then hit the words details under the train schedule and it will then tell you more, such as whether reservations are compulsory or not and if it's an ES (eurostar) or ICp (InterCityPlus) train then with your pass you'll have to pay $15 or so. If you have many of these it may make the pass less worthwhile.
Your itinerary in Italy probably involves a few trains with mandatory reservations and if they're on Eurostar or ICp trains you'll have to pay up to $15 or so with a pass for the reservation. But on your itinerary i don't see many Eurostar possibilities or ICp so on IC trains you don't need reservations but can make them at a few euros. Sans eurostar trains the pass may be the best - it seems you checked but again local prices could be lower, especially in Switzerland than RailEurope prices. Real prices at www.sbb.ch or Italy www.trenitalia.com
For Italy check out if trains are Eurostar or ICp and thus require $15 surcharges with pass. The best and easiest schedules i've found are the www.bahn.de German Rail website, which has schedules for all of Europe. An easy way to reach their English schedule page is to go to: www.budgeteuropetravel.com and on their home page click on the link "All european Railway Schedules or some such nomenclature and then up pops the English schedule page where you just put in Venice and Monterosso (or any Ciqnue Terre town) and the date and you'll get all the trains for that date and time. Then hit the words details under the train schedule and it will then tell you more, such as whether reservations are compulsory or not and if it's an ES (eurostar) or ICp (InterCityPlus) train then with your pass you'll have to pay $15 or so. If you have many of these it may make the pass less worthwhile.
Jul 6th, 2006, 05:04 PM
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Not sure about the degree to which RE overcharges, but like altamiro, I'm not a big fan of the site.
I've been planning a month-long trip in September (par-swit-venice-slovenia-croatia-sarajevo. Though RE was great for getting a basic idea of my itinerary, but also confusing & misleading b/c it doesn't have a lot of the smaller towns available, and makes ALL train reservations appear required, when they aren't. I'm glad I stumbeled over this thread. You guys saved me from wasting about $100 on what I suspected were needless reservations, so thanks.
Also, I've decided on the Swiss Pass (since i'll be there for a week or so), but still have some lingering questions regarding specific segements of my itinerary that you all may be to answer better than any ticket agent.
1)noticed on RE labels the route btw lucerne and interlaken as'golden pass'. Is this a route on which reservations are required? Or, is the special name a gimmick to trick me into unnecessary reservs?
2) Ditto for Montreux to Gruyeres. I want to take a day trip from Montreux (my 2nd base during the wk).
3)Like meishad, i'll be heading to venice after a visit to the matternhorn. I'm thinking via Milan, but the 1 casalpino train leaves at 10am and really just wastes a day traveling? Any night trains? I'd be willing to take a longer night journey to have time during the day to do stuff. If it helps, i'll have extra travel days on my swiss pass that'll enable me to take a night route detour above the Itialian lakes, through Switzerland, and then down into italy (if such a route exists).
Thanks.
I've been planning a month-long trip in September (par-swit-venice-slovenia-croatia-sarajevo. Though RE was great for getting a basic idea of my itinerary, but also confusing & misleading b/c it doesn't have a lot of the smaller towns available, and makes ALL train reservations appear required, when they aren't. I'm glad I stumbeled over this thread. You guys saved me from wasting about $100 on what I suspected were needless reservations, so thanks.
Also, I've decided on the Swiss Pass (since i'll be there for a week or so), but still have some lingering questions regarding specific segements of my itinerary that you all may be to answer better than any ticket agent.
1)noticed on RE labels the route btw lucerne and interlaken as'golden pass'. Is this a route on which reservations are required? Or, is the special name a gimmick to trick me into unnecessary reservs?
2) Ditto for Montreux to Gruyeres. I want to take a day trip from Montreux (my 2nd base during the wk).
3)Like meishad, i'll be heading to venice after a visit to the matternhorn. I'm thinking via Milan, but the 1 casalpino train leaves at 10am and really just wastes a day traveling? Any night trains? I'd be willing to take a longer night journey to have time during the day to do stuff. If it helps, i'll have extra travel days on my swiss pass that'll enable me to take a night route detour above the Itialian lakes, through Switzerland, and then down into italy (if such a route exists).
Thanks.
Jul 6th, 2006, 09:14 PM
#18
www.railsaver.com is a good website to see if a pass is practical. Be sure to click "only if railpasses saves me money".
Jul 7th, 2006, 05:25 AM
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>1)noticed on RE labels the route btw lucerne and interlaken as'golden pass'. Is this a route on which reservations are required? Or, is the special name a gimmick to trick me into unnecessary reservs?
2) Ditto for Montreux to Gruyeres. I want to take a day trip from Montreux (my 2nd base during the wk).
No reservation is requred for any of these trains. The trains on these routes are mostly normal commuter/regional trains with a few "scenic" carriages in between. Reservation is required for the special scenic seats in front of the Golden Pass trains from Montreux to Zweisimmen, but not for any other seats.
The only trains where you need a reservation is the dedicated "Glacier Express" or "Bernina Express" but on the same routes, additionally to the 1-2 daily "Express" trains there are dozen or more normal, local trains in any direction. The trains where you will meet day trippers from the nearest Swiss city or so, not couach tour groups wo usually fill the "Express" trains.
2) Ditto for Montreux to Gruyeres. I want to take a day trip from Montreux (my 2nd base during the wk).
No reservation is requred for any of these trains. The trains on these routes are mostly normal commuter/regional trains with a few "scenic" carriages in between. Reservation is required for the special scenic seats in front of the Golden Pass trains from Montreux to Zweisimmen, but not for any other seats.
The only trains where you need a reservation is the dedicated "Glacier Express" or "Bernina Express" but on the same routes, additionally to the 1-2 daily "Express" trains there are dozen or more normal, local trains in any direction. The trains where you will meet day trippers from the nearest Swiss city or so, not couach tour groups wo usually fill the "Express" trains.
