knwolf

My husband and I will be taking the City Night Line Train from Munich to Paris on Sept 30th. We are interested in a double deluxe compartment. Currently, the tickets are listed at $357 per person. I am hoping someone reading this is familiar with the train situation in Europe. Are there ways to get discount tickets?

Also, should I buy the tickets now? Or wait until we get to Munich? Since we will be there during Oktoberfest, I don't want to wait too long in case it fills up quickly.

Thanks for any help you can give!
Kristen

lindy27

If you book in advance on bahn.de you will probably be able to save.

I don't see a direct night train from Munich to Paris but maybe you are connecting somewhere. If you connect on the train from Berlin, it looks like the price for advance tickets are 159 euro a person or non-discount price of 264 euro a person. These are for a deluxe double cabin. You can only get the 159 euro price if you book online in advance.

Make sure if you book online you only do it at bahn.de or France's official train site.

knwolf

I should add that I have read on other threads that discount tickets can be found at www.bahn.de ...however, I am unable to get pricing when I use that website. I think I also have to purchase a Bahn card, but I am not sure??

knwolf

Thanks Lindy. I tried booking on bahn. If I select my departure as Munich and my destination as Paris, then change the departure time to 22:00 on Sept 30, the first train departure listed is the one I want to book. But there are no prices to be found. I sent them an email inquirey for some assistance. Lets hope I get somewhere!

Christina

I dont' think you should book that train, anyway. Doing what you said, the first train listed has four changes (departs munich 22:43). You must change trains at Stuttgart, Mannheim, Offenburg and Strasbourg. I really don't think you want that. Some of those trains don't even have double deluxe compartments, I imagine (I know French TGVs don't, which is the last leg). A couple of them don't even have a first class. The entire trip takes 11 hours and you get in Paris about the exact same time as if you take the train departing at 3:20 in the am which has a 139 euro price listed. YOu still have to transfer once.

Sarastro

The French train website shows a 21h14 Bonn to Paris departure which is sold out.

Generally tickets are available for approx 94€ but you would need to pick them up in France.

www.voyage-scnf.com

Thalys website might have more options or information:

http://www.thalys.com/

Man_in_seat_61

You want the direct Munich-Paris CNL train with 0 changes, departs 2243 arrives 09:23

You can book at www.bahn.de, prices WILL appear for this train within 90 days of departure.

Fares in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin start at 79 euros per person, deluxes 99 euros but they get snapped up fast.

lindy27

The schedule I think will work best for you would be to train to Göttingen and catch the night train from there to Paris. If you do that you can book the Göttingen to Paris portion online in advance and then the other portion you can book separate.

The train leaves Munich at 18:15 and arrives in Paris at 9:23. This will get you on a train without any stops from 23:07 to 9:23.

knwolf

Chritina, thanks for pointing out that the train I was looking at had 4 changes...I didn't even notice that!

Man_in_seat_61...can you please tell me where you are finding this direct CNL train on the www.bahn.de website? Perhaps you can describe your search strategy?

I guess now I am worried that there may NOT be a direct train from Munich to Paris!

knwolf

www.citynightline.net

This is the product I am interestd in, but I cannot figure out how to book it....

lindy27

I cannot find a direct train from Munich to Paris for you. I hope Man_in_seat_61 can be more helpful as to where he found that train running in September.

Bahn.de does not show a direct train and that is where I have always used.

knwolf

I just got an email response from my online inquirey to Bahn. They said that they are having technical difficulties with that particular train on their website and I should try back after Aug 19...

Thanks for your several posts on my thread Lindy27... I really appreciate it

logos999

I'va a difficult time understanding why someone would take a train that takes almost 15 hours and is more expensive and really uncomfortable, instead of paying 89€ for the 6 hour train and sleep in a nice hotel.

swandav2000

logos999, it's not uncomfortable -- it's romantic and adventurous and fun! I've taken a few overnight train trips (private compartment) and always thought they were worth the indulgence. I'm hoping to take another one (the same one discussed here) next spring!

s

kappa1

I'm not used to using www.bahn.de but use Swiss Railway site all the time for timetable infos. You don't get rates online there for non Swiss related trains.

And as Man in Seat61 wrote, the direct train exists on Sep 30th.

München Hbf 30.09.11 dep. 22:43
CNL40418 CityNightLine
Paris-Est 01.10.11 arr. 09:23
Takes 10hrs 40minutes.

Cowboy1968

Your initial question was: Are there discount tickets available for that direct night train.
I doubt that. You will be traveling to Munich during Oktoberfest season. Not a promising time to look for discounts anywhere..

Phil

knwolf:

DB's City Night Line website (http://www.citynightline.de/) says that the direct train from Munich to Paris (CNL 40418) does not show up on their website (probably due to a programming error).

They say they are busy correcting the problem, and that it should show on august 19 and should be bookable by that date.

As the reduced price tickets sell fast, you should try to book them as early as possible, which could mean a very short night on august 18.

Do not wait until you are in Munich, there won't be any reduced tickets at that time.

Hope this helps, enjoy your trip.

Phil.

Sarastro

French Rail shows that the 22h42 departure, City Night Line #40418, is sold out and no further seats can be sold.

It does show a 22h42 departure, City Night Line, that makes a connection in Metz to a TGV arriving Gare de l´Est at 8h49. This train has some reduced price tickets still available at 77€.

You can purchase these tickets now at either of the websites below but you would need to pickup the tickets in France (most likely not possible given your itinerary) as the SNCF will not mail tickets to the USA:

www.voyages-sncf.com
www.tgv-europe.com

knwolf

Thanks for all of the posts! I initially was hoping to find a way to get cheaper tickets...but now I guess I will just hope there are some left! I will give the booking office a call in the morning.

Logos999- I understand your train of thought, no pun intended. The reason we decided to take an overnight train is partly for the experience. But also...We get an extra half a day in Paris! Sure, the train ride may be longer, but we will be sleeping.

Thanks again... I will post a response tomorrow morning after calling the booking office.

logos999

>but we will be sleeping
I'd hope so. . Not that you're "broken on the wheel" as we'd say.