lilb118

Can someone confirm that I'm booking the right trains and booking it correctly? I'm trying to book night train tickets from Paris to Rome for 9/16 and Florence to Munich for 9/20 in a first class double.

Paris to Rome:
Sncf website- Depart Paris Bercy @ 7:06pm Arrive Roma Termini @ 9:50 am 280EUR for 2 tickets Tickets to be picked up at Paris train station.

Florence to Munich:
Trenitalia website- Depart Firenze SMN @ 9:46pm Arrive Muenchen HBF @ 6:30am
I'm not sure the price since it doesn't seem like I can book these tickets yet.

Questions:
Is there a number with an English speaking agent that I can book these tickets?

Do you know how far in advance I can book tickets from Florence to Munich on Trenitalia?

Any additional suggestions or pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!

lilb118

Sorry, one more question.

I know I can pick up tickets at the Paris train station for my tickets from Paris to Rome. Does the same go for my tickets from Florence to Munich? Can I simply pick them up at the Florence train station?

cls2paris

Yes, you can purchase tickets in the Florence train station. Can't help with the phone number for pre-booking though, sorry.

Dukey

You can often only book sleeping accommodations 90 days ahead (sometimes only 60)

dawn3793

You can book the Paris-Rome train 90 days out. However, the SNCF website currently has a quirk in it that has prevented people from booking Paris to Italy First Class Doubles online (me included -- several other people have posted about the same problem at the Slow Travel board. SNCF's reply apparently has been "Yep, we know about the problem; sorry!&quot. You can book the double by calling the SNCF number -- 011 33 8 92 35 35 39. When you hear the recording, press 2 and it will switch to English, and you should get an operator who is able to speak English.

As a heads up, however, you cannot book the discount fare over the phone -- we had priced out the Paris-Venice double at 270, but when we called to make our reservation we had to pay the more expensive fare of 350 euros.

lilb118

Yes, I did notice that. The tickets I buy over the phone are refundable though right? So if I can get the cheaper fair I can always cancel the other ones. I'd rather be safe than sorry since we've already booked everything else according to these trains.

Thanks for all the responses!

Larryincolorado

If you book the night train from Florence (Firenze) to Munich now on NachtZugReise (http://buchung.nachtzugreise.de) you can get a non-refundable SparNight fare for €69 in a double compartment, €59 in a triple compartment, or €39 in a six person couchette.

PalenQ

<Paris to Rome:
Sncf website- Depart Paris Bercy @ 7:06pm Arrive Roma Termini @ 9:50 am 280EUR for 2 tickets Tickets to be picked up at Paris train station.>

you may also check www.raileurope.com to see if there is a similar price = 280 euro or $400 or so seems in RE ballpark - check and see. To talk to an expert in English on the Raileurope end i would call BETS (800-441-9413) to get a price quote as raileurope.com site is notoriously inaccurate at times - i always recommend BETS for their expertise. But usually the prices on sncf.com are better but this one seems high to me so compare.

lilb118

If you book the night train from Florence (Firenze) to Munich now on NachtZugReise (http://buchung.nachtzugreise.de) you can get a non-refundable SparNight fare for €69 in a double compartment, €59 in a triple compartment, or €39 in a six person couchette.


I do not see the 69Eur double compartment. Is there anything special I need to input to get that rate?

Larryincolorado

I just checked the Nachtzugreise website, and there are still double compartments available for €69 on 9/20, but I guess they aren't 1st class. They have a sink (Waschgelegenheit if you didn't change the language to English), but no shower. There are no SparNight fares available at that time for the 1st class compartment, but they are available for full fare, €155.

Do you see that?

lilb118

This is what comes up when I do a search for two people on 9/20. Can you tell me the difference between a 1 double compartment and 2 single compartment? There are two of us and we would like our own compartment. Thank you for your help!


Ticket and accommodation surcharge without BahnCard
Adults : 2 Children (0-14) : 0 Infants (0-5) : 0
NZ 288: Firenze Santa Maria No 20.09 21:46 München Hbf 21.09 06:30

Selection of comfort category for outward journey, price outward journey for all passengers
Special price: Standard rates:

Seating car 58,00 € 158,00 €
Couch car 6 berth 78,00 € 190,00€
Sleeping car with wash basin, 1 double compartment 138,00 € 290,00 €
Sleeping car with bathroom, 1 double compartment 178,00 € 310,00 €
Sleeping car with wash basin, 2 single compartments 258,00 € 350,00 €
Sleeping car with bathroom, 2 single compartments 358,00 € 390,00 €

Larryincolorado

You never indicated that there were two of you, so I gave you the price for one person.

The SparNight price shown for two in a double compartment with wash basin is €138 (€69 per person). The second price, €290 for two, is the fully refundable, full fare price for two.

€310 for two in a double with shower and WC (bathroom) is 2x €155. That's the full fare price. I don't believe the €178 (2x €89) is available.

The last two categories are for two people in two single person compartments, with and without bathrooms.

lilb118

Thank you so much for your help Larryincolorado. I just tried to book the SparNight price shown for two in a double compartment with wash basin(€69 per person)but it looks like only the standard rate is available. Were you able to get the SparNight price? If I wait will they have it again, or is it safer to book the standard rate now?

Larryincolorado

When I originally look at the website, I was looking at one person, and they showed beds available for either men or women. The site still shows that, but when you request two in the same compartment, it shows not available. I guess all the compartments at that fare already have one person in them. Unless you want to split up, there is apparently nothing available at the lower fare.

I think they set aside so many places at that fare, and, when they are sold, there will be no more. I would not wait for more to appear.

You might try a different date.

As a last try, call them. Dial your code for international long distance, then 49 for Germany, then 1805 14 15 14. I understand that there will be someone there who speaks English. Or you can FAX them at 49 231 7293399.

All this information is available at www.nachtzugreise.de. Click "kontact".

lilb118

Thanks again for all your help!

I was able to book both trips. After having difficulty booking the Paris to Rome segment online, I called the SCNF number to book and was still able to get the lower fare. Unfortunately I wasn't as lucky with the Florence to Munich segment as I had to purchase standard rate tickets, but the process of purchasing them online was very easy and I love that they are e-tickets.

dawn3793

Lilb --

How did you get the lower fare? Did they offer it to you initially, or did you have to ask about it?

Larryincolorado

I am amazed that the SparNight fares were already sold out for a night in September. I didn't look to see if they are still available for any nights.

Actually, I shouldn't be so amazed. There are only a few night trains from Munich to Italy. They are popular trains and they sell out early. A couple of years ago, I remember a young woman who tried to get full fare tickets from Munich to Venice, and they were completely sold out (except for a few SEATS) over a month in advance.

Note also, that "reservations" or supplements for use with rail passes also sell out well in advance.

PalenQ

Amusing thing about the SPAR fare - waz on the Vienna-Rome night train last Jan and with my eurailpass i paid 29 euros i think for a place in a 4-person couchette - two young Italian students had booked early online and paid also 29 euros - for the whole ticket and couchette! But an Austrian veterinarian going to Florence for a convention about cows paid well over $100 because his trip was spontaneous - illustrating the range of fares.

And the train was fairly full even in January on a weekday night.

And it was a very very nice couchette compartment from others i've seen.

ethrush

Did you check airfares before doing this? There are such cheap airfares in Europe right now that it might have been cheaper, even with an extra hotel night. A lot of people find it impossible to sleep on the overnight trains, and arrive in their destination too tired to enjoy it.

Larryincolorado

ethrush,

did YOU check airline tickets before posting??

I checked Air Berlin, German Wings, Easy Jet, Ryan Air, WhichBudget.com, FlyCheapo.com, and FlyBudget.com. I didn't find anything from Munich to Florence.

Downtown to downtown takes 5 to 6 hours if you fly, vs. a little over 8 hours via the train. Train tickets can be had for as low as €32,50. It is a lot less hassle to just board a train and ride vs. riding to/from airports, waiting in security, scrambing for seats, etc. I think there are no flights because they just can't compete.