Hello, <BR>I want to find out if there are 1st class couchettes (4 beds not 6) on the night train from Paris to Venice, and how much they cost. <BR>Does anyone know of a site that will give me this info? <BR>Thanks <BR>Tim

Write to Ben Haines.

Try this site: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/det...in/query.exe/e

You can also go to www.raileurope.com <BR>Great point to point info, schedules and prices. Though they do charge some serious fees to book through them, for information it's great. <BR>

I may be totally wrong on this, but to the best of my knowledge they don't have first class couchettes... As I recall couchettes are simply reclining seats. <BR>You may be talking about a first class sleeper. <BR>But ify ou are 4 you could take a send class sleeper since they offer space for 4. If I am wrong here, I trust someone will correct me. <BR>

Couchettes are compartments where 4-6 people share seats during the day and are stacked in berths during the night. The issue with couchettes is that you don't know whom the otehr 3-5 people are with whom you will be spending the night. In my experience [which isn't extensive] couchettes are for 2nd class. You get a sleeping car for first class where it is for 2 people. And I could be wrong

Thanks for the advice. <BR> <BR>But now I am puzzled. <BR>I went to www.raileurope.com. <BR>The price of a point to point tickect is $441. (paris to Venice night train) <BR>The price of a 3 country 1st class Select Pass is $280. <BR> <BR>Why does one point to point cost more than 5 days of train travel? <BR>Is there an additional fee to take the night train if you have a pass? <BR> <BR>Also it looks like couchettes are $35 more. (but it does not say if they are the 6 bed of 4 bed variety.) <BR> <BR>Anyone know the scoop? <BR> <BR>Thanks again. <BR> <BR>Tim <BR> <BR>

Try the French rail site, <BR> <BR>http://www.sncf.com <BR> <BR>They show a train leaving Paris (Gare de Lyon) at 8:06 p.m. and arriving in Venice (Santa Lucia) at 8:44 a.m. The adult (over 26) fare for a first-class couchette is 794 FF, which is about $110. Rail Europe is a rip-off. <BR> <BR>

Tim, yes, there are 1st class couchettes on the Paris-Venice train (20:01-8:25) leaving from Paris-Bercy. The cost is 794FF each (a little over $100--RailEurope really is too expensive!) for two adults. The site I found this on is www.sncf.com, the french rail site, which is not easy to use, but works if you persevere. I've also heard that you can buy tickets on this site a short time before you leave here and pick them up at the train station, but I don't know. <BR> <BR>They have always had 1st class couchettes, but reserving them was impossible (15-20 years ago)--I think the conductor pocketed bribes to put people there. Perhaps with computerization that sort of thing doesn't go on any more. <BR> <BR>Yes, there is always a supplement to pay for extra services when you have a railpass (you have to pay for reservations on TGV, for example, and for couchettes or sleepers the supplement is higher). I'm not sure where you would find out how much extra you have to pay for couchettes if you have a pass.

Jahoulih and I were researching at the same time, but we probably put in different dates: I used June 28/2 people to find out my information. Starting June 10th or some such, the night trains will leave from Paris-Bercy (very close to Gare de Lyon).

We bought a EuroSaverPass for $296 per person. As you've probably read, you can get this for 2 or more people traveling together with 5 days of travel (travel days do not have to be consecutive). Yes, there is an additional fee for a sleeper car. It's something like $80 USD from Paris to Venice for a 2-person (we're going in... 18 days). For a couchette, which are only like $10-25 on top of the pass, sound terribly uncomfortable & are offer no privacy. I liked raileurope.com for my research, but ended up going through a travel agent for the final deal - peace of mind was worth it.

You're right, Sue--I used May 28.

I looked at the SNCF web site and this is what it told me. <BR>For a FIRST class couchette between Paris and Venice, the fare was given at <BR>121 euros. By today's dollar valuation <BR>121 euros are worth about $107.70 US. <BR>I specifically noted that it did say first class couchette. <BR>The sncf system can be reached at <BR>www.sncf.com. I don't think www.sncf.fr works any more. At any rate neither of my browsers could find it. <BR>There is an English version, so I encourage you to check for yourself. <BR> <BR>From personal experience, I can say that tickets purchased from Rail Europe will cost you more than the same ticket purchased in Europe. <BR>

Thanks. <BR> <BR>I finally see the fares off the SNCF site. They seem to be about 4 times cheaper than the Rail Europe site. <BR>The SNCF site is fairly confusing though. Does not seem logical. Oh well. <BR> <BR>Thanks again for all the help. <BR> <BR>Tim

Tim: you should have seen the sncf site a few days ago when it put real garbage on the screen, none of it useful. <BR>I like the way it handles a request for English. It changes screens and goes back to French, so you can change to English again. <BR>I also find it disconcerting to get the message that no more seats exist on a given run, even though you are asking weeks in advance. Strange set of error responses. Unless you need prices, use the German system. It gives the same international schedules and much less hassle. It is a better thought out system. <BR>I can understand what the French are doing on the age question because the do tiket pricing system does give age based prices. I got a senior price without having a card or anything just by asking.