Leaving in 2 weeks for Italy and France. We have res. for night train from Milan to Paris. We just got the tickets today. We had placed the order for 1 double, 1st class, off peak. I thought this meant my husband and I would be alone in one of the small cabins. I noticed under class it has <BR>* coach. Is this 1st calss? Also It shows 1 upper in place No. 16 and 1 lower in place No. 12. Sounds to me like we are sharing with others?? I hope someone can clarify!

I think you'll be sleeping with Antonio Banderas.<BR>

One could only hope! Don't think my husband would be too keen on the idea. Unless Melanie was along for the journey!<BR> By the way, the train takes us to Paris- Bercy. Any clues on how to get to our hotel on rue du Bac- with luggage in tow?

We were in a first class compartment in Italy (for 2 people) which was in the same carriage and an identical compartment as the 2nd class but those compartments had 3 people (and an extra bunk pulled down). So I would guess that you have 2 people only in your compartment and the missing number is for the bunk that would be used if it were made into a second class compartment. Hope this makes sense.

I can't help with what those tickets mean, but in Paris, Bercy station is at metro line 14, not fare from Gare de Lyon, if you know where that is (but not on the RER). I would simply take a cab, it's not that far nor expensive from there to rue du Bac, especially since you have two people to split the fare (so to speak). I wouldn't even consider anything else with baggage, but if you want to take metro, you take the metro all the way west from Bercy to Madeleine stop, where you transfer to line 12 which goes south a few stops to rue du Bac.

ttt

Heather,<BR>I don't want to worry you, because I might be wrong, but from the info you provided, it sounds to me like it's 2nd class sleeper, which means you could possibly be sharing with 4 other people. 3 bunks on each side, thus the numbers 12 & 16 with 14 in between and the other wall having bunks 11,13,15. Again, I might be wrong, but if I were you I would check into that.<BR>Have a wonderful time, I do every time I'm over there.

Anyone else who could help out on this??

Let me get this straight. Your husband would be okay with you and Antonio if he gets Melanie.<BR><BR>Do all Americans have these kind of situational morals?<BR><BR>No wonder they think we are all Satan "over there".<BR>

Heather,<BR>I would call DER or RailEurope and ask them. It does not sound right. That happened to us 2 years ago, and I called DER and sorted it out. If you look at the reservation, it should have the train number (if issued by DER, which goes through the German rail ticketing), it will have "Zug" (for train) with the number. To the right, it will have the car number ("wagen"). Then "Bettplatze" for bed numbers. They are not numbered consecutively, so don't worry about that. For example, we have a 1st class double compartment that says the bed numbers are 46 and 42.<BR><BR>Directly under that, it should have "2 double". <BR><BR>Where did these tickets come from?

Heather, I trained 1st class last month thru Europe and took two night trains. Here is the scoop: Couples do not sleep together. The sleepers are separated by male and female. So your bunkmate will be a female. And your husband's bunkmate, a male. This does not necessarily mean you have a 2nd class ticket. The 1st class sleepers hold up to 2 people and it is something like $85 per reservation if you want the cabin to yourself, or $42 if you want to share it with someone. Ben Haines was a huge help to me on this!<BR><BR>Anyway, I would not worry a whole lot--people who are willing to pay that much extra for that 1st class sleeper (even sharing) are generally okay, you know?

While Melissa may be correct if you are getting a couchette, I respectfully disagree with regard to 1st class compartments. I have taken, and am taking this summer, night trains throughout Western Europe. I have, and will this summer, be sharing the compartment with my husband. Indeed, on our last trip, we had our niece along with us, and she shared a compartment with my son, and I shared with my husband. You will not be separated in a first class double compartment.

Melissa is wrong about the compartments being segregated by sex. If your party fills a compartment of 2 or 3, you can all be in the same sleeper compartment. My husband, son, and I just did this last month. 1st class compartments have 1 or 2 beds. Surely the tickets states the class somewhere?

Compartment are not normally separated for males and females. It's possible to request an all woman compartment on some trains however.

In sleepers (but not in most couchettes) bachelors like me, spinsters, and other single travellers are sorted by sex, but parties who book together travel together.<BR><BR>I agree with the general advice to ask your ticket seller about the berth numbers. It sounds to me as if the folded middle berth is number 14.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, in Riga<BR>

For those of you responding to help out with my question, I thank you. I received the following response from RailEurope when the question was posed to them: <BR>Dear Customer,<BR><BR>A "coach" is a train car. And seat numbers are not necessarily<BR>consecutive. If you booked a double, it will be just the two of you in<BR>a first class sleeper.<BR>----<BR>Guess I'll definetly know in 2 weeks! <BR><BR>