SNCF vs. Deutsche Bahn
Dec 27th, 2007, 03:22 PM
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SNCF vs. Deutsche Bahn
Train Question for all Fodorites!
This morning I bought train tickets on the Deutsche Bahn website for my son and I to travel in March from Heidelberg to Paris, on the busy Saturday before Easter. Since our date is now just less than 90 days out we were able to utilize the "savings fares" feature, and got the tickets for much cheaper than anticipated, paying 45,51 for both. At least I think we did. In fact the cost was so low that I thought there was an error and maybe I was only charged for the one adult ticket (since that is what a sole adult ticket is also listed at on the site), but I have reviewed the German receipt to the best of my ability and it definitely states at the top that it's for 1 adult (1 Erwachsener) and 1 child of 13 years (1 Kind, 13 J). However, down in the "Zahlungspositionen und Preis," the charges show for 1 Fahrkarte Hinfahrt and 2 Reservierungen Hinfahrt (meaning 2 seat reservations, and two seats are listed for both legs of the journey.)However, the 1 Fahrkarte Hinfahrt worries me...
Okay so anyway, on to the question! This afternoon I checked my email and there was a message from SNCF, offering their March "Anticipez, economisez et voyagez!" good deals for March, urging me to buy my tickets now. So out of curiosity I clicked on their website and when I entered the information for the tickets I just bought, they advertised what seems to be the same itinerary for a total of 91,20 euros.
Can there really be this much of a discrepancy between what the different companies charge for the same itinerary? Both sets of tickets are listed as non-changeable, non-refundable, lowest price offers, but I'm wondering if there's something else that I'm missing. Perhaps the DB site gives greater discounts for a 13 year-old? Perhaps I only did buy one ticket? (And if so, how?! I put in two passengers and the receipt reflects that.) I just get this nagging feeling that I missed something on the DB site.
Can anybody shed any light on this? Thanks in advance for your help!
This morning I bought train tickets on the Deutsche Bahn website for my son and I to travel in March from Heidelberg to Paris, on the busy Saturday before Easter. Since our date is now just less than 90 days out we were able to utilize the "savings fares" feature, and got the tickets for much cheaper than anticipated, paying 45,51 for both. At least I think we did. In fact the cost was so low that I thought there was an error and maybe I was only charged for the one adult ticket (since that is what a sole adult ticket is also listed at on the site), but I have reviewed the German receipt to the best of my ability and it definitely states at the top that it's for 1 adult (1 Erwachsener) and 1 child of 13 years (1 Kind, 13 J). However, down in the "Zahlungspositionen und Preis," the charges show for 1 Fahrkarte Hinfahrt and 2 Reservierungen Hinfahrt (meaning 2 seat reservations, and two seats are listed for both legs of the journey.)However, the 1 Fahrkarte Hinfahrt worries me...
Okay so anyway, on to the question! This afternoon I checked my email and there was a message from SNCF, offering their March "Anticipez, economisez et voyagez!" good deals for March, urging me to buy my tickets now. So out of curiosity I clicked on their website and when I entered the information for the tickets I just bought, they advertised what seems to be the same itinerary for a total of 91,20 euros.
Can there really be this much of a discrepancy between what the different companies charge for the same itinerary? Both sets of tickets are listed as non-changeable, non-refundable, lowest price offers, but I'm wondering if there's something else that I'm missing. Perhaps the DB site gives greater discounts for a 13 year-old? Perhaps I only did buy one ticket? (And if so, how?! I put in two passengers and the receipt reflects that.) I just get this nagging feeling that I missed something on the DB site.
Can anybody shed any light on this? Thanks in advance for your help!
Dec 27th, 2007, 03:28 PM
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There can definitely be a difference in price between the two sites, and sometimes SNCF is cheaper. It's as complicated as airline fares. DB does often give specific discounts for two people together, particularly an adult and child, so I wouldn't worry about it.
Dec 27th, 2007, 06:29 PM
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"1 Fahrkarte Hinfahrt" means that there will only be one paper ticket issued, or that you can only print out one ticket. Both you and the kid will travel on that one ticket.
The reason for that is that some discounts require all passengers to travel together.
So there is nothing you have to worry about
The reason for that is that some discounts require all passengers to travel together.
So there is nothing you have to worry about
Dec 27th, 2007, 07:44 PM
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Great, thanks for the replies! This eases my anxiety. For some reason I just thought there would be more uniformity (or total uniformity, for that matter...) with train prices, and it's good to know that's not necessarily the case! I'll be sure to shop around before I purchase the tickets for the rest of our two-week journey. (We fly in and out of Frankfurt, and in adddition to Heidelberg and Freiburg in Germany, plan to visit other sites in France, including the D-Day beaches, Paris and Nancy.)
TimS, that was the price I actually purchased at, then when it went through they included 4,00 euros for the seat reservation and 2,51 for tax (I think). It says it's for "Enthaltene AMwSt. (D) 19%." (Whatever it actually is, it definitely makes me think of Ovaltine. Mmmmm...having a Homer Simpson monent.)
Cowboy 1968, your explanation makes sense, I will only have one ticket! In hindsight: duh! There was one ticket issued for the two of us, and I have to be present (since they also require the holder of the credit card used to be present and to present that card, in addition to the paper voucher). Makes sense.
Okay so thanks again to all for the replies!
TimS, that was the price I actually purchased at, then when it went through they included 4,00 euros for the seat reservation and 2,51 for tax (I think). It says it's for "Enthaltene AMwSt. (D) 19%." (Whatever it actually is, it definitely makes me think of Ovaltine. Mmmmm...having a Homer Simpson monent.)
Cowboy 1968, your explanation makes sense, I will only have one ticket! In hindsight: duh! There was one ticket issued for the two of us, and I have to be present (since they also require the holder of the credit card used to be present and to present that card, in addition to the paper voucher). Makes sense.
Okay so thanks again to all for the replies!
Dec 27th, 2007, 07:58 PM
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You're welcome
by the way.. the 19% IS the German VAT - so you guessed absolutely right.
And, I guess, you also already noticed when making reservations that luggage has to be tagged on French trains.
And, finally, I don't think that Saturday before Easter will be <b>that</b> busy, since Good Friday is a public holiday in Germany, and most Easter vacation travellers start their trips already on Good Friday or in the afternoon the day before Good Friday.
But it's good that you got reservations to be on the safe side.
by the way.. the 19% IS the German VAT - so you guessed absolutely right.
And, I guess, you also already noticed when making reservations that luggage has to be tagged on French trains.
And, finally, I don't think that Saturday before Easter will be <b>that</b> busy, since Good Friday is a public holiday in Germany, and most Easter vacation travellers start their trips already on Good Friday or in the afternoon the day before Good Friday.
But it's good that you got reservations to be on the safe side.
Dec 27th, 2007, 08:18 PM
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LunaBella, you did very well with the fare you got. As I posted elsewhere, I missed getting the 39-Euro ICE tickets from Paris Est to Frankfurt, for my daughter and me, apparently by minutes, for Easter Monday. We will be criss-crossing the same area around the same time. I had to pay 59 Euros per ticket. Now I see that if I had paid 69 Euros per ticket, I would have gotten first-class seating. Cheap as I am, I probably would have sprung for that. Oh well.
Dec 28th, 2007, 05:40 AM
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LunaBella, PREM'S (discount) fares may be available for some of your routes within France. Book ASAP (up to three months allowed) at www.voyages-sncf.com. If you leave France as the default country and do NOT choose cancellation insurance, you can print your own ticket at home.
Cowboy1968, please explain further your comment about tagging luggage on French trains. I've never had to do that.
Cowboy1968, please explain further your comment about tagging luggage on French trains. I've never had to do that.
Jan 1st, 2008, 10:10 AM
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TimS - Since Cowboy1968 hasn't responded I'll chime in here regarding the tagging; I've never had to worry about that in the past either but here's the message that SNCF recently sent me (as you suggested, I've since purchased two sets of PREM'S tickets from them for other legs of the trip):
We would remind you that your luggage should have labels giving your name, first name and address.
WillTravel: Bon Voyage to you and I'm crossing my fingers we have good weather!
logos999: Thank you for the translation, that's an important one for me to know and it will no doubt come in handy! I study Italian and French a bit but never seem to get around to learning enough German. However, I think my 13 year-old son is becoming more and more interested in that language as he learns how many of their words include "fahrt." For some reason he just can't get enough of this, he's very excited to visit Germany!
We would remind you that your luggage should have labels giving your name, first name and address.
WillTravel: Bon Voyage to you and I'm crossing my fingers we have good weather!
logos999: Thank you for the translation, that's an important one for me to know and it will no doubt come in handy! I study Italian and French a bit but never seem to get around to learning enough German. However, I think my 13 year-old son is becoming more and more interested in that language as he learns how many of their words include "fahrt." For some reason he just can't get enough of this, he's very excited to visit Germany!
Jan 1st, 2008, 10:55 AM
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Re: the tagging thing. (Someone will probably come along and correct me, as I seem to invite that 
) Anyway, in my experience, the French trains do require you to tag your luggage, but they provide little flimsy tags at the train stations in case you forget. They're little paper things, a bit hard to find, but once they announce that all luggage must be clearly labelled you'll see people filling them out.
I wouldn't stress about it at all, just confirming what another poster said.
) Anyway, in my experience, the French trains do require you to tag your luggage, but they provide little flimsy tags at the train stations in case you forget. They're little paper things, a bit hard to find, but once they announce that all luggage must be clearly labelled you'll see people filling them out. I wouldn't stress about it at all, just confirming what another poster said.
