timetofly

Author: timetofly
Date: 08/26/2005, 04:09 am
Dear travellers,

I don't understand the European rail system, and what I'm trying to ascertain is if can I buy a one-way ticket from Paris to Venice via Bern, stop over in Bern for one night and pick up a train coming through the next day on the same ticket? Or will I need to purchase 2 separate tickets?

I have found a train leaving Paris on the morning of 2nd January 2006 (7.44 am) which goes to Venice via Bern (we already have the hotel booked in Bern for 2nd Jan), but I can't seem to find any details other than that.

Another inportant question is, would you advise on booking that particular journey from Australia, or waiting until I arrive in Paris (27th December) and booking at the station. There are only two Paris-Venice trains which stop in Bern on that day, and we will need to catch the earlier one.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
timetofly

kappa

> one-way ticket from Paris to Venice via Bern, stop over in Bern for one night and pick up a train coming through the next day on the same ticket?

You understand correct.

Except : if you take a TGV par/gva, they will usually issue a ticket including TGV seat reservation for that part. Then Bern-Venice part will have to be a separate ticket.

kappa

OK, 07.44 Dep.Paris is a TGV arriving in Bern at 12.34. This train does not go to Venice (I was pretty sure but have checked now.). Both trains for Bern you say of the day are TGV and part of it may continue to Zurich but no farther.

You can check details of those trains on the following site.
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/fn

kappa

click on "en" for English page.

ira

Hi time,

I found your 07:44 from Paris Lyon to Berne, but have found no Paris/Venezia trains via Berne.

In any case, an overnight stop would require two tickets.

You can buy Paris/Berne at www.sncf.com as early as 60 days in advance - 74E.

You can buy tickets from Berne to Milan and Milan to Venezia San Lucia as early as 60 days in advance at www.trenitalia.com.

Click English and then click "international".

For some reason neither Trenitalia nor RailEurope will book a ticket from Berne to Venice.

It is 40E pp cheaper to book tickets from trenitalia than from RailEurope.

Hope this helps.

ira

PS

At www.sncf.com click the British flag in the lower left corner.

suze

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure if you spend the night then you need 2 separatet train tickets. Paris to Bern & Bern to Venice.

I've only bought tickets once I was in Europe and then it was very straight forward, simply go to a train station, and buy what you need.

Again, I'm not meaning to dispense incorrect advice but I think the confusion comes in booking ahead over the internet (but I realize there are reasons for saving money on certain tickets to do so).

PalQ

My understanding is that you can buy international point-point tickets between any two stations in Europe and then use that ticket for up to months and get on and off without formality en route - at least that's what's printed on tickets issues by RailEurope - but they wouldn't issue one ticket but two or perhaps three because that's the way it appears on Euronet - the European railways international ticketing plan - in Europe you may be able to buy a Paris-Bern-Venice ticket and thus get off and on - has been the case but not sure now - anyway would be no savings in prices usually buying one instead of two - and like Ira says to save money buy thru www.sncf.com or trenitalia.com for discounted PREM fares. The Swiss route is more expensive than the more direct route Paris-Milan-Venice that goes only thru France and Italy i believe. The cheapest Paris-Venice fares are on the Artesia night trains -RailEurope for example has a bargain $44 one-way Paris-Venice fare for a couchette including rail fare on this route - 14-day advance purchase required and hard to book - few seats at that price available. Can book up to 90 days in advance. You probably shouldn't have any trouble booking in Paris (Paris-Bern and Bern-Milan and Milan-Venice) but like Ira says can save a lot by booking well in advance online.

francophile03

Maybe you can check sbb.ch (Swiss Rail site) for your journeys. You can email the customer service department for questions and concerns. They do actually respond unlike SNCF.

Phil

timetofly:

As railway timetables change officially on 10 December 2005, there won't be any definitive information online yet.

Just prior your intended time of travel, there are no direct trains from Paris to Venice via Berne. The train leaving Paris at 07.44 is bound to Strasbourg, from where two more connections have to be made.

Anyway, the route you have chosen seems somewhat special, as the quickest connection would be to take a TGV from Paris to Milan, where you would transfer to an EC for Venice.

Generally, you can buy point-to-point tickets within Europe and break your journey during the period of validity. So you would have to buy only one ticket for the whole journey.

Certain discounted fares, however, won't allow any breaks, which would cause you to buy two separate tickets. It certainly is worth your while to do the math, but it can be a pain in the neck.

Hope this helps

Phil.

kappa

Phil said
> As railway timetables change officially on 10 December 2005 ..

That's correct even though 7:44 train (to Bern and not to Venice) will remain on the new timetable with or without slight time change. I forgot to mention this date matter on my 3rd thread.

> The train leaving Paris at 07.44 is bound to Strasbourg ..

I don't know about that one going to Strasbourg but as I wrote on my 2nd post, there IS a TGV PAR-BRN at 7:44.

Alos a correction on my first post.
I wrote : Except : if you take a TGV par/GVA, they will usually issue a ticket including ..

I meant to say par/BRN.

timetofly

kappa, ira, suze, PalQ, francophile,phil,

Thank you all so very much for your insights, and also to those of you who even took the time and effort to check details by visiting websites. I understand much more now, and will definitely check all the options given to me.

All the best,
timetofly

ira

Glad to help, time

kappa

So am I.