train tickets
 

I am in the US trying to purchase train tickets from Koln to Brugge on either Thalys or SNBC site. They will not allow you to purchase 2 adults and 1 student (18-25). A message pops up stating this must be done over the phone. It seems the hang up is adding the student. Can anyone tell me why? Thanks!

Just out of curiosity have you tried www.bahn.de the German website? I have not purchased a student ticket in a couple years but have had luck in the past.

PS: You can change to English on this website if needed

I went on the Thalys site and managed to choose 3 passengers, then chose 1 aged under 26 and got as far as this stage

http://agence.ravel.tm.fr/weblogic/o..._normal.action

which is where you enter names and email details - did you get this far?, can't see why this can't be completed online??

sofarsogood-I just tried again. Once I choose 3 passengers they must be all the same. I chose 1 aged under 26 and the other 2 passengers automatically auto filled as under 26.?????

I can't answer your question. But I can suggest that you go to the German itinerary page as soogies suggests. They sell other tickets besides Thalys tickets. Köln-Brugge is available on advance-sale for 57€ total for 3 passengers, no student funny business, on some days for certain departures, slightly more at other times. (Full price is 162€ at the same site.) The travel time is the same whether you use the Thalys or the IC/ICE trains - about 3.25 hours:

Try this page: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

hmmm... not sure why it's not working for you (unfortunately the link has timed out and gone back to the home page)

I can choose 3 passengers, then can choose 2 adults and 1 under 26, then the actual age of the person under 26 and all the details are kept for for the next stages

maybe try a different browser or PC??

Thank you both for your suggestions. My next step was to use a different PC. Am I crazy to be concerned about buying tickets ahead of time or just book when I get there? I am leaving in 2 weeks.

yes I see the SNBC site tells you it can't be done online, but Thalys seems to work for me

You could try bahn.com but maybe you can't get the under 26 fare??

don't know what else to suggest

just saw your last post - if you know which train you will get then it pays to book ahead - not that they'll be sold out, just more expensive

I am not concerned about the fare as I am getting in trouble for purchasing the wrong ticket. It's my first trip to Europe and don't want my daughter kicked off the train for having the wrong ticket :)

If you are worried she'll be kicked off because she is a student traveling on an adult ticket, don't worry. I don't think that will happen. If saving money by buying a student ticket is not the issue, just simplify and buy three adult tickets.

Others may correct me if I am wrong??

As far as I know, there are no 'student' discounts.

You get cheap fares if you book in advance, expensive fares if you buy on the day.

There may be 'youth' fares for anyone under 26, but these are typically 20% off the adult full-price, where as cheap deal for anyone of any age undercuts this.

So yes, book ahead, look for cheap deals, forget being a student.

Oh, and yes, I'd use www.b-europe.com for this, select 'United Kingdon' wherever you live for English.

Bookings for dates after the 9 Dec timetable change may or may not be open already, if not they'll open in a few days time.

You should not worry about getting seats on those trains upon arrival though you could save a bit on the Kolon-Brussels portion of either Thalys or German ICE trains buy booking limited in number discount tickets online weeks in advance to guarantee as they can sell out quickly (the limited in number discounted tickets not full fare tickets).

Now if you want peace of mind and ticket in hand before leaving and cannot get the various online sites to work call Byron at www.budgeteuropetravel.com - he is an expert in all regards - I have used him for years for passes - great personal service. But again do not worry about being able to get on those trains just by showing up in Koln and buying tickets - the Koln-Brussels ICE full fare is not all that much so any discounts will be rather minimal and plug you into a certain non-changeable nor refundable trains - the Brussels to Bruges portion is a flat fare ticket - same price regardless of where you buy it. So IMO online ahead of time discounts are great if you can get it to work but if not just wing it or pay a bit more perhaps and have an agency like I mention do it all for you.

Oh, and yes, I'd use www.b-europe.com for this, select 'United Kingdon' wherever you live for English.>

Why would this be any better than the www.bahn.de German Railways site or www.thalys.com - Thalys site because the only discounts to my knowledge are on the Koln-Brussels trains and not on the connecting train Brussels to Bruges - a ticket that does not need to be bought in advance since it is a flat fare and there are no reservations on those trains anyways so you always can clamber on board.

But perhaps Man in Seat 61 recommends the Belgian site since it can at least print you a ticket Brussels to Bruges for convenience.

I would check all three sites and see what the Cologne to Brussels fare is on all and take the cheapest and if it does not include a Brussels to Bruges ticket simply buy that once in Brussels-Midi station.

Or maybe there is a discount Brussels to Bruges and I am mistaken about that?

PalenQ, I recommended b-europe.com for this because (a) it shows the full price range for BOTH the German ICE AND Thalys on one site, whereas thalys.com only shows Thalys not ICE and (b) it can combine Belgian domestic fares Brussels-Bruges with Thalys fares Cologne-Brussels.

Similarly, I've been recommending it for London-Amsterdam and London-Cologne because it's the only site that correctly combines the full Eurostar price range with the full price range for both thalys and ICE.

However, in fact you're right - in this case you can actually book Cologne-Bruges at bahn.de as it has inclusive 'spezial' prices through to Bruges at the same price as Brussels, and it can show Thalys fares too. So b-europe doesn't quite have the same advantage here as it does on the London-Amsterdam and London-Cologne routes. Check bahn.de/en too.

Wouldn't it be boring if European rail ticketing was simple? ;0)

Wouldn't it be boring if European rail ticketing was simple? ;0)>

perhaps things will come around to what they once were when I first started riding trains around Europe - you could buy a point to point tickets for practically between any two train stations in Europe (except UK I believe opted out as usual) - then we have all the discounted fares

And now I understand soon Eurostar, TGV, ICE, Thalys, etc will once again offer through ticketing starting soon I believe - corrently you must buy segments only.