WHERE/HOW to purchase Euronight tix Brig to Venezia SL?
Jul 9th, 2006, 05:55 PM
#1
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WHERE/HOW to purchase Euronight tix Brig to Venezia SL?
Hi,
I've decided to take the Euronight train (EN 313) from Brig, Switzerland(dep 1:13am) to Venezia SL(ar 7:36am). I've researched the route, but am unable to figure out how to purchase the tickets. The train originates in Zurich, but I don't want to take it from there, since I'll be in southern suisse. Also, if night prices are similar to day prices, it'll be siginificantly more expensive to take it from Zurich as opposed to Brig. RE only allows me to purchase the ticket from the beginning of the route.
Where would you suggest I purchase the tix? Also, should I pruchase them in country? I'll be in Europe for 2wks before my departure, and in Suisse for a week. Your travel advice and experience is greatly appreciated and valued. Thanks.
I've decided to take the Euronight train (EN 313) from Brig, Switzerland(dep 1:13am) to Venezia SL(ar 7:36am). I've researched the route, but am unable to figure out how to purchase the tickets. The train originates in Zurich, but I don't want to take it from there, since I'll be in southern suisse. Also, if night prices are similar to day prices, it'll be siginificantly more expensive to take it from Zurich as opposed to Brig. RE only allows me to purchase the ticket from the beginning of the route.
Where would you suggest I purchase the tix? Also, should I pruchase them in country? I'll be in Europe for 2wks before my departure, and in Suisse for a week. Your travel advice and experience is greatly appreciated and valued. Thanks.
Jul 9th, 2006, 08:41 PM
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If your trip is not within the next 2 weeks or so, you may be able to buy tickets on line from Swiss Rail and have them mailed to you, take a look at the website at rail. ch. You can also call Swiss Rail and may be able to order or at least reserve tickets, the number is 011-41-900-300-300, press 4 for English. Switzerland is 6 hours ahead of EST and I believe the line is staffed from about 8 am to 5 pm or later Swiss time. This is of course an international long-distance call for you so won't be cheap.
You should be able to buy them from RailEurope, although you will pay a surcharge so this will cost you more. You also should be able to buy them from any train station in Europe, say in France, even if you aren't travelling on any portion of the trip in France.
However, you can definitely buy them in Switzerland at any rail station; just tell the ticket agent that you want a ticket from Brig to Venice. The only caveat to waiting until you get to Switzerland is that as you want a night train, you have to reserve a couchette/sleeping car. There is a very small chance that the cars may be full. I don't think this actually happens often, as I think they add cars on as people book, but there is a chance. Therefore, if you wait until you get to Switzerland, the train you want may be full. If you are not traveling in the summer, there is only a very small chance that the train will be fully booked; if you are traveling in say August, chances are a little bet higher.
FYI, night trains are not, IMO, a whole lot of fun and not that comfortable. As the trip is only 6-7 hours, I would suggest you try to take a day train where you can get to see some of the great scenery and you would IMO be more comfortable, have a dining car and cart food service, etc. Couchettes IMO are especially not comfortable, they hold 6 people there is not a lot of room for luggage, air conditioning is extremely spotty, bathrooms are not much to speak of. A first class sleeping car is OK, but anything else is not so great, and the EN night train you are taking is ONLY sleeping cars and couchettes, none of which are first class. Also if you are departing from Brig at 1 am and if you are planning on coming down from Zermatt to get that train, I don't think there are trains from Zermatt after like 10 pm, so you will be hanging around Brig for some time. It is an OK town, but really IMO it would be better to take the first train out of Zermatt in the morning and head for Venice that way via Brig during the day. You will get to spend more time in Zermatt that way. From my look at the rail.ch schedules, you could leave Zermatt at 9 am and be in Venice at 3:30 pm via the great Cisalpino train from Brig with NO changes required after Brig; a very easy and fun trip.
You should be able to buy them from RailEurope, although you will pay a surcharge so this will cost you more. You also should be able to buy them from any train station in Europe, say in France, even if you aren't travelling on any portion of the trip in France.
However, you can definitely buy them in Switzerland at any rail station; just tell the ticket agent that you want a ticket from Brig to Venice. The only caveat to waiting until you get to Switzerland is that as you want a night train, you have to reserve a couchette/sleeping car. There is a very small chance that the cars may be full. I don't think this actually happens often, as I think they add cars on as people book, but there is a chance. Therefore, if you wait until you get to Switzerland, the train you want may be full. If you are not traveling in the summer, there is only a very small chance that the train will be fully booked; if you are traveling in say August, chances are a little bet higher.
FYI, night trains are not, IMO, a whole lot of fun and not that comfortable. As the trip is only 6-7 hours, I would suggest you try to take a day train where you can get to see some of the great scenery and you would IMO be more comfortable, have a dining car and cart food service, etc. Couchettes IMO are especially not comfortable, they hold 6 people there is not a lot of room for luggage, air conditioning is extremely spotty, bathrooms are not much to speak of. A first class sleeping car is OK, but anything else is not so great, and the EN night train you are taking is ONLY sleeping cars and couchettes, none of which are first class. Also if you are departing from Brig at 1 am and if you are planning on coming down from Zermatt to get that train, I don't think there are trains from Zermatt after like 10 pm, so you will be hanging around Brig for some time. It is an OK town, but really IMO it would be better to take the first train out of Zermatt in the morning and head for Venice that way via Brig during the day. You will get to spend more time in Zermatt that way. From my look at the rail.ch schedules, you could leave Zermatt at 9 am and be in Venice at 3:30 pm via the great Cisalpino train from Brig with NO changes required after Brig; a very easy and fun trip.
Jul 9th, 2006, 11:02 PM
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Thnaks for the advice. I'm actualyl going in Sept, so it's too far ahead to book on the swiss site, and RE doesn't have the train I want. I've been on a sleeping couchette, and agree, they are absolutely terrible. And esp in the summer. Those stuffy, claustrophobic cars are absolute torture, but I'd like to have an extra day in venice, vs arriving mid-afternoon. My connection to brig arrives via Tasch and Zermatt, so I'll actually have max time in Zermatt, b/c it doesn't leave until 21hr (i think).
Jul 9th, 2006, 11:28 PM
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I think you can book with them by phone this far out if you want. However, in Sept, I think you can wait until you get to Switzerland to book, as I don't think you will have any issue with finding free beds then.
I think if you take the 21:00 train from Zermatt, you have to then take a bus from Tasch down to Brig, I don't think you can take the train the whole way; at least that's what the rail.ch site is telling me currently. A bit more of a pain with luggage, if you can arrange it, you might want to try to send your luggage ahead to Brig that morning (if SBB can guarantee delivery) so at least you won't have to deal with changing to bus and train with luggage. Just a thought. You are a trooper for having taking night train couchettes before and being willing to do it again, two times on one trip was more than enough for me....
I think if you take the 21:00 train from Zermatt, you have to then take a bus from Tasch down to Brig, I don't think you can take the train the whole way; at least that's what the rail.ch site is telling me currently. A bit more of a pain with luggage, if you can arrange it, you might want to try to send your luggage ahead to Brig that morning (if SBB can guarantee delivery) so at least you won't have to deal with changing to bus and train with luggage. Just a thought. You are a trooper for having taking night train couchettes before and being willing to do it again, two times on one trip was more than enough for me....
Jul 10th, 2006, 12:27 AM
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Actually I am not a big fan of night trains myself, but I have used the T4 couchette from Venice to Zürich and it was a pleasant surprise. A/C was working and the beds were quite comfortable. It was an SBB-built carriage, I know that Trenitalia ones are less comfortable in the same class. As you can't book a specific carriage I'm afraid it is a matter of luck in which you land...
Jul 10th, 2006, 01:51 AM
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Night train can be booked from 3 months ahead while the day trains are 2 months. At least that's how it is for Geneva-Venice. This GVA-VCE train and ZRH-VCE trains get connnected at Brig station. Also half of the train will go to Roma.
As long as you are sure about the date, I would reserve fairly early. If you try to book in Switzerland the train may not be fully booked but the type of compartiment you want could well be. e.g. when you want T4 couchette, the availabile ones are only 1 or 2 person sleeper (more expensive) or T6 (cheaper but cramped). Would you be flexible enough to take those other choices by waiting till you get to Switzerland?
As long as you are sure about the date, I would reserve fairly early. If you try to book in Switzerland the train may not be fully booked but the type of compartiment you want could well be. e.g. when you want T4 couchette, the availabile ones are only 1 or 2 person sleeper (more expensive) or T6 (cheaper but cramped). Would you be flexible enough to take those other choices by waiting till you get to Switzerland?
Jul 10th, 2006, 02:16 PM
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Hi kappa/cicerone,
thanks for the additional info. My dates are pretty set. Since I'm a student, I think the 6 person couchette (price wise) fits me best, especially if I'm the only one in it. I'm obviously an optimist, hoping that everyone else is a pessimist and won't be on the train.
thanks for the additional info. My dates are pretty set. Since I'm a student, I think the 6 person couchette (price wise) fits me best, especially if I'm the only one in it. I'm obviously an optimist, hoping that everyone else is a pessimist and won't be on the train.
Jul 10th, 2006, 02:27 PM
#8
I could never do a couchette myself. If I couldn't afford a private cabin, I would take a day train instead. I have done Geneva/Venice several times and purchased tickets at the train station a few days before travel (and this was in July and August).
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