Can someone help me understand the difference in fares as they're posted at raileurope.com?

I'm looking for a single, first class compartment for this train. I see the Excelsior service which includes a shower in the compartment and there are others listed.

I've been told one needs to purchase the ticket and separate reservation.

I've called AMEX Platinum services for assistance and they've not called me back.

Here are the categories of accomodations offered:
- T6: 2 x 3 bunk beds, 2nd class
- T3: 1 x 3 bunk beds, 2nd class
- T4 Comfort: 2 x 2 bunk beds (more headroom), 1st class
- double: 2 x 1 bed, 1st class
- double Excelsior: same as above, shower
- single: 1 bed, 1st class
- single Excelsior: same as above, shower

Next are the various combinations of discount-eligible factors such as age, off-peak, railpass, etc.

A normal sleeping car fare purchased in Europe would be composed of:
- regular Paris-Florence ticket (this is where the distinction between 1st and second class is made when it comes to sleeping cars)
- paid reservation coupon for whichever category of accomodation selected

The regular ticket is the one which could qualify for various discounts, or perhaps even be included in a rail pass.
I believe the reservation for a sleeping car would cost the same for almost everybody.

Obviously, raileurope.com is combining those into a single package, which most probably includes a not-ungenerous commission.


I did Geneva-Florence in a 6 bunk compartment in junior high. I definitely would not want to do it with 5 strangers though. At the time (early 80's), there were many stories about Italian organized thieves turning off the lights in the 18km long Simplon tunnel (with the controller's tacit, and helpless, approval), and robbing confused and/or sleepy passengers' belongings even from locked cabins (those locks can be opened with a standard pass key). Until they broke into a compartment full of American football players one day

Not heard much about this lately (Yougoslavs offering sleep-inducing drinks are the latest scourge), but I would block the door with a suitcase anyway...

PS. Off-peak means weekday, non-national holiday travel, for a sleeping car. Saturday night might be low demand as well.

Thursday nights out of Paris are becoming high-demand periods, with the French 35-hour work week.

So I then turn to the French National Railway website and I see an entirely different routing via Lausanne on TGV.

Getting more confused......is there a way to save some money other than raileurope.com?

Andy

There are a number of possible routings between Paris and Milano. Geographically, Paris-Lausanne-Milano-Florence may be the shortest, but not the fastest. Other possible routings are via Basel, Torino, the Mt. Cenis tunnel, etc.

According to my schedule, the quickest way (10:30) is to take one of the two daily Paris-Milano TGV, then a Milano-Florence ETR or IC train. The TGV will run on high-speed tracks for only an hour and a half (in ten years or so, depending on politicians, a TGV line may be extended all the way to Italy). However these are day trains.

The only directs are night trains, which take about 13:30 hours.

A day train will save you the sleeping car fee, but you will lose a day travelling. If you are a sound sleeper, a night train would probably cost less than a good hotel, and give you an additional day of sightseeing.

As for the lowest fares, they would be advance purchase fares bought locally, with whatever discount one qualifies for, and at non-peak periods. None of the major European railways' websites calculates a price online for an international itinerary, to my knowledge.

Two of the better ones, for scheduling purposes, are the Swiss and German ones (they work Europe-wide):
http://www.rail.ch/pv/index_e.htm
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

[This message has been edited by monahos (edited 09-03-2002).]

I am trying to get from Paris to Rome taking a night train. where can I find cheaper fares? raileurope.com is really expensive. and sncf-voyage.com doesn't take USA (USA is not listed as deliverable address for ticket). I will be traveling on Dec 3rd, on T2 with my wife. I wonder if there is discounted ticket?

thanks

You're right, Rail Europe is much more expensive and you're also right that sncf-voyages doesn't let you list USA as a delivery address. However, you can select the option to pick up the tickets at any SNCF station in France -- that should solve your problem.

Also, if you haven't found the English version of the sncf-voyages site, it's www.sncf.com/indexe.htm .

wideman, thanks for the info. but when I read the delivery option. here is what is says:
"1.1. Date and time restrictions for ticket collection Each booking has a date and time limit for collection which is shown at the end of your Booking on the website and in the confirmation e-mail which is automatically sent to you. Your reservation will automatically expire if you have not collected tickets before that time. .
- If your Booking is made less than three (3) days before your departure date, you can collect your ticket up to thirty (30) minutes before the train departs.
- If your Booking is made between three(3) and eight (8)daysbefore your departure date, your tickets must be collected within 2 days of making your Booking.
- If your Booking is made between nine(9) and sixty-two (62) days before your departure date, your tickets must be collected within seven (7) days of making your Booking.
1.2. Date and time restrictions for collection of railcards
Railcards must be collected, at the latest, by the first day of validity"

so does this mean I have to pick up the ticket within 7 days of booking. But I won't be in Paris till end of November.

thanks

bellwilliam --

Sorry, I don't have an answer. When I'd purchased (Thalys) tickets from sncf-voyages, I'd had the option of picking them up at the station; apparently, either the rules have changed or different rules apply for the tickets you're seeking.

One possibility: the first time I bought tickets from sncf-voyages, I didn't know about station pick-up, and faced the same issue of their inability to send to a US address. So, I gave them the address of the 1st hotel where I'd be staying, and also faxed the hotel to let them know that rail tickets would be sent there and my reservation information. I was extremely pleased when the tickets were actually waiting for me when I checked in.

Wideman, thanks for the info. I will probably try that myself.

I am hoping someone can help me decipher this:

"3. How to benefit from home ticket delivery service (EAD) of your on-line booking
You must choose ticket delivery to your home on your on-line booking if you live in a country shown in Annex 3.
Ticket delivery to your home of tickets booked on-line is free of charge, if you live in one of the countries shown in Annex 1, 2 or 3 (*).
Home ticket delivery is subject to postal sevices in your area of residence
xIf you live in France, tickets can only be delivered to your home if your booking has been made at least four (4) days prior to departure.
- If you live in a country shown in4. How do I collect tickets booked on-line ?
You can collect tickets booked on-line with a French credit card in an automatic ticket machine, at the ticket office at the station or in SNCF booking office, on presentation of the credit card used for the on-line booking.
If you live in one of the countries mentionned in Annex 2 and 3, tickets can only be delivered to your home if your booking has been made at least seven (7) days prior to departure.
(*) Please note, if you live in Monacco,/b> or in one of the the Overseas Departments and Territories and you wish to use the on-line Ticket delivery service, please indicate " France "as country of collection when booking on-line. You can collect tickets booked on-line with a foreign Credit card only in station ticket offices or in SNCF booking offices, subject to presentation of the Credit card used to make the booking.It is not possible to collect tickets booked on-line from a travel agency.

On-line booking allows you to collect your tickets at any time up until the departure of your train. "

especially with the last paragraph, I wonder if this mean I could pick the ticket at local train station up till departure of my train. thanks.

SNCF really pisses me off. When they ask you to choose a country, they won't let you choose ETATS-UNIS or CANADA!!! But you can choose IRAK!! Nor will they list one single contact phone number on their entire website where I could make a reservation over the phone. They are making it very difficult.

I know they want to save money by forcing people to book online. But this is ridiculous.

Anyway, I finally found the number through a secondary source:

08 36 35 35 35

The country code is 33.

You can call and order the tickets over the phone. You can pay with a credit card and you can pick it up when you arrive in Paris. I did this two years ago for Thalys.

The SNCF representatives are friendly. They will explain in detail what they have in terms of sleeping and seat accomodations.

Never buy from Rail Europe. C'est un grand ripoff.

I always travel by rail in Europe. I have found that rail europe is good for getting rail passes, but little else. However, the best luck I have found, and getting a good fare besides, is to buy it there at the train station.

The second class sleeper can be fun too... had one from Barcalona to Zurich. Only myself and a woman who spoke excellent english (and also spoke French, Italian, and German). We spent the whole night talking and sharing a bottle of wine. An excellent adventure.

Another time from Zagreb to Munich, I shared a second class sleeper with a gentleman from Zagreb. He knew no English, and a little German. I knew only a little Croatian and a little German... but we had fun talking about families and playing cards....and a bottle of wine. It is what you make it....

This is the first time for over 10 years i have used the SNCF.I'd be grateful for some advice.
A colleague and I are traveling on the direct TGV from Paris to Geneve and return in mid february on daytime services.As I will be arriving at CDG Airport,is it possible to get a fare to include the CDG to Gare de Lyon sectors ?
Is it possible to request specific seating in the First Class sections and if so,are there any recommendations?
Ozflier

No and yes.

If you will take the TGV from Gare de Lyon (Paris), there's no SNCF connection from CDG to Gare de Lyon. You can get from CDG to Gare de Lyon by RER (metro), Air France bus, or taxi. I'd avoid the metro at peak hours or if you have luggage, because you'll have to change trains.

Alternatively, you could get a CDG-Geneva fare by taking the TGV from CDG to Lyon, then connecting to a train (probably not TGV) from Lyon to Geneva.

Yes. 1st-class cars have two seats on one side of the aisle (window and aisle), and on seat on the other side (isol�). The only seats I would not recommend are the four seats facing each other in the center of each car, and the seats in the 'salon' at the end of some cars. You can also specify whether you want smoking or non-smoking.
, you can reserve either a non-smoking or smoking car,