I am trying to get from Chamonix to Colmar on Monday, June 8th by train. On the bahn.de website, I can see three possible train trips. However, bahn.de states that these are "not bookable via the internet". I did not have luck via capitainetrain, either. Is this possible to book on bahn.de and I am just going about it the wrong way?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32351 posts
et,
The quickest trip on that particular route appears to be a departure from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc at 08:54, arriving Colmar at 15:05 (time 6H:11M, 4 changes).
Bahn.de does not usually sell tickets for trains originating outside Germany. Capitaine Train may not be able to sell tickets for trains in Switzerland, which could explain why you weren't able to buy tickets there. If you want to buy tickets in advance, you could try the SBB.ch website.
All of those trains appear to be Regional trains, so I'd probably just buy tickets at the station in Chamonix.
Posted by
Green Bay
21151 posts
www.sbb.com shows one connection almost every hour. Although you start in France and end in France, most of the trip is in Switzerland and that is the shortest, fastest route. Just make sure that it is available with print-at-home tickets, since you can't pick them up in Chamonix, France, unless someone can chime in that SBB has a desk at the station that I am not aware of.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
This will be my first time traveling by rail and I really appreciate the help! Thank you for making my planning a bit easier.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32351 posts
et,
It may take a bit of practice to get used to changing trains, but it's fairly straight forward so I'm sure you'll figure it out quickly. If you have trouble locating which platform your next train is on, you could ask a rail official (there will probably be one nearby) or even another passenger.
Depending on where you're staying in Colmar, you may want to use a Taxi from the station to your hotel. That's always a lot easier when hauling luggage.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
"This will be my first time travelling by rail". How will you be getting to Chamonix and from Colmar?
For a first train trip this is a complicated route.
As stated above, www.bahn.de only sells tickets within, to or from Germany (as do most national rail sites).
SNCF is also out for the same reason, as the trip involves a Swiss internal train.
Capitaine train does not cover Swiss internal trains.
I checked SBB, and even they cannot give a price, presumably because the trip involves French internal trains.
I think you will have to "wing it" and buy tickets from Chamonix station as soon as you get there.
Take a print out of the trains you want. Worse case, you may have to buy the tickets fro the Swiss portion separately once you get off the cross border train.