I logged on to SJ.Se to book some train travel for our upcoming Scandinavia trip. Stockholm-Karlstad, Karlstad-Oslo. The fares were not available to purchase online (not sold out, "not available")
Am I to assume that the train reservations I'm trying to make for June 30 are unavailable because the fares don't go on sale online until closer to the date?
I thought people had recommended I buy these early to avoid "dynamic pricing" increases. June 30 is not SO far off.
When I look at the SJ low price calendar, it shows trains between Stockholm Central and Karlstad between June 30 and July 9 as unavailable. Fares before and after those dates are available. That may indicate the line is shutting down for construction.
Wouldn't it be useful to issue some service advisory if that's the case? Anyone have any idea how I should go about getting from Stockholm to Oslo??
Contact customer service at SJ. I see this on their forum.
https://kundo.se/org/sj-english/d/it-says-not-available-on-every-departure-why-is-th/
There is also this note on the trafikinfo page regarding planned work for June 30, Google translate version:
During the spring and summer, the Swedish Transport Agency is working to improve the railways on the Stockholm-Gothenburg route and vice versa. The work causes the trains to not drive normally and the train timetables must therefore be adjusted. In the meantime as the timetables are reviewed, the trains are blocked for sale. As soon as all planning is done, the train will be released for booking. The train will therefore go, but the tickets will not be released until the correct information is in the timetable and on the tickets. SJ, together with the Swedish Transport Agency, is now working to complete all timetables and we hope to release these tickets for sale as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!
Thank you so much!
I'll sit tight for now, try again soon.
Now I'm having difficulties with the NORWEGIAN train site... I can make my reservations but the payment via Credit card does not go through. I just called my CC to ask if they were blocking the transaction for security purposes but they had no record of any request.
I tried again with a different card - same problem.
Try American Express, that seems to be working for Swiss and Austrian rail sites.
Well, I don't have an amex.
Try calling them and doing the transaction over the phone with you giving them your credit card info verbally. New EU credit card regulations limiting credit card transaction fees seems to be the issue here. That is why I suggest using American Express. They apparently got a two year exemption from the regs. This seems to manifest itself in the European bank's automated credit card transaction software. So credit card transactions which involve a human being go through, but not ones involving internet purchases. I did a $10,000 transaction in Italy in January, and that is how I finally got it done.
NSB uses 3D Secure for credit card transactions, so try registering your card there, although reports from SBB are not encouraging. Another idea that worked with SBB was to download their app, then use your smartphone to buy the tickets.
Very annoying. I am going to try the PayPal option.
Successful with Paypal! thanks everyone.
