I would like to take the overnight train from Strasbourg, France to Vienna - which happens to be the original "Oriental Express" (Paris to Vienna until this year) but I am having a very difficult time booking it. I would like to splurge on a first class single sleeper but it always says "sold out" on Rail Europe. Does this mean that first class is, in fact, completely sold out every night for the next two months or is it possible that "second class" is the only class offered? If anyone has any experience with this train and booking it, I would appreciate it very much. Happy travels!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
I doubt if every date is sold out. You can book at the French national rail site. Go to www.voyages-sncf.com and click on the British flag in the lower left-hand corner. Leave France as the default country for retrieval of tickets. If you are offered cancellation insurance, decline it or you might be bounced to the Rail Europe site.
Posted by
OP
Corolla, NC, US
4 posts
I tried all that. I think that there must be a bug int he system. Although I did receive a message from someone who said that because the "Orient Express" has significnatly reduced its capacity, there is a chance that the first class compartments don't exist until a connection.
Thanks for taking the time to reply - if you think of anything else, please let me know :-)
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
If you give me your travel date, I'll do a dummy booking and then will report back to you.
Posted by
White Bear Lake, MN, USA
479 posts
Amy, perhaps a different itinerary would work. I have taken the night train from Salzburg to Venice. You get on the train at about midnight in Salzburg and arrive about 8 or 10 AM in Venice. And the culture shock between mountainous Sazlburg and the lagoon of Italy is magnificent!