Hello. I am traveling Aix to Verona and had a nice train schedule from the scnf and trenitalia websites. Now, even though 3 weeks before, it appears the trains I selected are all booked or unavailable. Can someone please give me a number to call so I can buy the tickets now in France or Italy. I have this number for the Aix station and only get a voice mail in French way to fast for me to understand and then the Italy station is not open yet on Sunday. I will take any numbers you may have or other websites to check these four trains from Aix to Verona are all gone for the day in Oct I need. Thank you so very much for your help so I can get this date booked, I can not change the date and have to travel this particular day.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
What date are you travelling?
Posted by
OP
TAMPA, FL
57 posts
thanks Steve. I forgot about that other site I used when in Switzerland. Switzerland always seems a lot easier for some reason...
I did not do Raileurope this time as when you buy the point to point tickets one month or two wks in advance with the online discounts it is actually cheaper in October.
My date of travel is Oct 24th. There is a huge fair in Bologna, so I think lots of people are traveling to that.
Posted by
OP
TAMPA, FL
57 posts
Oh Steve, what did you mean I must have a reservation. If it is a TGV train, I automatically have a reservation, correct? If I buy the ticket I stil need to reserve a seat?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
Rachel,
If you buy a P-P ticket for the TGV, your seat reservation will be included.
Rather than dealing with Rail Europe, my suggestion would be to buy your tickets when you arrive in Aix (since you'll be at the station anyway). I'm assuming you're staying for a few days in Aix?
However, you may find that in France, you'll only be able to purchase tickets to the first stop inside Italy (perhaps Milano). At that point you may have to buy an additional ticket to Verona. I found that to be the case on a trip from Nice to Stresa last June. The agents in France would/could only provide a ticket from Nice to Milano, and I had to buy a separate ticket from there to Stresa.
Happy travels!
Posted by
OP
TAMPA, FL
57 posts
Hi All. I am still looking for help on the French and Italian phone numbers to call to buy these tickets in advance now today. Since I am taking 4 trains in one day that all need to be at specific times (10 hour train travel day total), I can not afford to wait and see if they are available when I arrive.
Hope this makes sense. Thanks for your help!!
Posted by
OP
TAMPA, FL
57 posts
Sorry Steve. No hand holding here...just having a difficult time getting the numbers to call directly to the stations. this is what I am requesting. I am not going to buy through Rail Europe for many reasons. Thanks though.
Posted by
OP
TAMPA, FL
57 posts
Thanks so much Steve!!! I will try your suggestions. Does anyone have any numbers direct in France or Italy? I have friends there who are trying to purchase online for me there but they too are having problems with this particular day and the schedule.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Since the fastest trip is thru Geneva, you might try calling Swiss national rail at 011-41-900-300-300 (their website, if you have not previously registered there, seems to be having problems with new registrants.) Since the journey passes thru Geneva, they can sell you tickets and necessary reservations. You should be able to board in Aix at 7:25 am, and arrive in Verona around 5:27 p.m. Tell them you want to make the journey from Aix-en-Provence to Verona via Geneva.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Rachel,
What sites have you and your friends been using to try to book tickets which indicate that seats are not available?
Using the tgv-europe site, I was able to do dummy bookings for 24 October for Aix-Nice and Nice-Milano.
The standard fare for Aix Centre-Aix TGV by bus plus Aix TGV-Nice Ville by TGV is €40.30. Depart Aix Centre at 10:10 and arrive at Nice Ville at 13:25.
The standard fare for Nice Ville-Ventimiglia-Milano is €29.60. Depart Nice Ville at 13:56 and arrive at Milano Centrale at 18:50.
Do separate bookings at tgv-europe.com for Aix-Nice and Nice-Milano. To keep the site in English and to avoid being bumped to the Rail Europe site, chooose Great Britain as both your country of residence and the country in which you will retrieve your tickets even though you don't want to have your tickets mailed there. Choose to retrieve your tickets from a station ticket machine. Be aware, however, that those machines only accept credit cards with embedded chips. Go to the ticket window, present the credit card you used when booking plus the confirmation number you'll be sent by e-mail, and the agent will swipe your magnetic strip card.
The standard fare for a EuroStar City train from Milano Centrale to Verona Porto Nuova is €15.70. Depart Milano Centrale at 19:05 and arrive at Verona Porto Nuova at 20:27. Buy your ticket when you change trains in Ventimiglia.
Posted by
OP
TAMPA, FL
57 posts
Thank you so much all. My friend was able to book
Aix to Nice and Nice to Ventimiglia. Now I just need the Italian part of the trip booked. I will try all your suggestions. Thank you all so much!!!!
Posted by
OP
TAMPA, FL
57 posts
OH, last question....if I have four separate train tickets that day, do I need to validate all at each train station or can I validate all at one train station? I am wondering because I only have 15 minutes to jump from one train to the next as it is and may forget to validate. Thanks!
Posted by
Gig Harbor, WA, United States
12 posts
We found it difficult to find someone who spoke english well at the train stations, particularly in Italy. Make your Italian plans from a different country. Just because a train is sold out doesn't mean you can't get on it. We were on several busy routes where the cars were packed with people standing in the aisles. Not a comfortable way to travel but may do in a pinch.