Trying to book an overnight train from Berlin to Paris for July 28 with a railpass. It appears EVERYTHING is booked on this evening. I tried changing my route and putting in Hannover to Paris. I am doing this from the bahn website. However, my issue is this: I get all the way to the end, even put in my cc and everything and then it says there are no more seats. Why is it waiting until then to say? Other options to get from Berlin to Paris via train. Hoping to stick with the overnight.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi, I put in the 28th of July, Berlin-Paris Est, dep 20:07 CNL arr. 0924 on DB website, it shows nothing is booked up. Everything is still available from compartment seats to couchettes and sleepers. Even the discount fare is available. I assume you are refering to the CNL direct dep: 20:07 to Paris. It's better not to transfer in Hannover, less confusing. Last summer but not in July, the Berlin-Paris CNL train required a transfer in Hannover, which is what I took, had to wait for the other train to arrive before leaving for Paris. Bottom line...better direct Berlin-Paris on the CNL.
Posted by
OP
cleveland
2 posts
I tried that. I put all my info in and get to the last step of "buy now" and this comes up: Dear Customer,
No more seats are available on this train, for which a reservation is compulsory.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi, With a rail Pass I don't believe you can reserve on the DB website. When are you arriving in Germany? Based on experience I can't believe that everything is booked up for 28 July at this point in time. If you get to Germany, say on 30 June or even 14 July (I'm just picking dates at random), at whichever train station, you can try to reserve for 28 July. Presumably, your Pass is 1st class. Did you try reserving in both 1st and 2nd class? You can do that at a ticket counter in Ger. too. But, personally, the Berlin-Paris connection I would suggest doing by day. Usually, there is a transfer at Mannheim, but if you want to break it up (since you have a Pass), I would take the early Berlin-Frankfurt ICE direct so that you can catch the Frankfurt HBf-Paris Est dep 13:01, arr. 1650. Get the reservation in Berlin, ca. 10 Euro 2nd class. It's pricey for 1st class...25 Euro.
This way on both legs you avoid the TGV. This Frankfurt-Paris connection gives you more break time between the two legs. Yes, it takes longer than the Berlin-Paris via Mannheim route....depends on your time limit. My earlier posting saying that nothing was booked up for 28 July was done for 2nd class.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
It definitely is possible to buy the passholder sleeping accommodation supplement for the CNL train on the DB site. After you get to the page that lists all available fares, click on "Book only extra charge" in the lower right-hand corner.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Good...glad to know that. Thanks. I stand corrected.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
I would fly, honestly.