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Buying P2P discount tickets

Posted by (Kansas City) on

i had originally thought i would just get a one month global eurail pass at $1279 until i figured out that buying P2P tickets would save me almost $400. Here are the fares i've found:

Amsterdam > Berlin (10/1) – 49E (special)
Berlin, Germany > Prague (10/3) – 29E (special)
Prague > Mainz (10/5) – 105E
Mainz, Germany > Bacharach, Germany (10/6) – 10E
Mainz, Germany > Interlaken, Switzerland (10/8) – 39E (special)
Interlaken, Switzerland > Reutte, Austria (10/11) – 78E
Ruette > Mittenwald, Germany (10/13) – 11E
Mittenwald > Salzburg, Austria (10/15) – 37E
Salzburg > Hallstatt, Austria (10/17) – 6E
Hallstatt > Vienna, Austria (10/18) – 44E
Vienna > Venice, Italy (10/20) – 100E for 4 person couchette
Venice > Rome (10/22) – 56E
Rome > Vernazza, Italy (10/25) – 33E
Vernazza > Paris (10/27) – 82E (smart price)

here are my questions:

1) should i just buy the discounted tickets (amsterdam > berlin, berlin > prague, mainz > interlaken) now and the rest when i'm there?

2) what about the vernazza > paris leg? on the trenitalia site it says there is a "smart price" - do these discounts sell out or can i get this same discount a few days before?

3) if i buy tickets online, are they mailed to me?

4) the vienna > venice leg does not seem to be discounted so i'm assuming it is fine to just purchase that right before even if its a night train?

5) i need to make a reservation for the italy trains correct? do i need to make a reservation for the vienna > venice night train?

6) when i try to get the fare for the interlaken > reutte leg on SBB, it will not give it to me

thanks for any help - i'm planning to buy the discount tickets as soon as possible -

Posted by
98 posts

so then i should:

  • buy all the discounted fares
  • try to get the smart price in italy now
  • buy the vienna to venice leg with the couchette
  • reserve seats on ES in italy (but how do i do that if they do not accept american credit cards?)

on the railpasses section of RS site it says this under the trentalia website:

"Ticketless" online reservations require online payment, but the site only accepts credit cards if you have set up a "3D" security system, such as Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode. Those plans require you to activate and use an additional password for all online purchases.

even with the "verified by visa" will they still not allow you to purchase?

Posted by
6898 posts

You will see the SMART fare on the Trenitalia website but unfortunately, Trentialia no longer seems to accept American credit cards. The SMART fares, similar to the AMICA fares in Italy, are limited discounted fares based on date, train category and train run. Often, times, they are snapped up within a short period of becoming available. However, travelers occasionally report buying early when they arrive in Italy and getting the limited discount ticket.

For the Interlaken/Reutte in Tirol leg, I always have difficulty getting prices for international trains out of Switzerland of the Swiss website. They wil quote you a price if you email them.

Posted by
19274 posts

Lisa, Swiss Rail does not give prices online for routes beginning or ending outside Switzerland. However, I believe there is a place on the Swiss Rail website (you probably already know it, but it's www.sbb.ch) where you can make a request for an outside fare and they will email it to you.

I assume you are planning to get the discounted tickets from the Bahn. Those tickets (Dauer-Spezial) sell out quickly; I suggest you get them as soon as you can commit to a date and time (those discounted tickets are non-refundable).

BTW, German Rail is now showing the Dauer-Spezial fare lasting through the end of Dec. 2008. They might continue it, but that's not assured. If it is not continued as is, it will probably be replaced by a similar offer.

If you buy tickets online from German Rail, they will probably be "self-printable" from a file they send you. If not, they will be mailed.

Night trains in Europe sell out, particularly on popular lines. I have seen everything but seats gone a month in advance. Like the Dauer-Spezial fares, get night train tickets whenever you can commit.

For the high speed EuroStar (ES*) trains in Italy, you have to have reservations. If you purchase the tickets at the station (or online), the reservations are included.

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