Confused about sleeper train

I did a quick check on raileurope's site: A 4 person couchette is $600 (US) total. You could save about $50 if you book a 6 person cabin but you might have to share with 2 strangers. Keep in mind that to get a railpass discount you must buy a railpass and typically they are not good values especially if you are not taking many train rides. And on overnight trains the couchette reservation is expensive even with the pass. RailEurope does have high fees so others may suggest a better way to buy the tickets but this hopefully points you in the right direction.

Looked on the Trenitalia's site for July 11 and the Artesia #220 looks like the right one for you, but all the categories ( !!)... I think you would want a 4couchette for the privacy and safety and more room for your suitcases/backpacks- I would and have booked a 6 compartment for just the 4 in our family. here's some descriptions: FLEXI -Fare for persons from 12 years and over available for purchase only for Italy-France services served by the Artesia trains FLEXI CHILD -Fare for children from 4 to under 12 that can be bought only for Italy-France services served by the Artesia trains SWITCHLimited-availability ticket for children of 12 years and older that can be bought only for Italy-France services served by the Artesia trains. On day trains can be bought until 3 days before train's departure: on night trains, it can be bought until 7 days before train's departure for overnight travel accommodation in 6- or 4-place couchettes and 14 days before train's departure for overnight travel accommodation for double Wagon Lits and T3 accommodation solutions. SWITCH CHILD Limited-availability ticket for children from 4 to under 12 years that can be bought only for Italy-France services served by the Artesia trains. On day trains can be bought until 3 days before train's departure: on night trains, it can be bought until 7 days before train's departure for overnight travel accommodation in 6- or 4-place couchettes and 14 days before train's departure for overnight travel accommodation for double Wagon Lits and T3 accommodation solutions.
..... to be continued.......

SMART PRICE-Limited-availability ticket that can be bought only for the Italy-France services served by the Artesia trains. On the day trains, it can be bought for both first and second class. On night trains, it can be bought only for overnight travel accommodation in 6- or 4-place couchettes. It cannot be modified or refunded. Can be bought until 30 days before train's departure. MOOVE-Limited-availability ticket that can be bought only for the Italy-France services served by Artesia trains. On the day trains it can be bought for both first and second class. On night trains it can be bought for overnight travel accommodation in 4- or 6-place couchettes. Can be bought until 30 days before train's departure. .
MOOVE CHILD-Limited-availability ticket per children from 4 to under 12 years that can be bought only for Italy-France services served by the Artesia trains. On the day trains it can be bought for both first and second class. On night trains it can be bought for overnight travel accommodation in 4- or 6-place couchettes. Can be bought until 30 days before train's departure. YOU GET THE IDEA! Click on the 'more info" button after you selct the train.

There is a family rate also mentioned in the 'more info" button. Here's a copy: FAMILIA OFFER Offer intended for journeys of family groups of 3-5 persons composed of at least 1 adult and 1 child of under 12 years. It includes the ticket booking (free) and provides the following discounts: 50% (30% for Couchette and Wagon Lits) for children under 12 20% for the other persons Net of the discount, the minimum price is at least 10 euro for each passenger aged over 12, subject to the minimum fares for the train used. The offer has limited seats availability, the numbers of which vary depending on the day, train and class. Trains you can use this solution on: AV, ES, ES City, IC, ICN, Express, couchettes and WL. The Familia offer cannot be used for journeys on the Excelsior and Excelsior E4 carriages, or for single journeys on the regional trains. The discount extends to the Regional trains too only for journey solutions that allow the use of Regional trains connecting with trains for which the offer is valid. Booking Bookings are free and made at the same time as the ticket. -------------- On the site you can book 2 adults and 2 children by adding passengers... This was not as easy to navigate but I hope this helped.
.

For €45,00 each, you can book a 4-person compartment. The child discounts/free tickets typically come with full-fare adult tickets. Purchase these ASAP - you'll probably be required to pick these up at a self-service ticket machine; go to this great page on RonInRome.com to learn how.

The €45 fare mentioned by Eileen is the Smart Price fare. It's a great deal!

Thank you all for your time and expertise. I really like this 45 € deal. I have been looking for it but I don't seem to find it. Which train and how do I get it? Thank you.

Thank you for the information. I tried booking under smart fare but there were no more available tickets under this option. Now the available options are Flexi, Flexi child, Go and Go child, Switch and Switch child, and global pass. My 2 children are under 10 (7 and 9). What would be the next most econimical couchette? Should I book 2 adults and the 2 kids in a new booking? Also, trainitalia has free kids in the summer but I was not able to figure out how to get this deals with the overnight (perhaps not available in night trains going to another country).

On the Trenitalia site enter Venezia S Lucia as your departure point and Paris as your arrival point. Enter your departure date and a departure time of 19. The page will reset. Choose the default arrival point of Paris (city) and click on "Start search." The first train listed on the new page you will get is the direct night train (departure at 19:57 and arrival at 08:19). Choose it and click on "Continue." The default setting will be one passenger in a four-bunk couchette. Choose four passengers from the drop-down menu. Click on the "Choose your fare" drop-down menu and choose "Smart Price." If those fares are still available for 11 July, you will be shown a total fare of €180 for the four of you. Proceed with booking.

Edith - I am SOOOOO SORRY; I simply didn't catch the fact that you needed to buy those Smart Price fares by the 11th (30 before). And it was right there in Melissa's post...:-( Again, I apologize. The 'free child' fares are good for many trains, but not yours (an 'EN' category). It looks like your next-best bet are the GO fares for adult (86 each) and child (62 each). Still better than 130 each...I'm using my iTouch right now and it's very difficult to go back and forth - I'm definitely a Windows gal! - but I think Melissa's post shows the deadlines for the other fares. You'll see they're up to the 2nd tier now in each category (those prices you posted in your question) - FYI, every fare including Global fare is at the 2nd tier; soon they'll be on the third... There are just so many fares available; Trenitalia even offers a Smart fare in addition to their Smart Price fare, and they aren't the same thing (crying, mumbling to self, and pulling hair out)! I feel so badly I didn't catch that 30-day deadline for you. Yours was the third nearly identical question I had answered that day; I didn't even realize I hadn't told you HOW to find those fares (thanks a bunch for the clean-up, Tim!). It sounds like you do know how to split your party into 2 groups of adults and children? Please post if you need more help!

OK - The deadline for GO tickets is 14 days before a night train, IF ANY 'GO' FARES ARE LEFT!!! They are "limited-availability tickets". Get them ASAP.

I'm sorry the Smart Price tickets are gone. Choose two Go tickets (€86/person). Then click on "Add price" in the red box to the right of "Do you want to add other passengers with different prices?" Add two passengers and choose Go Child tickets (€57/person). Proceed with booking.

You guys are such great help. Thank you. I have been trying to book the Go tickets but it asks how I want the tickets delivered and there are only 2 options: home (which I cannot select because my address is outside Italy), and self service (DISTRIBUTORE SELF-SERVICE DI BIGLIETTERIA), listing different locations (?). I am still confused -uhg!

Pick self service. You can get your tickets from a ticket machine at the Venezia Santa Lucia station. The machines have an English option. You will need the confirmation number you will receive by e-mail and the credit card you used to book the tickets. If you don't want to use a machine, stand in line at a ticket window.

Great, Tim - I couldn't get those cheaper kids fares; just shows how fluid these prices can be... Edith, look at my very first post and click on the link for Ron In Rome; I suggest reading through (and understanding) the entire page so that you're comfortable with the various screens. I've picked up tickets this way before, and it's pretty simple and straight-forward. Esp. with Ron 'standing' right beside you ;-) Just take some good notes while reading his page; you'll be pleasantly surprised at how familiar it will look once you're standing in front of the ticket machine/kiosk. And to beat it to death - BRING THE CREDIT CARD you purchased the tickets with when you collect them at the station. You can collect those tickets anytime before your departure, too - if you train to Venice 4 days earlier, you can collect them at that time and not have to mess with it on your departure evening!

The cheapest fares are long gone for Eurostar trains, but you can check what's still available at eurostar.com. You can fly CDG-Luton on easyJet, but you'll have the expense of getting from Paris to CDG and from Luton to London. Your cheapest route would be an overnight Eurolines bus. See eurolines.com.

Hello Friends, Thank you all for your advice. I was not able to get the GO tickets. SOLD OUT. The only available seats were the FLEXI (Adult and CHild). I got all my point to point tickets. Feel so much better. Iwas able to get some MINIs and Gratis Bambinos.
Now I need to get tickets from Paris to London (July 17th). Do you guys know ways to save on this trip

Um, yeah..Eurostar is probably a no-go: until 17:13, the price for all four is (in DOLLARS) $940 for a 2 hour ride; after 17:13 it drops to $848. Ugh. There's one train at 20:?? that's about $200 less... I'd look at flying, or the bus... ( I looked at the bus; right now, it's showing €186 - overnight is €194,00 - for all 4 of you - 2 x €50,00, and 2 x €33,00; it does take 6h30m...And apparently, the only bus out of the four that departs from Paris for Britain is the one from CDG)