Hello,
I am trying to book a train ticket for my travel from Venice to Munich in May, on the bahn.de website. I just have the option of ticket by mail. (online ticket is not available) Is it normal? Has anyone purchased a ticket by mail?
Thanks
Sai
Posted by
Ottawa, Ontario,, Canada
521 posts
Hi Sai,
Yes, it is not yet common to have ticketless booking (ie an internet ticket) for rail in Europe. The SNCF (French rail) is starting to do it, but still it is in its infancy compared with airline tickets.
If you are just booking the one ticket, is it a night train? If not, is it really something that needs to be booked in advance of you travelling to Europe?
Posted by
OP
Tempe, AZ, USA
11 posts
Hi Steven,
Yes, it is a night train. I assumed that all rail tickets can be printed out online, but i guess that's not true.
Thanks for the reply.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Actually, the Italians have been booking online for quite a while. I've also done it from Calif. until Trenitalia stopped accepting American credit cards last year. The ticket that you print out at home has a reservation code (PNR number) on it. Conductors on the trains carry wireless PDA devices to check the PNR number. In that respect, the Italians are ahead of us.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Sai,
On the DB site you can print tickets for many routes within Germany and for many routes that begin in Germany and end in another country. However, for routes that begin in another country and end in Germany, DB sends you those tickets by mail.