I am looking to purchase 2nd class tickets on the TGV from Munich to Paris in August. For a 6:26AM direct train, the price on Bahn.com is 118 EUR. On TGV-Europe (Claiming I'm from Afghanistan, not the US so as to avoid raileurope.com), the price is over 400 EUR. Is there any reason I shouldn't book w/ Bahn and print my tix at home? Also, If I do use bahn.com and I choose "open saloon with table", I'm guessing that would be the 4 of us sitting facing each other w/ a table between us. Are there luggage racks above? We'll be travelling with 3 carry-on sized backpacks. Thanks for any advice!
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
No reason not to book with bahn.de. They often have cheap fares for international tickets that are not available from other sites. Yes, there usually will be luggage racks above the seats.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3049 posts
Sometimes different train companies have different prices. Bahn.com is often one of the cheapest. If you can book it, then book it! And yes, the table means exactly what you think it does. "Open saloon" means what you'd think of as a regular train car, versus "compartment" which is closed off and has 6 seats. I prefer open saloon because I don't like sitting directly across from a stranger.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
With that big a difference, it might be that the TGV-Europe price is full fare while the Bahn price is an advance purchase, non-refundable discount ticket.
Posted by
OP
Newfoundland, PA, USA
35 posts
When I went to purchase the tickets on Bahn.com I got all the way to the last screen after I entered my CC info, etc. When I pressed the "purchase" button I got a message saying that there were no available seats on this train for which seat reservations are required. Did I do something wrong or is this a case of "if it looks too good to be true..."? I'm trying to book for a train about 90 days in the future. Could it be that it's not available to be booked yet? Thanks for any help!
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3049 posts
There's no way it's sold out that far in advance. Chances are your dates exceed 90 days, so just figure out what day they will become available and buy!
Posted by
OP
Newfoundland, PA, USA
35 posts
Thanks, Sarah. I bought the tickets yesterday. Simply changing my seat request to "Open Salon" instead of "Open Salon with table" did the trick. Got the price of 118 EUR for the 4 of us in 2nd class. I'm pretty happy with that. On the tickets, we're listed in Wagon 17, seats 65-68, Carre. From what I've been able to gather through a few internet searches, I think that means that we are booked in four seats with a table, just the way we wanted anyway.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
The Europa-Spezial Italien tickets are discount ticket which have to be purchased online in advance. When the tickets sell out at the lowest fare, the fare goes up. They are date and train specific and only limitedly refundable. It's like buying saver fare airline tickets. Standard (normal) fare tickets are fully flexible (any train on that route within the time limit) and refundable.
Posted by
Fort Worth
1 posts
I am trying to purchase tickets on bahn.com for a Rome to Munich trip. It lists the prices under two columns; Europe Special Italy and Normal Price. What is the difference between the two? Other than the price Normal Price is about twice as much? Do I have to have a pass in order to get the lower price?