I'll be using a Eurail Global Pass this summer, going here and there seeing Europe from a train window. I am in the planning stage right now, and I'd like to know sleeper accommodation prices on several night trains, but I'm having trouble finding that info online. Eventually, I will probably want to book some resv also, online, but again I can't find sites that offer me that choice. Using Zurich-Ljubljana, train D415, lv Z 20:20 June 13, arr L 8:11 June 14, as an example, I find: raileurope shows only 6-couchette berths; I know single person 1st class accom are available but raileurope won't display that fact or the cost;raildude shows the full range of available sleepers from 6-couchette up to single person 1st class, so I can use it to check prices, but not to buy any;euraide shows a large set of overnight trains but not the Zur-Ljub one I'm playing around with. I googled and found something called acprail.com which whirred and whirred and whirred once I input my data, and after several MINUTES of doing nothing but saying "please wait" I gave up. Raildude's reservation page behaved the same way. As I said, raileurope and euraide were no help at all. Does anyone have any positive experience with any online site that does what I'm trying to do, correctly!?
Posted by
Budapest
27 posts
Did you try official website of Swiss railways - www.sbb.ch? Usually you can get there everything, even if it won't be print-at-home option, then you can order ticket or reservation via mail.
Although don't think there is a big need to buy reservation in advance, you can always do it already in Zurich
Posted by
San Antonio TX, United States
2393 posts
It looks like your train may be either sold out or not yet for sale for sleeping compartments - I'd give Rail Europe a quick call & see.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
The encyclopedia of rail travel, www.seat61.com has plenty of advice about various sleeper services, including videos.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33862 posts
Interestingly I note that the SBB doesn't have much information about the train but they both agree that the departure time is 2040 not 2020, same arrival of 0811. BUT - go to their international trains section and they will let you put in just what you need (birth dates are mandatory and must be entered as dd.mm.yy don't try dashes or spaces) and they will reply inside 48 hours. I use rail.ch, change language at the top to EN; for complicated Swiss tickets it is easier than sbb.ch.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33862 posts
The DB has all sorts of neat information about it (the x pattern shows which days it operates but it doesn't format well): Days of operation: daily, not 28., 29. Mar, 8., 16., 17. May, 5., 12., 19., 26. Jul, 3. until 18. Aug 2013, 14. Dec 2013 Comments: Subject to compulsory reservation (Sid(SRB) --> Beograd) Train conveys cars (Zürich HB --> Villach Hbf) 2nd class only seated accommodation (Savski Marof --> Zagreb Glavni Kolod.) 2nd class only seated accommodation 5 10 15 20 25 30 ----+----+----+----+----+----+- Dec ¦ xxxxxxxxxxx¦ xxxxxxxxxx Jan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Feb xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ¦ Mar xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx Apr xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx May xxxxxx xxxxxx¦ xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Jun xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Jul xxx ¦xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx¦ xxxxx Aug x ¦ ¦ ¦ xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sep xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Oct xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Nov xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Dec xxxxxxxxxxxx ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ (Jesenice(SL) --> Savski Marof) 2nd class only (Zagreb Glavni Kolod. --> Beograd) 2nd class only (Jesenice(SL) --> Savski Marof, not every day 27. Mar, 7., 15. May, 4., 11., 18., 25. Jul, 2. Aug, 13. Dec 2013) Please reserve (Jesenice(SL) --> Sid(SRB)) Non-smoker train (Jesenice(SL) --> Savski Marof) Sleeping-car (Zürich HB --> Zagreb Glavni Kolod.)
Couchettes (Zürich HB --> Zagreb Glavni Kolod.) Bordrestaurant (Sid(SRB) --> Beograd)