Prepurchasing Rail Tickets for Europe

Since euraide is a travel agency and fees are involved, which is the advantage to purchasing ticket via euraide when compared to purchasing discount tickets on-line from the national rail site? Don't understand what you mean by making connections that you could not have made by purchasing at the station. Could you explain that a little better? Thank you.

Both times I've looked myself at purchasing and with that amount in mind I've gone to EurAide. Both times their total price was better than what I had found on-line. We had a late flight and since we had tickets we were able to make a train that we would have missed if we had to stop there and purchase tickets. Hope this helps. Mike

But you could have purchased those tickets on line and had them in your pocket - same as your Eurail or any other travel agency. I personally see no advantage to Euraide or Rail Europe for tickets especially since I have never seen their tickets being cheap than what you can buy on-line.

" Both times their total price was better than what I had found on-line."

I can only assume you don't know what you are doing. Sorry to say it that way, but I have never found that I couldn't get the best price without paying Euraide's fee.

What Euraide does is buy the tickets through German Rail and charge you the same price you would have gotten online, then they add another $50-$60 for the service. If you have a lot of tickets to buy, they can be a better deal than Rail Europe, but they are not a better deal than doing it yourself.

In all fairness, there are a few times that they do a worthwhile service, like in booking night trains with a rail pass (outside of Germany) where reservations are hard to come find (one of the many benefits of a rail pass). I have recommended Euraide to people when there was no other way, but that has rarely happened.

And, I am a bit concerned that you posted to answer the question no one asked. This appears to me like a promotion, contrary to the posting guidelines.

As far as I can see, captainetrain offers prices that are as good as German Rail (Bahn.de) including Savings Fares, far better than RailEurope or Euraide, but no better than the Bahn, so why not just use the Bahn website.

mlwalsh,

its great you are happy with their service.

I wasn't aware of them, but will take a look see.

happy trails.

I don't remember there being a question.

I do find it easier to use than the French Rail sites (not difficult), but certainly not easier to navigate than the Bahn site, and I have never had a problem with credit cards on the Bahn site.

@ Dick...True, before Berlin Hbf. was made ready in 2006 and the main rail business/activity was at Bahnhof Zoo in the West, the EurAide office at Bhf. Zoo was most often busy. There were times where it was packed, not just with Americans using its services ( in English) but other nationalities that couldn't/didn't want to speak German and wanted easy assistance in English. I recall standing in line there to get my ticket/reservation for Berlin-Gdansk and seeing a sign at the Reisezentrum pointing to the EurAide office for information given in English. That was in 2003.

I remember being in the Munich Hbf and stopping by the Euraide office to say hello. The office was closed for lunch and there was an American couple standing outside waiting for the office to open so they could buy tickets to Hannover for a train leaving in less than an hour. Just before the office was to open, the woman inside changed the clock to add a half hour to her lunch. This meant that there would be just a few minutes between the opening time and the departure time of the train they wanted.

I suggested we go around the corner to the Reisezentrum, where I waited in the line with them to make sure they got an English speaking clerk. They did, and they purchased their tickets. They smiled as they walked to their train with their tickets and plenty of time to get on board.

I have never encountered a clerk at a German Rail ticket counter who didn't speak English.

One of the reassuring "things" of EurAide is that it broadcasts/advertises an English speaking staff to reassure those English only tourists. Of course , all DB staff at the Reisezentrum speak good English. Just look at how many tourists ask in English as opposed to asking in German and see how the query is dealt with in English. Those with questions/problems can obviously go the proper counter at the Reisezentrum, have the answer given in English, if needed, instead of going to EurAide.

Just wanted to comment on using Rail Europe. I tried to purchase tickets from Paris-Bayeux beginning 90 days in advance of my trip using SNCF. I could see the tickets I wanted but the site wouldn't let me purchase them. It wasn't my credit card, I couldn't even get that far in the process. I also tried to purchase them using Capitaintrain, it wouldn't work, and we e-mailed back and forth for 2 weeks. After 37 days I contacted Rail Europe and they were able to get the tickets. It cost me $22.95 in fees for 4 tickets but by that time I was happy to pay it. I'd recommend Rail Europe and I'd try them sooner next time...