Hi. Does anyone know why the costs of train travel in Europe varies so much? For instance, I'm looking at a trip from Lyon to Brugge. On Trainline.com the tickets start at 59 euros. For the same trip on raileurope.com, the cost is over 200 euros. Why the big discrepancy? Is there a better site or app to use? I'll need mobile tickets because we are leaving in a few days.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Thanks, Sam. Thats good to know!
What site should I use? Does it matter?
Also, are the online prices the same as at the station? I'm thinking we'll just buy point to point tickets rather than a pass.
Different countries, different rail companies, different ticket types and different sellers. It's not easy, but to get a good start:
There certainly is that big a difference between deep advance-purchase discounts and full fare, but normally not that big between companies selling the exact same train departure. In my test on the morning of July 9, Trainline is actually charging $240.50, versus Rail Europe's $220 on both the 7:34 and 9:04 departures. If you're leaving soon, go ahead and book the best rate you find that fits your schedule.
You are likely to pay full-fare on the day of travel. For instance, prices for tomorrow are $252.40 through Train Line and $232 through Rail Europe, but again depending on which departures have been most popular and are filling up.
Thank you all. This is very helpful. I may get a rail pass and make my life easier. We are traveling Frankfurt --> Lyon --> Bruge --> St. Goar --> Frankfurt over a couple weeks. If it get a Global pass with 7 days of travel, things might be easier and cost about the same. Thoughts?
Looks like I must have upset the apple cart.
Not at all, Sam! It is just that, as I look at our itinerary and try to add up all the legs and stops, the numbers start to look about the same as a Global pass. And since we unexpectedly added Lyon into the trip, that makes even more train tickets to buy. If the price is about the same, then a pass seems like an easier solution. I was just confused because there were so many pricing options. the high end is much more expensive than a pass, but the lower end seems closer to the price of a pass.
I note that you used the term easier and not the term cheaper. Note that there are some trains that require seat reservations, and some trains (probably like Thalys) that may not be covered by a pass. This is a complex subject. Perhaps the biggest plus of a pass is that if you miss your departure (and you would have had a non-changeable discounted advance fare) you don't lose any money. You might get there much later if it's a slower train you are forced to take, of course.
I personally buy directly from a national rail company, but for your complex routing, there may be some use to using a service company that can add fees before obtaining the tickets for you.
If you don't have a travel book, you may wish to read our host's free Travel Tips (top left menu) about train travel.
Not you jason, but my original post was deleted and only 2 people can do that, me and someone at our estimable host, Rick Steves.
If you get a Global Pass you have to get reservations for French high-speed trains (TGV) and Thalys, which will add to the cost of the pass. Most other European long-distance trains don't require a reservation, but getting one can be a good idea. My point is, that these reservations will come on top of the cost of the Eurail pass. It won't break the bank, but you will have to pay around 5-20 euros per reservation.
Do also note that SNCF has quotas limiting the number of reservations available for Eurail-passengers on their TGV trains. Just something to keep in mind.
If you're buying point-to-point tickets you will get the best prices (and best assistance if anything goes wrong) if you buy the ticket directly from the operator. Trainline can be a good alternative if buying from the operator isn't possible, but I've heard way too many bad things about Rail Europe.
If you're a senior, the Global Pass for 10 days isn't too bad. The pass for 15 days is even better if you're a senior/2nd class.
It would be easier to advise you if we knew the actual travel dates. While seat reservations within France are not artificially limited for passholders, the international trains from Germany to France and the Thalys from Paris to Brussels do have limited seat reservations available, and on the higher end of the price scale. You can test availability for your travel dates at https://ricksteves.mytraintravel.com/ and add the key reservations to the order before purchasing the rail pass.
But also note that Eurail Global Passes are not delivered as e-tickets, which you originally said you needed. If ordering today for delivery on Friday doesn't work for you, then you'd have to look into purchasing at the Frankfurt airport rail station when you arrive.
