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Train from Venice area to Brussels

I am a mess with trains! I've tried using Bahn.de, Trenitalia, and even the Rail Europe site to try and figure out the cost of a point-to-point rail trip from the Pordenone train station in to Brussels. All of the train websites spit back their own version of the "Price Cannot Be Calculated" message.

It started out that I wanted to compare this cost to the RyanAir flight, and then decide if the RyanAir headache/fees/etc is worth it or if the train looks like a nicer option. I already figured out that the train takes so much longer that I don't want to go that way. But it is frustrating that I can't get the price, and for future reference I just wish I was better at calculating these things. I always see people bust out P2P calculations and wonder what I am doing wrong!

I would imagine it involves some method of calculating within one country and the next, but that sounds like it requires a great knowledge of where all of the connection points are amongst other things. Is it really that complicated? Is there an easier way?

If someone could steer me towards figuring this out, I would appreciate it!

Posted by
12040 posts

Try two separate tickets, one from Venice to Cologne on DB, and then from Cologne to Brussels on either DB, NMBS or Thalys.

Posted by
209 posts

Thanks so much for the help Tom and Tim!

I see much better how you used the multiple sites in combination now. The part about "Then I picked what I think is the best one" I guess is something that will come to me over time, with more practice though! ha!

I have never seen "Smart Price" come up as an option on the Trenitalia site before either, so I learned a lot of new things. The discounts structure at Trenitalia has always eluded me though. (I am basically alright at taking the train in to Venice and back and that's about it!)

I am interested in taking the night train to Paris now sometime though!!

Posted by
8700 posts

I used bahn.de to find all the routes and times for Pordenone-Brussels. Then I picked what I think is the best one and priced each leg separately.

From the Trenitalia site: Leave Pordenone at 18:44 and arrive at Venezia Mestre at 19:44. The fare is €4.50.

From the Trenitalia site: Leave Venezia Mestre at 20:09 and arrive at Paris-Bercy at 08:19. The full fare for a bunk in a 6-person couchette is €115 and for a bunk in a 4-person couchette it is €125. However, if you book well in advance (up to 90 days allowed), you can get Smart Price fares of €35 and €45 respectively.

From the Thalys site: Leave Gare du Nord at 09:25 and arrive at Bruxelles-Midi at 10:47. The standard 2nd class fare is €86. If you book well in advance (up to 90 days allowed) at thalys.com, you can get a Smoove fare as low as €25.

Walk from Bercy to Gare de Lyon and take the RER D directly to Gare du Nord. Or take Metro line 14 one stop to Gare de Lyon and transfer to the RER D. The fare is €1.60 in either case.