We will be spending September in Europe, and I am trying to plan our trek (traveling to Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, etc). However, I am finding train schedule differences between what I find on the Rail Europe website versus what I find on the German rail website (www.bahn.de). Which one should I believe? Also, we have a global pass, should I worry about making seat reservations now, or wait til I get to Europe and know which train schedules are correct?
Posted by
Greenville, SC, USA
263 posts
Believe the German rail site.
The consensus seems to be that you can wait on most reservations until you get to Europe. If you are taking any night trains, those may be more critical, if you are trying to get a specific type of accommodation.
I booked about 1/2 of my reservations in advance, through Euraide, because I had 3 night trains that I wanted gran classe sleeper compartments for, and I knew the many of the day trains I wanted to take and wanted to get specific seats (the two that face each other next to a window with a table - there are only a few of these sometimes). For the other 1/2 I will pick them up a few days in advance or even the day of.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
Bahn.de is a true schedule website. I'm pretty sure that they use the same database used by all national railroads in Europe. They show all of the trains. In over a hundred days traveling in Europe, I have never found a discrepancy between what was shown on the Bahn website and the actual trains.
RailEurope is a ticket peddler. The only trains they show are ones for which they sell tickets, often only the fastest, most expensive train between major cities.
The only times I have ever booked reservations from over here (in fact, the only reservations I have ever booked) have been when I got them for half price with an online, advance purchase, discounted ticket. As someone said, night trains and premium trains (like Thalys), which have a limited number of "passholder reservations" are the exceptions. For German trains, you can buy reservations online, but they are no less expensive than at a ticket counter.
Posted by
OP
Helena, MT
6 posts
Thanks. I am glad to know that I should rely on the Bahn website.
While in Italy, we will be staying near Oulx. The Rail Europe site shows the TGV train from Paris to Oulx arrives at 8:05 at night, while the Bahn website shows an additional EC train arriving in Oulx from Paris at 6:55. So how do I get a reservation for the EC train, if it doesn't show on the Rail Europe site? This will be our first train ride in Europe, and I want to ensure we have a reservation so that we dont get stranded in Paris on our first day! Again, we will be using a Global Pass.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
The schedule, actually, shows two ECs (EuroCity) arriving at 18:55 and 20:05, the 18:55 train direct from Paris, the 20:05 a series of connections starting with a TGV. This is not in Germany; the German Rail websites does not sell reservations online for travel outside of Germany. This is in fact, a dirty little secret of rail passes. It is often difficult to get reservations online with them.
But, you really don't need to get them in advance. Most experienced people do not. If you really think you do, go to the station the day before, or that morning, and get them there.