Comments on: European Train Update: 2011 rail changes

By: Marguerite

Marguerite — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 08:01:47 +0000

Many Thanks

By: hidden europe

hidden europe — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 17:55:04 +0000

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Timetables vary by day of week and by season. In general, the easiest way from MXP to Forli is to take the Trenord regional train from Malpensa Terminal 1 to Centrale, then onward via Bologna. But there are occasional direct trains from Milano Centrale to Forli too. Given that you seem to be arriving midday-ish at MXP, you may find the afternoon direct train from Milano Centrale to Forli suits perfectly. It runs most days, leaving Centrale just after 3pm from memory.

By: marguerite

marguerite — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 12:34:19 +0000

please could you inform me if the 12.22 direct train from malpensa to bologna still runs? cannot find it on the trentalia website. actually I require infer to get from malpensa to forli and wish to have as few changes as possible.

thanking you in advance

By: Viviene

Viviene — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:49:39 +0000

Thank you

By: Europe By Rail

Europe By Rail — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:34:44 +0000

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Chrisma (above)
We are the editors of the book Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide for Independent Travellers (2012 from Thomas Cook Publishing). And this is a question we get asked a lot. The answer…. Just go ahead. You will get an online ticket, a single piece of paper, that covers travel for you and whoever is accompanying you. Provided you have the credit card used to purchase the ticket and requisite ID you’ll be fine. The identity of your fellow traveller is not an issue.

Another small thought. Just check the change and refund conditions carefully. In the event of you wanting to cancel, reroute or reschedule a journey, there are instances where an online ticket has slightly less flexibility than a printed ticket.

We both wish you happy travels by train though Germany.
Susanne Kries and Nicky gardner

By: Chrisma

Chrisma — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:49:48 +0000

Hi there,

I am trying to book the train tickets for me and my friend directly on the db bahn website using my credit card. I would like to get online tickets, but on the website it states that you are only allowed to book online tickets for yourself personally, not third parties. So now I am confused as to whether I am allowed to buy for myself and a third party at the same time on my credit card? She will of course have her passprt with her as identification and I will have my passport and the credit card.
I have tried to contact the db bahn website for info on this, but I have not heard anything. Can you please help?

By: Viviene

Viviene — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:50:33 +0000

Thank you so much for the info you certainly are a mine of great information and detail and the routes, once again, thanks.

By: hidden europe

hidden europe — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:15 +0000

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For Chrisma (above on 14 Feb)

Yes, you can buy the Paris to Amsterdam ticket on the Thalys website, and the others on the DB website. Thalys booking is easy, the other two less so. For Salzburg to Rome (assuming you wish to use the CNL night train), enter Rosenheim as the routing point.

For the Amsterdam to Salzburg via Hamburg ticket, remember you’ll need to enter Hamburg Hbf as the en-route stopover. The Europa-Spezial Amsterdam to Salzburg fare allows routings via Hamburg and permits two stopovers, each of up to 48 hours. If you want to spent more than 48 hrs in Hamburg, you can programme both stops in for that city by entering a 48 hr stop in each of two different Hamburg stations (eg. Harburg and Hbf). You can also buy the DB tickets over the phone from their service centre. Whether you buy on the phone or online, it will surely help if you enlist the help of someone who knows the DB booking system, speaks German and knows something of the railway geography.

Remember that these cheap tickets restrict you to travelling on the trains you specify and agree at time of booking.

These matters of bookings are not easy to explain in just a few lines, so we can well understand why sometimes folk end up buying a rail pass. But we hope our few thoughts here assist, and we both wish you a very happy time exploring Europe by rail.

Nicky and Susanne

By: hidden europe

hidden europe — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:49:41 +0000

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For Vivienne (above)

Verona to Lauterbrunnen is a lovely transect through the Alps (connecting at each end two spots which are become ‘must-see’ spots to tick off on the tourist icon). Yes, of course it could be accomplished in a day, but we’d have thought it deserves a week or two. So many marvellous spots to linger en route, from the shores of Lago Maggiore to the serenely beautiful mountain villages around Brig. The rail journey is about seven hours. If you are intent on such speed, then the stages are

Verona to Milan
Milan to Brig
Brig to Spiez
Spiez to Interlaken
Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen.

Brig would the obvious place for an overnight stop. Lovely town at the foot of the Simplon massif. As to tickets, you may find it a shade cheaper to buy a discount Trenitalia ticket to Milan, a second to Brig then a third for the final stretch.

Susane and Nicky
editors, hidden europe magazine
and editors of the Thomas Cook guide Europe by Rail

By: Viviene

Viviene — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:00:12 +0000

Hi, we are travelling from Verona Italy to Lauterbrunnen Switzerland, is it possible to do the journey in one day or will we need to stay overnight in either Milan or Bern. Also do we need to make a reservation or just buy the one ticket for the whole journey or individual tickets for each section since we are starting in Italy and then into Switzerland, thanks.