asding1
Traveller
13 comments
Posted 8 years ago
Hey guys :D
This December I will stay for some 10 days in the north of France and then (around the 27/28) I want to start traveling a bit to the east!
I planned smt like this:
[b]*Paris -> Luxembourg[/b] @28 Dec 2015
[b]*Lux -> Frankfurt[/b] @29
[b]*Frank -> Berlin[/b] @30
[b]*Berlin -> Poznan[/b] @2
[b]*Poznan -> Warsaw[/b] @3
[b]*Warsaw -> Krakow[/b] @4
Plane back from Katowice @6 (it's cheeeap! :) )
[b]Interrail 5/10[/b]. (since the trains in France and Germany cost a lot AFAIK).
Now it's my first real interrail (I mean using the ticket) so I'm a bit lost regarding booking... I wanna travel a bit fast since there is a lot to see so I'd like to take TGV/ICE or High Speed trains. I saw that inside france I can easily book it via sncf (like a normal passenger) but then all the inter-countries trains are a mistery! O_O How can I easily book the Paris->Lux or the Lux->Frankfurt trains?
And also, what about booking on BAHN.de or SNCF.fr? Should I just book as a normal passenger or there is a place where to select INTERRAIL traveler? I can't find it on the booking procedures...
Other suggestions? I will be in France for a period, should I book directly in a station all the other trains? Or it's not possible to book from a French station a train of other countries?
And, one more question, do I still have time to do all this :)
Thanks!! :P
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
You can book domestic trains in France on [ux]https://rail.shop/sncf/reservation[/ux] and in Germany on [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux] - however, as you are travelling Paris - Luxembourg you will have to get the reservation locally at a Paris station. For Frankfurt - Berlin a reservation is not needed and I would save the money.
For Frankfurt - Poznan buy the reservation locally, either at Frankfurt or Berlin station.
For trains in Poland, buy the reservations at a station in Poland where you will get a free reservation for TLK and EIC trains (if you want to travel with the new EIP (Pendolino) services you will have to pay a bit extra).
If you buy your Interrail pass via our partner link [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] you will get 15% discount. :)
Due to the discount you will hardly find cheaper regular tickets. If you want to, you can compare the prices of regular tickets on the websites of each railway company:
Paris - Luxembourg: [ux]https://rail.shop/sncf[/ux]
Luxembourg - Frankfurt; Frankfurt - Berlin and Berlin - Poznan: [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux]
Poznan - Warsaw; Warsaw - Krakow: [ux]https://rail.shop/pkpic[/ux]
Keep in mind that your journey will not be fully covered with the five travel days of the 5in10 pass! I'd recommend to buy either Poznan - Warsaw or Warsaw - Krakow separately, whichever is cheaper.
Flo 8)
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
Thanks Flo! :)
I think I will buy the last tickets in Poland without using the pass (as you stated).
I'm just scared not to find any place for interrailers on trains like Paris->Lux and Frankfurt->Berlin (the 30th of december) if I make the reservation just some days in advance... for the other routes I hope it won't be a problem but since I read everywhere that *not so many* places are reserved for interrail passes I wanted to understand what to do...
what about the trip? Do you think it's a good plan? :)
Thanks!!!
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
You dont have to worry about places for Interrailers - this was in issue on trains in France some time ago but now you should get a reservation all the time (unless a train is fully booked of course). Either the limited reservations for 9€ or the anytime available reservations for 18€. However, on the trains to Luxembourg the reservation fee is 6€...confusing I know... :D
Would be great if you would share your experiences with us after your trip. ;)
From Luxembourg to Frankfurt you dont need any reservation at all, also from Frankfurt to Berlin.
From Berlin to Poznan a reservation is required and in the unlikely case that you dont get a reservation anymore we can always find other solutions with slower regional trains.
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]You dont have to worry about places for Interrailers - this was in issue on trains in France some time ago but now you should get a reservation all the time (unless a train is fully booked of course). Either the limited reservations for 9€ or the anytime available reservations for 18€. However, on the trains to Luxembourg the reservation fee is 6€...confusing I know... :D [/quote]
Ok, I trust you! :)
[quote]Would be great if you would share your experiences with us after your trip. ;) [/quote]
Of course I will!!! :D
[quote]
From Luxembourg to Frankfurt you dont need any reservation at all, also from Frankfurt to Berlin.
From Berlin to Poznan a reservation is required and in the unlikely case that you dont get a reservation anymore we can always find other solutions with slower regional trains.[/quote]
Oh Lux -> Frank no reservation? Nice!!
Awesome, thanks a lot! :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Keep me posted about the Paris - Luxembourg trip! ;)
If you dont get a reservation to Luxembourg you can also try to get on a TGV to Metz and travel to Luxembourg by regional train from Metz.
Luxembourg - Frankfurt can be done by direct Intercity Bus of DB (German Railways) - 4,50€ reservation required. However, I would recommend to travel by train: First by regional train along the beautiful Mosel valley (sit on the right) to Koblenz, then by IC or ICE train alongt the similarly beautiful Rhine valley (sit left) to Frankfurt. Will take about 30 minutes longer than the direct bus but requires no reservation.
Regarding your trip in general, you could think about leaving Berlin early in the morning to get to Poznan, spend the day there and continue to Warsaw in the evening - that way you could get by with the five travel days of your 5in10 ticket and wouldnt have to buy an extra ticket.
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Keep me posted about the Paris - Luxembourg trip! ;)
If you dont get a reservation to Luxembourg you can also try to get on a TGV to Metz and travel to Luxembourg by regional train from Metz. [/quote]
Awesome, sounds great! :D
[quote]
Luxembourg - Frankfurt can be done by direct Intercity Bus of DB (German Railways) - 4,50€ reservation required. However, I would recommend to travel by train: First by regional train along the beautiful Mosel valley (sit on the right) to Koblenz, then by IC or ICE train alongt the similarly beautiful Rhine valley (sit left) to Frankfurt. Will take about 30 minutes longer than the direct bus but requires no reservation. [/quote] Awesome again! I will go for the train then ! o)
[quote]Regarding your trip in general, you could think about leaving Berlin early in the morning to get to Poznan, spend the day there and continue to Warsaw in the evening - that way you could get by with the five travel days of your 5in10 ticket and wouldnt have to buy an extra ticket.[/quote]
Yeah, exactly what I was thinking... but someone told me that Poznan has great night life! Any clue about this? :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
I've only been to Poznan a few hours last summer while changing trains so cant comment on the night life..
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]I've only been to Poznan a few hours last summer while changing trains so cant comment on the night life..[/quote]
ok but apart from that? You wouldn't spend there more than some 4/5 hours right? And head directly to Warsaw...
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Ah well...like I said I just spent a few hours there so cant really make a valid statement whether the city is worth to stay there overnight or not. ;)
Personally, I would try to arrange the trip to fit in the 5in10 so that I wouldnt have to buy an extra ticket.
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Ah well...like I said I just spent a few hours there so cant really make a valid statement whether the city is worth to stay there overnight or not. ;)
Personally, I would try to arrange the trip to fit in the 5in10 so that I wouldnt have to buy an extra ticket.[/quote]
True story... now I was wondering: which are the rails conditions in Poland in early January??? :| Should I be scared of too much snow or extreme conditions -> trains don't work or it's just fine? :D
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Wouldnt worry too much - especially since you are travelling on the main routes Berlin - Poznan - Warszawa and Warszawa - Krakow which are in good condition (especially considering the run-down state of many other (minor) lines in Poland). On the CMK route (Warszawa to Katowice/Krakow) trains now even run at 200 km/h. :)
I have been to Poland (and the Baltics) in last January and it got gradually warmer and less snowy/icy from north to south and we had no troubles whatsoever (Vilnius - Warsaw by bus; Warsaw - back home to Austria by train).
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Wouldnt worry too much - especially since you are travelling on the main routes Berlin - Poznan - Warszawa and Warszawa - Krakow which are in good condition (especially considering the run-down state of many other (minor) lines in Poland). On the CMK route (Warszawa to Katowice/Krakow) trains now even run at 200 km/h. :)
I have been to Poland (and the Baltics) in last January and it got gradually warmer and less snowy/icy from north to south and we had no troubles whatsoever (Vilnius - Warsaw by bus; Warsaw - back home to Austria by train).[/quote]
Awesome!!! You are really great in encouraging people! :D :D
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Haha no problem :D
What I forgot to mention earlier: How do you plan to get to Katowice airport from Krakow? I dont know the options but I guess a (direct) bus would be a good option considering that the Krakow - Katowice line is painfully slow...
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Haha no problem :D
What I forgot to mention earlier: How do you plan to get to Katowice airport from Krakow? I dont know the options but I guess a (direct) bus would be a good option considering that the Krakow - Katowice line is painfully slow...[/quote]
I just found a very cheap flight from wroclaw leaving at 18.00... so I could take the first train in the morning from Krakow -> Wroclaw (08:10->11:21) and than take a bus from there to the airport (around 30minutes). I think this can be a good combination!
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hmm..Wroclaw is supposed to be a very nice city too! ;)
Where does your flight go to? Vilnius? Warsaw - Vilnius with Lux Express bus is no option?
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Hmm..Wroclaw is supposed to be a very nice city too! ;)
Where does your flight go to? Vilnius? Warsaw - Vilnius with Lux Express bus is no option?[/quote]
Italy! :D
And the ticket is around 30€ so awesome price :D
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Ahh... ;)
Well, Lux Express is no option then :D
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Ahh... ;)
Well, Lux Express is no option then :D [/quote]
eheh yeah can't be nicer that this! :D
Now what about the discount on the pass? Is it the same pass as the interrail one? I saw that they also have a christmas bonus on their page (15% off)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Yes, in December a 15% discount is available on all Interrail Global Passes. Just use our partner link to interrail.eu: [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] - same price for you but we get a little comission to keep the servers running. Thank you. :)
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Yes, in December a 15% discount is available on all Interrail Global Passes. Just use our partner link [ux]https://rail.shop/interrail[/ux] - same price for you but we get a little comission to keep the servers running. Thank you. :) [/quote]
Perfect will do it! Thanks mate ;)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Thanks!
:arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/plus[/u]
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
Live live live from the trip! :)
I'm having some problems with the reservations in France... some days ago I asked a local train station to make a reservation for my today's trip to Paris and then to Luxembourg.
1) She told me there was only the 18€ possibility for Angers -> Paris
2) The reservation for Paris -> Lux is 16,20€. I tried to say that on the website it was 6 but there was no way to do change it.
Btw today before going on the train I asked again and they told me there was a mistake since the reservation was made for 1st class seat but I have a 2nd class one... so they didn't let me on the train. I finally made a reservation for the tomorrow's trains.
Now since I have to rush a bit I would like to reach directly Berlin from Luxembourg. I saw there is a combination of IC bus and ICE train (not sprinter) that makes me reach Berlin by midday on the 30th. Now the question: should I make the reservation of both the bus (Lux -> Frankfurt) and the train (Frank->Berlin) or should I try luck?
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
And then how does it work without booking? I can just seat randomly in some place in an ICE train??
I checked better and I saw that the train will be Frankfurt -> Hannover and then Hannover -> Berlin
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hey!
Sorry to hear from the reservation issues in France. Would you mind sending me pics of your reservations after your trip?
EDIT. The 18€ reservation should be correct as I dont get any 9€ reservations at the moment for Angers - Paris one day in advance.
So where are you at currently?
Luxembourg - Berlin: The IC Bus has compulsory reservation; on the ICE you just go on the train and get a free seat (have a look at the overhead indicators whether a seat is reserved or not). ICE Sprinter dont require a reservation anymore too BTW.
What connection do you want to take to get to Berlin on 30 December?
asding1
Traveller
13 comments
[quote]Hey!
Sorry to hear from the reservation issues in France. Would you mind sending me pics of your reservations after your trip?
EDIT. The 18€ reservation should be correct as I dont get any 9€ reservations at the moment for Angers - Paris one day in advance.
So where are you at currently?[/quote]
Still in Angers, will get to Luxembourg tomorrow :)
[quote]
Luxembourg - Berlin: The IC Bus has compulsory reservation; on the ICE you just go on the train and get a free seat (have a look at the overhead indicators whether a seat is reserved or not). ICE Sprinter dont require a reservation anymore too BTW.
What connection do you want to take to get to Berlin on 30 December?[/quote]
* Luxembourg Gare Centrale quai 13 We, 30.12.15 dep 02:40 BUS43022 IC Bus Direction: Frankfurt(M)Hbf Stuttgarter Str.
Subject to compulsory reservation, Operated by BOHR Omnibus GmbH and Sales-Lentz Autocars s.a.
* Frankfurt(Main)Hbf We, 30.12.15 dep 08:13 ICE 694 Intercity-Express Direction: Berlin Ostbahnhof
can I get the reservation for that bus tomorrow at Paris station?
Thanks :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Oh...thats an early departure! :D
Normally you should get the reservation at a Paris station (I recommend Gare d'Austerlitz) but I cant guarantee it, sorry ;)