MagiX
Traveller
5 comments
Posted 14 years ago
Hey
I'm just wondering... I have an Interrail pass (Global, 10 out of 22), country of residence: Germany
If I take the Thalys from Paris to Cologne, and want to get off in Aachen, do I have to pay the Thalys from the Border to Aachen (i.e. Liege to Aachen) or can I just leave in Aachen?
On my way out of Germany, I bought a ticket, valid until the last station before the border, so I think that the cross border part is a part of both countries or so...
Kind Regards,
Chris
PS: Is there a connection between Port Bou and Cerbere? I want to avoid the expensive international train and take a domestic one and cross the border myself... bus, taxi...?
Head
Traveller
101 comments
[quote]PS: Is there a connection between Port Bou and Cerbere? I want to avoid the expensive international train and take a domestic one and cross the border myself... bus, taxi...?[/quote]
Don't worry, normally French domestic trains go across border into first Spainish station (Port Bou) and v.v. - Spanish local trains cross the border to Cerbere.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
And for the THALYS ...
if not all countries the THALYS is crossing are included in your InterRail Pass (which is the case for GERMANY), then you will have to use the fare Pass 2 - but... maybe just ask them as you directly leave at the border and do not continue until Cologne. As well the THALYS is a GLOBAL PRICE train - not a German one ...
so you might have good look paying only fare Pass 1:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/train/paris-to-amsterdam[/u]
Peter :)
MagiX
Traveller
5 comments
[quote]Don't worry, normally French domestic trains go across border into first Spainish station (Port Bou) and v.v. - Spanish local trains cross the border to Cerbere.[/quote]
can I get off the train there as well? I mean it doesn't help me, if the train goes across the border, but I can't leave it...
@Peter: ok, I will ask them... probably the conductor is the best person to ask... as the train stations in Italy probably don't know it...
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
you can get off in both stations. you have a mixed gauge on both sides (France/Spain) - the border is within a 1km long tunnel. regional trains stop at both stations.
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
IMO it should be possible to get the Pass 1 supplement since Aachen is marked as the border station in the timetable. :)
However there would be slower but cheaper alternatives too, either via Gent or Charleroi:
Paris 1058 - 1200 Lille :arr: TGV, 3€
Lille 1212 - 1513 Liège
Liège 1513 - 1626 Aachen
or
Paris 1058 - 1200 Lille :arr: TGV, 3€
Lille 1208 - 1303 Gent
Gent 1324 - 1500 Liège
Liège 1513 - 1626 Aachen
Regarding the cross-border trains at Cerbère/ Port Bou: The french trains terminate at Port Bou but start at Cerbère whereas the spanish trains terminate at Cerbère and start at Port Bou.
Flo 8)
MagiX
Traveller
5 comments
Actually a good idea to go via Lille, with the TGV and save the THALYS supplement, I think I will do it and save 25E or so... thanks for the hint!
portbou --> cerbere: I checked it and officially, they do not do so... but I think I will ask the conductor as well and in the worst case, walk the 7km with 30kg of stuff... (I have 80 minutes or so... should be possible...)
Thanks for all the help! will tell you if it worked out :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
Good to hear that you want to save the Thalys supplement. :)
But regarding the Port Bou/Cerbère thing: Where did you check it? On what journey do you need to cross this border (from where to where)? There might be a misunderstanding at some point. However, I'm sure that at least some of the regional trains serve the two staions as I've described.
Flo 8)
EDIT:
Randomly picked RENFE train Barcelona - Cerbère: [u]http://horarios.renfe.com/HIRRenfeWeb/recorrido.do?O=BARCE&D=79315&F=2010-01-26&T=15829&G=1&TT=REGIONAL%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&ID=s&FDS=2009-12-16[/u]
SNCF timetable: [u]http://www.ter-sncf.com/Images/Languedoc_Roussillon/Tridion/Cerb%C3%A8re%20-%20Narbonne%20-%20Toulouse_tcm22-20355.pdf[/u]
MagiX
Traveller
5 comments
As I will take the Night train, leaving at 21:21 from cerbere, it might be good to be there at latest at 20:45 (according to schedule :D )
just realized: the Regional Train stops at Cerbere, according to schedule, whereas the MD train a bit later, doesn't!
Good to know and thanks for another good hint :)
i.e. Regional [u]http://horarios.renfe.com/HIRRenfeWeb/recorrido.do?O=BARCE&D=79315&F=2010-01-11&T=15839&G=1&TT=REGIONAL%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&ID=s&FDS=2009-12-16[/u]
MD: [u]http://horarios.renfe.com/HIRRenfeWeb/recorrido.do?O=BARCE&D=79315&F=2010-01-11&T=15081&G=2&TT=MD%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&ID=s&FDS=2009-12-16[/u]
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Another plus of the Cercanias (Regional) train compared to the Media Distancia (MD) train is that it doesn't require a reservation.
It seems that you're ready to go now. :)
Flo 8)
MagiX
Traveller
5 comments
we can't make reservations for trains not starting/crossing/ending in italy, you have to do it in France
interrail would be soooo boring otherwise :)
will try it at another counter... and if unsuccessful, in spain
Head
Traveller
101 comments
[quote]we can't make reservations for trains not starting/crossing/ending in italy[/quote]
is there any train crossing Italy, starting and ending in some other countries? )
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Well, as you cetrainly know there are several trains starting/ending in Italy but I can't think of any (passenger) train crossing Italy. ;)
MagiX
Traveller
5 comments
haven't checked it, if there is a train crossing italy, but there might be one... I mean maybe not from West to East, but maybe from NNW to N :)
Portbou --> Cerbere... as it was kind of predictable: I missed the regional Train to Cerbere and thus had to take the MD to Portbou... fortunately, there was a french train (corail) stopping in Portbou, before going back to Cerbere. So I asked the conductor and was allowed to go with him :)
so it might be possible to get from Portbou to Cerbere, even with the MD