Livs5
Traveller
1 comments
Posted 5 months ago
Hello, looking for advice on train from Paris to Salzburg, there seems to be no tkts available, 16/02/24 - 24/02/24, the German trains don't seem to have the timetable yet, is this normal? thanks,
argon
Traveller
351 comments
Wrong , DB and ÖBB already released their timetables , it seems that SNFC not released their timetables , when i like to book an TGV it says tickets cannot book before the 10.11 (not guaranteed , only with a high chance) .
MisterSteve
Traveller
914 comments
SNCF will have released the timetables, it's just their normal problem of their reservation system being inefficient especially on the cross border TGV/ICE service into Germany - this has been going on for some years and passngers are always left hanging on until close to departure.
As an alternative, use www.sbb.ch and select a route via Zurich. It's a little slower than via Stuttgart but it's an interesting ride and the TGVs to Switzerland don't seem to have the reservation problem.
nltrainer
Traveller
1340 comments
But IF you really want a ticket and pay full fare then this routing is much higher priced-Swiss prices-even more as Scandinavia once had.
Frankly: all that fuss about trains being ´full´ so many weeks ahead is total nonsense and tipical for foreigners from far away fearing too much.
It is still not that long ago that anyone using trains knew that it simply made no sense to try to book more as 2 month ahead-and in quite a few countries and on shorter distance 1 month is also often the norm.
Livs5
Traveller
1 comments
Hello, thanks for your message, so what would you advise, should I wait until nearer the time of 16/02/24 to book my ticket? Thanks
MisterSteve
Traveller
914 comments
You don't have a lot of choice - they won't sell you a TGV ticket until reservations are available so you have to wait - or use a bus or fly. For a route via Zurich, SBB will sell a combination of SNCF best price for Paris-Zurich (direct train at 10:22) and OBB best price on the direct connecting train to Salzburg arriving 20:03, the only price variation will be due to currency conversion roundings, I just checked an available date and they are actually selling the OBB ticket for slightly less than OBB because of that. The Zurich route could cost more than the Stuttgart route because it's a longer journey, but since there is less choice of trains the Stuttgart route might sell out (or get expensive) sooner.