Daisyamyl
Traveller
2 comments
Posted 12 years ago
I have read so much about the 7am rule over my planning but am now slightly stuck. I want to travel between Marseille and Holland maybe Amsterdam but am open to recommendations. My issue is I would only have 1 days travel left and that means I am unable to take an over night train, as there is no direct train which would mean I use 2 travel days up?
Is this correct?
Daisy
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hej Daisy,
read here for details about the 1900-rule :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-night-train[/u]
So, it is no problem to travel from Marseille to Amsterdam with only one travel day. It would be even possible to do the whole trip during one day, if you leave early in Marseille and go to Paris, then on to Amsterdam (travel time ~12 hours).
Or travel overnight with the Lunea night train coming from Nice to Paris, then continue to Amsterdam. :)
Flo 8)
Daisyamyl
Traveller
2 comments
Thanks for the advice just booked the train during the day. As this is a forum to help people I would like to tell people to do your research and see what countries need reservation fees. We have travelled for 6 weeks now and for the first 4 never needed to make a reservation. Today's reservation for marseille to Brussels cost us €26 each person which I cannot understand why, so much!! A hostel for that evening now makes it a very expensive day. We also had to pay reservation fees between 3-10€ in Italy which was expected, and didn't stretch the purse strings to much.
So all I can say is map out your routes and ask people on here before you leave. Does anyone know why France charge alot for reservations?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
France is very special. They simply don't want to have Interrailers in their trains. No one can understand their unfriendly behaviour, also limiting seats in their trains for Interrailers - even when free places left at the departure of the train! :(
So always have a look on the railcc schedules giving you free routes if available:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/search-interrail-route[/u]
Which trains did you used on Marseilles to Brussels?
TGV in France is available for EUR 6 (often more expensive) - if no seats are available, someone found a non-official solution which seems to work:
[u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail-train-reservation/tgv-sncf/42[/u]
So on this route it is possible by TGV from Marseilles to Strasbourg and then by free train via Luxembourg to Brussels (this connection: [u]https://rail.cc/en/interrail/zurich-to-brussels[/u] ).
I know it is disappointing to have such an expensive day. Thank you SNCF! xo
Peter :)
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi,
could you post a picture of you reservation Marseille - Bruxelles? I am very curious what kind of ticket you got (did you get it at Marseille St Charles?)? Never heard of a 26€ reservation fee for a TGV before. Normally, reservation fees are 6€ at the counter or 18€ on board if no 6€ places are left.
Or did you go via Paris and used a Thalys for the Paris - Amsterdam leg?
Flo 8)
nltrainer
Traveller
1404 comments
[quote]H
France is very special. They simply don't want to have Interrailers in their trains. No one can understand their unfriendly behaviour, also limiting seats in their trains for Interrailers - even when free places left at the departure of the train! :(
The state run and strikehappy SNCF does not want non-paying IR-users on the seats they think they could sell for more money on their superfast TGV-trains. They do not care at all for the non-reserved local TER-trains.
The same applies to Spain in fact.
BUT the REServation system for the SNCF-a heritage bought for too many old francs from Americam Airlines, has never ever been set up to cater for IR-users. it is also a quirk in their syetm that makes it very user-unhappy.
Daisy-it has all been very well explained on this site. Again a case of alwaysinform before travel.