dianaross
Traveller
6 comments
Posted 11 years ago
First time Eurail we purchased 5 countries select saver passes(Germanyto Switzerland to Italy to Spain to Portugal) to go from kiel to Malaga( & thence to Portugal ) from 25th april till the 28th (Malaga). We since discovered its a 20 hr ferry trip( on a seat) from Civitavecchia to Barcelona! WHAT are our options ? (1) cancel passes & start again ? (2) use passes to Milan & then pay go from there to say, Perpignan ,Little Yellow Train & then on to Barcelona etc ? (3) cancel & buy regional passes (Germany/france&France/Spain) (4) cancel & just buy tickets Kiel,Hamburg, Paris, Perpignan etc., or can we do it some OTHER way on our purchased passes ?? We eagerly await your ideas.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Ross.
So you only want to travel from Kiel to Malaga. No other journeys?
As then point to point tickets will be cheaper if you buy them now.
Example:
[b]Kiel - Paris[/b]:
25.04.2013
Kiel dep: 1048
Paris Est arr: 2054
2nd class which is fine.
EUR 69 per person
Booking as e-ticket via: [ux]https://rail.shop/bahn[/ux]
You will change the train in Frankfurt but with enough time (1 hour). So you can have a break. Information on the link above.
[b]Change Paris Est to Paris Austerlitz[/b]:
Use metro line 5 in direction to Place d'Italie. Exit at Gare d'Austerlitz.
Total journey time is max. 20 minutes. Ticket available at ticket machines or ticket windowfor EUR 1,70 per person.
[b]Paris - Barcelona[/b]:
25.04.2013
Paris Austerlitz dep: 2216
Barcelona Franca arr: 0943
Booking via elipsos.com or rail.shop/sncf - have a look if you can find the Duo offers which should be around EUR 170 for two persons.
[b]Barcelona - Malaga[/b]:
Have a look at [ux]https://rail.shop/acprail/renfe[/ux]
Starting from EUR 132 for two persons.
It's just to give you an idea ... to calculate and where to find e-tickets.
Peter :)
dianaross
Traveller
6 comments
Many thanks Peter for your patience & help . As you explain ,Pt. to Pt.is way to go ,moneywise. We're older( but superfit) & want a comfortable , scenic experience , with a bit of adventure thrown in !( not so much saving money , but as we have no French or German, not too much ticket machines & to us, confusion) To us a first sleep on a train & the 'Little Yellow Train' sounds like fun .( If we get to Malaga for our timeshare week on time ,all the better!) hope you get the gist of this rave , thanks again from Ross & Diana (ps had a big old man kangaroo in the driveway this morning!)
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Never met a kangaroo in real... :)
Back to your travel plans ...
You really have different options.
Kiel to Hamburg is easy as there are connections at least every hour.
Hamburg - Paris: you can travel this route as well by overnight train.
Note: if you travel this route with an Eurail pass, you will need a reservation for the night train or if you travel by day train for the TGV in France (Mannheim/Frankfurt to Paris).
[u]https://rail.cc/en/hamburg/c[/u]
You can easily get these reservations online - if you know which train you want, I will guide you to the place where to buy them.
For point to point tickets: as earlier you buy, as cheaper they are.
[b]Paris - Barcelona[/b]: again a reservation is required for day or night train if you travel with an Eurail pass.
Also available online.
The route Paris to Perpignan by night train and then up to the Pyrenees (Little Yellow Train) is really nice.
[u]https://rail.cc/en/train/paris-to-barcelona[/u]
Little Yellow Train: [u]https://rail.cc/blog/little-yellow-train-video/[/u]
Then you might stay one night in Barcelona and continue the next morning to Malaga.
There again you will need a reservation, but also available online.
Peter :)
dianaross
Traveller
6 comments
Thanks again Peter, i can sort out the bookings i think, thanks to the railccs help but as far as i can gather i can't use my Eurail selectsaver 5 country (Germ./Swiss/italy/spain /Port.) to traval in france. So it's best to cancel the pass & pt to pt ? Am i right ?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
If you book your point to point tickets these days, cancel the Eurail pass.
But book the point to point tickets soon - as otherwise they get more and more expensive.
If you want to include the Little Yellow Train, you can buy a ticket Paris-Perpignan (instead of directly to Barcelona). Try [ux]https://rail.shop/sncf[/ux]
From Perpignan to Latour de Carol you have to buy a point to point ticket - which you should get in Paris (english speaking staff at Paris Gare de l'Est where you arrive from Germany) or even in Kiel. Tickets and seats are not limited for this train up into the Pyrenees, so no hurry. :)
The same for Latour de Carol to Barcelona (otherwise, you get it at a ticket machine in Latour de Carol - ask people there to help you - there are only some connections per day - it is a very quiet place - [u]https://rail.cc/en/latour-de-carol/c[/u]).
Resend your Eurail Pass to the postal address (ACP rail) at the bottom of the invoice you got with your passes. It should be in Australia or New Zealand if I am right. Do NOT send it to the one in Germany (left top corner)!!!
And if you have questions, just let me know !! :)
Peter :)
dianaross
Traveller
6 comments
Hi Peter,another easy question for you ! Why can't i book ONLINE the 10:07 am on 26th of April TGV out of Paris to Perpignan ?
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi.
On the website of the French railway company sncf.fr it is available. It depends on which website you try to book it?
Peter :)
dianaross
Traveller
6 comments
H i Peter, another steaming hot day here!, having a spot of bother getting a timetable from Latour de Carol to Barcelona! Can you help us ? kind regards Ross M
dianaross
Traveller
6 comments
Yes Peter, i know ,you'd already posted it for me! ; looks like i owe you a few beers . regards Ross M
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Ross...
Beer is always welcome. ;)
[b]Peprignan - Villefranche[/b]: [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/perpignan-to-villefranche-de-conflent[/u]
[b]Villefranche - Latour de Carol[/b]: this is the part with the Little Yellow Train - [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/villefranche-de-conflent-to-latour-de-carol[/u]
[b]Latour de Carol - Barcelona[/b]: down out of the mountains also by local train - [u]https://rail.cc/en/train/latour-de-carol-to-barcelona[/u]
All schedules are up to date. :)
Peter :)
dianaross
Traveller
6 comments
Hi peter, once again, is there any reason why we can't book Latour de Carol to Barcelona ONLINE using railcc/Renfe? regards Ross M.
Peter
Traveller
9333 comments
Hi Ross...
Yes, as it is a kind of local train (CercanÃas). As much as I know, you can only use ticket machines.
The fare for Latour de Carol to Barcelona per person is EUR 11,20. As it is a local train, you can not make reservations for this train and the seats are not limited.
More information here: www.gencat.cat/portal/site/rodalies/
Peter :)