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Paris - Turku

  • 13 January 2024
  • 32 replies
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Hi all,

Before buying a card, I’d like to be sure that it will be interesting for me. I understand that I have to pay for reservation and cabin in night train, so is it really interesting? I don’t know how can I calculate what I have to add ?

I would like to travel from Paris to Turku (Finland). It seems the quicker way is to go to Koeln and Hamburg in a day and take the night train to Stockholm (with a cabin booking). Then, I’ll take ferry by night from Stockholm to Turku. Is it included ?

I never used interrail and I don’t understand everything.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Nb : I have 50 years old and can’t take train. I want to go to Turku as quick as possible and with a night in a cabin on night train.

 

 

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Best answer by thibcabe 13 January 2024, 21:00

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ralderton
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The quickest way to see what reservations and sleeper train cabins will cost, is to look at this page on Seat61.

You’ll have to add the trains up one by one.

https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

The ferry isn’t included, but the pass does get you a discount on the ferry ticket.

ralderton
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Paris-Cologne by Eurostar €32
Cologne-Hamburg by ICE - no reservation needed, but optional
Hamburg-Stockholm by Snälltåget Sleeper - €39. By Euronight will be more expensive
Stockholm-Turku by Viking Lines ferry - 50% discount with rail pass

T
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Here is a helpful link on how Interrail works : https://www.seat61.com/how-to-use-an-interrail-pass.htm

A pass is likely to be good value for a return trip. All questions welcome, we’ll gladly help. :)

The Paris - Cologne Eurostar has a 32€ reservation fee as said. There is also a (very limited) passholder quota so you have to book well in advance. When is your trip planned ?

A cheaper but slightly slower alternative is :

  • TGV/ICE Paris-Est - Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 18€ reservation fee
  • ICE Frankfurt (Main) Hbf - Hamburg Hbf optional reservation (3€), recommended on busy dates

Snälltåget is a good option but it doesn’t run daily while SJ (Euronight) does.

Je peux aussi répondre en français si jamais.

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Thanks for all your very useful replies! 

Maybe it’s too late… Departure on 28th Feb and return on 17th March. How can I do to know if there’s still places for Passholders before buying my pass?

 

T
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No, it’s all good. You can check https://www.b-europe.com/EN/Booking/Pass#TravelWish for a clear overview but there’s a 4€ booking fee so it’s actually best to book through https://www.raileurope.com/ (click on add rail pass/ajouter un pass ferroviaire).

The 09:55 Eurostar is pretty ideal in my opinion : you can take it as far as Cologne, Düsseldorf or Duisburg before connecting to the ICE.

The SJ EuroNight leaves at 22:03 allowing you to have dinner beforehand near Hamburg main station. Prices :

  • 385 SEK (35€) for a couchette in a shared compartment with max 6 people
  • 830 SEK (75€) for a berth with another person in the compartment (or if you’re lucky, alone. Totally possible outside peak season)
  • 1654 SEK (148€) for a guaranteed private compartment

Questions welcome.

A
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Hamburg-Stockholm by Snälltåget Sleeper - €39. 

Snälltåget doesn't have a sleeper, only couchettes and seats. The cost is 699 SEK for a couchette between Germany and Stockholm. The cost for a couchette at SJ Euronight is 385 SEK.

Please note that I don't work for Interrail/Eurail and that I don't reply to personal messages.
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thanks Thibcabe but on the website raileurope, it said “we can’t sell tickets for the moment”… what does that mean ?

 

 

T
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Yeah it doesn’t work for me either right now, I get in an infinite loop... Does it work for someone else ?

Either wait a bit or book through B-Europe, it’s reliable (Belgian Railways website) but there’s the 4€ fee. You may enter any pass number when it asks for one, the reservation is tied to a person and not a number. I1111111 always works.

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With B-Europe, impossible to book a train to Sweden (Hamburg-Stockholm)

T
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Yes B-Europe works for Paris - Cologne. Please read the link ralderton provided → everything is explained. Then come back with questions.

ralderton
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Hamburg-Stockholm by Snälltåget Sleeper - €39. 

Snälltåget doesn't have a sleeper, only couchettes and seats.

Apologies. Bad wording on my part! Yes, I meant ‘night train’ (with couchette) rather than sleeping compartment. Thanks for the update on prices. Seat61 is maybe incorrect on this one.

ralderton
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With B-Europe, impossible to book a train to Sweden (Hamburg-Stockholm)

You need to book this one with SJ or Snälltåget. Details on Seat61. Scroll down to the “Germany > Stockholm & Sweden” section.

https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm#Germany

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Everyone helped me a lot but I have a last question… How to book a ferry (Stockholm-Turku) with 50% discount ? I tried different ways but I never saw a discount with interrail pass (Viking airlines, direct ferries).

ralderton
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It looks like you can book through this link from Eurail.

https://benefitsportal.eurail.com/benefits/viking-line/

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Edit: It seems if you click all the way through that link, you find out that you just need to add the code EURAIL into the offer code. But when I do that, it doesn’t change the price for me! I don’t know about you.

It also clarifies that it’s the dreaded ‘up to’ 50% discount.

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Thakns for your answer ralderton, but unfortunately, you can’t travel by night with the pass… Only on morning with no couchettes.

T
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Tallink/Silja Line gives a 20% discount so I can get Stockholm - Helsinki return for 175€ incl. cabin. Not ideal though… https://en.tallink.com/en/eurail-and-interrail-card-benefits

Let me try Viking Line a last time.

EDIT : yeah the discount doesn’t seem to work on night sailings. 133€ is quite expensive for a return journey but at least it saves you 2 nights in Stockolm or Turku...

Otherwise it might make sense to get the Travemünde (Germany) - Helsinki ferry one-way. That way you make a nice loop. There is some discount too I believe → doesn’t work and too expensive…

Viking Line remains your safest, fastest and easiest choice even without discount. It won’t be a particularly cheap trip I’m afraid.

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Hi, 

when booking a seat is not required, are you sure to have a place the day you will travel? (Deutsche Bahn) or is it possible to book and pay a fee to secure a place? I can’t find how to do it if it’s possible.

It’s about train Koln/Hamburg on the 28th feb.

T
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Sometimes reservations are optional (IC/ICE trains), sometimes they are not possible at all (regional trains). You are always allowed to board but at busy times you might have to swap seats along the way or stand for a bit.

Cologne - Hamburg will be by ICE so you can secure a seat if you wish :

  • 3€ per train through OBB (Austrian railways)
  • 4.90€ per journey through DB incl. seat selection

Select seat reservation only, it’s the same process whether you’ve got a regular ticket or a pass.

ralderton
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Yes, you can book a seat for €3, or free if you have a first class pass. Best to do it on oebb.at. 

 Worth booking if you elect the train to be busy, otherwise you just find an empty seat and/ or go and sit in the restaurant car!

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Thanks, perfectly clear

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another problem… on my way back, I’d like to book a train from Hambourg to Koln. I found one at 15h26-20h04 (OBB) but impossible to book a ticket ( “not available”) even if if tried on several websites. 

T
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I do not see it. What is the train number ?

Here are trains from Hamburg Hbf to Köln Hbf according to DB :

  • 13:52 - 18:00
  • 15:45 - 19:47
  • 16:45 - 20:47
  • 16:50 - 20:57

The Flixtrain leaving at 14:48 is not included in Interrail.

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Sorry, I made a mistake 🙏🏻 It’s from Copenhagen to Hamburg : direct train with OBB. 

It’s really not easy to book all these trains. 

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

R
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Sorry, I made a mistake 🙏🏻 It’s from Copenhagen to Hamburg : direct train with OBB.

ÖBB can't book these trains for some reason. You should be able to book on www.cd.cz (~€3, use “reservation only”) or https://travel.b-europe.com/dsb-rail/en/reservation-only#TravelWish (~€4).

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
T
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No worries!

I don’t think OBB can book this train. Use DB : 4.90€ per journey → for example you can get Copenhagen - Hamburg - Cologne for 4.90€ total, even with a night stop (add a 12h stopover for example).

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