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Seeking advice on itinerary

Angeline Poh
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Hi, this is my first time travelling to Europe with my partner. 

He is currently a short term residence of Spain till end of April 202 & will return home.  At the point of ordering the rail pass, should he still order the interrail pass? 

We are travelling from 21 Mar to 2 April 2022. My itinerary is like this: 

  1.  London to Munich 23rd March  apparently based on the guide from Seat61.com I can do 

sleeper train option 1 from London 23rd Mar 1104am → Brussels→ Cologne ->  Munich 24th Mar 7.11am

OR

option 2 would be London 1104am → Belgium → Frankfurt → Munich 23rd 910pm (this option is search via the Rail planner app)

Possible to advice

  1. if i still wish to choose the sleeper train option 1, how do i reserve my ticket ensuring is a sleeper train option on OEBB website or if ticket is only available to book from train station, will it be possible to book all route reservation from Spain train stations? 
  2. Does the Eurail pass cover my ride from London to Europe as mentioned above?
  3. Since I will be travelling with my partner, does the sleeper trains allows us to sleep in the 2 beds compartment? 

 

  1. Munich to Paris 29th March 
  • Will be leaving Munich on 29th 12am/324am & arrive in Paris 29th 935am/10am with 1-2 changes between stations (please see the picture for the chosen itinerary & both options i’m saving 1 night accommodation in Munich)

  •  

Please advice 

  1. We are looking to travel to Garmisch-Partenkirchen for 2D1N (27th - 28th March) & following day to EuroPark for the day before returning back to Munich to catch the 29th midnight train. For this, we will be driving a rental car OR is there other suggestion to reach Garmisch-Partenkirchen & Europark using the Eurail pass or relevant passes that is departing from Munich (cheaper option)? 
  2. Factoring the above, the initial pass i am looking to purchase would be 4 days but if there is cheaper alternative with using the pass, do I need to increase the travel days? 
  3. How does the benefit of the pass works? Does transport from the benefit considers a travel day ? 

 

  1. Paris to Barcelona / Montserrat 31st March

I’m deciding between a sleeper train that leave Paris on 31 March 914pm via Perpignan arriving at 1st April 831am & leaving at 1112am and arrive in Barcelona 1st April 1234pm or direct train from Paris 1010 am/ 1152pm to Barcelona 454pm/732pm. The reason why I'm hesitating to take the direct as I wanted to spend more time in Paris before heading to Spain.  

 

Please advice 

  1. Again, factoring if I were to take a sleeper train. Is transiting at Perpignan on 1st April count as 1 travel day ?
  2. How do i make reservation on https://www.sncf-connect.com/ / www.renfe.com / https://www.thetrainline.com/ with the Eurail pass? As I tried to enter the loyalty card, I could only see RailPlus. Is RailPlus referring to Eurail? 
  1. Barcelona / Montserrat to Madrid 2nd April 

Thank you for helping out !! Would deeply appreciate. 

 

 

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Best answer by seewulf 2 February 2022, 20:02

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M
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Oh, that is a well thought out and long list. Just 2 short answers:

from M(ünchen) to GP there are hourly local trains-NO REServation possible, just board and find seats. Use bahn.de to check times-it will generally also even work for non-rail stops, so check what the transportation is from the trainstation to €park.

Note you can compare cost: there is also a 1-day BAYERNticket (for 2 about 33/30€) that is valid all day-after 9.00 mo-fr) in the whole of Bayern-on LOCAL trains (NOT ICE) and incl all buses, metro in M etc. Is probably a lot cheaper as 2 persons /Traveldays. Just buy when there from machine.

For these NJ=nightjet trains there is a BIG supplmt to be paid, you can book online with stating somewhere you have IR. Sebastian Seewulf,-he comes along also daily, has explained many times how to do that in similar postings. He will know about sleeping spots etc.

The ICE/overnight you show for M->Paris is seats only and the extra ONLY covers the (not really needed) seat REServation (optional) INside DE=Germany. BUT same story again: for INTernational on to France you have to visit counter, show pass, pay supplmt, somewhere between 10/20 €/pp.

There is-if you like that NJ so much-every 2nd day also now an overnight NJ with sleepers etc, coming from Wien=Vienna, stops in M then to Paris. Maybe not on the day you mention.

For €star there is also a VERY high supplmt to be paid-in fact even higher as sometimes the lowest advance fare (though it seems they do not offer these at the mo).

YOu can use as many trains as you can manage on a TRavelday-even if that train passes midnight to alight. BUT if you then take a connection next day, this is a NEW travelday!

The direct TGV Paris_Barca is also with VERY high supplmt (more as I paid for my airticket AMS-Spain a few days ago) and has just a few quota seats for IR. From Perpignan to Barca you can use local trains-FR till border=Cerbëre/Port Bou, ES/RENFE locals (called rodalies, NOT in the general planners!!) onward, but this will take much longer-and is much more scenic-as the expensive fast HiSpeed. But no extra has to be paid.

You canNOT reserve online with pass on either sncf or renfe-has to be done in FR from machine or in ES at ticketcounter. Any IR-newbee seems to want to ride exactly there and all the time we have to say sorry, these are the 2 countries with cumbersome offers. However-in FR, a big country, you can just hop onto about any widespread local/regional TER-train, in Spain they do not even have that.

Pass BENEfits do not need a travelday-these are just tiny discounts that fairly often can also be had in other forms. In fact I do not see any real benefits in your scheme.

RailPLUS (R+) is a discount card that gives 15% OFF on FULL international fares. However, neither FR nor ES participate in this scheme anymore.

trip 4: inside Espana: there are now also much cheaper low-cost HiSpeed trains from Barca to MAD, as AVLO or QuiGO. Works just like budget airlines: no show, money gone. Pay extra for bulky luggage.

This may again be a little cheaper as 1 travelday+supplmt.

All in all: as for the trips you mention it may very well be the case that in fact booking all trips separately and hoping for low advance fares MAY be cheaper as IR+all the supplmts and cumbersome bookings. You have to do the math yourself. You can easily book on bahn.de (=german railways) f.e. for the trip M-Paris. On nightjet for those trips, eurostar etc.

seewulf
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1st

London - Brussels(Amsterdam) you need a Eurostar Reservation :)
From Cologne you can catch the Nightjet and reserve it via oebb.at By following this manual
 If you are just going through Brussels and Colgone have in mind you could catch the Eurostar till Amsterdam and board the Nighttrain to Munich already in Amsterdam :) (more time to sleep)
It depends what you book :) If you book 2 beds in a triple category you will travel in compartments sorted by sex (Male Compartment, Female Compartment) when you select to travel in Double you will travel together in a own private Compartment together :)

Just note that the EURO-Park is near Freiburg (near the French border) it makes no sence to travel all the way back to Munich :/ to travel then to Paris

Munich - Europark is a 5-6hrs Journey :)

Paris - Barcelona

When using the Nighttrain till Perpignan (or even Portbou/Cerbere) and then further to Barcelona would count as two traveldays
Travelday 1 Nighttrain Paris - Perpignan
Travelday 2 Perpignan - Barcelona

Reservations for France can´t be done online (except directly via Eurail Reservation service) RailPlus have nothing todo with Eurail




 

I´ am not working for Eurail or Interrail i just share my knowledge here. Please ask in the Community and not via private message as this is the fastest way to get an answer. I prefer English/German/ Czech for my answers. In case of Reservationquestions please share some details like Route, Date, Trainnumber as otherwise we can just provide general advices or answers
Angeline Poh
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Hi Seewulf 

Appreciate your help in answering my doubts :) 

 

I would like to clarify that u mentioned for London to Amsterdam I would need to Eurostar reservation? Does this mean that I would have to pay the entire ticket price (currently is 125euro on 23 March) or I have to pay for the seat reservation? If this is the case, how do I proceed to make seat reservation on Eurostar website with my pass? 

 

Since Europark is 5-6 hours away from Munich and is only opening on 27 March. Do you have other suggestion on how should I travel between Munich (4N), Europark (Day trip) & Garmisch-Partenkirchen (1N) from 24th to 28th March (you can include visiting Freiburg for 2D1N as i’m open up to visiting more places to fully utilize the pass)

Also, does my partner has to purchase the Interrail pass as his short term residency will expire in April 2022? 

seewulf
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You can reserve Eurostar via the Eurail itself (2€ Servicefee) or via B-Europe (4€ service fee + PassCoverNumber needed ) price is usually arround 30€ and the seats are limited :/ If the Eurail Quota is sold out there is no other way :/


You can visit first Munich (with daytrip to Garmisch Patenkirchen)
and afterwards visit the EuroPark (stay in their own Hotels or search for a cheap arround ) and after that find your way via Strassbourg to Paris :)

I´ am not working for Eurail or Interrail i just share my knowledge here. Please ask in the Community and not via private message as this is the fastest way to get an answer. I prefer English/German/ Czech for my answers. In case of Reservationquestions please share some details like Route, Date, Trainnumber as otherwise we can just provide general advices or answers
R
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Some more hints:

  1. a. Cologne (Köln) - Munich: normally, the night train leaves from Köln Hbf, the main station in Cologne. However, because of engineering works, it does not do that on 23 March and you need to use a connecting train to get to Bonn first. ÖBB give the latest possible connecting train, with only 6 minutes to change, but please take an earlier one. There are plenty of trains from Cologne to Bonn and you don't need a reservation for them. Use the ÖBB website to book the night train (using @seewulf's manual). Spanish railways can't book much outside of Spain so I wouldn't count on getting reservations there.
    b. Your Eurail pass covers this journey. Please note that London is in Europe, just not on the continent.
    c. Yes, 2-bed compartments are possible (normal EUR 94 p.p. and DeLuxe EUR 114 p.p.(with private toilet/shower)). You can choose when booking.

    For option 2, you can book reservations for Brussels - Munich on the Deutsche Bahn website (2 trains for the price of 1); click on the "Seat only” link.
  2. a. Garmisch-Partenkirchen has a train every hour from Munich; no reservation needed. No need to rent a car. Check the DB website for schedules.
  3. I'm not sure where you found a train Paris - Perpignan leaving at 21:14 on 31 March. French railways only have Paris 21:45 - Toulouse 6:42 on that day. Likewise, I don't see an onward connection to arrive in Barcelona at 12:34. In fact, the onward connections from Toulouse to Barcelona are so bad that day that you'll only arrive in Barcelona around the same time as with the direct TGV from Paris on 1 April at 10:10. Reservations for the night train can be made via the Eurail/Interrail website. Same for the direct TGV, which has limited availability for pass holders, so don't wait too long to book.
  4. Barcelona to Montserrat is not included in Eurail/Interrail. It is run by FGC, which have a combined ticket ("Combos Montserrat”) for the train to Monistrol de Montserrat and the connecting rack railway up the mountain to Montserrat. There are also options to include more than just these two train rides. Ask for them at the sales points mentioned.
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.
Angeline Poh
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Hi @seewulf 

I see. Now that I have more understanding of how the pass works. 

Alright, for Garmisch Patenkirchen. I might be doing the 2D1N upon arriving in munich, return to munich for remaining days till then travel to Europark. 

 

Do u know of any travel route from Munich to Europark? Assuming that i have include a travel day for this arrangement, i would need to increase my pass to 5 days ? 

There is another question for the receiving the pass. 

Assuming my partner is receiving the interrail pass via mobile & for myself would be receiving it in hardcopy mailed to my home country. Does this mean we could only make reservation upon receiving in either method ? 

 

 

Angeline Poh
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Hi @rvdborgt 

 

Thank you so much for the hints given !! 

It’s seem like arriving in Cologne will have extra stops & time management consideration but there is transit time of 6 hours that would allow me to visit the nearby attraction (am I right that we could leave the train station upon arrival?) . Seewulf previously mentioned that I could do London to Amsterdam directly & take the night jet to Munich.

 

Paris - Perpignan route i can’t remember on which website did I found the route. Currently, it’s seem like i would have possibility go with the direct TVG train if the Perpignan route is not available in the first place. 

 

Omg, thank you for pointing this out else I wouldn’t know it for requiring another pass for Barcelona to montserrat. 

 

I understand that  both France & Spain has its own ticketing system that doesn’t allow online booking. Meaning to say if I’m looking to travel from other European countries to Paris, I can book it via the operator website or Eurail. However, if i’m travelling from Paris to other European countries, I can only book it at the train station? 

 

Lastly, for all the operator website. If the code does not include Eurail / Interrail pass in their website to make seat reservation, is it a direct answer that I would have to do it via Eurail website & pay the extra €2 charge in additional to the seat reservation fees ? 

R
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In Cologne (or anywhere else) you can leave the station.

You can buy reservations between France and other countries at the station (both directions) but these all have limited availability for pass users so you shouldn't wait until the last days before travelling. They can all be booked via the Eurail website, which provides them in electronic form, except for Paris to Barcelona. Other operators can sometimes also book them online but also have an extra charge.

For booking reservations, you don't always have to specify "Eurail”; that depends. E.g. on the Deutsche Bahn website, you can click on "Seat only (no ticket)” but it only works for optional reservations from/to/in Germany.

If you want advice on booking other reservations, do ask but always specify which exact route.

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.
seewulf
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@Angeline Poh 

I recommend to search via a Railplanner like on bahn.de or their own app DB Navigator :)
Munich - Karlsruhe - Ringsheim (EuropaPark trainstation :) ) from there a bus brings you to the themepark :)
(Maybe another change in Stuttgart needed Munich - Stuttgart - Karlsrihe - Ringsheim)

From Europapark exist (non included) shuttle buses to Strasbourg and other french cities for your onward journey to Paris

I´ am not working for Eurail or Interrail i just share my knowledge here. Please ask in the Community and not via private message as this is the fastest way to get an answer. I prefer English/German/ Czech for my answers. In case of Reservationquestions please share some details like Route, Date, Trainnumber as otherwise we can just provide general advices or answers
Angeline Poh
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@rvdborgt

Hello 

 

You mentioned that leaving Cologne for Munich on 23th March night tends to have engineering work which would result in me missing the train? But if i were to book this train, delay happened and I only purchase the 4 days pass. How would the operator compensate for the delay?  

I am still searching for the best route from london 23th - munich (arriving on 24th march morning). as the previous route 

Eurostar: London 1104 (1029)am-> Brussels 405pm (+30/ p)

Eurail: Brussels 225pm-> Cologne 415pm ($0) ICE 17

OEBB: Cologne 956pm-> Bonn 1025pm ($0)

Bonn1130pm -> Munich24th 0603am($0) ICE → dont seem to be available anymore ? 

 

R
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You mentioned that leaving Cologne for Munich on 23th March night tends to have engineering work which would result in me missing the train? But if i were to book this train, delay happened and I only purchase the 4 days pass. How would the operator compensate for the delay?

What I want to say is: There are engineering works that day and therefore, the night train does not serve Cologne main station and you need to catch another train to Bonn to take the night train there. The timetable planners suggest a connection of 6 minutes in Bonn but it's better to take an earlier train to have more time in Bonn.

If you miss a connection, then the railways are obliged to assist you with your onward travel, without any additional costs. That means you should not activate an extra travel day.

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.

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