Rome/Palermo - Help please with sleeper car reservations.


I booked and paid for reservations from Rome to Palermo for 13/4/23 on train 1955. After paying for the overnight train, ($265) for two people, we were assigned seats that appear to be not together. Seats 31 and 22. Is this correct so we are in sleeper cars together?

 

Please assist me because I would hate to be in separate seating (not together) and not in sleeper car.

Thank you!


10 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +9
  1. Did you book on the Eurail website?
  2. If so, then the price and berth numbers suggest you have booked 2 sleeper compartments for single use. They will be next to each other.
Userlevel 6
Badge +4

You have probably indeed been sold two single (SINGOLO) sleepers, each equipped with three beds, hence T3. Each of those costs €124. 

First of all, you might want that: it gives you a bit more space and means both of you can sleep on the lower bunk. If you do, you might still want to reach out to customer service as these cabins are next to each other but are not connectable (and other cabins are: there is a door you could unlock at both sides between 31 and 32 and between 21 and 22 etc.). Maybe Eurail is able to change that, maybe you’ll manage to negotiate switching at the time of boarding (assuming those assigned cabin 31-33-35 don’t mind using cabin 22-24-26 for instance).

However, you should also be able to get a double cabin, sleeping in bunk beds on top of each other, for about €100-€140 instead (I don't know the exact price, sorry!). Eurail however does not offer this on their reservations portal. I’m not sure how flexible these bookings are, but Eurail customer service might be able to help with that switch too. I booked them for instance from Deutsche Bahn, the German railways, they sell these cabin supplements on the phone and at their ticket offices (home postal delivery or collection at a German train station).

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

@Camilo. This looks like a bug in the reservations module. Even if I try to book with 2 people with both a 1st class pass, I can't book a Double. I can book 2 Singles, so there is availability. Likewise for 3 people: I can't book a T3 but 3 Singles are possible:

The typical case however is that people want to book in the same compartment

We should really advise against Italian booking sleeper reservations via Eurail/Interrail as long as this is the case.

Userlevel 6
Badge +3

@Camilo. This looks like a bug in the reservations module. Even if I try to book with 2 people with both a 1st class pass, I can't book a Double. I can book 2 Singles, so there is availability. Likewise for 3 people: I can't book a T3 but 3 Singles are possible:

The typical case however is that people want to book in the same compartment

We should really advise against Italian booking sleeper reservations via Eurail/Interrail as long as this is the case.

Dear @rvdborgt 

I will check this with the App team. I will keep you updated. 

Have a nice day! 

Userlevel 6
Badge +3

@Camilo. This looks like a bug in the reservations module. Even if I try to book with 2 people with both a 1st class pass, I can't book a Double. I can book 2 Singles, so there is availability. Likewise for 3 people: I can't book a T3 but 3 Singles are possible:

The typical case however is that people want to book in the same compartment

We should really advise against Italian booking sleeper reservations via Eurail/Interrail as long as this is the case.

Dear @rvdborgt 

I will check this with the App team. I will keep you updated. 

Have a nice day! 

UPDATE:

Dear @Linda Cooper 

I am sorry for this inconvenience. I have talked with the reservations team, unfortunately our system does not offer a double cabin for 1st class. The solution would be modifying it manually through our system. if you are interested, please send me a private message and I will check into this. 

For future reference, please book directly at Treintalia. 

Have a nice day!

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

I have talked with the reservations team, unfortunately our system does not offer a double cabin for 1st class. The solution would be modifying it manually through our system. if you are interested, please send me a private message and I will check into this. 

For future reference, please book directly at Treintalia.

That is only possible at Italian train stations, which for night trains can often be too late.

Are you planning to implement this on Eurail/Interrail and if so by when (approximately)? The current implementation to book Italian sleepers is rather suboptimal. IMO the booking page should have a warning that you currently cannot book multiple people in the same sleeper compartment.

Userlevel 6
Badge +3

I have talked with the reservations team, unfortunately our system does not offer a double cabin for 1st class. The solution would be modifying it manually through our system. if you are interested, please send me a private message and I will check into this. 

For future reference, please book directly at Treintalia.

That is only possible at Italian train stations, which for night trains can often be too late.

Sorry, my mistake. I meant ItaliaRail. I found this info from another member of the community:

 

Reservations for Italian trains are possible via ItaliaRail

 

Open the app.italiarail.com website and click on 'Add tickets'. Fill in your station of departure and arrival. Don't forget to select 1st or 2nd class under 'Eurail / InterRail Pass' in the bottom left of the block, otherwise you'll only get search results for the full ticket price.
Click on 'Find tickets' and select the train you want to take.
Select the type of ticket you want and click on 'add to itinerary'.
Fill in the information that is requested, select a seat and pay.
You'll receive the confirmation and e-ticket in your inbox.

 

Are you planning to implement this on Eurail/Interrail and if so by when (approximately)? The current implementation to book Italian sleepers is rather suboptimal. IMO the booking page should have a warning that you currently cannot book multiple people in the same sleeper compartment.

Regarding this, I cannot guarantee that this will be implemented in the near future. I will forward your feedback to reservations department and see if they can add a warning on the reservations portal. 

 

Userlevel 6
Badge +3

I have talked with the reservations team, unfortunately our system does not offer a double cabin for 1st class. The solution would be modifying it manually through our system. if you are interested, please send me a private message and I will check into this. 

For future reference, please book directly at Treintalia.

That is only possible at Italian train stations, which for night trains can often be too late.

Are you planning to implement this on Eurail/Interrail and if so by when (approximately)? The current implementation to book Italian sleepers is rather suboptimal. IMO the booking page should have a warning that you currently cannot book multiple people in the same sleeper compartment.

UPDATE:

I have been informed that this feedback has been sent to the website department. I have also been informed that the booking options on our planner are what Trenitalia opens up for bookings through our website.

Have a nice weekend!

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

I have been informed that this feedback has been sent to the website department. I have also been informed that the booking options on our planner are what Trenitalia opens up for bookings through our website.

Thanks for the update, but if this is the case, then there is something seriously wrong. If the Italiarail website can book 2 or 3 people in one sleeper compartment, then Interrail/Eurail should also be able to do so. I suggest your colleagues talk with Trenitalia to make this possible and that a warning is displayed in the meantime, as I suggested above.

Userlevel 5
Badge +3

I have been informed that this feedback has been sent to the website department. I have also been informed that the booking options on our planner are what Trenitalia opens up for bookings through our website.

Thanks for the update, but if this is the case, then there is something seriously wrong. If the Italiarail website can book 2 or 3 people in one sleeper compartment, then Interrail/Eurail should also be able to do so. I suggest your colleagues talk with Trenitalia to make this possible and that a warning is displayed in the meantime, as I suggested above.

This has been updated by our superior that they can indeed address this to the Trenitalia, but it is up to the Trenitalia if the decision would be taken - if they decide to not open the reservations for this type of accommodation via Self-service, there is nothing we can do.

Nevertheless, the feedback will be passed to the responsible department as well as ask them to make visible the booking steps for Italia rail on our page. Once I receive any response, I keep you guys updated.

Have a nice day!

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