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Unable to book a reservation from Brussels to Paris

  • 26 October 2022
  • 6 replies
  • 219 views

I have tried multiple times to book a reservation for two from Brussels to Paris on the morning Thalys train (details below).  Each time I get all the way through to the payment screen and enter my credit card info and then when I hit the Pay button the form thinks a bit then comes back with an empty pay screen - like I never entered anything.  No error message, no confirmation, no charges to my card (as far as I can see), no reservation saved for my trip.  This is really frustrating and doesn’t give me much confidence in booking reservations through the Eurail page (this is my first try).  I guess I can book through one of the other sites, but I was hoping to keep everything in one place.  If I book through www.b-europe.com how does the reservation interacty with my Eurail pass, if at all?  If I book over there do I just print my reservation?

 

Friday 9 December 2022 08:13 - 09:35

Bruxelles-Midi (Belgium) To Paris Nord (France)

USD $49

Booking Fee

USD $3.92

Total price

Including taxes

USD $52.92

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Best answer by rvdborgt 26 October 2022, 23:42

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Userlevel 7
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The correct B-Europe URL to book pass holder seats is:

https://www.b-europe.com/EN/Booking/Pass#TravelWish

You need a pass cover number, which you can generate here if you have a mobile pass:

https://www.eurail.com/en/book-reservations#/generatePassCoverNumber

Reservations and pass are separate. They don't need to interact. You can print the reservation, show it on a screen or import it in the NMBS/SNCB International app.

Follow up - I tried to book the reservation at www.b-europe.com and it asked me for a Eurail Pass number.  I entered the mobile pass numbers that were sent in my confirmation email and it says they are not valid (the form help says the pass number is only valid for printed passes)?  I’m really starting to wish I had just bought individual train tickets If this is what I’m going to face every time I need to make a reservation.

The correct B-Europe URL to book pass holder seats is:

https://www.b-europe.com/EN/Booking/Pass#TravelWish

You need a pass cover number, which you can generate here if you have a mobile pass:

https://www.eurail.com/en/book-reservations#/generatePassCoverNumber

Reservations and pass are separate. They don't need to interact. You can print the reservation, show it on a screen or import it in the NMBS/SNCB International app.

Thank you, rvdborgt!  The generator worked for me.  Not sure how I would have ever figured that out.  I now have a reservation.  Any idea why the Eurail reservation form does not work in this case?

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

I now have a reservation.  Any idea why the Eurail reservation form does not work in this case?

I don't really know. These seems to be some problem; some other people are also complaining.

To be honest, I avoid booking reservations via Eurail/Interrail if possible and unexpected errors like these are one of the reasons. Another reason is their booking fees.

The exact same thing happened with me. I typed in my credit card details again and clicked the pay button. This worked. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Although I had no problems mid 2022 with the IR/Eurail reservations, I have noted many comments that the service is somewhat unreliable and user unfriendly, especially when you want to pay.

From the many posts it seems that the feedback when there is a failed booking is particularly problematic. These range from the above situation where it simply disappears to seemingly being successful but no confirmation or tickets sent or unhelpful feedback on why things failed. 

Much of the limited feedback seems to include “Apple” devices, Cross border credit payments and the new requirement for payments to be verified by a second system (E-mail, phone call or App). 

Surely these can be sorted or at least clarified by our friends at customer service.

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