SBB or French Europe Rail??

billcoke

42 posts
active member

Mar 30, 2012 - 11:41 PM

I'm confuse with European trains. If I catch a train from Monte Carlo (Monaco) to Geneva, should I catch the Swiss Train (SBB) or the French Europe Rail, and also does the train passenger cabin have room for a 31" luggage, or they are store away in a separate luggage compartment, just like a plane?

1. Swiss SBB
http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

French Europe Rail
http://www.eurorailways.com/products/trains_passes/single_country/france.htm?gclid=CJOM99KXkK8CFcwc6wodf0q30A

or should I fly by Easyjet instead?

2. As for Bernina Express, do we book with SBB or RHB or Swisspass.com?
http://www.rhb.ch/Bernina-Express.33.0.html?&L=4
or
http://www.swisspasses.com/classicrail/packages/berninaexpress/index.htm

Annika

7343 posts
expert &
moderator

Mar 31, 2012 - 5:23 AM

Hi Billcoke, and welcome! You can best look for international trains to and from Switzerland in the Swiss timetable. Just add your travel data, see the list of connections and click the 'plus' at the left side for more information on each connection. This will also show which types of trains will be used (mostly regional trains and TGV's). Luggage storage facilities are available in these trains, either near your seat or in a luggage compartment.

You can find the right seat reservation links for the Bernina Express and other scenic/international trains at our seat reservation page. Just scroll down a bit to find the links under the header 'How to purchase railway seat reservations'.

MySwissAlps.com recommends to read this:
About tickets & passes Traveling by train, how it works

Last modified on Nov 1, 2018 - 4:17 PM by Arno

billcoke

42 posts
active member

Mar 31, 2012 - 11:39 AM

Hi Annika

Thanks for the links and your guidance. To understand how the SBB online booking works I tried to make a booking from Monte-Carlo(Monaco) to Paris via Nice(Ville).

1. SBB website only give me one option to pick up the train ticket at a staffed station in Switzerland. But the departure point is Monte Carlo, how is it possible to pick up the ticket from Switzerland?

2. The SBB Website quoted two prices, Standard Offer is CHF255 while Special Offer is CHF252. I can't find the explanation on Special Offer, what exactly is Special Offer?

3. Under the Passengers page, I added a additional passenger, on the right of the page, I need to chose one of the following options:

"Reduction for
(only reductions the passenger is already entitled to)
- None,
- France Frequency 1st class,
- France Frequency 2nd class.

I don't understand these options.

4. The link for Bernina Express; is a dead link
http://www.rhb.ch:8080/pls/htmldb/f?p=121:1:1012032204013572::NO:::

Annika

7343 posts
expert &
moderator

Mar 31, 2012 - 12:57 PM

Hi Billcoke!

1. If I enter the same trip and details, there's also the option 'Post' at the end which means that your ticket can be delivered by post. You may have tested the system for a date that's too soon to have your tickets sent to you. If so, try booking for a later date if that's an option (I don't know when you'll be traveling).

2. At the right of the Special Offer you'll find the header 'Conditions and validity'. Here it says that a ticket with the Special Offer rate can't be changed or refunded, which explains why it's cheaper than the Standard Offer.

3. You can fill this out if you have a rail pass for France that would provide discounts on this leg. I assume you don't have any, so just fill out 'None' here. The same question is asked for Switzerland. You could fill out 'GA' in either 1st or 2nd class if you'd have a valid 1st or 2nd class a Swiss rail pass such as the Swiss Pass or Swiss Flexi Pass, as the system won't calculate any costs for the Swiss leg of your trip in that case. However, if you'll only be traveling up to Geneva which is right at the French/Swiss border, that isn't relevant and you can fill out 'None' here as well.

4. Thanks for pointing that out. The reservation link for the Bernina Express changes frequently. We've adjusted it, so you should find you way to the reservation system when trying again.

Last modified on Dec 28, 2014 - 4:35 PM by Arno

billcoke

42 posts
active member

Apr 1, 2012 - 12:55 AM

Wowwww...That's a lot of information. Awesome. Thank you so much.You are very patient!.

This is my first time making a train seat reservation, so the experience is still very new to me.

BTW, I'm from Singapore, they do mail the train tickets to Singapore, right?

Your Swiss Time website gives me the impression that SSB is the only train operator in the entire Europe? Even if I want to book a train trip outside of Switzerland, say from Paris to Monte Carlo (Monaco), or from Milan to Rome, all bookings are done via your Swiss Timetable website. I thought each of the European countries would have their own train operators eg: French Rails or Italian Rails, and I would need to go to each of these individual websites to book train tickets for each of the European countries.

www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

I'm confuse here.

Thanks again. :-)

Annika

7343 posts
expert &
moderator

Apr 1, 2012 - 6:31 AM

Hello Billcoke. I didn't know you're from Singapore. In that case: no, the SBB won't ship to Singapore. It's best to order your seat reservation through Rail Europe Singapore.

As for the train system: there are lots of train companies throughout all European countries, and there's not one (Swiss) company covering it all. The Swiss timetable happens to be an extensive one, including train trips to and from Switzerland. There are other timetables available for other countries too. However, it doesn't matter which companies you'll be traveling with, as that doesn't influence your journey. You can just use the timetable to look up your connections and you don't have to pay attention to the type of trains or the companies they're run by.

Last modified on Sep 18, 2022 - 1:42 PM by Annika

billcoke

42 posts
active member

Apr 1, 2012 - 7:18 AM

Many thanks Annika, I'm much clearer now. Though you are not a Swiss Citizen but am impress with your patient, and knowledge on Switzerland and SBB rail network too. :-)

billcoke

42 posts
active member

Apr 1, 2012 - 8:35 AM

Hello Annika,

Apart from raileurope.com.sg, there are two other agents listed in MySwissAlps website that also sell Swiss Pass in SGD (see attached).

1. www.trainticket.com (website content is exactly the same as raileurope.com.sg, and offer the lowest price among the three agents)
2. www.swissrailways.com (Owner is SBB Switzerland Travel Centre, offers the 2nd lowest price)

Does it matter whom I get the rail tickets from?

I'm tempted to get the ticket from trainticket.com for its lowest price.

Attachments

EuropeRail.pdf

Annika

7343 posts
expert &
moderator

Apr 1, 2012 - 11:17 AM

Hi Billcoke! All resellers mentioned at the Swiss Pass page when filling our Singapore as your country of residence are suitable. You can indeed chose Trainticket for its lowest price.

Last modified on Sep 18, 2022 - 1:54 PM by Annika

billcoke

42 posts
active member

Apr 2, 2012 - 12:08 AM

Thanks Annika for your prompt reply. :-)

One of the forumer also mentioned about your contribution at Tripadvisor.com (see below)
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g188045-i336-k4570116-5_Days_in_Switzerland_Trip_Report_28May_1June11_Long-Switzerland.html

Annika

7343 posts
expert &
moderator

Apr 2, 2012 - 10:45 AM

Thanks, Bill. Glad I could help!

SBB or French Europe Rail??

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