 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hello there
I'm booking some tickets for the train to Grenoble in January, we're going on a two week trip, Saturday to Saturday.
They've released the Eurostar tickets to Paris for the outward journey, but the return tickets aren't for a couple of weeks. If I want to book the journey all the way to Grenoble I have to wait another month.
So, I was wondering, what the best way to go about booking tickets is? I don't want to risk all the cheap tickets on the Eurostar getting sold out before I can book a return to Grenoble in October, but then are there any penalties in booking single journeys? Is it cheaper to book the whole journey in one go, rather than splitting a return to Paris, then booking Paris to Grenoble separately?
What would you guys do? And don't say fly.
Cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I guess its a difficult one, there are pros and cons!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
It's always this way with the trains. I've spoken to all sorts of people about it at Eurostar and RailEurope but they tend to think on rails and don't seem to see anything that's not directly ahead of them - or perhaps they just like it this way?
Simply you have to take a punt one way or the other.
Two x singles on the Eurostar is slightly more expensive than a return however, while awaiting the release of the return leg, the outbound may increase in price, negating any saving (or worse).
You need to buy the French leg of the journey separately (even if you buy it through the same people) so there's never a benefit in waiting for the tickets' release before buying the Eurostar ones... unless of course, they cover variables important enough to change your route or cancel the trip altogether.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
eversolazy, I have never seen any real cost benefit of booking a return ticket for the trains in France and normally the earlier you book your single ticket the cheaper it is.
I would book the earliest train you could make on the Saturday for your trip to Paris on Eurostar, book the return trip for as late as you possibly can as soon as they are issued. Do the same with the PREM tickets for the journey from Paris to Grenoble and the return journey. You usually find the best offers for the journeys in France if you book on the www.sncf.fr site rather than with raileurpoe.
You will need to keep watching the eurostar and sncf site to see when the tickets are issued.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Suggest you visit the very good website www.seat61.com or email mark@seat61.com
The website has extensive information on rail travel in Europe and beyond and if you email a reply is usually prompt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Book the eurostar as soon as they come out and then the French tickets at 2300UK 3 months prior. The French tickets are released at midnight 3 months out. Helps if you work night shifts!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ