Ski/boarding europe what a hassell

I don't think it's quite that simple. It's clearly true if you've got a bad travel agent that you could quite probably do better yourself and there's no doubt it's a rewarding experience to plan trips yourself but it's nothing like that straightforward.

Some people who are planning their own trips certainly do discover places that some arranged tours don't but others are kidding themselves a bit about the level of discovery involved here. If you've sought out and booked a great chalet in a little known village linked to some big ski circuit that's fantastic and I'm not knocking it for a moment. But, you shouldn't underestimate what specialists can achieve, I go places most people have never heard of and that large tour operators could never operate in which is great but not everyone wants that.

There's no clear answer if it's cheaper or not planning it yourself but as an individual you're going to struggle to compete with the prices even I get let alone what the bulk purchasing of some of the tour operators can achieve.

Some travel agents aren't very good and some tour operators only operate in a small number of places, it doesn't mean all travel agents are hopeless or that all tour operators can't arrange a good trip.

AllyG wrote:Litteski,
I'm really sorry. That's incredibly annoying. I can't believe that Rail Europe won't take your booking over the phone, just because you don't live in Europe!

in fact I don't believe it for a moment.

I can tell you a country where you can't book rail tickets from abroad easily though, it's the UK ) The various booking sites interchangeably won't accept a foreign credit card or a foreign address, where you can navigate that challenge they'll arrange tickets for collection at the second or third station you pass rather than the one you start your journey at. National Express are quite good though.

Ise,
It's perfectly true. I phoned Rail Europe myself, because I also found it hard to believe. They said that they couldn't sell Littleski train tickets because her credit card is registered outside the U.K. and it wouldn't pass their security check. They also said her credit card won't work on the internet either for the same reason!

Their final suggestion was that I buy her tickets myself, using my Visa card, and she refunds me. Well, I am prepared to do quite a lot to help her, but that's going a bit too far!

I also tried phoning SNCF (the French train operator), out of curiosity to see if they would accept non European credit cards, phone number 0033,892,353,535 but it was all in French. I am learning French, but it was a bit much for me, because it was one of those automatic option systems, where you have to choose an option, say the word in French (and pronounce it well enough for the computer to recognize) and then you get a whole load more options. I didn't manage to get through to a real person, and I'm ashamed to say I gave up :oops:

I don't know if the SNCF.com website accepts non European credit cards, and obviously I can't test it because I haven't got one. I would have thought it did, but I may be wrong.

Littleski,
Have you managed to get anywhere with the Oz website?

Ally

AllyG wrote:
It's perfectly true. I phoned Rail Europe myself, because I also found it hard to believe.

oh my good lord, are you serious :shock:

Caron,
I'm entirely serious. It explains why the phone number I gave her the first time didn't work from Oz, as well. It must have a special lock on it so that it can only be accessed from the U.K.

Clearly that phone number and website are only for U.K. users. We are very lucky to have them, but it's a bit hard on Australians etc.

I wonder how she's getting on with the Oz website the Rail Europe man gave her (on the special phone number I got for her). I wouldn't be surprised if the Oz site doesn't have a phone number at all. In that case she'll have to get advice from our website and then book through the Australian one.

Ally

you don't seem to possess the ability to draw a line under anything do you :?

Caron,
No, I don't seem to possess that ability - you're quite right :D

Littleski,
The website tgv-europe.com says it will sell tickets to customers who live outside Europe, including Australia. They don't seem to have a helpline number but one can e-mail them. They have the same trains (not surprisingly) as the RailEurope.co.uk site, and the website is all in English and easy to use.

They have the couchette (sleeper) train from Paris Austerlitz to Chamonix leaving at 2302 on Monday 15th March, arriving at St Gervais at 0911, leaving at 10-32 for Chamonix and arriving at 11-12. The cost for two people seems to be only 103 euros, or 53 euros if you sit up all night in reclining seats.

Ally

I've tried and tried to resist, but come on Ally, you're having a laugh now arent you? :?: