So much for trains

[bellinghman]

I was just attempting to get train fares for a journey from Sierre (Swiss Alps) to London.

Holy crap! How do they expect anyone to use trains? I can get from Sierre to Paris at a reasonable price - a very reasonable price for a direct TGV that takes 5:20. But that's no use whatsoever, if it then costs THREE TIMES AS MUCH for the Paris to London link, which is only 2:40.

</rant>

EDIT: Many thanks for the purpletigron/purplecthulhu's advice on getting round Eurostar.

EDIT: OK, I can do Sierre to Paris-Lyon for 113 CHF, if I buy it from the Swiss, and using the halbtax card. That's just under £48. And going via the "I am American" part of the Eurostar site allows me to buy the single/non-flexible fare at $89 each - which is roughly £45. That's compared to the insane £300+ it was trying to do me for originally for the Paris to London leg!

So, Swiss Alps to central London for £93 isn't too bad. I just wish it wasn't such an incredible hassle finding this all out. If I was a PA doing this, and factoring in the cost of my time, it'd be another matter.

EDIT: Ooops, forgot time zone differences. That was 2:40, not 1:40

Comments

Re: Actually from purplecthulhu, busy on another line

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

Argh! I can't see any way of getting a signle ticket via Eurostar.com that doesn't cost stupidly more than the return. And I see no way of paying in $US.

I think I need a professional travel wrangler. I'm beginning to think the train companies are deliberately trying to confuse their passengers. At the moment, I think they're winning. And thereby losing my custom.

(And I'd been to Seat61 earlier.)

Re: Actually from purplecthulhu, busy on another line

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

Well I did exactly this in December, but even I am having trouble getting this to work now. I fear that this little loophole may have been filled. I even get prices in UKP when I go to eurostar.fr and ask for Paris to London tickets! The bastards.

More research underway...

Re: Actually from purplecthulhu, busy on another line

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

Right! Some more investigation and I find that we've been cookied!

Clear out all cookies your browser has stored from Eurostar, and when you connect to them you get a page that asks which country you are a resident of. Choose US at this point (or I guess Canada) and all your prices are in dollars and are, I think, cheaper. Select 'collect at station' for your way of getting tickets, and nobody will know you don't live in the USA (or wherever).

Re: Actually from purplecthulhu, busy on another line

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

Aha, should have thought of that.