# Railshop is cheaper than Rail Europe for AUstria



## nerodog (Aug 9, 2008)

Checking around sites.. even looked at OBB the Austrian site  and figured its around $67 per person over there... Railshop charges $75 per person but I want to call and find out if it has to be a specific train.. I used to always go to the train station and just purchase my tix there... not sure if I  should go ahead and purchase in USA  for the above price if I have some flexibility on the train... or wing it when we arrive there... we have a window of about 3 trains we are hoping to catch once we leave the car. any thoughts welcome....for those that have travelled over to Europe more recently.


----------



## Carolinian (Aug 12, 2008)

I have never had a problem buying at the station in Vienna.

Actually, I will be arriving in Vienna by rail on Sunday morning from Split, then out late that afternoon on SkyEurope.  I will have about 8 hours to kick around in Vienna.  I bought my rail ticket at the station here in Split with no problem.


----------



## nerodog (Aug 15, 2008)

*thanks.. I called the RAIL SHOP  also*

Very helpful staff at the Rail shop.. she did not urge me to buy a tix, infact, like you Carolinian, she suggested its off season, the trains run pretty frequently so to just buy it at the station... so thats what we are doing. thanks for your input as always.


----------



## PigsDad (Aug 15, 2008)

Is purchasing rail tickets at the stations always the cheapest in Italy / Europe?  Are there ever pre-purchase discounts?  (Or do the fees the resellers charge negate any discount that may exist?)

Thanks,
Kurt


----------



## Carolinian (Aug 18, 2008)

In the UK there are many prepurchase discounts on rail tickets, but you will need to use a source that is designed for Brits, not Americans or you will be charged more.  In most European countries the price is the same whenever you buy it.

There is one exception that I have only used on one short trip, and that is the unofficial sales.  In that case the conductor asked if we wanted to travel with a ticket or without a ticket and quoted different prices for each.  Most of the people in the compartment opted to travel without a ticket for a much cheaper price, which went directly in the conductors pocket.  This was in Moldova.  In Ukraine, one time we went up to the ticket booth which was on the platform and bought tickets but noticed a lot of local people showing up for the train but not buying tickets.  In fact almost no one  went to the ticket window.  When we got on the train, we noted that people were paying the conductor directly, and one in our compartment was going to the same destination and paid the conductor half of what we paid.  I have also had trips in Romania where the sleeping car attendants have asked if we will be travelling back the other direction, and if so to see them rather than buy a ticket and we would get a ''big discount'.  But although it seems to be standard practice in parts of eastern Europe, I would not take the risk on a major or even medium trip.


----------

