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6. Couchettes vs. Sleeper
    
   1. The Sleeper
      A 1^st Class sleeper is for 1 or two passengers traveling together.  A 2^nd Class sleeper will accommodates between two and four passengers.  Both contain berths and a private washstand, and are furnished with pillows, fresh linens and towels.  Sleepers are designed to be shared by couples, families and travelers of the same sex.  Sleepers, in deluxe accommodations, include restrooms in each compartment.  Our statistics children traveling with parents indicate that sleeper compartments are preferred by families.
      
      Sleeper rates are based upon a per person basis, whether it is for 1^st Class or 2^nd Class, the length of the route traveled and whether or not the travel is on one of the premium train.  Sleepers range from about $29 to $390;
       
   2. The Couchette
      There are usually 6 couchettes [bunks] in a 2^nd Class compartment.  Each comes with a blanket and pillow.  There are washrooms that are located at the end of each car.  The couchettes are smaller than the sleeper but the comfort is about the same.  Since the compartment is open to both sexes, passengers sleep in their daytime clothing. 
      
      Couchettes cost about $29, in addition to your ticket or pass;
       
   3. Availability
      Normally, a reservation is required.  However, if there are couchettes or sleepers available, they can be rented from attendant;
       
   4. Tipping
      You should tip your attendant if he’s done a good job – he/she should bring you a European breakfast in the morning;
       
   5. Comfort
      Couchettes are definitely not very comfortable; sleepers are marginally more comfortable.  However, both are much better than sitting up in a compartment.  Normally, there is a lot of jolting about during night, especially going through rail yards or stations where the train stops; 
       
   6. Safety
      In some areas, there is a high probability of getting robbed [Eastern Block countries, Italy and Spain]…so find out from the attendant exactly what time there will be an occasion to awaken you [for border crossings, etc.].  Then, keep the door to the compartment locked and do not open it except at the scheduled times.  If robbers try to enter, and the door is locked, they will probably knock on the door telling you it’s the porter or passport control.  If it’s not at a scheduled time, don’t believe it and keep the door locked!  However, if you take reasonable precautions, the statistics of train safety are in your favor.
      
      If you must take a night train, don’t try to sleep in a regular compartment or seat.  Do everything possible to rent a couchette or sleeper; it will make your trip much more enjoyable.  Although you will be much more comfortable than trying to sleep sitting up, after one trip in a couchette or sleeper you will probably want to stay at a hotel in the future.
       
7. Pass Validation
    
   1. Validate 1^st Day
      Passes must be validated on the first day they are used, at the ticket window at the station, before boarding a train.  The validation must be within six months of purchase.  Your pass period begins the same day as validation.
       
   2. Railroad Official
      The railroad official, validating the pass, will enter the first and last date of the travel period on the pass.  Do not write on the pass, or fill in any of the blanks; that will invalidate the pass, making it subject to confiscation by railroad employees.
       
   3. Passes are Non-transferable
      All passes are non-transferable; so don’t let anyone else use them.  Again, they can be taken away should they be used by anyone else.
       

d.     Validating Rail Pass & Tickets Before Boarding
If you have a rail pass, the date of first use, must be written onto the form in terms of the day, month and year, [in Europe, one normally enters the day, month and year in that sequence] before the pass is used.  A pen must be used to enter this data; never a pencil.  If this is not done, the conductor has the right to confiscate the pass on the spot.   Also, make sure that everything on the rail pass [such as country of residence, names and dates] is correct.  Do not validate your rail pass yourself; a railway official must do this at the railroad station.  If you validate it yourself, it could be confiscated.
 

e.     Don’t Alter
Never try to alter and/or tamper with the pass.  If the conductor feels that the pass has been altered or tampered with, he can take it from you and, you will be subject to a big fine that has to be paid on the spot.
 

f.       Carry Passport
You should always carry your passport with you incase a railroad employee wants to verify that you are the owner of the rail pass.  Keep both documents in a safe place, preferably a money belt.
 

g.     Tickets Must be Punched
In the case of individual train tickets, they must be punched, on the platform, before boarding the train.  Yellow-orange colored validation machines are available on the station platforms [quais] for this purpose.  Your ticket will have an arrow, at one end, to indicate that this is the end to put into the machine.  Once the ticket has been punched, it must be used that same day.
 

h.     If You Forget to Validate
If the ticket has not been validated before getting on the train, find the conductor and tell him that you forgot to validate it.  If you wait for the conductor to take the ticket, you may be fined a statutory amount on the spot. 
 

i.        Fines
Should you be fined, or your pass/ticket confiscated by the conductor, do not argue, refuse to pay or become belligerent.  The conductor, as the representative of the government, can have you arrested.  Your best approach is to avoid such problems by adhering to the rules.
 

j.       Reservations for Peak Times
Be sure to make all necessary reservations in advance.  If you are going to be traveling on a weekend or holiday, it is best to have a reservation for any train.
 

8. Buying Tickets
   To assist you in buying a ticket, where there may be a language problem, write down exactly what you want so you can show it to the ticket agent:
   1. Departure city and destination city;
   2. Travel date;
   3. Train time;
   4. Train number;
   5. One way or round trip;
   6. 1^st or 2^nd Class.
       
9. Check for Discounts and Specials
   Always check with the ticket agent to see if there are age related or student discounts or if there is a slower [and cheaper] train going to the same place, or a cheaper time to take the train;

10. Ticket Validation
    Before boarding your train, you are required to individually validate each ticket and/or discount voucher.  When departing from a suburban rail station in the Paris region, to take a connecting train from one of Paris’s main stations, you will have to validate your ticket twice:  once at the suburban station and once at the main Paris station before boarding the connecting train. 
     
11. Reserving Seats
     
    1. Reservations for Special Trains
       Some European trains, such as the TGV and the French-Spanish Hotel-trains, have mandatory reservations, which are included in the price.  On others, reservations are optional.  But, if the trains that don’t require reservations are full, you may not get on or if you do, you may have to stand all the way to your destination.
        
    2. Non-smokers
       If you are a non-smoker [non-fumeur], I recommend that you reserve your seat to insure that you are comfortably installed in a non-smoking compartment during your journey.  Smoking is much more prevalent in Europe than it is in North America.
        
    3. Peak Travel Times
       If you are traveling during peak travel times of the year, or the day, or if you are traveling with friends, you should make reservations as early as possible.
        
    4. Make Early Reservations
       You can make a reservation for the TGV trains [Trains à Grande Vitesse] as early as 60 days before and up to a few minutes before departure.  For other service, from 60 days before until noon of the departure day, for departures after 5 pm, and until 8 pm, for a departure the next day before 5 pm.  You can even make standby reservations under certain conditions.
        
    5. Where to Make Reservations
       Reservations can be made in any train station, at an SNCF [The French Government Railroad] ticket outlet or at any accredited travel agency.  When trains are completely booked, SNCF will often issue a ‘Standby reservation’.
        
    6. Reservation Cost
       Reservations cost about $11 and are non-transferable and non-refundable.

                       

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AVALON WATERWAYS

Melk Abby