Vienna to Cologne (to London)

[higthomas]

On the October the first (1/10/17), I'm going to try and book the Vienna to Cologne sleeper for two people in a 2-bed economy compartment. (Followed by ICE to Brussles and Eurostar to London)

Now as far as I can tell, you can book this six months in advance on the OBB website, but only 3 months in advance on other websites. We would ideally like to get it all booked soon, and since it will be six months tomorrow, booking should open soon.

This would be fine, but the OBB website seems to give different fares (more expensive) to the DB website for a dummy booking on the seventh of May. The OBB website says this would be 318 EUR, as it seems to give for every date I've searched. This is the Komfort-ticket Nightjet with sleeper supplement as far as I can tell. The DB webiste on the other hand, for the same date gives me the option of the Sparpreis Europa at 227.80 EUR, as well as the 318 EUR ticket (now called global fare). There also seems to be a 2-saving night fare of 198 EUR, although this has sold out.

Now what I want to know is whether it is possible to get the Sparpreis Europa or 2-saving night fare six months in advance, or whether they are DB exclusives which one can only get three months in advance? Does anyone else have any advice about booking for this anyway?

 

[30907]

The Sparpreis Europa is only available 3 months ahead, unlike DB internal Sparpreis fares.

The Sparnight is available (or not) 6 months ahead on Oebb but not elsewhere - and Oebb don't sell Sparpreis for night trains at all.

My impression is that the Vienna-Cologne route is loading rather well, and Sparnight may only be available in low season. Have you tried test-booking the other routes?

 

[RT4038]

Good luck in getting the oebb website to accept a uk debit/credit card. It refused my two (from different issuers) and their customer services never replied to my e-mail....

 

[dutchflyer]

DB is gradually also extending on a per country/route base the advance period for Sparpreise INT to 6 monthes. But noone can give you a timetable for when/what.
ÖBB does offer budget prices (from 29 or 39 eur/seated) for nightjet-as it has always done, but it seems the amount on sale (quota) are far more limited as they used to be. Its site does not seem to have any probs with €-based cards.

 

[30907]

Good luck in getting the oebb website to accept a uk debit/credit card. It refused my two (from different issuers) and their customer services never replied to my e-mail....

It was happy to accept a (Visa) debit but not credit card a couple of months ago. Seems to fail at the Verified by... stage.

 

[philjo]

I booked the sleeper in the other direction a few weeks ago - the ÖBB site accepted my visa credit card (UK issued by Nationwide) without any problems.
I was booking for July - the date I wanted was not shown on the DB site at that time (DB only had bookings available for dates until mid-June) & the single cabins seemed to be getting full on some other dates so booked one via ÖBB while I could.

 

[Polrail]

Checking in the DB internal system, I can get a SparNight for a Double on this train up to 30 Sept. For dates after that, it's showing as too early. So I'd guess they haven't loaded the inventory for after that date yet. (Price is 238-278 Euro for 2 persons.)