Help! On Tuesday I %26quot;purchased%26quot; 2 first class tickets for a one day, roundtrip from London to Paris in early April via the internet. Now RailEurope is refusing to complete my order. They say that although they have the seats, they don%26#39;t have the same rate as quoted on my invoice (and credit card have been billed at!). They will not complete my order. They say the current price is now almost double. I have spoken with a supervisor, who has then spoken with someone else. I feel like this is bait and switch! Do I get ugly and call our attorney general for help? Any suggestions??!! There is no way I can pay double for these tickets (even to switch to 2nd class tickets more than the original price)
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I don%26#39;t think RailEurope is the only vendor for the Eurostar b/t London-Paris. Do some searching here to confirm that, then cancel your order with them and learn how to book your tickets online.
I am sure others will be able to advise on the url to go to for these tickets.
p.s. I tried buying discounted tickets for Paris-Amsterdam once via RailEurope, according to their schedule/price list. They emailed back that the special rate wasn%26#39;t available anymore.
I wonder if this is typical of them. I don%26#39;t use them anymore.
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Hi SusieR. I am pretty sure Raileurope is similar to airlines in that if the reservation was not ticketed, they can%26#39;t honor the rate. If the reservation was ticketed and your card charged you have a real complaint. But, I fear that you had only reserved and the reservation and had not been ticketed and your card not charged. In that case, you won%26#39;t have a leg to stand on. The rates change on air and rail by the moment and until a reservation is ticketed you basically do not have a ticket.
For example, I can hold an airline ticket with an airline for 24 hours. This holds my seat, but if the price goes up in that 24 hours and I call back to ticket the reservation, I am going to get the new rate. However, once you ticket a reservation and it has been charged and you have 1. a ticket number and 2. a credit card bill showing the charge then you are protected and you can not be charged more at a later time!!
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I do not see how the attorney general can help you.
Call the marines !!!!!
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I appologize if this has already posted -- I had a little computer glitch.
I checked my online credit card statement, and it has listed temporary approval for the full amount. I thought that since RailEurope is based in the U.S., that I may have some leaway with our state%26#39;s attorney. I have checked the Eurostar website and they are listing the price that RailEurope says I%26#39;ll now have to pay in order to get my tickets issued.
I cannot afford to pay this price. (Even the second class tickets are totalling $100 more.) Do the prices ever come down again (last minute bargains?) I don%26#39;t have to go first class. Should I wait until I am actually in London and try to purchase a few days ahead?
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I%26#39;m not sure what RailEurope%26#39;s policies are regarding pricing. But getting %26#39;..ugly..%26#39; probably won%26#39;t work, and threats of calling down the wrath of a State Attorney General%26#39;s office, probably won%26#39;t faze some disembodied voice on the other end of an 800-number. But if you can%26#39;t get someone at RailEurope to authorize the issue and shipping of actual %26#39;paper tickets%26#39; for the price you were quoted, you should contact your credit card company and %26#39;..dispute..%26#39; the %26#39;..hold..%26#39; that RailEurope has put on your account BEFORE it becomes a %26#39;..charge..%26#39; issue. In any event begin keeping detailed records of your discussions with them--names, dates employee numbers. the overwhelming majority of your dispute will take place verbally, over the telephone, so you won%26#39;t have much in the way of %26#39;..paper trail..%26#39; to support you.
In the meantime, you probably need to begin checking with the %26#39;..usual suspects..%26#39; for other fare/ticketing options--EUROSTAR and SNCF. In either case, for most discounted, fare categories (usually carry change/transfer restrictions), both EUROSTAR and SNCF will allow you to complete the purchase transaction on-line and then print-out your %26#39;paper tickets%26#39; on your home computer.\
When checking with the other direct sources, try to be as flexible with the day of travel and times of travel as you can. %26#39;..Tinker..%26#39; with the system. And though the amenities in 1st Class are a bit better than in 2nd, there really isn%26#39;t THAT much difference for a 2:35 hr train ride.
One of the problems with RailEurope is though they are supposed to be the exclusive North American agency for the Eurail system, they%26#39;re still only a third-party, ticket agency/broker and NOT a direct agency of Eurail. RailEurope may have a dedicated access to the various Eurail reservations systems...but they usually don%26#39;t have any better access to fares, schedules, reservations and ticketing than you do direcettly...and sometimes even less access. They%26#39;re a %26#39;convenience%26#39; for those who unfortunately don%26#39;t know any better...or are unwilling to take the time themselves.
The %26#39;loophole%26#39; in the %26#39;exclusive agent%26#39; deal that RailEurope has with Eurail is that technically, direct on-line reservations with Eurostar or the national railways takes place within the computers of those railways and not in North America.
EUROSTAR--
http://www.eurostar.com/
(DO NOT use United State/English as your selection or you will be re-directed to the RailEurope site)
SNCF--
www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage…
(Use FRANCE as the selection for ticket collection/delivery))
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Just cancel it. You can find another source, easily.
Les
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I can get a deal that I can live with from the SNCF website. But, I can%26#39;t figure out how to get the tickets since I am in the U.S. They must be collected within a week. I won%26#39;t be in London for 2 1/2 more weeks. I am staying at a B%26amp;B in Bath the first few days of the trip, before arriving in London. Should I have them sent there?
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Susie,
Sorry to hear your having trouble...wish i could help...just was wondering when your going to Paris...i live in ankeny and me and my wife will be there 3/14 to 3/21
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Susie,
Sorry to hear your having trouble...wish i could help...just was wondering when your going to Paris...i live in ankeny and me and my wife will be there 3/14 to 3/21
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Depending on the fare category you are purchasing, you should be able to print out your %26#39;paper tickets%26#39; on your home computer(all but FULL FARE)..so no need to collect them or try to have them mailed to you.
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