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FIP Recommendations

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iknowyeah

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Hello

I'm doing a couple of trips around football, so the dates are concrete, however playing around with booking I've encountered a few problems.

The first is the Thello overnight service from Paris does not seem to be running on the 5th November, and I didn't fancy the early start to catch the TGV to Milan needed.

Secondly, the EC train from Milan to Zurich I assume doesn't have FIP fares for the Italian section, but will Swiss coupons be allowed from Lugano onwards?
 
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Just checked HAFAS and EN 221 shows as operating as normal from Paris Lyon on November 05 at 19h15, arriving into Milano Centrale at 05h55 next morning. What source are you looking at?
No FIP facilities are valid at all on this train though, so best to look for a cheap advance starting from EUR29 in a C6 couchette through Thello themselves.
Be warned though, this train is notoriously problematic and often runs late due to the Swiss Grenzwachtkorps conducting their passport and customs checks in the night.. I just read a recent report from the SNCF Society September News of it arriving into Venezia 14 (yes, FOUR-TEEN!) hours late after a catastrophic loco failure at Dijon! :rolleyes:

FIP coupons covering the route (one for FS and one for SBB-CFF-FFS) are accepted on all of the IT-CH EC trains. You just need a compulsory seat reservation (CHF12 from Basel - Milano last time I went in August, 2016).
 

iknowyeah

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I've looked on the Thello website and Trainline and neither are selling tickets for that night. Yeah, I used them a few months ago and we were about three hours late leaving Milan!

Thanks for the info about the EC, I was worried they'd have some sort of ridiculous reservation system or having to buy several tickets for one journey
 

30907

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Just checked HAFAS and EN 221 shows as operating as normal from Paris Lyon on November 05 at 19h15, arriving into Milano Centrale at 05h55 next morning. What source are you looking at?
HAFAS (the bahn.de database) isn't altogether reliable for services that don't serve Germany, as engineering work variations aren't always incorporated.
 

iknowyeah

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So does it look like the Thello isn't running that night for whatever reason?
 

30907

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So does it look like the Thello isn't running that night for whatever reason?
All you can say is that it isn't yet open for booking because the times aren't confirmed. Are the dates either side available?
 

dutchflyer

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Check if the train is also cancelled on same or next-previous day the other way-of course the 2 sets have to balance out. But works on the line somewhereis quite possible-and its the low season then anyway, NOV is notorious for many trains not running due to economy.
 

iknowyeah

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The train is running both the day before and after, but fares aren't available for the return journey on the same night
 
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