Train travel France/Italy

[Apibeeman]

A few years ago I was traveling from UK to Romans France, I arrived on the last BA flight and purchased a ticket at the airport train station Lyons, to Valence, Standing on the platform, I waited and waited and at about midnight, decided to go back to the ticket office that was just closing and the man inside told me that the service had been cancelled and the train didnt stop and SNCF would give me a bus ticket to Lyons so I could get a train there, I had to get a taxi home that cost 300 earos they didnt compensate me.

This was my first nasty experience on French and Italian train systems, which I find very poorly managed and filthy, the toilets rarely work, smell, no water, and it is impossible to book on internet, the information that you get at stations ticket desks is also unreliable.

My latest nasty experience was last weekend in Italy, I went to Milan to see a sick friend, it was hard enough getting the train over there, with the usual dissinformetion and late trains so missing connections. When it came time to leave, the day before I went to the Trainitalia ticket desk and asked for a ticket for the Saturday 5,30 o'clock train to Chambury, I was told they could not sell me one because I was to late but to go to Milan central station and buy the ticket on the train. Next day I went to the station but on the departure signboard it indicated the train had been cancelled and on further investigation there was a coach to transport passengers to Chambury, I made my way to the coach and was informed they would not let me travel on it even though it was only 3/4 full because I did not have a ticket. I returned to the ticket desk at the station to find out all trains accross the Alps had been cancelled this month because the lines were up for maintenance. By this time I was mad. I eventually managed to get an alternative way to civilisation.

The point is the train systems in Europe are becoming unusable, probably because of privatisation, in America if they privatise any system they make sure there is copetition between the companies, her in Europe as everything is on a smaller scale we do not have that luxery, I certainly would not send my child on its own to travel Europe these days, as the train operators will dump them anywhere.

[Pickles]

[quote user="Apibeeman"]The point is the train systems in Europe are becoming unusable, probably because of privatisation, in America if they privatise any system they make sure there is copetition between the companies, her in Europe as everything is on a smaller scale we do not have that luxery, I certainly would not send my child on its own to travel Europe these days, as the train operators will dump them anywhere.[/quote]

You have obviously had a very unfortunate experience. I am not going to defend the Italian or French rail systems - my own experiences of both have been varied from great to "Service? What service?". However I think that to look towards the US as a model for train travel is misguided. By many accounts (just search "Amtrak horror stories") much of the US rail system is worn out and under-maintained. Long-distance trains (eg via Amtrak) are frequently given lower priority than local trains or freight by the various track owners. There are many reports of trains and stations being filthy and unsanitary.

Regards

Pickles

[Apibeeman]

It was not just an experience, it was two and the smell from the toilets is on all the trains. I was suggesting by my comments on US system that maybe it is better to not privatise.

[Stan Streason]

We brits just get to hear about the wonderful TGV etc and get envious.

Recently we had a friend come to visit us in France.  Travelling TGV from Brussels to Poitiers the train arrived 90 mins late.  On the return journey we were flying back to Stansted at similar times. Dropped him off at the station with 15 mins to wait for his train and went off to the airport.  Phoned him when we landed - he was still at Poitiers station his train picking him up 2 hours late (granted we cut it fine at the airport plus our flight had a tailwind and was just 62 mins in the air.).

[velcorin]

As a daily SNCF commuter, give me Network South East, even Virgin, any day. Weekly trains fail to stop at stations because the driver forgot, 3-4 hour waits outside of teminals, toilets never work. I've never experienced a derailment in UK or Spain where I commuted daily for the same number of years. 3 in France[:-))] Lines temporarily shut for no given reason. A management policy, not to tell their staff anything, so they don't have to tell the passengers. Constant begging. Smoking. I've seen drivers, frogmarched off trains by the Police, stinking of alcohol.

On TGVs (which cost 10s of billions), offpeak, it is a pleasant experience. Commuter trains are somewhere in Dante's imagination.

Bit, of a pet subject of mine, this one. There does seem to be a bit of a myth surrounding the French rail system.

Point of interest. Rail workers get free travel, their partners, any children, in-laws, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers............And the pension bill is more than the revenue of the entire network.

[andyh4]

I don't think the OPs expereince has anything to do with privatisation since FS and SNCF are essentailly still national(ised) rail companies.

 

I too have mixed experiences, the latest of which resulted in the TGV arriving in Bruxelles Midi 90 minutes late for a connection on Thalys with only 85 minutes connection time.  Both tickets were sold to me by SNCF and the nice Thalys man said that since I had not bought the tickets through them there was nothing they could do - the connection was the last Thalys of the day.

Onward travel was via a series of slow local trains with 3 changes and a home arrival just 4 hours before I had to get out of bed.

I have complained to TGV-Europe who sold the ticket.

I have now been invited to apply for compensation at the SNCF Customer relations centre in Arras and will report back in time on my success - or otherwise.

 

Notwithstanding that, I have had time to wonder (well 4 hours on slow trains gives you lots of time to wonder) whether we sometimes expect too much - how many would complain if a plane took off 90 minutes late?  I think most would just huff, shrug shoulder s and get on with it.  And yet if it is a train.............................

 

My own complaint to SNCF was not about the late train per se but about the lack of customer support - something that airlines in general do quite well - maybe not RA, but most of the rest.

[Apibeeman]

If everybody is serious about saving the world from global warming, then the railways, which are the most fuel efficient and least polluting means of transport, should be improved and not privatized.

The UK has proved what a disaster privatization of the rail system is. Maybe a rail governing body should be formed, like IATA for aeroplane operators would help but the crux of the problem is the present governments selling off everything in an effort to save costs at all costs.

[Russethouse]

I appreciate the US is a huge country but in the next couple of months I'm going to Savannah, to get there I'm flying into Atlanta, can I go from Atlanta to Savannah by train - no...OK so I thought I'd look at flying into Florida and going by train, I'd have to go via Washington !!!

Every system has its good and bad....

[Apibeeman]

You could try the Greyhound bus

[Russethouse]

 I thought of that but my American friends were not enthused......

Luckily I'm hitching a lift with someone going and flying back .....

[woolybanana]

Presumably we will see 'The US Diary of a Middle Class Matron' sometime after your return, RH?[6]

[Russethouse]

Middle Class Matron - jeez you know how to make a gal feel good[Www]