booked eurostar, now found cheaper on thalys website

[34D]

Hello,

I'm assuming that this is just one of those things, but I booked some eurostar tickets earlier, and have found the exact journey cheaper on the Thalys (english) website.

Don't suppose Eurostar do price match?

Happy to acknowledge that this is my fault, but worth asking just in case.

In truth, I never thought to look on the Thalys website. Will remember for next time.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I don't think they'll price match, I'm afraid, but it's always worth asking... you never know...

It'll be down to quotas; Eurostar's direct sales will have filled up their lower quotas faster than their associates in this case. It could easily happen the other way round.

 

[34D]

I don't think they'll price match, I'm afraid, but it's always worth asking... you never know...

I did and they wouldn't. I guess I'm just used to the UK train companies (almost) perfect competition, such that the price is the same on them all (trainline fees excepted).

 

[Gordon]

I did and they wouldn't. I guess I'm just used to the UK train companies (almost) perfect competition, such that the price is the same on them all (trainline fees excepted).

In my experience Eurostar don't budge on anything 'customer care' once you've booked - as they (for the moment) have a monopoly

 

[34D]

In my experience Eurostar don't budge on anything 'customer care' once you've booked - as they (for the moment) have a monopoly

Yes. It was doubly annoying, in that what I'd found elsewhere was "1st class" which I assume is business premiere on Eurostar (with the proper meal, as opposed to the standard premiere with its cold tiny portions).

I thought tbh that they might upgrade me to that

 

[30907]

I assume this wasn't a pure ES journey but a through fare to/from Koeln (or Essen).
This is a Thalys only offer AFAIK, competing (to some extent) with DB's London Spezial. Both will have quotas on ES.
It seems to have pretty restricted availability but the headline price is very good value, especially in first if you can get a Thalys with full meal service.
(I suspect though that you get Standard Premier on ES, I understand you do with the DB ticket.)

ES rarely seems to offer reasonable London-Koeln prices.

@34D - sorry you lost out, didn't get to your original post in time!

 

[34D]

@34D - sorry you lost out, didn't get to your original post in time!

Won't let it detract from the trip

 

[cgcenet]

I did and they wouldn't. I guess I'm just used to the UK train companies (almost) perfect competition, such that the price is the same on them all (trainline fees excepted).

It's nothing to do with "competition", it's because National Rail ticket retailers operate under licence and therefore sell the exact same range of tickets; Advance tickets are taken from the same quota regardless of whom they are booked with. Certain operators give a discount for online booking of tickets valid only on their trains, but otherwise they all sell the same tickets at the same prices. The only sense in which they "compete" is the quality of service given in performing the transaction.

It would be a good thing if European train operators did the same thing...