Lesson: Group leader buying Flaam train tix

[MTJtraveller]

I purchased train tix for our Roll Call group of 20 for the Flaam train and I would say it was a great experience BUT if I was to do it again here is what I learned:

 

1) Keep the group number manageable. We were a group of 20, 8 of which were in my personal traveling group. 20 was manageable as we had a group of 4 also. I truly don't think there is anything wrong with booking a group of 10 and then another group form for 10. When I pre booked there were probably 35tickets left.

 

2) As you need to pay for all the tix with one currency, keep it as simple as possible. We had a stop in Bergan the day before Flaam so everyone was able to secure NOK ahead of time. If i had paid by credit card I could have asked for US currency and collected at our M&G. That would have made it easy on everyone to not have to hunt me down after Bergen.

 

3) I had one no show. While it wasn't THAT traumatic of an outcome, it made for a lot of consternation on my part from 10pm-midnight trying to reach the couple. Fortunately someone at the M&G had given me their cabin number as an alternative if something opened up. They stepped up and everything was ok.

 

4) No need to get off the ship in any hurry. Yes indeed, there is a separate line for group reservations. Easy as pie. Lots of grouchy people in the regular line as they QUICKLY sold out. I could have easily sold the tickets for the no show couple IF I had the correct amount of payment, hence my idea of paying with a credit card.

 

5) The train company does a great job of marking specific train cars, groups of seats for Groups. The people who buy the tickets the day of do not have "assigned seats" and seem to infill after the groups are seated. We had a couple spots open in our "area". What was a shame is that some of those people got on before the Princess group and because of the unwieldy size of the Princess group some of them were left to "search for seats" in the following cars. Get your group on and seated on the earlier side rather than later.

 

I hope some of this info is helpful to someone. The train trip was a highlight of the trip and I would not hesitate to book it as an independent group again.

[Alaskanb]

Thanks so much for the info. How did you book the tickets originally -- on the Flam rail website? Were you assigned seats when you booked or at the station?

[MTJtraveller]

I booked directly on the Flaam website. It was quite easy.

 

Because of the seating on the car, 3 on one side face-to-face and 2 on the other side face-to-face our group had a reservation "sticker" on the windows for a space of 22 or 24 seats, hard for me to remember. They directed us into our car and our group of seats. We were the first on the car which included a Princess Tour Group. But as I said, independents or people who purchased that same day got on before the Princess Tour and filled into their seats as well as our additional seats. Leaving people who, in my opinion, overpaid for the trip to try to find any remaining seat they could.

[Alaskanb]

Thanks -- we will be on the trip August 2014 so have lots of time to think about it all. I like the idea of doing the Princess trip that goes to Voss but it is costly. As far as I can tell there will be the Emerald Princess and a Silver Seas ship in port at the same time.

[Omega1]

Thanks for the valuable information. I have a group reservation pending and your post has answered my questions.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Question, it has been reported that recently they have started requiring those with pre-purchased to check in with the station (which defeats the whole purpose of pre-purchasing tickets :mad:). Did you have to do that for your group tickets?

[MTJtraveller]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Question, it has been reported that recently they have started requiring those with pre-purchased to check in with the station (which defeats the whole purpose of pre-purchasing tickets :mad:). Did you have to do that for your group tickets?

 

I believe the "checking in" for pre purchased tickets is an entirely different matter. My understanding is that those individual ( not group of 10+) are "open" tickets and yes, need to be brought to the station before trying to board.

 

I came to the station with my confirmation number and had to go inside and exchange it along with payment for tickets. Before they opened the station, at 8:15 BTW, there appeared to only be one line. I thought I had read there was a separate one for group tickets. I politely "excused me" myself into the station to check it out much to the consternation of the approximately 100 people already in line.

 

It wasn't until they officially opened that the separate lines were evident. There was a young man at the head of the lines directing people to the appropriate window. While the sign said group reservations, perhaps that line could be utilized for those with the individual pre purchased tickets? I just don't know.

 

I would say that the Flaam train people are VERY good at answering my questions via email, perhaps if you were very specific about the tickets you purchased in your inquiry you would have an answer about which line to use.

[sddsddean]

Thanks for the info. I've organised a group for 2 weeks time (we leave on Saturday). From what you are saying, just go round the line to find the group reservations window (is it well signed?). When you say get on earlier rather than later, how long before departure time were you allowed on to the train? (I have told everyone to be at the station by 0920 for the 0945 train).

Thanks for the help.

 

Simon

 

PS Does everyone get a ticket, or is it just 'one big' group one?

[MTJtraveller]

Thanks for the info. I've organised a group for 2 weeks time (we leave on Saturday). From what you are saying, just go round the line to find the group reservations window (is it well signed?). When you say get on earlier rather than later, how long before departure time were you allowed on to the train? (I have told everyone to be at the station by 0920 for the 0945 train).

Thanks for the help.

 

Simon

 

PS Does everyone get a ticket, or is it just 'one big' group one?

 

9:20 is perfect. I believe we went to the train at 9:30 and were ushered right on.

 

You will be given one ticket for the trip to Myrdal and one ticket for return, hence the need to board all together as a group.

 

The train depot doors will be open early, before the ticket windows actually are. People will all be lined up when you come at 8:15 after they open. Squeeze in the left hand side of the line and you will see a person monitoring the line to direct people to the ticket Windows as they open up. Show him your confirmation page and he will have you stand there and wait until the group window opens up.

 

Hope this answered yor questions :)

[sddsddean]

Brilliant...thanks a lot.

 

Simon