In North AmericaCIT Rail US tel 1-800/223-7987 or 212/730-2400, Canada tel 1-800/361-7799, www.cit-rail.com. DER Travel US tel 1-888/337-7350, www.dertravel.com/rail. Europrail International Canada tel 1-888/667-9734, www.europrail.net. Online Travel US tel 1-800/660-5300, www.eurorail.com. Rail Europe US tel 1-800/438-7245, Canada tel 1-800/361-7245, www.raileurope.com/us. ScanTours US tel 1-800/223-7226 or 310/636-4656, www.scantours.com. In the UK and Ireland Rail Europe (SNCF French Railways) UK tel 0870/5848 848, www.raileurope.co.uk. In Australia and New Zealand CIT World Travel Australia tel 02/9267 1255 or 03/9650 5510, www.cittravel.com.au. Rail Plus Australia tel 1300/555 003 or 03/9642 8644, www.railplus.com.au, [email protected]. Trailfinders Australia tel 02/9247 7666, www.trailfinder.com.au. By bus The most convenient bus services are those run as an extension of rail links by SNCF, which join SNCF stations and serve areas not accessible by rail. In addition to SNCF buses, private, municipal and departmental buses can be useful for local and some cross-country journeys, though be prepared for early starts and careful planning – the timetable is often constructed to suit working, market and school hours – if you want to see much outside the main towns. All buses are, generally speaking, cheaper and slower than trains. Larger towns usually have a gare routière (bus station), often next to the gare SNCF. However, the private bus companies don't always work together and you'll frequently find them leaving from an array of different points (the local tourist office will usually help locate them).
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