Buying Train TIckets
May 5th, 2004, 06:41 AM
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Buying Train TIckets
Hello - ok so the only website I know of is raileurope.com for train tickets. Apparently, it sounds like a lot of people ont his board are against that site. I quickly learnt that buying the SelectPas or Europass is a big waste of money (in certain situations) and buying point to point is a lot more economical.
The site: www.sncf.fr has been mentioned in some posts that i was researching and I don't quite understand what the PREM rate is. What do you need to qualify for these rates? I plugged in a search for Paris to Nice on the TGV on that site - and I got a price which was a lot higher that raileurope. With prices that high - I might as well just fly to Nice form Paris.
Also - for tickets within Italy - from venice-florence-rome-naples - is raileurope the best place to buy these tickets. Do you recommend just doing in online??
The site: www.sncf.fr has been mentioned in some posts that i was researching and I don't quite understand what the PREM rate is. What do you need to qualify for these rates? I plugged in a search for Paris to Nice on the TGV on that site - and I got a price which was a lot higher that raileurope. With prices that high - I might as well just fly to Nice form Paris.
Also - for tickets within Italy - from venice-florence-rome-naples - is raileurope the best place to buy these tickets. Do you recommend just doing in online??
May 5th, 2004, 07:28 AM
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A lot of people on here are against purchasing from raileurope.com, but I always buy my rail tickets there. I just find the sight easier to use and navigate, and the prices decent. It probably is cheaper to buy on other sights (I've seen trenitalia.com and euraid.com mentioned here) but I've always used raileurope.com.
Good luck!
Tracy
Good luck!
Tracy
May 5th, 2004, 08:34 AM
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To qualify for the PREM rate, you just have to be willing to buy a non-refundable, non-exchangeable ticket on a day and route where this ticket is offered.
As for the price of regular tickets on the TGV, they may vary significantly at different times of the day. The reservation fee is much higher at peak times.
You can also buy tickets in advance (8 days or 30 days) , with a 25% or 50% reduction, but these aren't transferable, either, and non-refundable, or only partially refundable, can't remember exactly.
I always get raileurope and eurorail mixed-up, so I can't remember which one is a rip-off, but I already checked it and made comparison, and it's definitely a rip-off (the price is 30% higher, on average).
As for the price of regular tickets on the TGV, they may vary significantly at different times of the day. The reservation fee is much higher at peak times.
You can also buy tickets in advance (8 days or 30 days) , with a 25% or 50% reduction, but these aren't transferable, either, and non-refundable, or only partially refundable, can't remember exactly.
I always get raileurope and eurorail mixed-up, so I can't remember which one is a rip-off, but I already checked it and made comparison, and it's definitely a rip-off (the price is 30% higher, on average).
May 5th, 2004, 08:46 AM
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I just checked out the SNCF site. The price for a regular Paris-Nice ticket (refundable, exchangeable) vary between 70€ and 120€ depending on the hour. So, you should check several trains. Leaving one hour later can make you spare quite a lot of money.
The Paris---> Nice PREM tickets (not refundable, not exangeable) cost 25 € or 60 €, apparently.
That would be 2nd class tickets.
The Paris---> Nice PREM tickets (not refundable, not exangeable) cost 25 € or 60 €, apparently.
That would be 2nd class tickets.
May 5th, 2004, 09:20 AM
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I checked again and what I wrote previously is incorrect.
The price for regular tickets range from 83 € to 105 € depending of the time of the day (the 70 € I mentionned previously was actually a PREM fare, and I couldn't find another example of a 120 € ticket)
The PREM tickets cost 60€ or 70€ . The lowest price I could find was 40 €, but it was a night train, not a TGV. They do announce fares as low as 25 €, but they must be pretty rare, since I couldn't find one, despite trying various dates. And there most probably aren't on TGVs.
The price for regular tickets range from 83 € to 105 € depending of the time of the day (the 70 € I mentionned previously was actually a PREM fare, and I couldn't find another example of a 120 € ticket)
The PREM tickets cost 60€ or 70€ . The lowest price I could find was 40 €, but it was a night train, not a TGV. They do announce fares as low as 25 €, but they must be pretty rare, since I couldn't find one, despite trying various dates. And there most probably aren't on TGVs.
May 5th, 2004, 09:51 AM
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Copying a post I wrote on another similar thread :
I called directly the SNCF and they told me that the prices for the PREM fares (Paris-->Nice, 2nd class) were :
35€, 60€ and 70€
They assured me there were 35 € tickets. I searched once again, but still couldn't find one. So they probably exist, but I suppose there must be very few of them and that you must try hard to get your hands on one.
There definitely are tickets costing more than 105 €, up to 120 €, but after many tries, I must say they are rare too.
I called directly the SNCF and they told me that the prices for the PREM fares (Paris-->Nice, 2nd class) were :
35€, 60€ and 70€
They assured me there were 35 € tickets. I searched once again, but still couldn't find one. So they probably exist, but I suppose there must be very few of them and that you must try hard to get your hands on one.
There definitely are tickets costing more than 105 €, up to 120 €, but after many tries, I must say they are rare too.
May 5th, 2004, 12:03 PM
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Just yesterday, I purchased two PREM tickets (Bordeaux to Paris, Paris to Lamballe) TGV for 25 Euro each. I have spent considerable time at the SNCF site, but had never previously seen these offered. I had already found a 95 Euro ticket, but when I searched again, this time as two separate tickets...there were the PREMS.
May 6th, 2004, 02:21 PM
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anubis or anyone else--
I keep trying to buy the PREM tickets (here in the US) but the voyages sncf website absolutely won't allow me to get the tickets other than by mail... which they won't do to N America. I have read other threads saying you caan get around this and print out the tickets. But I can't figure that out. Help, with specific steps would be appreciated.
I keep trying to buy the PREM tickets (here in the US) but the voyages sncf website absolutely won't allow me to get the tickets other than by mail... which they won't do to N America. I have read other threads saying you caan get around this and print out the tickets. But I can't figure that out. Help, with specific steps would be appreciated.
May 6th, 2004, 02:32 PM
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Hi all,
SNCF has various discount fares.
The PREM fares are usually gobbled up about 60 days in advance (the earliest you can buy a ticket) because they are so low.
When booking tickets choose "France" as the country in which you will pick up your tickets.
Choose the e-ticket option.
You will get a confirmation number. Bring a printout of the confirmation and the credit card used to charge the ticket to any train station and collect your ticket.
For Italy, you will get significantly lower prices if you buy your ticket in Italy (travel agent or train station) or online. You can buy all of your tickets at once.
Hawaii,
How are you getting to Venice?
SNCF has various discount fares.
The PREM fares are usually gobbled up about 60 days in advance (the earliest you can buy a ticket) because they are so low.
When booking tickets choose "France" as the country in which you will pick up your tickets.
Choose the e-ticket option.
You will get a confirmation number. Bring a printout of the confirmation and the credit card used to charge the ticket to any train station and collect your ticket.
For Italy, you will get significantly lower prices if you buy your ticket in Italy (travel agent or train station) or online. You can buy all of your tickets at once.
Hawaii,
How are you getting to Venice?
May 6th, 2004, 02:49 PM
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Ira,
I have tried this repeatedly in the past two days: there is no option other than 'mail tickets' and that button can't be turned off. Is it possible something has recently changed. Or do I complete my address info first and THEN try to go back?
I have tried this repeatedly in the past two days: there is no option other than 'mail tickets' and that button can't be turned off. Is it possible something has recently changed. Or do I complete my address info first and THEN try to go back?
May 7th, 2004, 05:43 AM
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Thanks for your post. I find raileurope does a better job than sncf of showing schedules online, so don't feel that you are the only one who visits their site.
Here's my dilemma: While doing a price comparison yesterday at raileurope website I found the France Railpass 2004 Special to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of D-Day. $199 for any 3 days of unlimited first class travel this summer. Now, I also realize that raileurope pricing gets bashed a bit here, but this seems like a good deal to me. The combined price on sncf.com for point-to-point first class tickets for 3 trips we plan in June is 266 Euros ($320), plus or minus depending on time of day: Paris to Avignon to Lyon to Paris.
I think that TGF tickets purchased from sncf include the reserved seating fee, and we probably would have to pay that upcharge if we travel with the special railpass. Does anyone know how much that adds per trip? I'll guess about 10-12 euros ($12-15). Plus we would have to pay railpass shipping charge. Even so, it seems like quite a savings to me, especially for 4 people. Am I missing something?
Here's my dilemma: While doing a price comparison yesterday at raileurope website I found the France Railpass 2004 Special to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of D-Day. $199 for any 3 days of unlimited first class travel this summer. Now, I also realize that raileurope pricing gets bashed a bit here, but this seems like a good deal to me. The combined price on sncf.com for point-to-point first class tickets for 3 trips we plan in June is 266 Euros ($320), plus or minus depending on time of day: Paris to Avignon to Lyon to Paris.
I think that TGF tickets purchased from sncf include the reserved seating fee, and we probably would have to pay that upcharge if we travel with the special railpass. Does anyone know how much that adds per trip? I'll guess about 10-12 euros ($12-15). Plus we would have to pay railpass shipping charge. Even so, it seems like quite a savings to me, especially for 4 people. Am I missing something?
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