tara3056

Hi everyone! I'm trying to book tickets on the TGV via SNCF's website (in French). I'd use Rail Europe, but apart from the fact that their prices are almost always higher, they aren't even showing the train I need. I'm looking for tickets (4 adults + 1 free toddler) on the 9:25 train leaving Bayeux, eventually arriving at Strasbourg Gare at 16:18. The 9:25 train isn't an option on Rail Europe's site.

So... easy enough... buy directly from SNCF right? Only when I go to check out on SNCF's website, there's no option to print the tickets at home. I can only have them delivered to an address in France (not an option), or pick them up at a self-service kiosk via the Borne Libre service. It cautions that if you do not have a chip-and-pin card, you will not be able to use these kiosks. I have a chip-and-signature, but not a chip-and pin.

So... anyone? What do I do? Get the tickets anyway, show up in Paris, find a station with a counter, and wing it?

Cowboy1968

Check fares for Caen-Strasbourg on the date/time you plan to travel. You should see the option to print tickets for that connection at home.

At a dummy date, the loisier fare was €77 for Bayeux-Strasbourg, and €72 for Caen-Strasbourg.
The cost for Bayeux-Caen is €6.30 any day/any time. You can buy them at Bayeux station.
So the "surcharge" for securing the loisier fare for the longest distance and for the convenience to print at home would only be €1.30 per ticket.

The other options for picking up the tickets for whole length Bayeux-Strasbourg look more pricey or also seem to require a debit card + PIN to book it and to pick up the tickets.

christycruz

I've had this problem with the family discount tixs before, but I had a French address to send them to.

How far ahead will you arrive in France before you need to get on this train?

Did you try the non- family discounted fare, which can usually be printed, to see if the extra cost is worth less hassle?

ardithl

I've had this problem when one segment is not a prems fare. You can print prems tickets at home, but you can't print every fare type. That's why cowboy's suggestion of prepurchasing only the segments between Caen and Strasbourg may make it possible to print those tickets at home for the discount price. Then just buy the segment from Bayeux to Caen at the station -- any station or an SNCF boutique.

ardithl

I tried a dummy booking and it does appear that the Bayeux to Caen segment is on a TER train. The prems price from Strasbourg to Caen was 45€ and the price from Bayeux was 51.30, so the short segment is the regular 6.30 fare. That segment is likely what is stopping you from printing the whole ticket at home. (By the way, it looks like you can buy a toddler seat from Caen for 9€, but I don't know about printing it.).

If you'll have a rental car, it might make sense to return it in Caen rather than switch trains there.

Unfortunately you'll have to change stations in Paris.

On the TGV from Paris, you might like the four seats face to face with the table in between. They are nice for a group (and a picnic).

StCirq

In your case, since part of the trip is on a TER train, forget about printing the tickets at home (or print only the Caen-Strasbourg tickets and just buy the TER tickets to Bayeux at the station). At any rate, you never choose the option to have them sent to you (if you're in the USA, they won't), nor do you choose the Borne Libre option. You choose the option to pick them up at a station or SNCF boutique; you'll be emailed a confirmation, which you take with you to the station along with the same credit card you used for the transaction, and you pick up your tickets. Just allow extra time to wait in line to make the transaction at the station.