AlReady2Go

Hi Everyone...I've been following the advice on trying to purchase tickets on the sncf site and can get to the page in English using the http://tinyurl.com/2shmfn link...but...I'm trying to get 4 (adults over 60) tickets for May 6 on the 8:40am train from Paris to Bayeux returning on the 19:52pm train on May 7 to Paris. When I put that in and the price page comes up and I try to pick any of the options it says there are no seats available. Can that be true at this early date? Am I doing something wrong? Can anyone tell me how to do it? Thanks for any insights into doing these tickets...I've really learned a lot from all the replies about French train tickets...you guys are wonderful.

bob_brown

Try making a mock reservation about 59 days hence and see if your reservation will progress.

You may be trying to make the reservation too far in advance.

As a second question for any of you:
What is the right web site to use?
I tried the old address and got this snazzy jazzy stuff that was impossible to make much sense out of. I finally got into the French only part and had to guess at what it was telling me.

Betty1

Already2go, your link doesn't work for me. But I went to the website in French and tried to do your trip. Got all the way to selecting the return journey and then got a message saying (In French, of course) "due to a technical error, we invite you to try again later" Typical SNCF website result!

I was trying to see the exact wording of your message. Are you sure it didn't mean simply that there were no seat reservations to be had? If you left the button ticked for reservations, it would tell you that. I just bought 12 tickets for Paris - Rouen on a Corail train and was not able to reserve seats either. I've since read that these trains do not offer seat reservations. You just get on with your ticket and sit where you like. I'll keep trying your intinerary on the French site (I can't get to the English) and let you know what it says. I very much doubt that there are no places available on the trains you want in May.

Bob, are you trying to use www.sncf.com (or .fr)? That is a mess but you can get to the reservations page by clicking on Voyages-sncf.com in the upper right corner or just go directly to
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/leisure/fr/launch/home/ Then click on the train icon at the top of the page. From there it's pretty straightforward. If you get a message you don't understand come back and post it here and I'll try to help.

Maybe if we all stick together we can defeat this beast!

AlReady2Go

Thanks Betty...I really appreciate your help. I did this last year with no trouble but this new site is driving me crazy. The link I posted and used was from someones earlier post about how to get to the English site and not RailEurope...sorry if I posted it here wrong. I just tried again and got the technical error message too. Before I didn't get that but it keep kicking me back to picking trains so I tried a couple of different things and thought I'd try picking seats and thats when it said no seats were available. I think you're right about reserved seats being unavailable for those trains but not sure why it wouldn't let me at least pick the trains. If you've got any other ideas or hints I'd love to hear them. I'll try again later today to see if their technical problems have been fixed! So glad you were able to get what you needed for your trip...I was following your posts and know it's been a hassle...wish me luck.

Betty1

You're very welcome, AR2go. I think that all of us who have struggled with that site feel a kinship and a desire to help if we can.

I'm not sure your link is bad. It may just be my computer. It's been doing some weird things lately.

I'll keep trying for you, too, and let you know if anything changes. Maybe it has something to do with all the French people trying to use it in the evening. If so, it should be better by about 6 pm EST, midnight there.

Bonne chance!

bob_brown

I was trying to use the website shown by Betty. I was able to progress, but in French. I could figure it mostly, but not entirely.

Two questions:

1. Just what is a piccolo ticket? (I presume it means little price or low price.)

2. If I put down France for the country, can I still receive my ticket at any SNCF station? Or, can I now print my own tickets?

TimS

The SNCF site is working now. For the cheapest fares for 6 May, book the Paris-Caen separately and get Prem's fares. Do NOT choose cancellation insurance and print the tickets yourself. Buy tickets for the Caen-Bayeux leg at the station in Paris. (You can get Prem's for the first leg when booking both legs together, but then you'd have to have the tickets mailed to an address in France.)

Since you don't have to change in Caen on the return, book Prem's for that trip and again print the tickets yourself.

TimS

Bob,

If you give me your route, I'll do a dummy booking and report back about how to secure Piccolo tickets.

AlReady2Go

Thanks Tim and Betty...I just tried again and I guess I missed the open window...I'm still getting technical error when I try to get the tickets...this is very frustrating...I'll try again later tonight. Thanks for all your help...I really appreciate it and it keeps me going...I hate it when I can't get things to work they way they should, or at least how I think they should...lol. I did do this last year and had no problem at all..why do they have to fix things that aren't broken? Let me know if you have any other pearls of wisdom on this or words of encouragement...I think I'm going to need them! Thanks...

TimS

I just clicked on the link you gave in your first note and got the booking page in English. Try again!

bob_brown

Tim: I was curious about the new sncf site and was trying to see how it worked. I am not right now actively looking to book a ticket.

However, I was asking the system for the schedule from Gare de Lyon to Bern, Switzerland.

I get started in English, but when I look for the time I get flipped over into French. At the bottom of the page is an English icon. BUT when I click on it I get flipped back to the screen I just came from, only it is blank.

Leave it to the French to have a screwed up website. I can use the German, Swiss, and Austrian sites with nary a hitch, but this one defeats me. I guess it may force me to learn enough French to navigate it, which might not be a bad idea.

maddi

bob brown-

I was also having this problem. At the bottom of the page it states where do you want to pick up tickets. I put in Austria and the next pages were in English.

Users have stated that we could "print out tickets", however when I am purchasing my tickets the only 2 options I have are by mail and pick up at the station?

Any help?
thanks.

ira

HI M,

>the only 2 options I have are by mail and pick up at the station?

Is this a cross border train?
Is there a change of trains?

knoxvillecouple

I bought our 4 PREMs from Gare de Lyon to Avignon TGV yesterday with no problem. After a while it did revert from English to French, but it's not really difficult to figure it out (I hope that's the case!).

I selected the "print my own" option (imprimer) and after making the payment (I did have a problem there but not SNCF related) I received an email with attachments to our tickets to print out (pdf files) but I also got the tickets on the SNCF site itself. Incidentally I did take the cancellation insurance (don't understand why not). My payment "problem" was that my AMEX refused the charge (I forgot to call them ahead of time) and even after calling them the SNCF site still said my financial institution rejected the charge - so simply changed to my Visa CC - oh well, no FF miles for that purchase.

Sam

AlReady2Go

Ok, I'm trying this again...had to take a break cause it was driving me crazy. I still can't get it to work...I'm ok up to the point when I try to get the return portion, May 7th, Bayeux to Paris, and when I hit that part I get the technical error message again. I even tried it on the french site this time after clearning all my cookies etc. and still get this message. I'm not sure why I can't get it to work if other people can??? I hope I can figure what I'm doing wrong before I lose my mind!!! Any more suggestions? I admire any one that got this to work for them!

TimS

The reason not to bother with cancellation insurance is that most vacationers cannot meet the conditions required to make a claim.

TimS

AlReady2Go,

Try making separate bookings.

AlReady2Go

Hi TimS...I tried that too...still getting technical error when I try to buy even that. This is so frustrating! Do you think I should keep on trying or go to the Rail Europe site and pay the extra costs? I hate doing that but guess that might still be less expensive than doing it when we get to Paris...what do you think? Thanks again for all your help.

Betty1

AR2Go, I just tried what Tim suggested and it seemed to work. I got as far as the page where the 4 tickets are listed with seat assignments. Are you getting the technical error message before that?

I did Paris Saint Lazare to Caen 4 people (doesn't matter the ages, since you're going for Prem's) for your date and time and was offered 4 seats for 60€.

Then did Bayeux to Paris Saint Lazare, again with your date and time, again offered 4 seats for 60€.

I also tried aller-retour Paris Caen and got the same offers.

If I were you I'd keep trying. I'm sure RailEurope will be a lot higher and you still have some time. In case it's a problem with your computer you might try a friend's. Or maybe you just have to hit it at the right moment.

mariebut

I am reading your booking problems with interest. How do I get my online tickets if I live in Australia seems we are not mentioned on any Annex List. Am I able to just print my own. I've been comparing fares on Rail Europe OZ site to a Eurail Pass, but the fares on this site are heaps cheaper perhaps I don't need a pass. I seemed to be able to book on the link Betty1 supplied. Thanks