Prem fares (again)
Jun 24th, 2017, 07:46 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,606
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Prem fares (again)
We are traveling to France in Oct. and need to book trains from Nice to Aix and then Aix to CDG. Prem fares go up for sale 90 days? 92 days? We are actually going to be on another trip in July and may have a hard time hitting the 90 / 92 day sale day. A week later, will we probably have missed out on the Prems? Thanks!
Jun 24th, 2017, 07:48 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jun 24th, 2017, 09:32 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why don't you just go to the website and try it on that date? It won't take you long to find out. If you aren't going to be around for either day, I am not sure I understand the concern.
It is a complete fallacy that you have to buy PREMS on that exact date, I have bought them numerous times and never once has it been exactly on the date they open, I suppose it depends on demand but they can be available up to close to departure. I buy my train tickets when I'm ready to make those plans. I don't know why people on Fodors are so obsessive about this thing, knowing the exact day the sales open, I think it is rare they they would only be available for one week. Now the price does go up over time, so the cheapest is at the beginning of sales period, but one week isn't that big a deal.
Right now you can buy a PREM for 7/2, only a little over a week away for Paris-Avignon at 11:19 am at 54 euro, for example, but that same PREM for 9/24 is 31 euro. So the price goes up over time, just like discounted fares on airlines. You cannot buy a PREM for 9/25 today, so you can figure that out, but you can for 9/24.
It is a complete fallacy that you have to buy PREMS on that exact date, I have bought them numerous times and never once has it been exactly on the date they open, I suppose it depends on demand but they can be available up to close to departure. I buy my train tickets when I'm ready to make those plans. I don't know why people on Fodors are so obsessive about this thing, knowing the exact day the sales open, I think it is rare they they would only be available for one week. Now the price does go up over time, so the cheapest is at the beginning of sales period, but one week isn't that big a deal.
Right now you can buy a PREM for 7/2, only a little over a week away for Paris-Avignon at 11:19 am at 54 euro, for example, but that same PREM for 9/24 is 31 euro. So the price goes up over time, just like discounted fares on airlines. You cannot buy a PREM for 9/25 today, so you can figure that out, but you can for 9/24.
Jun 24th, 2017, 09:44 AM
#4
Hitting the exact first date for booking is of no importance whatsoever if you are not traveling on the busy days (end/beginning of the summer months, major national holidays, certain weekends, start of French school holidays...). I rarely book more than about 30 days in advance except for my July trip to Avignon.
If you want to save money, it is also important not to be too picky about your travel time. A train at 9 or 10 a.m. will almost always be a lot more expensive than a train leaving at 6:30 or 7 a.m. or a train leaving late in the day.
It is also a fallacy to think that all Prem's fare sell out quickly. Some remain available for several weeks, and it is also good to know that there are now "last minute Prem's" which the central booking computer spits out a week or two before the departure date if the booking percentage is lower than expected.
Obviously, many of the summer season travelers here have never had the opportunity to be able to book fares easily so they tend to spread a bit of panic.
If you want to save money, it is also important not to be too picky about your travel time. A train at 9 or 10 a.m. will almost always be a lot more expensive than a train leaving at 6:30 or 7 a.m. or a train leaving late in the day.
It is also a fallacy to think that all Prem's fare sell out quickly. Some remain available for several weeks, and it is also good to know that there are now "last minute Prem's" which the central booking computer spits out a week or two before the departure date if the booking percentage is lower than expected.
Obviously, many of the summer season travelers here have never had the opportunity to be able to book fares easily so they tend to spread a bit of panic.
Jun 24th, 2017, 09:51 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,606
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you for the helpful replies - I was not sure if I had to be ready to book the first day the fares were available. It sounds like just booking when I return from my July trip (for the Oct. dates) will work out fine. Again thanks for the helpful replies 
Jun 25th, 2017, 08:28 AM
#7
For October 10, for example, 31 days of August, 30 days of September, = 61 days. plus 10 days of October = 72 days, + 20 days of July = 92 days. So on July 12th the PREMS would go on sale at just past midnight, French time. That's 6 PM EST in the USA on July 11th. FWIW
I scoped out the fares for the day I wanted on voyages-scnf.com, for a more current week that DID have PREM fares, so that I could 1) get an idea what times of day would eventually be available, rather than make a decision at the time of purchase, and 2) type in a request for an e-mail reminder from SCNF that the PREM fares were now available. But I found it easier to buy the tickets on trainline.eu
The PREM fares are lower on weekdays than on weekends, and Sun tickets seem more pricey than Saturday tickets.
I scoped out the fares for the day I wanted on voyages-scnf.com, for a more current week that DID have PREM fares, so that I could 1) get an idea what times of day would eventually be available, rather than make a decision at the time of purchase, and 2) type in a request for an e-mail reminder from SCNF that the PREM fares were now available. But I found it easier to buy the tickets on trainline.eu
The PREM fares are lower on weekdays than on weekends, and Sun tickets seem more pricey than Saturday tickets.
Jun 25th, 2017, 09:26 AM
#8
I've mentioned it before, but it always bears mentioning again concerning the rather weird (to most people) term "Prem's." Why the 's'? -- why the apostrophe?
"Prem's" is a schoolyard term used by children in France to say "Me first!" And since the Prem's fares are for early bookers, that is the simple explanation of the name.
"Prem's" is a schoolyard term used by children in France to say "Me first!" And since the Prem's fares are for early bookers, that is the simple explanation of the name.
