Celiaanne

I am trying to book tickets from CDG to Rennes. I am getting a good PREM fare of 44 E with the option to buy insurance for 5E.

Has anyone ever bought this, and if so, does it allow you to take another train if you miss yours? "Michael" on another thread said he didn't think so, but he wasn't sure.

Also, when asked where I would like to get my tickets, when I choose US, I don't get the PREM fares as I do when choosing France.

So, my question is, what country/option do I choose so I get the PREM option so that I can print out the tickets at home?

Thank you.

Celiaanne

This fare is for 2 Seniors, IF I am understnding correctly.

alanRow

As I recall selecting "insurance" means that you CAN'T collect them from a station.

In any case haven't you got "travel insurance" for this sort of thing - your CC may even have limited cover already.

And seeing you are asking about insurance - what MEDICAL insurance d you have or are you intending paying cash if you are unfortunate enough to require medical treatment

Michael

This is the title of the e-mail I received concerning my PREM insurance:

<i>Confirmation de souscription de Prem's assurance annulation Numero 1941442</i>

My interpretation is that it is only a cancellation insurance, not insurance for a missed train.

Celiaanne

Alan, I'm not sure what you mean. I want to print the tickets out at home before leaving for France -- not pick them up at a station....

We sometimes buy travel insurance...not always. We do have some medical coverage overseas but it is always nice to have some extra (evacuation, etc.). Not sure just yet if we will buy it or not.

Right now I am focused on the train tickets....and I would like to know if the insuracne sncf sells covers missed trains and also how I go about getting to the screen that gives me the print-now option...

Thanks for your info.

Christina

first, you can't print tickets if you buy that insurance.

One shouldn't buy insurance for small amounts, insurance should be for major loss risks.

You have to have a valid, documented reason for missing the train (like an illness with doctor's statements, etc.) and I think there are notification and other requirements. It isn't that easy to get reimbursement, and you have to do something online within one hour of knowing you can't make the train or something.

There wouldn't be any reason to choose US for an option on a French rail site. The option they ask you is where you want to retrieve or pick up tickets, and that would not be in the US. If you are thinking that would be appropriate because your printer is in the US, and you only want to print, it wouldn't be.

Don't buy the insurance, not only can't you print, but it's throwing away your money. Unless you have read the insurance terms and agree to them all (I think they are only in French), but I've read them and think they would rarely apply to most people. I imagine you are required to check that you've read the terms and agree to them.

I just scanned them and they do cover missing your train if your car breaks down and you have to use it to get to the station, and in case of some transportation delays beyond your control in certain situations. It sounds like you are just afraid your plan will be late. That might be covered, as long as you planned to arrive at the train station at least one hour before th train was scheduled to leave. Also, you'd need some documentation of the delay , and you are supposed to do someone online within one hour. At least, that's what it appears to me.

Don't buy insurance for a 44 euro train ticket, that's my opinion.

StuDudley

For 44 E - book a later train also......

As I recall, you have 3 1/2 hrs to get to the TGV after landing. Even if your plane is 2 hrs late, that should be enough time. You need to retrieve your bags, but no security check. Getting on the train is a no-brainer once you get to the the TGV area. One of the plane arrival terminals is only a 15 mins walk from the TGV station

Stu Dudley

ira

Hi C,

You can buy your tickets online at www.voyages-sncf.com.

Leave the country as France.

You will be given the option to print your tickets online.

If you buy the insurance you can get a refund for the ticket that you didn't use.

You cannot use it on the next TGV, as they are reserved seat only.

You will have to buy another ticket at the current price.

Celiaanne

Thank you, Christina. Exactly what I wanted to know.

Stu, you are right about having so much time and the chance of missing it, while there, is not probably likely, and the tickets are only 44E.

So, no insurance.

Actually getting the tickets. I will get them through the SNCF site as I don't see PREMS on any of the other sites I've looked at, including the voyages one. (Thanks, Ira)

I don't know why I'm so concerned about getting these. I've certainly bought much more expensive things on line without this much thought. I think it's the language that's causing it. I'm going to just do it!

Thanks to all of you for your patience and information.

Celiaanne

I did it! I bought and printed PREM tickets (44 E for 2 passengers) from CDG to Rennes. It was a struggle because of the language, but I think I did it correctly.

The only thing I missed was putting our ages in as &quot;senior.&quot; Hoping that doesn't matter... Anyone know?

Thanks for all the advice.

ira

Hi C,

Good for you.

The price of a PREMS ticket is the same, whether youth, adult or senior.

StuDudley

Last year it didn't matter. Like Ira implied, I think there is a discount for seniors, but it is not as low as a PREM ticket.

Stu Dudley

rhy

What is a PREMS ticket? I did a search for tickets from Rennes to Paris and 3 prices came up. One was cheaper than PREMS, but my french is non existent and I ahve no idea what the fares mean.

Celiaanne

Thanks Ira and Stu.

rhy, I don't know exactly what PREM stands for, but any fare that I checked on, PREM was the cheapest. It's non-refundable, etc.

Metry

I am also trying to buy tickets from Florence to Paris and have found the PREM fare on the SNCF site. I can only find it when France is the country and it is in French. While I don't speak French my children do and I'll try to get them to help, but will I be able to print the tickets here at home in the US avoiding the need to have them sent to a destination in Europe as I did last summer? Can anyone tell me what button will say &quot;PRINT&quot;?

Thanks to all for your help!

Karen

ozgirl

Karen, try going to
1. http://www.voyages-sncf.com/leisure/uk/launch/home/

2.click on the English flag (nothing seems to change)

3. click on
&quot;consulter le plan du site&quot; and a new window will come up (in French)

4. click on &quot;R&eacute;servation billet train&quot; under the Train heading

5. sometimes this will then take you to an English page - if not, go to the top of the page where your browser has the address (eg. http......) and in the address where you see =FR&amp;_AGENCY (toward the end of the address) change the FR to UK and enter. Should change to English.

This is a method partly provided very kindly by TimS with a little embellishment of my own!
Hope it works for you.

ozgirl

sorry, should have added leave &quot;France&quot; as the country to pick up and then you will be able to print yourself.

StuDudley

You also have to decine the 6E insurance to be able to print the tickets. If you decline on the French site, printing online is the default on the French language site. I did this a few days ago for a France to France train. Don't know what happens if one of the to/froms is not in France.

Stu Dudley

ira

Hi M,

&gt;trying to buy tickets from Florence to Paris and have found the PREM fare on the SNCF site.

You can't print this ticket online. You can have it delivered to your Italy address.

ira

Hi Stu,

&gt;You also have to decine the 6E insurance

You can now print out PREMS tickets online when offered, even if you do buy the insurance.