mjs

How to book train on SNCF without going through Rail Europe and their add on costs Tried the British site but it requires a English address. Tried the French site but it asks for Carriage and seat number but does not provide a map. Traveling Bayeux to Paris on October 25. I could suppose to say it does not matter but I would rather select my seats. Anyone try Captain Train?

pariswat

Do use capitainetrain.com

Never did myself as I use SNCF (no prob with French), and I don't care about seat selection but this site is widely recommended on this forum and prices are equal to the ones from SNCF.com

StCirq

www.capitainetrain.com

I use the French SNCF site and have no problem selecting seats, but it's probably a lot easier for you to use capitainetrain.com, as it doesn't have a problem with U.S. credit cards the way SNCF does.

Christina

I don't really understand your issues, the site can't ask you for a carriage and seat number as it assigns them to you. I've booked on it numerous times. It does ask you for your seating preference in terms of solo, duo, window or not, etc. I just looked at it for your trip, presuming you wanted the direct train in the afternoon -- it just asks you what type of seat you want, indifferent, fenetre or couloir, that's all. Fenetre is window, couloir is aisle. It does not ask you for any carriage or seat number. If you choose another run that has a transfer and is a combo of TER or IC, it asks you the same thing, just general preference.

I don't think the English site requires any address for anything if you are getting an e-ticket. I just looked at it, and all it asks for is your name as on your passport, and then how you want delivery. Then at that point, it also asks your birthdate. I'm sure if you wanted it by mail, you'd have to put in an address.

But capitainetrain may be easier for you, and may work better for credit cards, maybe in the UK it's not a problem, I know SNCF often rejects American credit cards, it has mine for no obvious reason, even when my issuer is okay with it.

thursdaysd

I have no issues with sncf.fr. I tell it English, and that I am in France (regardless of where I am in fact). I either get an eticket, if I have access to a printer, or collect the ticket from a machine in a French train station - you just need the six digit booking number, just like plane tickets. My US credit cards usually work, although sometimes I have to call the CC company if I am in the US. Not an issue if I'm actually in France.

Man_in_seat_61

Just use www.captaintrain.com for all French train tickets.

That's regardless of where you live.

It sells all SNCF tickets and products, there's no fee, it accepts all worldwide credit cards, and you get a full choice of seating options.

Without voyages-sncf's Machiavellian redirects to other sites!

aliced

Alors, we had plenty of trouble trying to book directly on SNCF without being booted onto Rail Europe. Our solution: indicate that you are from Antarctica! Really. I got this tip on this forum, and it works. But before you do this booking, notify your bank of this foreign charge as it will be debited immediately, then rejected as was ours, till we cleared it with our bank card company.

PalenQ

Bayeux to Paris is a non-TGV train and it's a fairly flat fare train with only minor discounts for booking in advance and seat reservations are optional and a few euros extra - save yourself a lot of hassle and just buy that ticket once in Bayeux - most seats IME on that train are un-reserved - check the sites and see what full fare is and what discounts you may get - if not much just buy once there - discounted tickets are train-specific, non-changeable non-refundable - just buying once there you can get a ticket good on any Bayeux-Paris train I believe - just hop on.

For lots on French trains check not only Man in Seat 61's commercial site - www.seat61.com but also www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Those trains never sell out as seat reservations are not mandatory and starting in Bayeux, on direct Bayeux to Paris trains, you should have lots of empty seats - again you can make an optional seat reservation for 3 euros or so when you buy your ticket.

Southam

I bow to the knowledge of Seat 61 and so, apparently, does SNCF. Its site now allows residents of North America to choose between staying with SNCF or being bumped to Rail Europe. No more free rides for Prince Machiavelli, I guess.

mjs

Tried but still having problems selecting seats on Captain Train. No map to chose Non smoking seats. There is space to select carriage and seats but without a map it is impossible to understand what one is doing. SNCF does recommend reservations on the train I am trying to book, possibly because it is a direct Sunday afternoon train to Paris.

Pvoyageuse

"No map to chose Non smoking seats"
Smoking is forbidden on all French trains. All seats are non smoking !

thursdaysd

What exactly are you trying to choose? Basically it is upstairs (better view) or down on a duplex, and window or aisle, with or without a table. Or a single in first class if you're a solo traveler. You can't pick direction of travel because there's no knowing how the carriages will be coupled, and some trains change direction.

I have seen seat maps for some trains (seat61? sncf.fr?) but in my experience they don't always help if you're trying to line up with a window.

socialworker

SNCF is a huge cr--shoot…..I have had it work great and I have been totally unable to use it, all within the space of a couple of days. I have a log-in that it recognized and booked me tickets and had my full itinerary, only to have it say a day later "NO such email address exists in our system".

I now use www.captaintrain.com for hassle-free ticket buying.

PalenQ

Again just put angst to rest and buy that ticket once in France - how many hours have you already spent on this seemingly quioxtic quest - savings are minimal for advance purchase or how much will you save over just showing up - those trains never sell out because seat reservations are not required - anyone can board but get a reservation with your ticket.

If you could do this all easily yes but for all the problems - this is not a TGV train but a regional train.

MaineGG

The only place I have seen actual seat maps for trains is on the iDTGV site. You can but iDTGV tickets on the SNCF or Capitaine Train sites, but I don't think those sites display the seat maps. Of course, iDTGV serves limited routes.
http://www.idtgv.com/en

I have seen an option to choose which direction the seat faces. You could tick a box saying "voyager dans le sens de la marche" or some such wording.

PalenQ

I have seen an option to choose which direction the seat faces. You could tick a box saying "voyager dans le sens de la marche" or some such wording.>

Trains at times reverse directions mid course - like when they pull into a terminus - dead-end station and then reverse directions to back out going the other way - not sure any on this route but could well be.

kerouac

Upstairs/downstairs is unlikely on the Bayeux-Paris route. I don't think any TGVs operate on that route.

On another website, I recently saw a debate about whether reserved seats are still indicated on the <b>Intercités</b> trains. I can confirm that they still slip little cardboard notices into the slots over the seats showing the sector on which seats have been reserved. Any seat without a cardboard marker is free for anybody to sit in. If you are on a <b>TER</b> train, there a no reserved seats at all.

PalenQ

No TGVs on Bayeux to Paris - not a high-speed line - no double deckers TMK - looking on sncf I see you can save about 12-29 euros by booking (in stone) in advance so that may be worth it - you still have to make the optional seat reservation.

mjs

You are correct that this is too OCD. Just gonna book two seats on the direct train at around 2pm and worry about seats when I get to Bayeux. Might even change train times depending on what we decide to do.

PalenQ

If a full fare ticket you can use it on any similar train.