Man_in_seat_61

As well as the usual problems with the French Railways website trying to divert you to their various Rail Europe subsidiaries, I'm getting a string of 'voyages-SNCF.com rejected my credit card' reports.

This is just a heads-up that the privately-run alternative to voyages-SNCF, www.capitainetrain.com, originally only available in French, has just added an English version in the last few days. Not that there are many words to read anyway, the booking process is pretty streamlined and simpler to use than many booking sites.

It sells train tickets within France and to (sometimes also from) neighbouring countries, at exactly the same prices as voyages-sncf itself, with the same absence of any extra fee, with the same wide choice of trains and seating options, the same print-at-home e-ticket or collect-at-station delivery options. Just without the Machiavellian tendency to divert you to higher-priced agencies, or reject your credit card.

The history is that capitainetrain was allowed to connect to the SNCF ticketing system when SNCF lost a court case about anti-competitive behaviour. So capitainetrain is a David to SNCF's Goliath.

All this means it's well worth using for train travel to from or within France, instead of voyages-sncf or other overseas agency, if your journey is e-ticket able or collectable - which these days, is the majority.

Oh, and no, I'm not connected in any way with capitainetrain, beyond exchanging emails with them, and them telling me yesterday that they'd done as I suggested and got their site translated! And probably becoming a customer next time I need French train tickets, of course!

kybourbon

They didn't bother to translate the T&C so you could easily tell if any fees/conditions are tacked on. They also require you to register to search tickets and boot you if your purchase ratio isn't high enough compared to the number of searches.

MmePerdu

This is what I got when I clicked on the link, the first time ever I've gotten such a message, the gist of which I presume is that they don't like a bunch of browsers and especially my browser, too old (Or maybe it's me they think is too old, my French being far from perfect).

"Capitaine Train n'est compatible qu'avec Google Chrome, Firefox 11 ou supérieur, Safari 5.1 ou supérieur et Internet Explorer 9 ou supérieur.

Votre version de Safari est trop ancienne, il faut la mettre à jour."


So much for that.

Dukey1

Please, there are a lot of sites out there that aren't compatible with older browser versions. Don't cut your nose off...

Personally I appreciate the OP's helpful information and thank you.

PalenQ

marking

MmePerdu

I adore the 'Man' and have exchanged emails with him on occasion. It's not his fault. But I've had no problem using the SNCF site so until I get around to updating my software I'll simply continue. My nose is quite safe for the moment. "Please" yourself.

PalenQ

there is also an overnight train rolling between Munich and Paris-Est - leaving Munich nightly at about 10 pm and getting into Paris 9:50 next morning - www.bahn.de/en has fares including deep discounts if you act far enough in advance. For lots of great info on European trains and overnight trains I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - www.seat61.com - Man in Seat 61 who posts above his commercial site - and www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. Travel at night and save on the cost of an over night accommodation tro boot!

PalenQ

sorry about the above post put in a wrong thread!

Man_in_seat_61

Give 'em a chance, they only did the English translation last week, no doubt detailed stuff like Ts and Cs will follow.

I've had no problems doing multiple test bookings, I've just send them a list of suggested translation improvements.

They seem to have got good press in France, for customer service amongst other things. They're a small outfit, trying to compete with one of France's biggest corporations (too big, probably) and so far, doing a good job.

sofarsogood

MmePerdu - if you're advised that you're using an old browser then that is a a good thing, You should always use the most up to date browser; using an older version leaves you less secure when you're online.

fmpden

ttt

MmePerdu

"You should always use the most up to date browser..."

Yes, of course. It would go without saying, one would think.

Christina

I think it's good for people who have problems. I'm American and haven't had any problems buying tickets on SNCF, just bought some about a month ago. A lot of people who have credit card problems on SNCF are because they haven't notified their card issuer, I think, but there are some random other cases. Recently someone on Fodors said they could not use the Capital One credit card in person at a SNCF boutique, and sure enough, I had that same problem myself last week in Paris. And my card was perfectly fine elsewhere, of course, I had told them I would be abroad. In fact, it was the exact same card I had used to purchase tickets online a few weeks beefore that with no problem, but I couldn't use it in person to buy some other tickets. I didn't have any trouble with my Amex in person, and for some reason, Amex cards do seem to work more easily on their website, I've heard.

But what's this deal about how this new website boots you off if you don't buy enough tickets?

ziggypop

Thank you for the information Man-in-seat-61. I am waiting for the 90 day window to try out the English site. I have done a couple of practice purchases in French and was easily able to attain tickets and my French is below minimal.

entrada

I just wanted to add a very strong recommendation to anyone interested in purchasing train tickets to try out the Capitainetrain.com service. It is truly one of the best travel booking portals on the web. Very simple to use, extremely customer focused and responsive to customer inquiries. All conducted in english. And they even offer an option to send you your ticket in a way that can be added to your iphone passport app so it can be scanned on the train - just like many airlines now offer. I wish I could purchase all my train tickets through Capitainetrain and hope they are able to expand to other countries ASAP!

ziggypop

buying tickets is easy as pie using www.capitainetrain.com. I had pre-registered on the website. I had selected English as my language. I had signed my credit card up for verified by visa before trying to buy tickets. I had alerted my credit card ahead of time about my Europe travel plans.

It took probably two minutes to complete the purchase, and I type slow. A big thank you to Man _in_seat_61 and Nick Booth for the advice.

I checked, the prices were exactly the same and the schedules exactly the same as sncf.

I printed my own tickets but I could have waited and printed them in France in a sncf machine or ticket booth.

Dukey1

Christina didn't you rather conveniently FORGET to add that you speak French? Now about that "favorite" hotel you keep trumpeting about but refuse to reveal the name of...

PhilippeProvence

Thanks for sharing...

denisea

Planning to use the site to purchase our tickets to Strasbourg when they become available in a few weeks.

Appreciate the info and love the "man" - great site!

RM67

This is good news because it drives me nuts when SNCF redirects me to RailEurope. Ty for the heads-up.