beth

I know it is to early to book train travel for July but I have been on the SNCF web site and I understand you cannot purchase tickets from North America. I looked at raileurope and they were very expensive. I am concerned that July is a busy time and the TGV train may be booked. I wanted to take it on 7/13 from the airport (our flight gets in about 9:40am). Do I wait till I arrive at the airport or is their a way I can book on SNCF ahead? If so when can I book? Not sure what will happen if I purchase and the plane is delayed. Also their are 3 of us 1 child age 7 + 2 adults Do I purchase the Child fare 50% discount card (I believe it is called enfants+) and then the 3 tickets? I will also be traveling back from Avignon to center Paris on 7/23. Can I wait to purchase these tickets when I get to Avignon on the 13th of July.

Christina

You can reserve on SNCF about a week before you go, which is what I'd do. I don't think you'll have a problem getting a train for a Saturday from CDG if you do that (but I'm just guessing), and I think you should be ok buying your return tickets for a Tuesday when you get there. I have reserved online about 5 days before pickup in France for a mid-weekday train from Avignon to Paris in July with no problem (the train trip was a few weeks off, though, so more equivalent to your 7/23 trip). Upon checking my VISA statement, my CC was charged on the date I reserved online, which was about 5 days before I picked up the tickets in France. You still have to pick up the tickets at a window and I remember they took my CC again (maybe just for ID), as well as the copies of all my email confirmations. I would presume if you paid and missed your train, that you can try to have them transfer that amount to another reservation, but I really don't know. Maybe someone who paid ahead and missed their train will comment, that would be lucky. Be prepared that it still may take you some time to pick up the tickets there even when reserving online due to lines.<BR><BR>I don't know anything about how to get the children's discounts as I haven't done that. I think I've heard of some people who went through a process of trying to call SNCF in France and having tickets charged to them and then mailed to them in the US, etc, to get around the online time requirements, but I haven't done that. I believe they did not speak French and thus had to call the number listed as the "Eurostar" train in the Parisian phonebook as that has English speakers; it's also a per-minute charge phone number, not free (I mean in addition to your own phone charges, of course). For the number of tickets you are buying, it might be worth it to call France.<BR>

kelly

You CAN purchase tickets from NA on the sncf site. You have to reserve AND pay for the tickets ahead of time, then you can pick up the tickets anytime, including day of travel. I believe tickets are on sale 2 months ahead of time. Have fun.

Sue

I just read on a thread about trains last night that you can reserve and PAY for your ticket on the SNCF site and pick it up any time including the day of travel, but I have not been able to verify that (and probably won't till I order my own) because I don't find the SNCF site very user-friendly.<BR><BR>I think the Carte Enfants+ might be a good deal, even for one trip--though the 50% off for adults is not guaranteed (depends on spaces available). You get 25% off anyway traveling as a couple (RT only), and I presume there is a normal discount for children, so maybe the card wouldn't be such a good deal at $50. You might try pricing the ticket both ways.<BR><BR>At any rate, you can't order till two months ahead.

Sue

I couldn't stand it--I just had to try to price the tickets! According to my calculations, normal purchasing ran 303 Euros RT 2nd class and with card 231. So it does seem worth it if the places are available. Don't buy the card till you determine they are. (or don't worry about it if you don't care about the 17 euros).

beth

Thanks Sue, I think I will try buying the card (I think it is about 55 euros)at the same time I buy the tickets. I have gotten different information on purchasing the tickets. I would pick them up the day of departure but some say you can reserve as early as 2 months ahead others say they will only hold them a week. So I am not sure about that

Monica

FYI, I posted the same question over a week ago. I also emailed and got a response from a representative from SNCF: She said: Yes, you can reserve your tickets on line, you have to pay for them on line and you pick them up anytime when you get to Paris, even up to the departure date. You can purchase them mid May since you are traveling mid July. I was told you can pick them up at any SNCF station, including the office at CDG.<BR><BR>

Mara

About a year ago I bought and paid for my ticket online (I'm in the US) from Paris to Brussels on the Thalys train. I received an email with the booking details. When I came in at CDG, I was able to get the ticket at the SNCF station at the airport. I paid half or less than the rate of RailEurope. The SNCF site says to have the credit card you used to make the reservation with you. I learned how to do this from a posting on Fodor's last year - just goes to show how helpful this discussion board is!