theresac

The last time I booked train tickets in France I was able to use the SCNF UK site rather than using the US RailEurope site. I could print our tickets at home and I saved quite a bit. It looks like this is no longer possible because of the requirement to fill in the billing address for the credit card being used. Is there any way to to avoid paying the higher US prices for tickets?

ira

Hi t,

Last year I purchased my tickets via the French-language Belgium site using a US credit card.

thursdaysd

Getting sent to RailEurope used to be the result of saying you live in the US at the beginning of a session. Does filling in a US address at the billing stage now send you to RailEurope?

Betty1

Try www.capitainetrain.com. I've had no such problems there. Same prices, schedules as SNCF and easier to use IMO. You can change the language to English if need be. And you still need to call your credit card company to let them know that you'll be making an online purchase in euro.

hpeabody

I will be traveling by TGV Lyria from Basel to Paris in April. I tried Voyages SNCF using "country" Switzerland. I was able to book the fare I was trying to get, only to have my US credit card rejected. But ... I had success with Capitaine Train and it was so easy! https://www.capitainetrain.com/

I was so lucky to have help here on Fodor's, so I hope to pass it on to you.

Christina

I don't remember ever filling in any address on the credit card I used on SNCF last year, which was a regular US Mastercard. If I did, and just forgot, what difference does it make, just filling in an address doesn't change anything in terms of getting tickets by email or if you plan to pick them up at a station in France. It's only if you insist on getting them in North America for some odd reason that you will not be allowed to buy them on the regular SNCF site. I don't use any SNCF UK site, I just use the regular French one.

Christina

this is the page I use, you just fill in the info you want in the search boxes on the left, and then buy when you pick something from the results you get, that's all. http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

I don't understand using country, that page doesn't make you put in any country. I put in the city of departure and arrival, then dates, and click "rechercher." Then if you pick a ticket and say you want it by e-ticket, all it asks you is your name, birthdate, and your email address, that's all. Then you put in your CC number and its security code. It doesn't ask for any billing address that I can see.

I did have to notify my card issuer to expect a foreign charge, many block them automatically.

Man_in_seat_61

Yes, it's easiest just to use www.capitainetrain.com.

Same trains, prices, print-at-home tickets and same lack of any booking fee as voyages-SNCF.com.

But you can still book in English at the French railways site, use this direct link, http://en.voayages-SNCF.com

You should see 'Other countries (EUR) top right.

Select Afghanistan or Algeria or whatever as your country, it doesn't matter, that's what I use as they begin with A so it saves me scrolling down.

Man_in_seat_61

Sorry, http://en.voyages-SNCF.com, of course!

theresac

Thanks everyone - I switched to Captainetrain.com as suggested and have had better luck.
uk.voyages-sncf.com/en is the site which asked for a billing address using a UK postal code which really had me stumped!

Man_in_seat_61

UK.voyages-sncf.com is the artiste formerly known as Rail Europe UK, raileurope.co.uk. Only UK credit cards accepted, only posts tickets to UK addresses.

EN.voyages-sncf.com is the English-language version of SNCF's own website, www.voyages-sncf.com.

The uk. and en. versions use a different booking engine even though they now look almost identical.

The UK site uses the engine originally used at raileurope.co.uk, which has reduced functionality compared to the main en.voyages-sncf system - it can't book iDTGV, can't do Espace Privatif or Forfait Bambin, doesn't offer any choice of seating or upper/lower deck on a TGV Duplex.

tomboy

Why do people who intend printing an e-ticket feel legally obligated to put their correct mailing address on an e-form?

I mean, one could just as well put down 10 Downing Street, or Cuckoo's Nest, or Igloo Drive, Borneo, for all intents and purposes.

Could Inspector Clouseau, of the famed Train Police, kick you off the train for having ID that didn't match your ticket?

Christina

Yes, they certainly could kick you off for having ID that didn't match your ticket, that's the whole point of them asking your name and birthdate. The ticket is for a specific person, but that is what they check. As for the address, they don't even require that you put that down, so they aren't going to check your street address but they will check your name and birthdate sometimes.

Sarastro

On the Ouigo and iDTGV trains particularly, ID´s are closely monitored but a SNCF agent could ask for identification anytime on any train.

djkbooks

tomboy, your credit card transaction will not go through if the address in the proposed transaction does not match your billing address...

tomboy

Do I now understand correctly: tho I live in the US, I may buy a TGV ticket on the SCNF site if I select a non-US country (UK) but give my correct US address for the details in the purchase?

Sarastro

The SNCF does not really care where you live, they only require that the billing address you give matches that which your credit card issuing bank has on file.